Ghost Stories

After the death of their mother, Satsuki and Keiichirou Miyanoshita return to her hometown. Having transferred to the local school, they learn that it's supposedly haunted. Years ago, ghosts had haunted the schoolhouse but were driven away. Turns out they've returned! The ghosts are after them, so they must figure out how to survive the ghosts.¹

Inappropriate Content

One common content warning for anime is immodest or sexualized imagery. Sadly, this anime isn't any different.² The female characters wear short skirts. A lady's undergarments are also seen.³ This does not glorify God or exert holiness. The question becomes: when is too much too much? When does the amount of sexual content become too much to watch? One scene? What about when one becomes two, and two becomes three? This is the premise for an article I wrote titled The Slippery Slope of "Just One Scene".

Relating to the use of immodesty, however, we are told several times, by Holy Writ, that clothing matters. There are two main "types" of dress: godly and ungodly, modest and immodest. Women should be dressed modestly as they've been commanded by Paul (1 Timothy 2:9). Christ did not sit around and watch people dressed immodestly. Jesus was not like Herod, who watched sensual things for pleasure, and as such, Christians shouldn't either.

"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?" (Habakkuk 1:13)

Jesus could not behold evil because He was God. The Lord, as it says, literally cannot look at sin. Jehovah is not watching this anime for entertainment, and we should seek to be holy like Him.

Improper Language

In addition, profanity and sexual dialogue are used.⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ Things that you hear and see will stick with you. We should strive to keep as much wickedness out of our heads and hearts as possible, and that won't happen so long as we watch shows with profanity in them. If we know that "evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Corinthians 15:33), then why would we fill our minds with this corrupting evil?

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

Would you say that profanity and sexual language are pure, lovely, and of good report? Peter tells us of Lot, a saved man, who was influenced by what he heard in Sodom. In "seeing and hearing," he "vexed his righteous soul" (2 Peter 2:7-8).

Christian

In the English dub (which is different in several ways from the original Japanese version), one of the characters, Momoko Koigakubo, is a "fundamentalist evangelical Christian".⁴ This same supposed Christian, on top of using some moderately suggestive language,⁴ also takes the Lord Jesus' name in vain.⁵

"[17] But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; [18] How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts." (Jude 1:17-18)

In these last days, some people mock Christians in their media. While this, again, is only the English dub, the fact is that it portrays a Christian sinning. This is not good, and it's meant to be used for laughs, to mock Christians and the Savior whom we serve.

The Table of Devils

Satsuki and Keiichirou's pet cat, Kaya, gets possessed by a ghost named Amanojaku.⁶ This ghost, which is actually a devil, helps the group by providing them with information about other ghosts.⁵ So we have a "Christian" who is involved with a demonic spirit?

"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?" (1 Corinthians 10:21-22)

Well, are we stronger than the LORD? Of course not! So why would we fellowship with devils? This show features numerous ghosts (or devils) and portrays one as an ally, even to a Christian. This is not of God. In 1 John 4, we are told to "try the spirits", yet there's no trying of the spirits here.

Either you associate with Christ, or you associate with the devil. You cannot participate in demonic activities and then turn around and do something for God without repentance. You cannot watch, consume, and associate with this anime, Ghost Stories, and be right with God during or afterwards.

Conclusion

What is influencing you? Are you watching anime like this, full of evil filth and sin? Is this the type of content Christians should be messing with? Should we be pumping our minds full of all this wicked demonic activity? Does this glorify the Lord? There is no biblical basis upon which to say that it's okay to watch sin, or that God does not care what we watch. The Bible reveals that we are to set "no wicked thing" before our eyes (Psalm 101:3)!

Sources:

1. "Gakkou no Kaidan." MyAnimeList, myanimelist.net/anime/1281/Gakkou_no_Kaidan. Accessed 5th day of the fourth month 5785.

2. Ghost Stories. Crunchyroll, crunchyroll.com/series/G6MGP0K46/ghost-stories. Accessed 5th day of the fourth month 5785.

3. "Ghost Stories: Parents guide." IMDb, imdb.com/title/tt0285368/parentalguide. Accessed 5th day of the fourth month 5785.

4. "Momoko Koigakubo." Gakkou No Kaidan Wiki, ghoststoriesanime.fandom.com/wiki/Momoko_Koigakubo. Accessed 5th day of the fourth month 5785.

5. "Ghost Stories: Quotes." IMDb, imdb.com/title/tt0285368/quotes. Accessed 5th day of the fourth month 5785.

6. "Amanojaku." Gakkou No Kaidan Wiki, ghoststoriesanime.fandom.com/wiki/Amanojaku. Accessed 5th day of the fourth month 5785.