Ask John: Can You Explain the Concept of Becoming Evil to Fight Evil?

Question:
I’ve seen in anime like Ninja Scroll (movie), Tenjo Tenge, and Devil Man references to how sometimes it is necessary to become or do evil to defeat evil. Like, “When fighting the devil, you must become a devil yourself!” (Ninja Scroll). Is there any Japanese cultural context this falls into or is this just an idea conceived within more modern pop culture?

Answer:
I don’t think that the idea of resorting to extreme measures to overcome extremists or extreme circumstances is a uniquely Japanese concept. I think that the idea of doing wrong to achieve good is a principle that’s existed virtually as long as society itself. Right now, in fact, it can be said that America and its allies have “become evil” by going to war in Iraq and inadvertently killing civilians and occupying another country in an effort to crush evil terrorists and threats to the world’s safety. While the idea is the same as becoming evil to defeat evil, American culture simply doesn’t put such action into poetic terms the way Japanese culture does.

But distinctly relevant to Japanese culture, this phrase reminds me of the lines from the Lone Wolf & Cub manga, based on historical samurai doctrine adopted from an even older Chinese religious principle, that the determined and focused samurai should meet the Buddha and slay the Buddha. (Probably not coincidentally, a very similar phrase turns up in Kill Bill volume 1. No doubt director Quentin Tarintino’s film was heavily influenced and inspired by Lone Wolf & Cub.) The parable is intended to encourage one to look beyond the superficial appearance of things in order to achieve full understanding and enlightenment, but as a literal paradigm the phrase suggests that a warrior should be single minded and prepared to achieve his goal at any cost, by any means necessary. This theory isn’t far removed from the common anime mantra that a warrior must resort to equally extreme measures when faced with extreme challenges.

Thanks to Jonathan Hertzog and Starchild for providing explication ued in composing this article.