Japanese Religions & Anime Survey
Alright, as part of my upcoming panel on Japanese Religions in Anime at Anime Punch 2009 I would like to present some data on how Anime and Manga has influenced the spirituality of Anime fans. If you would like to contribute below is a 21 question survey - reply ether in a comment, a comment linking to a journal/blog entry, or an email to tsulakala ( Read more... )
1a) Hasufin
1b) Approximately 30.
1c) Male.
2. Where do you presently live?
2a) East Coast, USA.
2b) No.
3. What do you consider your socioeconomic status to be?
Middle middle class.
4. What is your highest level of education completed?
Bachelor's Degree
5. What is your current occupation?
Technical Writer
6. What political party do you support, if any? What label do you use to describe your political view point?
6a) Not a party member.
6b) Liberal.
7. How do you label your Primary Path/Tradition/Folkway/Religion/et cetera? If you have any additional affiliations, list these as well.
Eclectic pagan.
8. What are your primary religious/spiritual practices, if any?
Generally chalcolithic mediterranean reconstruction.
9. In a short summery what are your views on God(s)/the divine/spirits? Ethics? Impurity/Pollution/Sin? and Death?
That... wouldn't fit in a short summary.
10. If were born into a different religious tradition than you currently practice, what was the religious tradition of your birth community?
Protestant Christian/Agnostic.
11. What was your first exposure to Anime, Manga, and/or Japanese Pop Culture?
Uncertain...
When i was young, I watched some Japanese-inspired Saturday morning cartoons, but did not identify them as Japanese at the time. My first knowing exposure to Japanese pop culture was my freshman year of college.
12. How many hours do you estimate that you are exposed?
~2 hours/day, if music is counted.
13. Do you consider yourself to be part of the Anime/Manga fandom?
Definitely a member of the fandom. In the past I was described as a "Grand Master Otaku", but that level of interest has waned considerably in the last decade.
14. Do you interact or participate in any Anime/Manga fandom groups ether online or in your everyday life?
None at this time.
15. Do you attend any conventions relating to Anime, Manga, and/or Japanese Pop Culture?
No conventions or other events.
16. What do you consider to be your top three favorite Anime and/or Manga series/titles - If any?
Shin Seiki Evangelion
Shoujo Kakumei Utena
Haibane Renmei
17. On a scale of 0-10 (10 being the greatest amount of influence), how much influence do you believe that Anime, Manga, and/or Japanese Pop Culture have had on your personal Religious/Spiritual beliefs and/or practices?
That's too open-ended to give on an objective scale. I almost exclusively listen to Japanese Pop music, but my religious practice only draws a very trivial amount from Japanese (Shinto and Buddhist) practices. To some extent, exposure to Japanese pop culture has incited me to learn more about Japanese culture in general, but to what extent that has influenced my life is very difficult to quantify.
18. What was your first exposure to Japanese Religious Traditions?
When I was seven years old, I was given a book of Japanese myths. I have continued to occasionally learn more about Japanese culture ever since.
19. If you currently practice a religion with Japanese origins?
While my own practices may be influenced in some way by Japanese practices, I do not consider my practices Japanese in origin.
20. Do you have any personal religious/spiritual practices that have originated in Japan or are derived from Japanese practices?
Some of my work relates to pressure point theory, but that is second-hand, not acquired directly from Japanese sources. Also, I do enjoy some Japanese practices for relaxtion, for example, attending tea ceremonies.
21. Do your personal religious/spiritual practices include any practices derived from Anime, Manga, and/or Japanese Pop Culture or involving an characters or mythos derived from Anime, Manga, and/or Japanese Pop Culture? If so describe these practices.
No.
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