NYC, again!

Anime as a window to Japan's spirituality

I’m writing these words from the US, as I struggle through the usual jetlag and prepare for a talk that I will be giving at AnimeNYC on August 23rd. The title is “Jujutsu Whatsit?” Over the course of an hour, I’ll use situations from anime shows and films to help fans understand Japan’s spiritual traditions.

Anime is about as pop-cultural as it gets, so it might seem a strange lens for spirituality. But this is an anime convention, after all. More than that, Japan’s faith traditions are woven so seamlessly into modern life that they emerge in all sorts of ways without us really realizing it — cartoons included.

The title of the talk comes from Jujutsu Kaisen, a hugely popular series that portrays Japan as a kind of spiritual battleground. I’ll also be focusing on Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, which is known for its unique portrayal of the Japanese cosmological worldview. But there are all sorts of visual and cultural “codes” hiding in plain sight in series that present as secular, for lack of a better word. This makes anime a great way to get a feel for the spiritual landscape of my country.

My talk will be on Saturday, August 23d, from 4:30pm to 5:30pm in Room 1A15. Hope to see you there!