Death Note and religion
What do you think about the characters in regards to religion?
I think it's safe to say by default that most of the main casts are atheist. In L's case, considering is horror at anything supernatural, anything that logic can't explain - and I'm thinking mainly of both his reaction to Shinigami and when he very first proves that Kira can kill without having to be there in person - I'd have to say there's not much room for discussion on that point (though of course I welcome it!). Mello wears a cross, but he never makes reference to Christianity otherwise and his actions suggest that he couldn't care less.
Though it'd be easy to assume that Light is also an atheist, I wonder if he isn't Shinoist instead. Most Japanese loosely identify with Buddhism and Shinto, and they don't take the same approach to the concept of religion that Westerners do. When he got the Death Note, he made the connection to Shinigami on his own. He aspires to be a "kami", and in Shinto, that's something great humans can achieve. When he has good luck, he says things to the extent of "it looks like there's a god on my side." I can see the Yagami family taking the kids to shrines and going to festivals and stuff. I'm not suggesting that Light has faith, per se, in anything supernatural, but maybe just a spiritual background that makes a part of him inclined to Shintoism?
'Course, the problem with Death Note is that Gods of Death do exist. Though Shinigami weren't actually part of the ancient religion and are, as far as I understand, relatively modern inventions, they can still be linked to Shintoism more than anything. "God" isn't mentioned, but Heaven and Hell don't exist - despite fun Abrahamic religious imagery, the reality of the series is incongruent to Christianity. "Mu", the only afterlife awaiting humans, is a Buddhist concept. So this kind of makes any notion of religious practices ironic, and a moot point when characters (like Light) are already aware of this, shall I say, divine truth.
Discuss?
I think it's safe to say by default that most of the main casts are atheist. In L's case, considering is horror at anything supernatural, anything that logic can't explain - and I'm thinking mainly of both his reaction to Shinigami and when he very first proves that Kira can kill without having to be there in person - I'd have to say there's not much room for discussion on that point (though of course I welcome it!). Mello wears a cross, but he never makes reference to Christianity otherwise and his actions suggest that he couldn't care less.
Though it'd be easy to assume that Light is also an atheist, I wonder if he isn't Shinoist instead. Most Japanese loosely identify with Buddhism and Shinto, and they don't take the same approach to the concept of religion that Westerners do. When he got the Death Note, he made the connection to Shinigami on his own. He aspires to be a "kami", and in Shinto, that's something great humans can achieve. When he has good luck, he says things to the extent of "it looks like there's a god on my side." I can see the Yagami family taking the kids to shrines and going to festivals and stuff. I'm not suggesting that Light has faith, per se, in anything supernatural, but maybe just a spiritual background that makes a part of him inclined to Shintoism?
'Course, the problem with Death Note is that Gods of Death do exist. Though Shinigami weren't actually part of the ancient religion and are, as far as I understand, relatively modern inventions, they can still be linked to Shintoism more than anything. "God" isn't mentioned, but Heaven and Hell don't exist - despite fun Abrahamic religious imagery, the reality of the series is incongruent to Christianity. "Mu", the only afterlife awaiting humans, is a Buddhist concept. So this kind of makes any notion of religious practices ironic, and a moot point when characters (like Light) are already aware of this, shall I say, divine truth.
Discuss?