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[International] Afterlives in Anime.




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Dessa



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 4438
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:15 pm Reply with quote
So, inspired by another user's comments, I was wondering if people can think of any series that not only show an afterlife, but preferably include different afterlives for different countries/religions.

The only title I can think of, off the top of my head, is Yami no Matsuei/Descendants of Darkness, and even that is only a passing mention in the manga, that other countries have their own Bureaus and versions of Gensokai.

I'm having problems even thinking of any other title that includes the afterlife and acknowledges countries other than Japan at the moment ^^;.
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:23 am Reply with quote
This is a tricky one. I'd need to think about it some more to be sure, but off the top of my head I can think of no title where each country/culture/religion has their own afterlife. Either there is a single afterlife for everyone or we only see the Japanese version with no thought given to other versions.

It is a neat idea with lots of promise, as long as the country- or religion-specific stereotypes aren't too blatant.
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hyojodoji



Joined: 08 Jan 2010
Posts: 586
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:32 am Reply with quote
In the And Yet The Town Moves anime and manga, spoiler[when Arashiyama Hotori was dead, she saw the entrance to the next world for deceased Egyptians where Anubis weighed dead people's hearts. An official came and said to Hotori that she had to go to the entrance to the next world for deceased Japanese.]
　
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Saffire



Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 1256
Location: Iowa, USA
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:34 am Reply with quote
Saint Young Men kinda does this, with Christ and Buddha living together. I don't think it includes all religions but it does involve more than one.
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P€|\||§_|\/|ast@



Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 3498
Location: IN your nightmares
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:01 pm Reply with quote
Isn't this pretty much a recommendation thread unless we're actually talking about the afterlife and how it plays in and impacts anime?

I think one of the best explorations of the afterlife and reincarnation in anime is Please Save My Earth. It doesn't really explore any cultural interpretations of reincarnation just maybe a subtle blend of Buddhist and Christian philosophy on the subject:

One interpretation might see the world that the reincarnated characters are living in is a utopian paradise in the sky and inhabitants are able to view the harsh world that they inhabited in their previous life.

Another interpretation is that our current life choices turn into karma that impact the kind of situation we will have in our next life.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15916
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:24 pm Reply with quote
hyojodoji wrote:
In the And Yet The Town Moves anime and manga, spoiler[when Arashiyama Hotori was dead, she saw the entrance to the next world for deceased Egyptians where Anubis weighed dead people's hearts. An official came and said to Hotori that she had to go to the entrance to the next world for deceased Japanese.]

That is one I was thinking of, That was an interesting bit.
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