fantasy/sci-fi movies vs fantasy anime

[Mr. SmartyPants]

okay, ya know how some people bash anime becasue it has like "magical spells" or "demons" or "summoning" and the good guys try to get rid of em and stuff. Well why don't people bash on Lord of the rings? I mean, lotr has the nazgull and demons and orcs, and Saroun and casting spells and stuff. Starwars also has the force, which may be some "demonic power" or something i don't know

Is it because Lotr isn't anime or japanese? me and linksquest were wondering about that today. What do you think?

[Link Antilles]

Well, LotR and Star Wars have been around longer in America and both of the stories are clear battles between good and evil.

Also, I know Tolken was a Christian and I think George Lucas was too (at least, around his making of the classic trilogy). And... Anime comes from a country that is 1-3% Christian, if I remember correctly.

Not to mention, general America's view on Anime has kind of stereotyped it (like many many things) as silly little cartoons.

Note: I really don't know much about anime, just a Gundam Wing fan. But… this is the impression I get.

[Raiden no Kishi]

George Lucas is not a Christian.

Rai

[Link Antilles]

George Lucas is not a Christian.

Rai

I know he's not now... I thought he was back then... or maybe just raised like that. I honestly don't remember.... I probably just misread something like that a long time back.

[Raiden no Kishi]

He was raised in some Christian denomination, but as for now...I don't think he's a member of a specific religion...

Rai

[Mr. SmartyPants]

lol... back on topic? it's strange on how people bash on anime's styles of fantasy but not lotr... they have the same concept... good defeats bad, both sides have magic, and "demons" and such

[ShiroiHikari]

<.< sometimes people have double standards. it doesn't make a lot of sense.

[madphilb]

Generaly I'd say many of the American Christians have Selective Grace when it comes to stuff... some things we (as a community) will bash in genearl while leaving other things alone that fall into the same category, usually based on initial reaction or personal belief (which is then argued as truth).

Then there are those who have bashed LotR and Star Wars for the very issues you metnioned... (i.e. the "force" being very "new age," various items in LotR, etc.)...

Honestly I've heard of a woman who's child was asking for a Veggie Tales video as they walked through the Christian book store, to which the mother said "No, we're going to get something Christin".... it takes all types.

When it comes to "art" this issue will always come up, esp. if the people involved don't quite have a handle on honestly evaluating things instead of going with a "gut" or "knee-jerk" reaction to things.

I've seen people say that Christian dance/techno isn't really "Christian" (or good), yet this same person didn't have a problem with secular Jazz or even some of the other secular music she liked.... her perspective and personal feeling drove what she felt was "spiritual" or "right."

People do such things all the time, in various areas of their life, in the end the way to solve this is by dealing which each person one at a time and sharing truth with them.

[Kisa]

Well in America LOTR and SW have become kinda classics and so people have grown up with them. In turn, Americans haven't grown up with anime (mostly) and they have most negative views on it because alot of people think of only the bad anime . . . I think if anime became more widespread and more known then people would come to accept it more becuase it's not all bad . . . ^^
Just some thoughts . . . ><

[Mr. SmartyPants]

yeah, thats true, but still annoys me