Tokyo Ghoul

[The_Curiosus]

In the past week or so, I’ve become interested in the manga and anime Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida. The main characteristic that could present a danger to one’s faith is its rather high quantity of violence. However, it is a seinen manga (manga aimed towards older audiences), so it will contain material that may not be suitable for younger audiences. The reason I’ve made this thread is to ask this yes‒no question: Is it sinful to read or watch this manga/anime? I ask this not because of the violence, but because of a few references to tarot cards. The references are contained within some episode titles, pieces of character clothing, character development, and numbers. However, no actual usage of tarot cards or any occult practices occur with the manga/anime itself (to my knowledge). For instance, an antagonist’s plot development is linked to the number XIII, a reference to Friday the 13th and a tarot card. There’s a character’s hairpin that looks like an X and three Is (XIII). Basically, some symbolism is used to make references, like the use of Greek gods in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series.
If I had not spent time reading about this mange/anime online, I would never have noticed anything relating to this. I don't feel like these references will have any impact on my faith (I'm a relatively active Catholic and would die before giving my belief up), but I'd like other opinions to guide me. In conclusion, some of the characters are themed after this lore, and the majority of the references are numbers. There is no magic like in *Harry Potter* but rather more like mythological monsters in modern Tokyo.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Symbolism used in fiction is no more likely to invite demonic spirits than saying abracadabra is going to cause ghosts to haunt you at every step.

If Buddhists can use swastikas and we Christians can incorporate a symbolically traumatizing means of execution as among our holiest signs, then it’s safe to say that such forms really have no power in of themselves. The way we use them says a lot more.

P.S.

Oh dear… I really need to speed up on finishing my Pokemon roster. >_> Tokyo Ghoul is just one of the series that have been piling up on my “Must Check Out” list and that list keeps getting longer (lesee there’s also Death Parade, Kara no Kyoukai, Dog Days 3, Cardfight Vanguard: G, not to mention I still haven’t finished the second season of K-On…).

 

[The_Curiosus]

Symbolism used in fiction is no more likely to invite demonic spirits than saying abracadabra is going to cause ghosts to haunt you at every step.

If Buddhists can use swastikas and we Christians can incorporate a symbolically traumatizing means of execution as among our holiest signs, then it’s safe to say that such forms really have no power in of themselves. The way we use them says a lot more.

P.S.

Oh dear… I really need to speed up on finishing my Pokemon roster. >_> Tokyo Ghoul is just one of the series that have been piling up on my “Must Check Out” list and that list keeps getting longer (lesee there’s also Death Parade, Kara no Kyoukai, Dog Days 3, Cardfight Vanguard: G, not to mention I still haven’t finished the second season of K-On…).

Ah, thank you for the in depth post. I was just wondering because as I was researching, there were some indirect references to Death, Hanged Man, Arcanas, or some mumbo jumbo like that. There were no images or dialogue containing these actual things, but there were character plots and puns modeled after the symbolism. Once again, thanks for the advice, as I doubt the references have any impact or influence unless a person willingly pursues them.