Ask John: How Much Does Supernatural Anime Reflect Japanese Belief?

Question:
I am fascinated. Have you seen any of the series Ghost Hunt? Watching it actually raises the hair in the back of my neck.There has been a lot of anime in the horror genre lately, like Higurashi and the Jigoku Shoujo anime series (both of them). I read that the Japanese believe in ghosts and spirits and that is why they have a festival to honor the dead. Is this true? Will Ghost Hunt have a commercial shot?

Answer:
Ghost Hunt is a bit unusual in the horror anime genre because it’s more heavily grounded in realism, drama, character relationships, and supernatural investigation than typical horror anime like Jigoku Shoujo, Vampire Miyu, Kosetsu Hyaku Monogatari, Devilman Lady, Kikoushi Enma, and many others. I personally also prefer Ghost Hunt over Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Jigoku Shoujo because Ghost Hunt is consistently better looking and less hysterical and exaggerated than Higuarshi no Naku Koro ni, and less condescending than Jigoku Shoujo. Ironically, those elements work in favor of the series potentially becoming an American license, but also work against the show’s chances of domestic release. Higurashi is already licensed for domestic release. I think of Jigoku Shoujo as an inevitable eventual domestic release. The fact that Ghost Hunt is fairly easily accessible and suitable for a wide audience strengthens its candidacy for American acquisition. However, the fact that the show doesn’t have a sensationalistic gimmick may make it less appealing to average American viewers. Higurashi has the novelty of adorable teenage girls committing acts of bloody, gruesome violence. Jigoku Shoujo has its titular “hell girl.” In comparison, the Gakkou no Kaiden (“Ghost Stories”) anime relied upon attractive character designs and creepy atmosphere, but was classified as a show with minimal American market potential that had to be drastically altered in order to become viable for American release. Ghost Hunt, likewise, is a show that relies upon subtlety and atmosphere instead of obvious shock value. And that may actually make the series a less desirable domestic license since American consumers aren’t generally interested in buying an obscure, dialogue heavy, supernatural drama.

Part of the reason why ghost story anime are so common is because Japan, like many Asian countries, does maintain a strong belief in, and respect for the supernatural. Japan respects its departed, often with small shrines in the home for deceased loved ones. The spirits of the deceased are respectfully given a formal sending-off during the Obon Festival, celebrated on the 13th to 15th of July (or August, depending upon the region of Japan). Obon is considered the time when the spirits of the deceased return to visit the living. So the spirits are honored with gravesite visits, prayers, food offerings, and Obon dances. At the end of the Obon Festival, the spirits are guided back to the world of the afterlife with floating lanterns set upon rivers or lakes. Anyone that’s watched a lot of anime has doubtlessly seen this beautiful and solemn ceremony literally or symbolically illustrated in anime.

Respect for the spirit world is also represented by the common practice of visiting a temple or having a priest offer a blessing before undertaking a major project or a life-changing event. The blessing of the spirits and protection from evil are especially important beliefs for the Japanese. Anime including Haré Nochi Guu and One Piece include mention of throwing salt at a doorstep. This purification ritual prevents evil from entering a home or business. Anime series such as Kamichu and Tonari no Totoro emphasize the Japanese belief that all things have a spirit, and that the spirit world exists all around and co-habitates with the human world. Even seemingly simple daily events like answering the phone with the phrase “Moshi Moshi” are actually connected to traditional respect for the supernatural. (The phrase “Moshi Moshi” is used to distinguish humans from shape-shifting foxes).

All of these spiritual beliefs are an intrinsic part of Japanese culture, so natural and traditional that they’re an inseparable and defining characteristic of Japanese culture. To Americans, who generally don’t imbue daily life with overt spirituality, Japan’s absolute confidence in the supernatural, and the integration of that belief into daily life may seem quaint. But to native Japanese citizens, spirituality is taken for granted; it’s just a conventional aspect of life that’s not thought of as especially unusual or odd in the least. In fact, spirituality and belief in the spirits of the dead is such an ingrained and natural aspect of Japanese life that it literally blends in to daily routine and becomes invisible to Japanese residents, who don’t think of it as anything unusual, and foreigners, who may not notice it at all.