CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Hey everyone, my name's Mitsuki! ^^ For starters, I'd like to point out I'm a new member here. I had never even heard of CAA until I finally decided to look up Christian Anime on google. *lol* Anyways, the main reason I came here is to get some help on one specific topic involving anime...

You see, about three years ago I stumbled upon the Yaoi anime entitled Gravitation. Problem? I didn't know it was Yaoi. All I had seen of this anime were some pictures and heard some good reviews about it--so of course--I checked it out. Now, here's where things got sticky.

I had yet to find out the staring character, Shuichi, was male. The main reason I didn't know is because anyone who knows Gravi knows Shuichi looks VERY female. Pink hair, purple eyes, etc. The fact Shuichi's personality matched mine also made me feel very close to him. I thought it was so cool a character acted so much like me when it came to love! I also learned about some of the other characters and found myself loving the adorable singer Ryuichi Sakuma. Then it happened...

I discovered my idol Shu-chan was a male. I couldn't believe it, but I realized it was true. I decided that it was ok, after all, Shuichi may be inlove with another guy, but I didn't support it. I just liked the show/manga! So I continued to watch...but as the years have gone by, I've found myself worrying. Is it really ok for me to still love Gravitation? I don't support guys with guys or girls with girls, but I still like the characters and story very much.

I even talked to my mom about it. She said it was ok, because like she loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she certainly doesn't support Willow and Tera's relationship. Still though...is it wrong to love it? I really need some advice on this ><; I'm just so worried I'm doing something God's going to get mad at me for...I've prayed to him, asked for sign if it was wrong--anything! But I just need some help...So please can you help me? Thanks..

- Mitsuki

umm... it really depends.
First off, you have admited it's not okay for two members of the same sex to love for one another. That is a good starting point. A good question would be, why is it that you liked the series: character, plot, animation, music? But I think it would be a big problem if you liked it for the sheer fact of the homosexual relations. And by reading your post, I doubt that is the case. It's true that we should restrain ourselves w/ things like this, but sometimes w/ media (anime, tv shows, movies etc.) we just need to take it w/ a grain of salt. There are the good and bad. For example I really enjoyed the anime GTO (great teacher onizuka). It's funny and at times has mature situations, though overall it had a really good message about morality and gave a positive outlook on life. But I didn't let the bad aspects of it change my personal views on life such as my morality, faith in God or change how I act..

*Edit: Also, by no means do I condone these types of series. For whatever reason or another you watch them, just make sure it doesn't change who you are or your relationship with God. The more you watch, the more you become desensitize to the whole idea (violence, porn etc). So be cautious.

As long as it hasn't changed what your beliefs are, I think you'll be just fine. I'll pray for ya.

One thing I should mention politely is that because of some of the wrangling over yaoi series (also because we officially regard yaoi series as incompatible with our Christian morals because of their very nature), Gravitation is in our Do Not Discuss list.

That being said, I think the questions you bring up could apply to any series that has morality issues you find incompatible with your own faith. There are some series that I have been very fond of that I found glorified or at the very least did not condemn some of the actions taken by the characters (premarital sex is one of these particular sticking points). The issue, then, becomes whether this is a stumbling block for you, or whether you feel convicted by watching such material. For example, nudity is not as large an issue in Japanese society as it is in American society and is not regarded in the same manner -- but for some viewers who struggle with pornography, any nudity is too much, even if not in an overtly sexual or erotic sense. For others, while there's little risk of them being compelled to accept immoral behaviour (like gay relationships, sex out of marriage) just by watching it, we do have a Biblical mandate to think on things that are pure, and this may be a particular conviction in your life to remove things you believe incompatible with your walk with Jesus in order to focus on Him better.

That's unfortunately a question only you can answer. We do make an effort in our reviews section to bring forth anything we believe potentially objectionable. While it may look funny to nitpick on issues others (particularly non-Christians) regard as minor, they may be very important stumbling blocks for our siblings in Christ, and they should be brought to light so that you can make an informed decision based on your conscience and accurate information about whether your anime interests conflict with your desire to serve God better.

I don't think that answered your question very well, but I hope it gave you a little insight. Just as a gentle reminder to future posters, this should not turn into a whether-Gravitation-is-wrong thread; please make your questions more relevant to the general question at hand. Thanks, everyone!

Well I guess I kind of understand what you mean Shooraijin, but at the same time I'm somewhat confused. Sure I love anime a lot, but I'd give it up in a heartbeat if God told me to not to be involved with it ever again. I just get confused when something like that is brought up...

*sighs and feels like she's a bad person now*...

no no no, your not a bad person. Your new and concidering your only have 2 post I doubt you have read every single thread and post here. But being confused is a normal thing. How else are you to find out the answers you seek? Sometimes you need others advice. The best thing I would suggest is just to be mindful of what you watch and if/when you run in these kind of things just to take it w/ a grain a salt. We are all faced w/ all kinds of problems and dilemmas, but what matters is how we deal with it. You have no reason to feel bad about that, it's a relevant question.

Just like what's on tv there are good shows and bad shows. The same applies to anime. What we feed into our minds has a tremendous effect on us and how we view things. All I can advice is to know what your morals are and always keep that in sight. Like I said before, I don't believe you did anything bad, that's the reason why you where asking for our advice.
So are you a bad person for liking this series, no. Is there something wrong with you? No. But again, just be mindful of what you watch, it can have a heavy impact in our lives more than you may think.

Mitsuki, I don't think you should love something that God clearly hates. I mean, if you still love the show and some of the characters that are homosexuals, then you're loving sin and God hates sin. As Christians, its our duty to put sin out of our lives, and ask God's forgiveness for when we do sin. We aren't perfect in this life, so we will sin, but when we do we should repent and ask God's forgiveness. To like this yaoi manga/anime is not good. Maybe you like a character in it that hates gays, and isn't one, that would be fine. But to like a character that is a man and is envolved with anotehr man because he's like you is not only a bad reason to like him, its wrong. Try reading the Bible. I don't think you should be read/watching this anime/manga anymore though.

Fantasy Dreamer

ps. if you'd like to talk to me more about it privatly, PM me if you want.

I love anime a lot, but I'd give it up in a heartbeat if God told me to not to be involved with it ever again.

I can't speak for your convictions and what you believe God is telling you (or, I might add, *not* telling you).

I will say this: "giving up anime" is not exactly a specific decision -- it's a whole genre. If anime is something you like, but there are a couple series that you feel conflicted on, then it's a slam dunk just to drop series you feel conflicted about rather than dropping anime altogether. God wants us to have fun. We're all here because we like anime and love God -- we just want to make sure we're not picking series we think would dishonour Him. That's all.

I think you're asking yourself some very good and real questions -- just don't swing so far the other way that you cut out a very big part of yourself that you enjoy. The Bible says if our eye causes us to sin, we should cut it out -- but it doesn't say that if the eye causes us to sin that we should throw our whole body out.

Mitsuki, I don't think you should love something that God clearly hates. I mean, if you still love the show and some of the characters that are homosexuals, then you're loving sin and God hates sin. As Christians, its our duty to put sin out of our lives, and ask God's forgiveness for when we do sin. We aren't perfect in this life, so we will sin, but when we do we should repent and ask God's forgiveness. To like this yaoi manga/anime is not good. Maybe you like a character in it that hates gays, and isn't one, that would be fine. But to like a character that is a man and is envolved with anotehr man because he's like you is not only a bad reason to like him, its wrong. Try reading the Bible. I don't think you should be read/watching this anime/manga anymore though.

Fantasy Dreamer

Well this is a confusing thing. If I do see something in this particular anime, I just change the main character into a female as weird as that sounds. I guess I do it because he looks and acts so female it's not even funny. I mean, now that I think of it, there isn't another anime series including this stuff I support. I mean, I use to not be bothered by Yuri or Yaoi (mostly not Yaoi. Yuri just freaked me out being a girl and all), but the only time I can really think Yuri was in my life was when I watched an anime because it had a lot of really stupid humor in it. Course, I can gladly say I don't watch it anymore. In fact, I stopped reading ALL Yuri, Yaoi, lemons, etc. stories altogether. Heck, I never really looked at anything involving Yuri to be perfectly honest. But still through all that...

...even when someone tries to imply "This guy and this guy are cute together!" I just can't see it. I really can't say this is a Yaoi or Yuri couple I support. For me, all of them are either straight romance couples or couples just based on a strong friendship--no mixing genders. So really, this particular anime is like--the only one I love with this stuff in it! I also feel bad because the character I think is cute is Ryuichi, and he isn't homosexual or anything--just a total baka who carries around stuffed animals and colors like me. *heh* Now do you see why I'm confused? ^^;;

I'm not interested in all Yaoi--in fact, I avoid it totally! I don't read any fics with it, look at fanart, etc. It just so happened I ran into an anime where characters I liked were involved with this type of stuff. I guess it really doesn't help the main character looks so much like a girl and acts like me (who is obviously a girl as well)....@.@

Personally, I think what I'll do is just stop liking it altogether. I have the first few mangas, but I'll just never look at them again or anything. Though I don't know, would this mean I need to dislike the other character I love so much? I mean, I don't "love love" him, but you get what I mean. I just want to make the right decision...I've tried reading the bible, but I'm not the best at understanding it all. I'm one of those people who worries really easy and has to take medicine for it and all, so I sometimes worry about reading it cuz If I misunderstand something I think I'm a bad girl and I can't stand myself...Er...that makes no sense does it? >.<;

[quote="Angel Mitsuki"]

Personally, I think what I'll do is just stop liking it altogether. I have the first few mangas, but I'll just never look at them again or anything. Though I don't know, would this mean I need to dislike the other character I love so much? I mean, I don't "love love" him, but you get what I mean. I just want to make the right decision...I've tried reading the bible, but I'm not the best at understanding it all. I'm one of those people who worries really easy and has to take medicine for it and all, so I sometimes worry about reading it cuz If I misunderstand something I think I'm a bad girl and I can't stand myself...Er...that makes no sense does it? >.<]

Does that make sense? It makes sense to me, because I had a really good, Christian cousin who went through something very similar.

Okay, if I were you, I'd stay away from any manga that you couldn't feel good about reading. If you're uncomfortable with it, there's probably a reason for it. I, once, read a manga that I felt odd about (it wasn't yaoi or yuri, it just had some boardline religious content), and, in the end, I resolved that the feeling was my conscience. I wasn't suppose to read it. That's why I felt off about it.

I'm not saying that's necessarily the case in your situation, but I would ask you to consider it. PM me if you wanna talk, k?

^^ Ok guys, thanks a lot for your help! I think I fully understand how I feel now and will just stay away from it. *lol* Mangafanatic's last post really summed it all up for me. ^^ Sankyuu so much! *hugs*

I'm so gald you've come to a decision! And don't worry! There's alot of really great manga! PM if you're ever looking for suggestions or go to the manga boards. We'd love to help you find a wonderful replacement!

Edit: Wow, I really need to cut down on my use of exclamation points. I'm getting overly excited. . .

Watch anything you can get your hands on.

I have to disagree with that, actually. You wouldn't ask Jesus to sit down and watch a hentai with you.

About Gravitation...I don't watch it (it doesn't interest me at all). It's up to you whether you should watch it or not. Homosexuality is on the news a lot and people still watch it, so...I'll just say, make sure it doesn't make you think homosexuality is alright, pray a lot, and ask God about it. ^_^