Anime’s Ethical Odyssey: Navigating Good and Evil in Anime through the Lens of Old Testament

RELIGION AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION VOLUME 23, NO. 1 (2025)

ISSN 3057-0883 (ONLINE)

Author

Sam T. Rajkumar

Abstract

Anime’s Ethical Odyssey reveals how anime, as a medium of storytelling, often explores profound ethical dilemmas that resonate with themes found in ancient texts, particularly the Old Testament. This exploration seeks to understand how anime narratives engage with morality, justice, redemption, and the consequences of human actions, drawing upon both modern philosophical discourse and biblical ethics. The Old Testament presents a rich tapestry of moral challenges, from divine justice in the stories of Job and Noah to human fallibility in the lives of David and Saul. Similarly, anime constructs complex moral universes where protagonists grapple with difficult choices, blurring the lines between heroism and villainy.

Scholars such as François Flahault, Nishida Kitarō, and Luke Russell provide varied interpretations of good and evil, further illuminating this discourse. Their perspectives contribute to the broader discussion on how morality is shaped by cultural and historical contexts. Through series like Death Note, Code Geass, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, we witness ethical struggles that mirror biblical dilemmas questions of power, justice, and the cost of righteousness. Light Yagami’s descent into moral ambiguity, Lelouch’s revolutionary ideals, and the Elric brothers’ pursuit of truth all reflect ethical concerns deeply rooted in religious traditions.

By juxtaposing anime’s contemporary storytelling with the Old Testament’s moral foundations, we uncover a space for reflection that transcends entertainment. This dialogue between past and present, East and West, highlights how narratives continue to shape our understanding of justice, sin, and redemption in an ever-evolving world.

Keywords

Anime, ethical reflections, Old Testament, Good and evil, Biblical parallels, contemporary storytelling

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 Pages 232-253

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62461/STR140325

Submitted: Jan. 28, 2025; Accepted: March 14, 2025; Published: Jul. 1, 2025

© 2025 The authors. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).