Miyazaki's movies are often talked about as having an overt environmentalist message, which they do, but I feel there's more. It isn't simply that we should value nature, but it's an emphasis of the beauty in nature, the value of plain simplciity, and the eroding of the belief that humans exist seperate from nature. It's an explanation of the spiritual bond which connects all things, including people, and through our harming nature we are harming some simple and beautiful aspect to ourselves.
The challenge is that there are many who still hold to the concept that humans exist separate and above nature. If we can accept that our relevance to all things is equal to that of a fly or conversely understand that within everything humans are irrelevant, is the time we've matured as a species.
As a Professional Translator (and Subtitler), thanks for mentioning our field and explaining how it works! It's important that people understand that there are cultural underpinnings when working with two languages, it's not just a case of "oh, I'm bilingual", like many people seem to think. Also, some years ago I took "The Science of Religion" course with Prof. Slingerland and Prof. Shariff, from edX and UBC, and since then I've just found your field to be FASCINATING. Thanks for the great videos!
I'm actually responsible for the English-language subtitles (though not the translation) for all the pre-2006 Studio Ghibli films excluding Spirited Away. I was working for a subtitling company in London when our client Buena Vista/Disney got the rights to release the Ghibli films for English-speaking markets. We got supplied with approved English-language translations of the films and I timed them to the audio. I didn't think certain translations seemed very appropriate/accurate, particularly in cases of awkward localisation/"domestication", but we weren't allowed to make any changes (I don't speak Japanese but I had access to the dubbing scripts and it didn't take a genius to notice where the translation seemed odd). It's possible that it's not the DVD subtitles which are currently used in other formats but if so then I guess I was part of the process that supplied these unsatisfactory subtitles; the translation might be questionable but I hope you'll all agree that the subs are well-timed (o;
I think that this anecdote is based on real data: 90% of all japanese go to the shrine/temple for new year and other holidays, observed some daily rituals and purification dogmas but when asked about their religious affiliation they usually answer: None. But in England 90% of people self identify as "christian" but when asked about if they take communion, attend to services, etc they answer was: NO
"[We should] not postpone obedience to a precept [of natural law] until its credentials have been examined." - C. S. Lewis Miyazaki is willing to admit that some things are axiomatically true whether modern science can prove them or not ( 2:30 ). Many of his films explore the harm of a materialist worldview in the industrial age, especially when unchecked or balanced by the wisdom of old. His characters are motivated by the mysterious desire to be truly and fully human, whether that is expressed as creating the best art they possibly can (Whisper of the Heart), redeeming their loved ones at risk (Spirited Away), or acting as a conscientious objector (Porco Rosso). Morality is at the heart of every Miyazaki film so I can easily see why so many see his films as religious.
Well, there is also the elements of protagonists praying to spirits and gods (Totoro, Mononoke, etc.), and having those prayers answered, while antagonists attack the gods and nature to their own destruction and that of others, so... yeah, that'd be religious!
Japanese people watch Miyazaki movies on TV many times a year. (Nausicaa has already been aired 19 times.) "Do you know? The god of Shinto is both sacred and terrifying. I haven't read the Shinto scriptures, but I saw Princess Mononoke."
The movie "My Neighbor Totoro" gives a subtle but complex look at day-to-day religion in a Miyazaki movie. In the first "act", the professor and his two daughters who have just moved into a country house go to a nearby tree wrapped with a shibenawa, a rope tied around an old tree to denote its sacred nature. They actually pray to the tree. Later in the movie, while waiting for their father at a bus stop, the girls see an inari shrine dedicated to local fox spirits. Later still, the youngest daughter tried to walk to the hospital where her mother was a patient, but failed, and stopped to rest by a line of six jizo statues of Buddhist monks, who were there to protect travellers. The three acts of the movie were each represented by one of three religious Japanese traditions--Shinto, animism and Buddhism. Each is acknowledged at some point.
There are some Buddhist references too. In Totoro, Satsuki and Mei get shelter from the rain at a Jizô shrine, and later Satsuki riding the Cat-bus finds Mei at the foot of a Jizô statue. But Jizô is certainly Buddhist folk-religion.
@@berserkerciaran At least Sabaton does both their Swedish and English versions themselves. Also, "En livstid i krig" and "A Lifetime of War", although the same melody, subject, and themes, have very distinct perspectives to the subject matter.
@@rightwingreactionary The original anime are dubbed by voice actors... the problem is when the foreign language version is significantly different from the original, and arguing issues not present in the original.
The biggest difference that I found in Miyazaki’s films being translated into English is in Kiki’s Delivery Service. In the Japanese version, the cat, Gigi, has the voice of a child and at the end of the movie, when Kiki regains her powers, Gigi never talks to Kiki again. Gigi is just a cat. But in the American version, Phil Hartman voices Gigi and the cat takes on an almost parental role in the film, looking out for Kiki whereas in the original film, Gigi is more like Kiki’s child or pet. Also in the US version, Gigi talks to Kiki again after she regains her powers.
@@colpugno7 Apparently, in the 2010 DVD version of the English dub, part of the differences are removed and the version is closer to the Japanese version of the anime. Also, the anime is loosely based on a book by Kadono Eiko - and she wrote more after that. In her book, Jiji and Kiki can still speak and understand each other. . Kiki and Jiji have a relationship that is more like partners or very close friends; Jiji is certainly not a parent figure but neither is he a child one. In the book, it is explained that Kiki's mother, Kukiri, also had a cat named Meme. The witch and the cat are raised together; that means that Jiji and Kiki have about the same age, so Jiji should be much more mature but maybe a witch's black cat is supposed to age slower than normal cats. In any case, Jiji is described as a small cat (but not a kitten). The cat and witch grow together and develop a language of their own that nobody else understands; the cat is a moral support for the witch. Eventually, the witch finds a human partner that can understand her as the cat does, the cat finds a partner of his own and moves away; and so Kuriko lives with her partner Okino and the black cat Meme is not there. But Kiki is yet much too young for that at the end of the movie.
Thank you! A great video as always. I also would like to thank you for speaking so calmly and clearly in your videos. I really appreciate it as a non-native English speaker.
I saw this video title in my feed and thought "ha, funny, that's gonna be a short video with so much filler" until I saw what channel this is from. I'm so looking forward to this!
I found this channel through the gospel of Judas video, and now I’m gonna have religion for breakfast every day :)) it’s such a great job, many thanks from Russia, guys!🙏🏻
I dunno man, if I made a movie referencing the mythology of my culture, people might attribute it more than what it is: nods to the context that you grow up in. As much as I love my undergraduate education in religious studies and being a graduate student in a similar field, I would consistently see Religious Studies academics try to apply the label of religion (esp. world religions) into everything. If I make a film that happens to have themes that are also talked about in the religion of my region, does there *have* to be a connection? Also, it seems like these designations happen more often to non-European people, with their world being inescapably religious and Europeans/Whites being more often associated with the secular.
I come from a non-Western and non-Abrahamist cultural background and I have similar doubts. Miyazaki is just describing Japanese society and traditions in general. The Shinto elements in his works are just reflections of rich traditions of the 1K-year-old culture, which include their ancestors' religion. Having remanents and influences of what people in the past believed does not necessarily mean people today still believe it. Back to the Anglo-American and Christian perspective, in the time when more and more people, particularly the younger generations are leaving Christianity or raised in non-affiliated environments, does this mean Biblical elements in popular culture (e.g. urban myths, conspiracy theories, interpretation of crisis) still *have* to have connections with Christianity? I find it strange that Westerners seem to have an obsession with apocalypticism, from actual risks like the Y2K bug and the climate crisis to fabricated ones like 2012 (weirdly it was combined with Maya religious traditions, which is non-Abrahamic and has nothing to do with the end of the world). Does this mean movements like Extinction Rebellion are actually Christian from a non-Western perspective? Or we can use the film & television works analogy. The book and TV series Good Omens is filled with Christian elements head to toe. However, not only Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett are non-affiliated as Miyazaki does, the work itself is an outright religious satire. The phenomenon is not new and dates back to Shakespeare (Renaissance). If a Chinese person (my cultural background) notices Christian elements in these works, digs deeper and starts to research Christianity, finally becomes a Christian. Does this mean there has to be a connection?
I also come from a non-Abrahamic, non-Western background, but I refuse to make the distinction between "culture" and "religion" like Protestants do. Yeah, all these apocalyptic elements in Western culture as well as the numerous Biblical motifs are very inextricably Christian. Anyone who says otherwise is blind, and religious studies scholars know this.
@@cfromnowhere Thank you for your points and your perspective. It's really interesting. In undergrad I wanted to specialize in Chinese Buddhism, and the way that some of my professors, esp. at the undergrad level, spoke of "Buddhism" or "Hinduism" as entities that explain everyday people's behavior. It has remnants of Orientalism!
@@dandiaz19934 Wait, I meant that assigning that separation to Western culture is absurd. Same with most Asian cultures, including my native Hindu culture. I don't strongly engage with the ritual, but I do follow the dietary rules for my caste, I go to temple, and I view it as an integral part of my self-identity, even if I don't necessarily "believe".
So Domestication is: These donuts are delicious. Jelly donuts are my favorite. And Foreignization is: These rice balls are delicious. Have one of my rice balls.
I don't think that a creator ever has the final say in how viewers interpret film, music, or other art forms. The interpretation is something that arises from the interaction between the art and minds of those who behold and perceive the art. What viewers cannot justifiably do is assert what the creators intentions and beliefs were if these assertions go against what the creator has explained them to be. In short, don't put words in the creator's mouth.
@@PaszerDye The notion started in 60's French Philosophy outside film studies, and beyond that there's the older/wider cultural studies notions of the reconstructive frame on culture (historically sourced, author-informed), contrasted against the constructivist frame (looking through interpretive lenses like feminism, economics...), the deconstructive frame (make the culture your own, remix/fanfic stuff), and the abjective/canonizing frame (critically stating selections as to what matters and what you want to ignore). Just some unsollicited academia here, hope it's of interest.
I take exception to your last point. (And that last point alone.) Audiences may _absolutely_ come to a conclusion, point, interpretation, or intention that the creator has explicitly said not to be the case. You just better be prepared to defend it hard with examples from the source and be in the minority. One need not look any further than _Fahrenheit 451_ for an example of a work's meaning that is generally well supported and accepted but was absolutely not what the creator intended and he said as much.
@@Punaparta "What viewers cannot justifiably do is assert what the creators intentions and beliefs were if these assertions go against what the creator has explained them to be." I suppose my point is more "what the creator's intentions and beliefs are not (or at least may not) be what the work is about" than anything else. Again, _Fahrenheit 451_ is a great example. Bradbury, for a very long time, said that it was not about censorship and oppressive governments, even getting into verbal fights with fans over the very issue; he relented later, but it's impossible to say just how much or little he came to see their interpretation as right as (or possibility more right than) his original intention.
I think Miyazaki films have been a great influence in my childhood and, as a result, my worldviews. Especially in the more animistic/religious side of things, I grew up to see a world full of life and divinities/beings who inhabit them. Didn't pay much attention to that side of myself until later, when I started practicing Hellenism, a polytheistic animist religion. So for me, while they didn't make me a Shinto practitioner (although I would absolutely love to travel to Japan and participate in their rituals and festivities), they definitely affected me in a religious way that at the end of the day made me turn away from Christianity/Atheism, which were my religious positions as a child/teenager.
Yeah, I can't say for sure that Miyazaki had anything to do with me turning to heathenism, I definitely see alot of similarities in the ideas his work presents and my own religious practice.
As silly as it sounds pokémon is a perfect example demonstrating the difference between foreignization and domestication. In the original Japanese dub of Pokemon they make references to things like onigiri's and some Shinto festivals. But when they translate it to English onigiri's were turned into donuts and the Shinto festivals were more made a generic holiday celebration
@@dandiaz19934 Yes. Many Japanese people still go to temples, shrines, and participate in communal rituals. Most Japanese people associate shukyo or religion more with how we in the west might think of cult membership- an exclusive belonging and adherence that precludes other world perspectives. So that's why many Japanese people do not admit to being religious, even though many do participate in religious rituals.
Even the title spirited away is a reference to the concept of kami spiriting away children to the spirit world, also notice that Miyazaki specifically said he doesn’t like *religious dogma* but he loves folk rituals and customs. My interpretation is that he has his own version of what we would call Ko-Shinto but he doesn’t like or want to define it as such because defining it brings more room for the dogma he so dislikes
Another great video, I love this channel. The exploration biblical themes is fascinating, as are the other religions that you shine a light on. But then you will your scholarly analysis on the possible religions Hyrule or Star Wars and it’s always handled with though provoking care. Now a video exploring the cultural effects of religion on media, great job man, great job.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter what the creator intends for something to be interpreted. If the audience views it a certain way it can’t be helped, that’s what the art has inherently shown.
12:01 This was the part I was waiting for. I was just commenting on how you're starting to make anime look like some kind of religious teaching. Even in western culture there are those who make shows with christian elements so I don't get why people interpret Miyazaki's works as religious when they're clearly for entertainment purposes
Miyazaki preaches traditional values and practices which are rooted in religious belief, at least in Christian belief if not also rural Japanese animism (as separate from imperial Shinto). In Totoro, the heroes/protagonists pray for help and give thanks, while honoring their parents and their elders. In Mononoke, the same happens, while the antagonists are seen striving to wrest power from wherever they can get it. In Ponyo, there is the great sea goddess who preaches responsibility, and family and respect for elders are and the weak are proclaimed noble. In Kiki, there is again the respect for elders and the importance of family. In Spirited Away, we see similar virtues. These values show up again and again in his films, which is part of what makes them so great and so approachable for Western audiences and appropriate for children. Whether he sees them as religious or not, they are deeply religious films.
@@Chamdar17 And what? Do you serve his movies as some kind of holy text? Holy movie, maybe? Explain to me, how was anything you said relevant to my point
@@pentagram3 You typed "I don't get why people interpret Miyazaki's works as religious when they're clearly for entertainment purposes" - I pointed out that, while they certainly entertain, they also preach specific ideologies and present specific religious themes, characters, and behaviors (including prayer and sacrifice to deities). It isn't interpretation, they ARE overtly "religious" films. Whether that offends you or not, it is precisely relevant to your comment. If you are demanding a precise set of doctrines be promulgated in the film in order for it to be considered "religious", then I think your issue stems from a different understanding of what constitutes "religious" vs not. I am glad you found the films entertaining!
@@Chamdar17 And when did I say there wasn't any religious stuff? Dude, the whole video was about how his movie have religious stuff, you really think people in the comment section don't realise it? You're talking as if I ever said there's absolutely no religious references in his work which is far from my point. I was talking about people who think his movies are supposed to be some kind of religious text, which is not. If you don't know the difference between religious text and religious art work: text is something you're suppose to worship as something "holy". Religious Art work is simply an art work with religious reference. I was talking about religious text while you're talking about art work. Some people think his movies are religious and supposed to be worshipped. Are you intelligent enough to understand or should I explain more?
@@pentagram3 Seriously, you typed "I don't get why people interpret Miyazaki's works as religious when they're clearly for entertainment purposes". If you had typed "as religious text" in your first post, I wouldn't have bothered replying since I've never met any such person nor read any such thing regarding them except from YOU just now :p His films are religious, plain and simple. You agree? If so, GREAT! Are YOU intelligent enough to understand, or should I quote you again? :)
I love your channel and I've always loved and will always do Studio Ghibli films and I'd never expected I'd get to see you study and analyse studio Ghibli movies. I mean this is way beyond crazy. All I can say is.... Doumo arigatto gozaimasu.
As someone living "on the ground" (so to speak) in Japan, Miyazaki's statement makes complete sense. Most people in Japan don't view themselves as particularly religious (as you've noted in other videos on Shinto) but Japanese culture and "shinto" are practically inseparable. The more Japanese a person would try to make their film, the more religious it is going to appear, even without the director's intention being religious.
It is so amazing to me to see the people find this film religious or something. The Shinto and Buddhism things and notions are always there in our daily life, like air, not special. (The Torii gate mentioned here is an example. You cannot walk so far without seeing one.)
I am currently studying Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film, "Seven Samurai." I do not speak Japanese and have questions about the translations. (I have four versions.) I found your discussion about "Domestication" versus "Foreignization" translations to be interesting.
I remember watching Nausicaa as a kid and then completely losing track of it. Couldn't even remember the name until I was in my late 20s and learned it was part of the Ghibli canon.
Religion must've started as a kind of mix of art and play, and so it seems only fitting that Miyazaki's films are connotated with religion. I think religion in the modern sense is when we imitate someone else's art and play, and we lose touch with the experiential dimension of doing our own thing for no particular explainable reason at all.
That’s a great insight! For example, the history of manga is traced back to picture scrolls (emakimono) which early on were used to teach Buddhist history and concepts. A key series later on in the 13th century is the “Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans” (Chōjū jinbutsu giga), which features monkey monk shenanigans. Religious specialists can have a great sense of humor! We can’t take ourselves too seriously 😄
12:00 I'd think this relates to how in Japan, being "religious" is affiliating with a group, not so much practising ritual or adhering to belief. So maybe it's just a matter of translation (assuming that's what Miyazaki meant). Considering all of the other things he says, I think he really draws a lot from religion - just, not in the Japanese sense of the word.
Christianity really focusses on all-in or all-out ways of thinking, either you believe and are saved or you're not a Christian at all. Most other religions aren't like that as much.
I get it. I can identify. His sense of spirituality is natural, innate to him, as well as perhaps the common root behind many religions, but does not belong to any specific religion. He is not intentionally presenting Shinto or any other religion in his films. But, being that he is Japanese and working within a Japanese culture, he naturally picks up on Japanese (thus Shinto) mythology in his storytelling.
He shows the kids in Totoro praying before shrines, asking spirits for help, and the help comes. He shows the protagonists in Mononoke praying to gods and receiving answers, and the antagonists attacking those gods and those beliefs. He shows the girl in Spirited Away interacting with spirits and other-worldly powers in a respectful manner. He may not consider himself religious, but the social and animistic religious traditions and beliefs of rural Japanese culture are not accidental in his films, they are central to the plot.
Another great video, good sir. You've already released separate videos on each subject - but I would really appreciate a video comparing animism to kami. I might be misunderstanding the differences between the two, but to me the concept of kami seems to be a form of animism.
Did "The Wind Rises" contain many Shinto influences? It was grounded a bit more in the real world, even though the story was more or less fictional, but did have many fantasy elements. I know there was that wedding scene as a form or religious practice, but that's the only one that stands out to me. If there wasn't much Shinto inspiration is that because he was trying to steer away from it because the move was set at the height of the Japanese Empire when State Shinto was actively promoted?
Have you read the manga for Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind? Having read it before seeing the movie, I found the movie lacking. Not bad by any means, but the manga simply dwarfs it in the scope of its story and the exploration of the world and themes presented. Definitely a must-read of any fantasy, Miyazaki, and/or Ghibli fans in general.
I gotta say something, though I'm sure I'm no where near the first one to say it. I absolutely love how well you tie both the humanity and the transcendence of any religious topic together and how effortlessly digestible the information in your videos always is. You truly are the Carl Sagan of religious studies. In no way is that a superficial comparison, either! I'm sure your videos are the saving grace of many a university student and I know there must be many many religious people who watch and love all of your videos, but as an atheist who in younger years had the Christopher Hitchens/Richard Dawkins esque polemic view of religion, though in recent years have often found myself reading the Bible with great interest and watching many videos like yours (though as always I would still categorize myself as agnostic/atheist, I've always had a lingering spirituality that kept me from ever truly fitting in with the Dawkins crowd). Nowadays not much brings me more pleasure than sitting down for one of your videos. The raw educational value of your content is strengthened over tenfold by the fact that you keep the awe and mysticism of the spiritual/religious intact which i believe is what makes your channel what it is. TH-cams home the both the religious and religiously homeless alike!
I've only heard the terms localized translation and literal translation used by translators but I guess they're the same concepts. Literal translations are good for language learners, but they are not good for general entertainment translations because the translations end up saying things that would not be said in the target language to mean the same thing. For example: 僕がいない町 can be be translated literally as "I Don't Exist Town" or more naturally as "A Town Without Me" or "A Town Where I Don't Exist" For another example, the phrase 好きです can be translated literally as "is favorable" or naturally as "I like it" or even "I have feelings for you"
Art is a mix of point of view from the artist perspective & a point of view from the receptive perspective so I would say Miyazaki has his 50% set, the other 50% is personal.
The concept of playful religion is one I think westerners in particular would really benefit from adopting. Both for the irony poisoned and the dogmatists.
I think the audience is free to interpret the work however they want, for as long as they understand the difference between "I want it to convey this" and "It was meant to convey this". Also, there is the issue of vagueness in definitions. Religion, Religious, and Organized Religion, etc. are understood differently by different people, so the creators may really be convinced that their work isn't about, let's say, "religiosity", and yet what they are portraying is "religiosity" to some people. As long as we ignore the absolute extremes ( i.e. horrible, unfounded interpretations, and rigid, literal understandings of a work), we can work with what's left in the middle; although, I have a feeling that even this approach won't be adequate in the long run, which brings us back to your awesome channel and the importance of discourse. 👍
I have been raised agnostic all my life and I have had phases where I am confident in being an atheist and other times where I feel a need to be spiritual in some way. I have always enjoyed talking about religion and the supernatural, especially to religious people. And I think that's why I love Miyazaki films so much, because they have religious undertones. This channel has helped me get a grasp on a few religion, Shinto being one of them. I have a Christian friend who I have been talking to about religion and he has been encouraging me to find something that I feel comfortable being. I took a really good look at Christianity and some of its theology, and though its super interesting, I don't think any sect of Christianity has satisfied me at all. Especially with what I see is dogmatic doctrines from church authorities that more often than not just manifests into preserving conservative moral traditions, which I don't care for as a LGBT person. Same thing with Judaism and Islam too for the same reasons. Shinto on the other hand has been increasingly an attractive option. The only reservation I had for it was that it seemed the Shinto practice is so tied in Japanese cultural customs, it would kinda seem silly for me to live a Shinto life. But I have seen a compelling case that Shinto can be practiced universally and can be adopted into any culture. I am still developing my opinion about what I think about Shinto, but I think if I were to ever identify with a "religion" I am currently thinking Shinto might be the one.
The films don't have "religious undertones", they have protagonists straight-up praying to spirits/gods, having their prayers answered, fighting against unbelieving power-hungry industrialists, and embracing (which may upset you) traditional moral values. If you want religious "undertones", you should read the works of JRR Tolkien. Tolkien's deep-rooted Catholicism is foundational to his fantasy world, but you won't see it without looking carefully. CS Lewis' Narnia books are slightly more religious, but still they do not come close to what is presented in Miyazaki. The religion he manifests is mostly animistic in its supernatural aspects, but his social beliefs are very traditional and mesh very closely with traditional western values.
Please provide a review of the religious symbolism in Raya and the Last Dragon. I get it’s contemporary references to political strife during a deadly and wide-spread endemic. It’s use of cultural and religious symbolism may be inferred from those in southeast Asia, or are creatively conjured much like you describe for Miyasaki’s films in this video.
I feel like westerners conception of religion as a separate from culture create this need to classify art expressions as religious or non religious, when in reality, in many parts of the world that have not experienced christian colonialism, where a new religion was imposed by force, religion and culture are not at all separate, that's why I feel shinto is difficult to classify from a western view, because shinto is a natural progression of folk beliefs, something we lost with colonialism, and later with the modern rejection of Christianity, making them separate to the state or scientific institutions, this separation is completely modern, and even modern Japan or other cultures have been affected by this, hence Miyazaki's aim to emphasize the "spiritual world", where everything posses a spirit. This incision between the "supernatural" and the "natural" is modern and from that lens is quite difficult to understand folk beliefs.
Its still a belief that one follows and tries to influence others to follows as well. Its still a level of indoctrination and social engineering to influence others to follow this belief. In the end even he has a spiritual belief. You're just not wanting to call it a religion because you don't like religion and especially a Christian religion because you associate it with colonialism and white people. The roots are not even European. And actually there Is growing number of Japanese Christians. It's just kept hushed because Christianity is shamed in Japan. There was a Japanese war lord that put the end of Christianity almost by torturing and killing Japanese Christians when to many of them were converting. And there are some Christian iconographies hidden on some Graves. It's actually very interesting and there is a documentary on it. To believe in spirits period of a supernatural religious ideology. So regardless he is still religious and he pushing his ideology on others through his films. All films do.
There'll be a n upcoming Zoom Webinar at @EatPrayAnime on April 22 - 7pm EST and it'll tackle about the anime film Your Name/Kimi No Nawa and connection to that film on Shinto religion. So mark your calendar. 😁
Another way to put it is: what is the extent to which we can apply this lens? Is there ever a point where is the framework of religion *NOT* involved or does NOT influence a person or a society's life, even if for an instant? ((I'm not asking facetiously, I promise. I'm an enormous fan of your channel. I started when you were at about 30K subscribers, as a recommendation from Dr. Joseph Lumbard. But I am genuinely curious to explore these questions to know the limits of our frameworks.))
I have to agree. A lot of "secular" work still confirms to religious norms - think of most English language media where an evil character is punished with disability. This is historically how Christianity viewed disability and disabled people.
@@theMoporterRight, but my question is, how do we make sense of that data? To what degree can we ascribe causal power to "religion"? Does anything ever exist outside of the framework of religion or are we jamming everything into a particular framework? i.e., it's part of the "when all you have is a hammer, everything around you looks like a nail" idea.
@@theMoporter This is why studying the inverse, the secular, in order to delineate the boundaries of that which may be called religious. Otherwise, we're forcing a lens onto everything.
In Totoro in particular, their are religious shrines and praying and prayers being answered. In Mononoke their are gods and praying and sacrificing to gods. In many of his films, the morals being promoted are traditional religious morals. Whatever else you may see in Miyazaki's films, religion is very-much present.
I enjoyed the series, thanks. I think you should have been willing to mention the etymology of the world religion [from Latin 'religare' meaning 'to bind']. To fail to integrate the notion of religion as a binding together of people who either a] share a common practice or b] belief under some form of authority such as a priest or bishop, you leave out what I regard as the pivotal point that creates the difference between spirituality more broadly and religion. Its, for want of a better word, problematic because failing to integrate etymology and the essential meaning of the term [as a way of creating in an out groups] perpetuates a lot of the problems inherent in western, latinised understandings of spirituality as conditioned by idea of 'religion'. You have to define your terms or the same misunderstandings persist. Why I see 'Shinto' or polytheism or animism more generally as so powerful and compelling is because it speaks to a 'pre-religious' sense of piety and respect for nature and the unknown that doesn't depend upon people sharing the same belief in the same way our western sense of religion demands a more creedal form of belief, its emphasis is on ethics and practice. This deemphasis on belief and focus on ethics and practical demonstrations of reverence can be a] unifying force in a spiritual climate that tends towards in/out dogmatism and b] appeals to that universal impulse towards living an ethical life. Lastly and most essentially what I think is so appealing about 'Shinto' is that the ortho-pratical language that the tradition[s] convey are simple and common sense. The emphasis of purity is a major component of this. Ultimately I think westerns are drawn towards this way of thinking and living because it speaks to a deep and ancient part of everyone: that we need to treat each other and our environments with respect, hold respect and awe for the things we cannot fully understand, give thanks for all the goodness we receive and be willing to let our commonalities bring us together rather than let our differences divide us. Forgive the rambling. Good series though. Got me thinking. I appreciate it. Blessings.
Interpretation of a work by the audience is almost completely independent of the creator's intent. Indeed, it's a combination of the work's imagery and the preconceptions and experiences of the audience. The author can take steps to guide their audience towards a desired interpretation, but this is not guaranteed. Multiple times the intent behind a work ended up being completely opposite to its interpretation by the audience. Rei Ayanami was supposed to be a creepy doll-like person, but people found her endearing. The recent Wonder Woman was supposed to be an exemplar, but many people found her lazy, selfish and outright criminal.
"almost completely independent of the creator's intent" - I guess that depends on how you approach it. Sometimes a creator is very explicit in his/her meaning, sometimes he is deliberately obscure, and sometimes he is just incompetent. A good creator gets his intent across and it's up to the audience to agree or disagree, depending on how independent they are to his attempts to force their emotions or thought process. An incompetent creator fails to get his intent across and interpretations can vary widely. An ambivalent creator deliberately invites interpretation by leaving things obscure. If Rei Ayanami was "supposed to be creepy" and not endearing, then the creators drew and wrote her poorly. It's easy to write a character like that, and that is not what was done, so I choose to believe it was not their intent. They wanted her awkward and also very attractive, and they succeeded. The recent Wonder Woman story was, on the other hand, written exactly as you say, by writers who held beliefs completely alien to normal human understanding and logic who thought they were making her virtuous when they really made her despicable in the eyes of the audience. This latter situation is occurring more and more frequently in western film and television - crappy writers whose intentions are clear, they are just stupid or insidiously wrong or both.
Hey there! I'm a big fan of the channel and a lover of religious studies as well. I was wondering if you've made mention or had a topic where you've brushed by the idea of mono/dyophysitism , I had it brought up to me as an example of one of the lesser known ancient religious schisms. I think learning about really obscure religious debates such as these give great examples of early practitioners of now widely known and practiced religions trying to decipher their own beliefs, and if you've made a video addressing something like this I'd love to watch it . Thanks!
There is no simple answer to how Miyazaki movies should be seen. Great works of art transcend that. One can start with how Miyazaki himself sees his work but then you have to look at what happened when the audience (or in this case multiple audiences) got involved. Great works keep growing. An author can lose ownership of the work. Miyazaki created these movies but they have evolved as cultural phenomena beyond his control.
Watching Rowan J Coleman’s analysis on the lore behind the original/1978 BSG series after watching this, it makes me want to see more analyses on shows/films that take _inspiration_ from the creator’s culture-of-origin’s religion, but not being _intentionally overt_ about representing that religion thru their medium.
3:56 Almost like how every artist or celebrity is misinterpreted, the critique or audience sees one thing but the artist actually means to convey something else.
i know this series is focused on shinto and its relations to other things in japanese society and the world at large but man i just wanna take a moment to realy appreciate hayao miyazaki, and really all artists like him from japan, whether its in cinema, or gaming, or in more traditional art, there is truly something unique and magnificent about these artists who grew up in the japanese culture, and how japanese culture venerates art and creatitivity. personally i enjoy their expressions more than any others in the world, and people like hayao miyazaki and hidetaka miyazaki have forever affected my view of the world, art, and culture
also to say whether hayao agrees or disagrees with the religious interpretations of his works, i think like the argument of this entire video, is more nuanced in reality. While he probably isnt trying to push anyone towards religion or to have any meaningful affect in that regard, and may even actively try to avoid it, his films are obviously bound to be molded around his own views and experiences in life, which definitely has aspects of shinto deeply intertwined with his worldviews. This is not a bad thing, for him, or the viewers, or anyone for that matter if someone watches his films and decides that they want to practice shintoism, that is not inherently good or bad, but generally you could argue that it probably is benefitting the person who chose to make that switch, anyways tldr i find this all to be pretty acceptable socially and otherwise
Science Fiction author Orson Scott Card: "...I made a conscious choice to exclude religious concerns from my writing. No one was going to be a member of the Mormon church; there were going to be no tales of prophets, saviors, priests, or believers. I was going to write pure, unmixed sci-fi... My impatience with badly conceived Mormon fiction was part of my reason for eschewing overtly religious topics or characters in my science fiction. To my surprise, however, I discovered that my work had become more, not less, religious when I stopped dealing with religious subjects consciously. I would go to a convention and someone would ask me, "Are you Mormon?" "Yes," I'd say, "Oh, I knew it before I was halfway through reading..." " -Introduction to Cruel Miracles.
I believe that if we resign ourselves to using the same word (religion) to describe very different things, and that adding epithets (vernavular, playful, institutional, etc) is necessary to make any sense out of this variety of ideas, we should refrain from using that word. We should instead strive to uncover a different, more general term that captures that more precisely captures the common element. I say this because foreign cultural products such as Myazaki's work seem to bring much confusion and astonishment in the minds of religious-focused scholars, when I find no difficulty in seperating what is properly "religious" (symbols, archetypes) from what is "vernacular" (introspection, creativity and playfulness). Clarity of thought sometimes comes at the expanse of reworking, or expanding, our vocabulary. This may seem like criticism, but is mote intended to convey my synpathy for the challenge one has to open to other cultures with the tools one has been given by upbriging, and also higher education. I absolutely love your videos and find them fascinating. Not being a religious-minded person, I really love your inrerest and connection to every single culture and your sincere curiosity. Keep educating us!
I would not say that Miyazaki's films inspired me to adopt Shinto. While they exposed me to a different way of thinking, the "versions" of his films that I've seen are just vague enough that I wouldn't automatically know the various references in the films are from Shinto if I didn't already know. I got involved with Shinto after several years of studying Japanese culture and cultural references. Anime, in general, is full of cultural references and a good deal of the jokes rely on those references. When a character refers to another character as a Racoon dog (Tanuki) we need to know why the joke is funny or we'll never get the joke. The Shinto concept of sin and the lack of "Original sin" is quite liberating and even revolutionary from a Western standpoint.
I'm teaching two online seminars this month on religion in the ancient world. Join here: www.speakeasy.com/speaker/andrew-henry
What are your favorite examples of a well done incorporation of religion and film?
Please do a video on the gospel of Mary
Man that was great, but how did you not give a shout out to saint young men!
Miyazaki's movies are often talked about as having an overt environmentalist message, which they do, but I feel there's more. It isn't simply that we should value nature, but it's an emphasis of the beauty in nature, the value of plain simplciity, and the eroding of the belief that humans exist seperate from nature. It's an explanation of the spiritual bond which connects all things, including people, and through our harming nature we are harming some simple and beautiful aspect to ourselves.
The challenge is that there are many who still hold to the concept that humans exist separate and above nature. If we can accept that our relevance to all things is equal to that of a fly or conversely understand that within everything humans are irrelevant, is the time we've matured as a species.
If only humans realize they too are 'nature'.
Can I just say I really love this video, but I also love the authenticity of your presentation style?
omg hi there
Thou mayest, hehe
Oooooh dream collab
fancy seein you here
Oh hey Tim
As a Professional Translator (and Subtitler), thanks for mentioning our field and explaining how it works! It's important that people understand that there are cultural underpinnings when working with two languages, it's not just a case of "oh, I'm bilingual", like many people seem to think. Also, some years ago I took "The Science of Religion" course with Prof. Slingerland and Prof. Shariff, from edX and UBC, and since then I've just found your field to be FASCINATING. Thanks for the great videos!
I'm actually responsible for the English-language subtitles (though not the translation) for all the pre-2006 Studio Ghibli films excluding Spirited Away. I was working for a subtitling company in London when our client Buena Vista/Disney got the rights to release the Ghibli films for English-speaking markets. We got supplied with approved English-language translations of the films and I timed them to the audio. I didn't think certain translations seemed very appropriate/accurate, particularly in cases of awkward localisation/"domestication", but we weren't allowed to make any changes (I don't speak Japanese but I had access to the dubbing scripts and it didn't take a genius to notice where the translation seemed odd). It's possible that it's not the DVD subtitles which are currently used in other formats but if so then I guess I was part of the process that supplied these unsatisfactory subtitles; the translation might be questionable but I hope you'll all agree that the subs are well-timed (o;
@@johnnzboy Fascinating! Yes, we always have to take the client into account, and some requirements might complicate things.
Fun fact Neil Gaiman wrote the English dub for Prince Mononoke. One can do a whole video on how Neil Gaiman uses region and mythology.
I think that this anecdote is based on real data:
90% of all japanese go to the shrine/temple for new year and other holidays, observed some daily rituals and purification dogmas but when asked about their religious affiliation they usually answer: None. But in England 90% of people self identify as "christian" but when asked about if they take communion, attend to services, etc they answer was: NO
I don't know if this is supposed to be good or not, but someday England will be able to answer 90% "Muslim" and "Yes" to attending services
@@nekroneschwartz2013 this is by far the dumbest comment I have ever read.
@@nekroneschwartz2013sure Jan
現在、日本で一般的に使用される「宗教」という言葉は「religion」への訳語です。
「religion」という概念は欧米のもので日本人が完全に理解することが難しいのです。
私的には仏教、儒教、神道は宗教ではないと思います。
@@金和-q3c I do think that a lot get lost in translation, they are religion by any definition.
These shinto videos are excellent. I never thought you would jump into studio Ghibli, but am so glad that you chose to do so.
You have just combined two themes I absolutely adore: religion and Studio Ghibli. Your videos over and over positively surprise me. Thank you!
My first thought was how delighted i was at the combination of these 2 topics!
"[We should] not postpone obedience to a precept [of natural law] until its credentials have been examined."
- C. S. Lewis
Miyazaki is willing to admit that some things are axiomatically true whether modern science can prove them or not ( 2:30 ). Many of his films explore the harm of a materialist worldview in the industrial age, especially when unchecked or balanced by the wisdom of old.
His characters are motivated by the mysterious desire to be truly and fully human, whether that is expressed as creating the best art they possibly can (Whisper of the Heart), redeeming their loved ones at risk (Spirited Away), or acting as a conscientious objector (Porco Rosso).
Morality is at the heart of every Miyazaki film so I can easily see why so many see his films as religious.
Well, there is also the elements of protagonists praying to spirits and gods (Totoro, Mononoke, etc.), and having those prayers answered, while antagonists attack the gods and nature to their own destruction and that of others, so... yeah, that'd be religious!
6:53 A man of culture I see. "Nausicaa" is my favorite as well. I still cry at the end even after seeing it countless times.
Japanese people watch Miyazaki movies on TV many times a year. (Nausicaa has already been aired 19 times.)
"Do you know? The god of Shinto is both sacred and terrifying. I haven't read the Shinto scriptures, but I saw Princess Mononoke."
The movie "My Neighbor Totoro" gives a subtle but complex look at day-to-day religion in a Miyazaki movie. In the first "act", the professor and his two daughters who have just moved into a country house go to a nearby tree wrapped with a shibenawa, a rope tied around an old tree to denote its sacred nature. They actually pray to the tree. Later in the movie, while waiting for their father at a bus stop, the girls see an inari shrine dedicated to local fox spirits. Later still, the youngest daughter tried to walk to the hospital where her mother was a patient, but failed, and stopped to rest by a line of six jizo statues of Buddhist monks, who were there to protect travellers. The three acts of the movie were each represented by one of three religious Japanese traditions--Shinto, animism and Buddhism. Each is acknowledged at some point.
Shinto is animism.
You have to read the Nausicaa books, they're written and drawn by Miyazaki and expand upon the story. One of the best comics ever.
There are some Buddhist references too. In Totoro, Satsuki and Mei get shelter from the rain at a Jizô shrine, and later Satsuki riding the Cat-bus finds Mei at the foot of a Jizô statue. But Jizô is certainly Buddhist folk-religion.
I wasn't expecting a Subs vs. Dub argument here
Yeah. It's such a tired debate at this point.
@@cbalan777 Yes, it is. I don't understand how one can watch any media dubbed. It's like listening to a dubbed song.
@@rightwingreactionary wait until you hear about Sabaton...
@@berserkerciaran At least Sabaton does both their Swedish and English versions themselves.
Also, "En livstid i krig" and "A Lifetime of War", although the same melody, subject, and themes, have very distinct perspectives to the subject matter.
@@rightwingreactionary The original anime are dubbed by voice actors... the problem is when the foreign language version is significantly different from the original, and arguing issues not present in the original.
The biggest difference that I found in Miyazaki’s films being translated into English is in Kiki’s Delivery Service. In the Japanese version, the cat, Gigi, has the voice of a child and at the end of the movie, when Kiki regains her powers, Gigi never talks to Kiki again. Gigi is just a cat. But in the American version, Phil Hartman voices Gigi and the cat takes on an almost parental role in the film, looking out for Kiki whereas in the original film, Gigi is more like Kiki’s child or pet. Also in the US version, Gigi talks to Kiki again after she regains her powers.
Spot on.
To be honest I'm kinda surprised why English version did that. It became somewhat different from the original.
@@colpugno7
Apparently, in the 2010 DVD version of the English dub, part of the differences are removed and the version is closer to the Japanese version of the anime.
Also, the anime is loosely based on a book by Kadono Eiko - and she wrote more after that. In her book, Jiji and Kiki can still speak and understand each other. . Kiki and Jiji have a relationship that is more like partners or very close friends; Jiji is certainly not a parent figure but neither is he a child one.
In the book, it is explained that Kiki's mother, Kukiri, also had a cat named Meme. The witch and the cat are raised together; that means that Jiji and Kiki have about the same age, so Jiji should be much more mature but maybe a witch's black cat is supposed to age slower than normal cats. In any case, Jiji is described as a small cat (but not a kitten).
The cat and witch grow together and develop a language of their own that nobody else understands; the cat is a moral support for the witch. Eventually, the witch finds a human partner that can understand her as the cat does, the cat finds a partner of his own and moves away; and so Kuriko lives with her partner Okino and the black cat Meme is not there.
But Kiki is yet much too young for that at the end of the movie.
@@colpugno7 That’s so annoying because studio Ghibli only gave rights to Disney on the condition that they don’t edit their films at all
Aw nice Nausicaä is my favorite too.
It’s so good.
@@ReligionForBreakfast It really is! My aunt showed me it as a child, and I've loved it ever since.
If I only had one movie.
@@ReligionForBreakfast Have you read the manga?
Thank you! A great video as always. I also would like to thank you for speaking so calmly and clearly in your videos. I really appreciate it as a non-native English speaker.
so do I
I saw this video title in my feed and thought "ha, funny, that's gonna be a short video with so much filler" until I saw what channel this is from. I'm so looking forward to this!
I found this channel through the gospel of Judas video, and now I’m gonna have religion for breakfast every day :)) it’s such a great job, many thanks from Russia, guys!🙏🏻
I dunno man, if I made a movie referencing the mythology of my culture, people might attribute it more than what it is: nods to the context that you grow up in. As much as I love my undergraduate education in religious studies and being a graduate student in a similar field, I would consistently see Religious Studies academics try to apply the label of religion (esp. world religions) into everything. If I make a film that happens to have themes that are also talked about in the religion of my region, does there *have* to be a connection? Also, it seems like these designations happen more often to non-European people, with their world being inescapably religious and Europeans/Whites being more often associated with the secular.
I come from a non-Western and non-Abrahamist cultural background and I have similar doubts. Miyazaki is just describing Japanese society and traditions in general. The Shinto elements in his works are just reflections of rich traditions of the 1K-year-old culture, which include their ancestors' religion. Having remanents and influences of what people in the past believed does not necessarily mean people today still believe it. Back to the Anglo-American and Christian perspective, in the time when more and more people, particularly the younger generations are leaving Christianity or raised in non-affiliated environments, does this mean Biblical elements in popular culture (e.g. urban myths, conspiracy theories, interpretation of crisis) still *have* to have connections with Christianity? I find it strange that Westerners seem to have an obsession with apocalypticism, from actual risks like the Y2K bug and the climate crisis to fabricated ones like 2012 (weirdly it was combined with Maya religious traditions, which is non-Abrahamic and has nothing to do with the end of the world). Does this mean movements like Extinction Rebellion are actually Christian from a non-Western perspective?
Or we can use the film & television works analogy. The book and TV series Good Omens is filled with Christian elements head to toe. However, not only Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett are non-affiliated as Miyazaki does, the work itself is an outright religious satire. The phenomenon is not new and dates back to Shakespeare (Renaissance). If a Chinese person (my cultural background) notices Christian elements in these works, digs deeper and starts to research Christianity, finally becomes a Christian. Does this mean there has to be a connection?
I also come from a non-Abrahamic, non-Western background, but I refuse to make the distinction between "culture" and "religion" like Protestants do. Yeah, all these apocalyptic elements in Western culture as well as the numerous Biblical motifs are very inextricably Christian. Anyone who says otherwise is blind, and religious studies scholars know this.
@@cfromnowhere Thank you for your points and your perspective. It's really interesting. In undergrad I wanted to specialize in Chinese Buddhism, and the way that some of my professors, esp. at the undergrad level, spoke of "Buddhism" or "Hinduism" as entities that explain everyday people's behavior. It has remnants of Orientalism!
@@MrGksarathy Agreed. It's weird to try to assign this separation to other societies.
@@dandiaz19934 Wait, I meant that assigning that separation to Western culture is absurd. Same with most Asian cultures, including my native Hindu culture. I don't strongly engage with the ritual, but I do follow the dietary rules for my caste, I go to temple, and I view it as an integral part of my self-identity, even if I don't necessarily "believe".
So Domestication is: These donuts are delicious. Jelly donuts are my favorite.
And Foreignization is: These rice balls are delicious. Have one of my rice balls.
Eat your hamburgers, Apollo
I don't think that a creator ever has the final say in how viewers interpret film, music, or other art forms. The interpretation is something that arises from the interaction between the art and minds of those who behold and perceive the art. What viewers cannot justifiably do is assert what the creators intentions and beliefs were if these assertions go against what the creator has explained them to be. In short, don't put words in the creator's mouth.
What you described is basically the decades long argument that has been going around in film academia, the Auteur Theory VS Death of the Author.
@@PaszerDye The notion started in 60's French Philosophy outside film studies, and beyond that there's the older/wider cultural studies notions of the reconstructive frame on culture (historically sourced, author-informed), contrasted against the constructivist frame (looking through interpretive lenses like feminism, economics...), the deconstructive frame (make the culture your own, remix/fanfic stuff), and the abjective/canonizing frame (critically stating selections as to what matters and what you want to ignore).
Just some unsollicited academia here, hope it's of interest.
I take exception to your last point. (And that last point alone.) Audiences may _absolutely_ come to a conclusion, point, interpretation, or intention that the creator has explicitly said not to be the case. You just better be prepared to defend it hard with examples from the source and be in the minority. One need not look any further than _Fahrenheit 451_ for an example of a work's meaning that is generally well supported and accepted but was absolutely not what the creator intended and he said as much.
@@scaper8 I do not see where you disagree with Bill.
@@Punaparta "What viewers cannot justifiably do is assert what the creators intentions and beliefs were if these assertions go against what the creator has explained them to be." I suppose my point is more "what the creator's intentions and beliefs are not (or at least may not) be what the work is about" than anything else. Again, _Fahrenheit 451_ is a great example. Bradbury, for a very long time, said that it was not about censorship and oppressive governments, even getting into verbal fights with fans over the very issue; he relented later, but it's impossible to say just how much or little he came to see their interpretation as right as (or possibility more right than) his original intention.
I think Miyazaki films have been a great influence in my childhood and, as a result, my worldviews. Especially in the more animistic/religious side of things, I grew up to see a world full of life and divinities/beings who inhabit them. Didn't pay much attention to that side of myself until later, when I started practicing Hellenism, a polytheistic animist religion.
So for me, while they didn't make me a Shinto practitioner (although I would absolutely love to travel to Japan and participate in their rituals and festivities), they definitely affected me in a religious way that at the end of the day made me turn away from Christianity/Atheism, which were my religious positions as a child/teenager.
Yeah, I can't say for sure that Miyazaki had anything to do with me turning to heathenism, I definitely see alot of similarities in the ideas his work presents and my own religious practice.
As silly as it sounds pokémon is a perfect example demonstrating the difference between foreignization and domestication. In the original Japanese dub of Pokemon they make references to things like onigiri's and some Shinto festivals. But when they translate it to English onigiri's were turned into donuts and the Shinto festivals were more made a generic holiday celebration
*instantly clicks the notification*
Although Japanese people say they are not religious, I think Shintoism is very much engrained in the Japanese society. I feel it living here.
I mean... is Shinto any more engrained in Japanese society than Christianity is engrained in European or American society?
Like old northern European religion, where they didn't even have a word for it, it was as much a part of their world as anything else.
@@dandiaz19934 Yes. Many Japanese people still go to temples, shrines, and participate in communal rituals.
Most Japanese people associate shukyo or religion more with how we in the west might think of cult membership- an exclusive belonging and adherence that precludes other world perspectives. So that's why many Japanese people do not admit to being religious, even though many do participate in religious rituals.
Can't wait for the Confucianism series, though I hope you'll do the Buddhism one eventually too!
Really enjoying your works on Shinto. Would like to see more. 👍
This makes me real happy thank you for making this
Even the title spirited away is a reference to the concept of kami spiriting away children to the spirit world, also notice that Miyazaki specifically said he doesn’t like *religious dogma* but he loves folk rituals and customs. My interpretation is that he has his own version of what we would call Ko-Shinto but he doesn’t like or want to define it as such because defining it brings more room for the dogma he so dislikes
Dogmatic Shinto was extremely oppressive for its entire history, so I don't blame him.
Another great video, I love this channel. The exploration biblical themes is fascinating, as are the other religions that you shine a light on. But then you will your scholarly analysis on the possible religions Hyrule or Star Wars and it’s always handled with though provoking care. Now a video exploring the cultural effects of religion on media, great job man, great job.
YES!!! An academic breakdown of Darksouls!!!! Oh wait..THAT Miyazaki D:
J/k Awesome video and I love Miyazaki's anime and outlook on life!
I have never clicked so fast on one of your videos, lol!!
Sometimes it doesn’t matter what the creator intends for something to be interpreted. If the audience views it a certain way it can’t be helped, that’s what the art has inherently shown.
This video makes me so incredibly happy ☺️
I was 10 when Spirited Away came out and I was obsessed and mesmerized by the film! It’s still my favorite anime film and I’m 31 now☺️
It's a bit more obscure, but I would love to see something about the anime Mushishi.
Have you read the manga? I love the anime series but I find the quality of art in the manga to be significantly higher, in ways that really matter.
Wow yes he has to look at that that show was so intriguing its like folk tales
12:01
This was the part I was waiting for. I was just commenting on how you're starting to make anime look like some kind of religious teaching.
Even in western culture there are those who make shows with christian elements so I don't get why people interpret Miyazaki's works as religious when they're clearly for entertainment purposes
Miyazaki preaches traditional values and practices which are rooted in religious belief, at least in Christian belief if not also rural Japanese animism (as separate from imperial Shinto). In Totoro, the heroes/protagonists pray for help and give thanks, while honoring their parents and their elders. In Mononoke, the same happens, while the antagonists are seen striving to wrest power from wherever they can get it. In Ponyo, there is the great sea goddess who preaches responsibility, and family and respect for elders are and the weak are proclaimed noble. In Kiki, there is again the respect for elders and the importance of family. In Spirited Away, we see similar virtues. These values show up again and again in his films, which is part of what makes them so great and so approachable for Western audiences and appropriate for children. Whether he sees them as religious or not, they are deeply religious films.
@@Chamdar17 And what? Do you serve his movies as some kind of holy text? Holy movie, maybe? Explain to me, how was anything you said relevant to my point
@@pentagram3 You typed "I don't get why people interpret Miyazaki's works as religious when they're clearly for entertainment purposes" - I pointed out that, while they certainly entertain, they also preach specific ideologies and present specific religious themes, characters, and behaviors (including prayer and sacrifice to deities). It isn't interpretation, they ARE overtly "religious" films. Whether that offends you or not, it is precisely relevant to your comment. If you are demanding a precise set of doctrines be promulgated in the film in order for it to be considered "religious", then I think your issue stems from a different understanding of what constitutes "religious" vs not. I am glad you found the films entertaining!
@@Chamdar17 And when did I say there wasn't any religious stuff? Dude, the whole video was about how his movie have religious stuff, you really think people in the comment section don't realise it? You're talking as if I ever said there's absolutely no religious references in his work which is far from my point.
I was talking about people who think his movies are supposed to be some kind of religious text, which is not. If you don't know the difference between religious text and religious art work: text is something you're suppose to worship as something "holy". Religious Art work is simply an art work with religious reference. I was talking about religious text while you're talking about art work. Some people think his movies are religious and supposed to be worshipped. Are you intelligent enough to understand or should I explain more?
@@pentagram3 Seriously, you typed "I don't get why people interpret Miyazaki's works as religious when they're clearly for entertainment purposes". If you had typed "as religious text" in your first post, I wouldn't have bothered replying since I've never met any such person nor read any such thing regarding them except from YOU just now :p His films are religious, plain and simple. You agree? If so, GREAT! Are YOU intelligent enough to understand, or should I quote you again? :)
I love your channel and I've always loved and will always do Studio Ghibli films and I'd never expected I'd get to see you study and analyse studio Ghibli movies. I mean this is way beyond crazy. All I can say is.... Doumo arigatto gozaimasu.
As someone living "on the ground" (so to speak) in Japan, Miyazaki's statement makes complete sense. Most people in Japan don't view themselves as particularly religious (as you've noted in other videos on Shinto) but Japanese culture and "shinto" are practically inseparable. The more Japanese a person would try to make their film, the more religious it is going to appear, even without the director's intention being religious.
It is so amazing to me to see the people find this film religious or something. The Shinto and Buddhism things and notions are always there in our daily life, like air, not special. (The Torii gate mentioned here is an example. You cannot walk so far without seeing one.)
"the other extremes is when religious theme and imagery are used in a very superficial manner"
show Superman scene with Church background.
Nice.
So on the nose! It's like the director thinks we're idiots!
It's especially a shame because Superman was created by Jewish artists and is overall more coherent as a Moses figure than as a Christ figure.
You see that in LOTR with catholic imagery especially Mary.
I am currently studying Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film, "Seven Samurai." I do not speak Japanese and have questions about the translations. (I have four versions.) I found your discussion about "Domestication" versus "Foreignization" translations to be interesting.
I remember watching Nausicaa as a kid and then completely losing track of it. Couldn't even remember the name until I was in my late 20s and learned it was part of the Ghibli canon.
Just wanted to say I love your videos! Keep up the awesome work!
This video was amazing!
Religion must've started as a kind of mix of art and play, and so it seems only fitting that Miyazaki's films are connotated with religion. I think religion in the modern sense is when we imitate someone else's art and play, and we lose touch with the experiential dimension of doing our own thing for no particular explainable reason at all.
That’s a great insight! For example, the history of manga is traced back to picture scrolls (emakimono) which early on were used to teach Buddhist history and concepts. A key series later on in the 13th century is the “Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans” (Chōjū jinbutsu giga), which features monkey monk shenanigans. Religious specialists can have a great sense of humor! We can’t take ourselves too seriously 😄
One of the best channels out there
12:00 I'd think this relates to how in Japan, being "religious" is affiliating with a group, not so much practising ritual or adhering to belief.
So maybe it's just a matter of translation (assuming that's what Miyazaki meant). Considering all of the other things he says, I think he really draws a lot from religion - just, not in the Japanese sense of the word.
Christianity really focusses on all-in or all-out ways of thinking, either you believe and are saved or you're not a Christian at all. Most other religions aren't like that as much.
I get it. I can identify. His sense of spirituality is natural, innate to him, as well as perhaps the common root behind many religions, but does not belong to any specific religion. He is not intentionally presenting Shinto or any other religion in his films. But, being that he is Japanese and working within a Japanese culture, he naturally picks up on Japanese (thus Shinto) mythology in his storytelling.
He shows the kids in Totoro praying before shrines, asking spirits for help, and the help comes. He shows the protagonists in Mononoke praying to gods and receiving answers, and the antagonists attacking those gods and those beliefs. He shows the girl in Spirited Away interacting with spirits and other-worldly powers in a respectful manner. He may not consider himself religious, but the social and animistic religious traditions and beliefs of rural Japanese culture are not accidental in his films, they are central to the plot.
Another great video, good sir.
You've already released separate videos on each subject - but I would really appreciate a video comparing animism to kami. I might be misunderstanding the differences between the two, but to me the concept of kami seems to be a form of animism.
Did "The Wind Rises" contain many Shinto influences? It was grounded a bit more in the real world, even though the story was more or less fictional, but did have many fantasy elements. I know there was that wedding scene as a form or religious practice, but that's the only one that stands out to me. If there wasn't much Shinto inspiration is that because he was trying to steer away from it because the move was set at the height of the Japanese Empire when State Shinto was actively promoted?
Exquisite commentary. Thank you so much😍
Have you read the manga for Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind? Having read it before seeing the movie, I found the movie lacking. Not bad by any means, but the manga simply dwarfs it in the scope of its story and the exploration of the world and themes presented. Definitely a must-read of any fantasy, Miyazaki, and/or Ghibli fans in general.
Princess Mononoke is my favorite Miyazaki film
I actually hope that you'd talk about 'Saint Onii-san'
Saving this for later, but I'm excited to hear where the video goes beyond, 'sometimes, obviously'
I gotta say something, though I'm sure I'm no where near the first one to say it. I absolutely love how well you tie both the humanity and the transcendence of any religious topic together and how effortlessly digestible the information in your videos always is. You truly are the Carl Sagan of religious studies.
In no way is that a superficial comparison, either! I'm sure your videos are the saving grace of many a university student and I know there must be many many religious people who watch and love all of your videos, but as an atheist who in younger years had the Christopher Hitchens/Richard Dawkins esque polemic view of religion, though in recent years have often found myself reading the Bible with great interest and watching many videos like yours (though as always I would still categorize myself as agnostic/atheist, I've always had a lingering spirituality that kept me from ever truly fitting in with the Dawkins crowd). Nowadays not much brings me more pleasure than sitting down for one of your videos. The raw educational value of your content is strengthened over tenfold by the fact that you keep the awe and mysticism of the spiritual/religious intact which i believe is what makes your channel what it is. TH-cams home the both the religious and religiously homeless alike!
Forgot to say, THANK YOU! You make a vital contribution to humanity imho
I've only heard the terms localized translation and literal translation used by translators but I guess they're the same concepts. Literal translations are good for language learners, but they are not good for general entertainment translations because the translations end up saying things that would not be said in the target language to mean the same thing.
For example:
僕がいない町 can be be translated literally as "I Don't Exist Town" or more naturally as "A Town Without Me" or "A Town Where I Don't Exist"
For another example, the phrase 好きです can be translated literally as "is favorable" or naturally as "I like it" or even "I have feelings for you"
Art is a mix of point of view from the artist perspective & a point of view from the receptive perspective so I would say Miyazaki has his 50% set, the other 50% is personal.
Thank you for your helpful clip, I will actually use it in class for discussion. - Mikael Bauer, McGill.
The concept of playful religion is one I think westerners in particular would really benefit from adopting. Both for the irony poisoned and the dogmatists.
Hi love your videos!
Brilliant video
Great video! Just to contribute, I think Totoro is actually based in koropokkuru from the Ainu Folklore.
10:02 in other words, he protecc, but he also attacc
Dead 😂
Great episode 👍
Thank you so much for making this video.
Our pleasure, thanks for watching! ☺️
Video Topic is solid gold
Princess Mononoke is my favorite anime movie from a kid I just rewatched it as an adult and love it even more
Amazing video ❤
Oh man, I wish me and 5 of my friends knew about that vote!
thank you for your videos and research!
I think the audience is free to interpret the work however they want, for as long as they understand the difference between "I want it to convey this" and "It was meant to convey this". Also, there is the issue of vagueness in definitions. Religion, Religious, and Organized Religion, etc. are understood differently by different people, so the creators may really be convinced that their work isn't about, let's say, "religiosity", and yet what they are portraying is "religiosity" to some people. As long as we ignore the absolute extremes ( i.e. horrible, unfounded interpretations, and rigid, literal understandings of a work), we can work with what's left in the middle; although, I have a feeling that even this approach won't be adequate in the long run, which brings us back to your awesome channel and the importance of discourse. 👍
I have been raised agnostic all my life and I have had phases where I am confident in being an atheist and other times where I feel a need to be spiritual in some way. I have always enjoyed talking about religion and the supernatural, especially to religious people. And I think that's why I love Miyazaki films so much, because they have religious undertones. This channel has helped me get a grasp on a few religion, Shinto being one of them. I have a Christian friend who I have been talking to about religion and he has been encouraging me to find something that I feel comfortable being. I took a really good look at Christianity and some of its theology, and though its super interesting, I don't think any sect of Christianity has satisfied me at all. Especially with what I see is dogmatic doctrines from church authorities that more often than not just manifests into preserving conservative moral traditions, which I don't care for as a LGBT person. Same thing with Judaism and Islam too for the same reasons.
Shinto on the other hand has been increasingly an attractive option. The only reservation I had for it was that it seemed the Shinto practice is so tied in Japanese cultural customs, it would kinda seem silly for me to live a Shinto life. But I have seen a compelling case that Shinto can be practiced universally and can be adopted into any culture. I am still developing my opinion about what I think about Shinto, but I think if I were to ever identify with a "religion" I am currently thinking Shinto might be the one.
The films don't have "religious undertones", they have protagonists straight-up praying to spirits/gods, having their prayers answered, fighting against unbelieving power-hungry industrialists, and embracing (which may upset you) traditional moral values. If you want religious "undertones", you should read the works of JRR Tolkien. Tolkien's deep-rooted Catholicism is foundational to his fantasy world, but you won't see it without looking carefully. CS Lewis' Narnia books are slightly more religious, but still they do not come close to what is presented in Miyazaki. The religion he manifests is mostly animistic in its supernatural aspects, but his social beliefs are very traditional and mesh very closely with traditional western values.
Please provide a review of the religious symbolism in Raya and the Last Dragon. I get it’s contemporary references to political strife during a deadly and wide-spread endemic. It’s use of cultural and religious symbolism may be inferred from those in southeast Asia, or are creatively conjured much like you describe for Miyasaki’s films in this video.
Great suggestion! I can’t wait to see Raya and the Last Dragon 😄
Oma I love demon slayer and spired away it is so good I just love anime
The Lorax is a forest kami. Don't @ me.
I feel like westerners conception of religion as a separate from culture create this need to classify art expressions as religious or non religious, when in reality, in many parts of the world that have not experienced christian colonialism, where a new religion was imposed by force, religion and culture are not at all separate, that's why I feel shinto is difficult to classify from a western view, because shinto is a natural progression of folk beliefs, something we lost with colonialism, and later with the modern rejection of Christianity, making them separate to the state or scientific institutions, this separation is completely modern, and even modern Japan or other cultures have been affected by this, hence Miyazaki's aim to emphasize the "spiritual world", where everything posses a spirit. This incision between the "supernatural" and the "natural" is modern and from that lens is quite difficult to understand folk beliefs.
Its still a belief that one follows and tries to influence others to follows as well. Its still a level of indoctrination and social engineering to influence others to follow this belief. In the end even he has a spiritual belief. You're just not wanting to call it a religion because you don't like religion and especially a Christian religion because you associate it with colonialism and white people. The roots are not even European. And actually there Is growing number of Japanese Christians. It's just kept hushed because Christianity is shamed in Japan. There was a Japanese war lord that put the end of Christianity almost by torturing and killing Japanese Christians when to many of them were converting. And there are some Christian iconographies hidden on some Graves. It's actually very interesting and there is a documentary on it. To believe in spirits period of a supernatural religious ideology. So regardless he is still religious and he pushing his ideology on others through his films. All films do.
There'll be a n upcoming Zoom Webinar at @EatPrayAnime on April 22 - 7pm EST and it'll tackle about the anime film Your Name/Kimi No Nawa and connection to that film on Shinto religion. So mark your calendar. 😁
This was very interesting!
Another way to put it is: what is the extent to which we can apply this lens? Is there ever a point where is the framework of religion *NOT* involved or does NOT influence a person or a society's life, even if for an instant?
((I'm not asking facetiously, I promise. I'm an enormous fan of your channel. I started when you were at about 30K subscribers, as a recommendation from Dr. Joseph Lumbard. But I am genuinely curious to explore these questions to know the limits of our frameworks.))
I have to agree. A lot of "secular" work still confirms to religious norms - think of most English language media where an evil character is punished with disability. This is historically how Christianity viewed disability and disabled people.
@@theMoporterRight, but my question is, how do we make sense of that data? To what degree can we ascribe causal power to "religion"? Does anything ever exist outside of the framework of religion or are we jamming everything into a particular framework? i.e., it's part of the "when all you have is a hammer, everything around you looks like a nail" idea.
@@theMoporter This is why studying the inverse, the secular, in order to delineate the boundaries of that which may be called religious. Otherwise, we're forcing a lens onto everything.
In Totoro in particular, their are religious shrines and praying and prayers being answered. In Mononoke their are gods and praying and sacrificing to gods. In many of his films, the morals being promoted are traditional religious morals. Whatever else you may see in Miyazaki's films, religion is very-much present.
Brilliant.
Nausicaa is my favourite, as well! Interesting video altogether, especially from the perspective of an atheist anime lover like me.
loved this series
Childhood? Man I feel old. None of these movies came out when I was a child. Haha
could we cover modern Hellenism, cause nobody seems to care about it despite rising popularity.
I enjoyed the series, thanks. I think you should have been willing to mention the etymology of the world religion [from Latin 'religare' meaning 'to bind']. To fail to integrate the notion of religion as a binding together of people who either a] share a common practice or b] belief under some form of authority such as a priest or bishop, you leave out what I regard as the pivotal point that creates the difference between spirituality more broadly and religion. Its, for want of a better word, problematic because failing to integrate etymology and the essential meaning of the term [as a way of creating in an out groups] perpetuates a lot of the problems inherent in western, latinised understandings of spirituality as conditioned by idea of 'religion'. You have to define your terms or the same misunderstandings persist.
Why I see 'Shinto' or polytheism or animism more generally as so powerful and compelling is because it speaks to a 'pre-religious' sense of piety and respect for nature and the unknown that doesn't depend upon people sharing the same belief in the same way our western sense of religion demands a more creedal form of belief, its emphasis is on ethics and practice. This deemphasis on belief and focus on ethics and practical demonstrations of reverence can be a] unifying force in a spiritual climate that tends towards in/out dogmatism and b] appeals to that universal impulse towards living an ethical life. Lastly and most essentially what I think is so appealing about 'Shinto' is that the ortho-pratical language that the tradition[s] convey are simple and common sense. The emphasis of purity is a major component of this. Ultimately I think westerns are drawn towards this way of thinking and living because it speaks to a deep and ancient part of everyone: that we need to treat each other and our environments with respect, hold respect and awe for the things we cannot fully understand, give thanks for all the goodness we receive and be willing to let our commonalities bring us together rather than let our differences divide us.
Forgive the rambling. Good series though. Got me thinking. I appreciate it.
Blessings.
Absolutely great
Interpretation of a work by the audience is almost completely independent of the creator's intent. Indeed, it's a combination of the work's imagery and the preconceptions and experiences of the audience. The author can take steps to guide their audience towards a desired interpretation, but this is not guaranteed. Multiple times the intent behind a work ended up being completely opposite to its interpretation by the audience. Rei Ayanami was supposed to be a creepy doll-like person, but people found her endearing. The recent Wonder Woman was supposed to be an exemplar, but many people found her lazy, selfish and outright criminal.
"almost completely independent of the creator's intent" - I guess that depends on how you approach it. Sometimes a creator is very explicit in his/her meaning, sometimes he is deliberately obscure, and sometimes he is just incompetent. A good creator gets his intent across and it's up to the audience to agree or disagree, depending on how independent they are to his attempts to force their emotions or thought process. An incompetent creator fails to get his intent across and interpretations can vary widely. An ambivalent creator deliberately invites interpretation by leaving things obscure.
If Rei Ayanami was "supposed to be creepy" and not endearing, then the creators drew and wrote her poorly. It's easy to write a character like that, and that is not what was done, so I choose to believe it was not their intent. They wanted her awkward and also very attractive, and they succeeded.
The recent Wonder Woman story was, on the other hand, written exactly as you say, by writers who held beliefs completely alien to normal human understanding and logic who thought they were making her virtuous when they really made her despicable in the eyes of the audience. This latter situation is occurring more and more frequently in western film and television - crappy writers whose intentions are clear, they are just stupid or insidiously wrong or both.
Hey there! I'm a big fan of the channel and a lover of religious studies as well. I was wondering if you've made mention or had a topic where you've brushed by the idea of mono/dyophysitism , I had it brought up to me as an example of one of the lesser known ancient religious schisms. I think learning about really obscure religious debates such as these give great examples of early practitioners of now widely known and practiced religions trying to decipher their own beliefs, and if you've made a video addressing something like this I'd love to watch it . Thanks!
There is no simple answer to how Miyazaki movies should be seen. Great works of art transcend that. One can start with how Miyazaki himself sees his work but then you have to look at what happened when the audience (or in this case multiple audiences) got involved.
Great works keep growing. An author can lose ownership of the work. Miyazaki created these movies but they have evolved as cultural phenomena beyond his control.
Watching Rowan J Coleman’s analysis on the lore behind the original/1978 BSG series after watching this, it makes me want to see more analyses on shows/films that take _inspiration_ from the creator’s culture-of-origin’s religion, but not being _intentionally overt_ about representing that religion thru their medium.
Love it
3:56 Almost like how every artist or celebrity is misinterpreted, the critique or audience sees one thing but the artist actually means to convey something else.
i know this series is focused on shinto and its relations to other things in japanese society and the world at large
but man i just wanna take a moment to realy appreciate hayao miyazaki, and really all artists like him from japan, whether its in cinema, or gaming, or in more traditional art, there is truly something unique and magnificent about these artists who grew up in the japanese culture, and how japanese culture venerates art and creatitivity. personally i enjoy their expressions more than any others in the world, and people like hayao miyazaki and hidetaka miyazaki have forever affected my view of the world, art, and culture
also to say whether hayao agrees or disagrees with the religious interpretations of his works, i think like the argument of this entire video, is more nuanced in reality. While he probably isnt trying to push anyone towards religion or to have any meaningful affect in that regard, and may even actively try to avoid it, his films are obviously bound to be molded around his own views and experiences in life, which definitely has aspects of shinto deeply intertwined with his worldviews. This is not a bad thing, for him, or the viewers, or anyone for that matter
if someone watches his films and decides that they want to practice shintoism, that is not inherently good or bad, but generally you could argue that it probably is benefitting the person who chose to make that switch, anyways tldr i find this all to be pretty acceptable socially and otherwise
Science Fiction author Orson Scott Card: "...I made a conscious choice to exclude religious concerns from my writing. No one was going to be a member of the Mormon church; there were going to be no tales of prophets, saviors, priests, or believers. I was going to write pure, unmixed sci-fi...
My impatience with badly conceived Mormon fiction was part of my reason for eschewing overtly religious topics or characters in my science fiction. To my surprise, however, I discovered that my work had become more, not less, religious when I stopped dealing with religious subjects consciously. I would go to a convention and someone would ask me, "Are you Mormon?" "Yes," I'd say, "Oh, I knew it before I was halfway through reading..." "
-Introduction to Cruel Miracles.
The same thing definitely comes through in Card's writings, most obviously in The Tales of Alvin Maker series.
I believe that if we resign ourselves to using the same word (religion) to describe very different things, and that adding epithets (vernavular, playful, institutional, etc) is necessary to make any sense out of this variety of ideas, we should refrain from using that word. We should instead strive to uncover a different, more general term that captures that more precisely captures the common element.
I say this because foreign cultural products such as Myazaki's work seem to bring much confusion and astonishment in the minds of religious-focused scholars, when I find no difficulty in seperating what is properly "religious" (symbols, archetypes) from what is "vernacular" (introspection, creativity and playfulness). Clarity of thought sometimes comes at the expanse of reworking, or expanding, our vocabulary.
This may seem like criticism, but is mote intended to convey my synpathy for the challenge one has to open to other cultures with the tools one has been given by upbriging, and also higher education. I absolutely love your videos and find them fascinating. Not being a religious-minded person, I really love your inrerest and connection to every single culture and your sincere curiosity. Keep educating us!
You should do a video dissecting the religious and Kabbalist themes in Neon Genesis Evangelion. I would LOVE that
I would not say that Miyazaki's films inspired me to adopt Shinto. While they exposed me to a different way of thinking, the "versions" of his films that I've seen are just vague enough that I wouldn't automatically know the various references in the films are from Shinto if I didn't already know. I got involved with Shinto after several years of studying Japanese culture and cultural references. Anime, in general, is full of cultural references and a good deal of the jokes rely on those references. When a character refers to another character as a Racoon dog (Tanuki) we need to know why the joke is funny or we'll never get the joke. The Shinto concept of sin and the lack of "Original sin" is quite liberating and even revolutionary from a Western standpoint.