Russia: Proof Anime is Bad?

"I wonder when Russia'll ban Alya." - Kenyon Bowers

Often, when one speaks out against anime, they'll be hit with, "If it doesn't affect you, then it's fine." However, I want to contest this idea. I believe anything we allow ourselves to consume will have some impact upon you.

What Does Russia Have to do With This?

Now, based on the article's title, one may ask what this has to do with Russia. Well, Russia has banned several anime in the past couple years. They've banned these anime for the content found within. According to one website:

"[A] prosecutor in St. Petersburg indicated that those kinds of segments violate article 242 of the criminal code of the Russian Federation. The article says that clips with explicit imagery, violence, etc. may cause harm to the mental health of many young people."¹

Russia claims that these shows may cause mental harm. Most would write this off as radical and nonsense but the Scriptures agree with them. We'll look at this more later, but take a look at another statement:

"'Anime is complete nonsense. It is an attempt by the Japanese to justify the atrocities of World War II. Anime is an artificial creation that has completely changed the image of the bloodthirsty Japanese killer. Let's admit that a huge amount of anime contains banned pornographic content,' explained the deputy. ...

The need to ban anime has been discussed for a long time—back in 2021, a court in St. Petersburg ruled the streaming of Death Note, Inuyashiki, and other anime projects on several websites to be illegal. The first work is an anime adaptation of the manga of the same name, with a plot revolving around a book dropped into the human world by a god of death. Inuyashiki tells the story of an elderly office worker who is killed by aliens and replaced with a cyborg.

The distribution of both anime was restricted due to the excessive violence and explicit scenes depicted in them. During the hearing, the judge spoke about a large number of letters he had received from various regions, including Vladikavkaz, Belgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, and other places. In these letters, people allegedly asked for anime to be banned, claiming that it 'cripples the fate and souls of children.'"²

"Cripples the fate of souls and children" is quite the description, isn't it? Other articles state that anime-influenced groups are behind many violent brawls.⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾ These groups follow a gang from the anime Hunter × Hunter.

Clearly, anime has an influence on people.

The Japanese Recognize This

The Japanese government realizes this truth too. Allegedly, they are using a manga series, Tonikaku Kawaii, to propagate marriage.⁵ Now, this hasn't done much since the "anime world" comes to hold anime women as their wives (waifus), but it does reveal that it's known that what we consume has an effect.

You really don't even have to look outside the "weeb" and "otaku" groups to realize what I'm saying is true. Anime has clearly done something. A man by the name of Akihiko Kondo "married" the Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku (the "marriage" is not legally recognized). While I recognize that Vocaloid isn't anime (though Miku does appear in the anime Dropkick on My Devil! X), the character is a part of that "realm" of media.

What Does the Bible Have to Say?

While there are many passages we could use, I'd like to focus on just a couple. The first is Psalm 101:3.

"I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me." (Psalm 101:3)

Let's focus on the ending of the verse. The first part tells us to not set wicked things before our eyes but the ending tells us why. The reason is that it will cleave to us. What we allow ourselves to look at, watch, and consume will be the things that cling to us. That is why it is imperative that us, Christians, fill our minds with righteousness, not sin.

I argued something similar about Lot in my post The Vexed Soul. There is absolutely a toll that anime will take on a person. The idea that one can watch sin and not be affected is not biblical—it is modernism.

"[23] ¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. [24] Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. [25] Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. [26] Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. [27] Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." (Proverbs 4:23-27)

We notice four truths in relation to keeping our hearts: don't surround yourself with bad language, look towards that which is good, consider the path you're on—whether it's the right path or not, and that we are to follow the right path and not deviate.

As I've shown on this blog, many anime contain bad language—therefore watching it isn't keeping the froward and perverse mouth from you. Anime contains sinful things, so to watch it is not looking "right on" and looking "straight before" you. That would be your eyes wondering like Peter walking on the water. Additionally, you will not convince me that a person who watches anime is on the right path that we are to walk on. And obviously, if our feet aren't to be removed (that is, moved) off the path unto evil, why would we do so for anime?

Sources:

1. "Russia Bans Isekai Anime For Promoting Reincarnation Beliefs." Anime Corner, 2 May 2021, animecorner.me/russia-bans-isekai-anime-for-promoting-reincarnation-beliefs. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

2. "Фонд «Центр Защиты Прав СМИ»." Сайты аниме заблокировали в России: причины, где теперь смотреть аниме. Trans. ChatGPT, 5 Dec. 2024, mmdc.ru/blog/2024/12/05/sajty-anime-zablokirovali-v-rossii-prichiny-gde-teper-smotret-anime. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

3. "В Госдуме предложили запретить часть аниме из-за движения "Редан"." Mockba24, 1 May 2023, m24.ru/news/obshchestvo/01032023/554904. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

4. "Anime-inspired Teenage Gangs That Originated in Moscow Plaguing Streets of Ukraine’s Cities, Kyiv Says." CNN, 2 May 2023, cnn.com/2023/03/02/europe/anime-inspired-russian-gangs-ukraine-intl/index.html. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

5. Shadmanislam. "It's Now Confirmed That Tonikawa: Over The Moon For You is a Japanese marriage propaganda." Reddit, reddit.com/r/TonikakuCawaii/comments/wtaqlq/its_now_confirmed_that_tonikawa_over_the_moon_for. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.