History Main / AnimeCatholicism

Since Japan (and other countries that produce derivative media, such as [[{{Manhua}} China]]), [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseChristian don't have a large population of Christians]], local audiences don't especially know nor care a great deal about the total accuracy in the depiction of the Church or Church-based organizations in their writing. At the same time, their cultures do have ''some'' exposure to Christianity especially Catholicism, which is more than can be said about many other foreign religions. As such, Catholicism has just the right mix of exotic symbolism that can still be recognized ''as'' Catholic symbolism by the target audience while still coming across as foreign and interesting. When it shows up, the Church is predominantly there to provide a sense of magic or mystery (the [[SceneryPorn beautiful Catholic architecture]] is also a plus) to the setting or backdrop of the story, with priests more akin to [[ReligionIsMagic wizards or mages]] [[RuleOfCool and the importance of correctness being secondary]], and more than likely not even factor into their priorities.

* Plenty of YuriGenre anime set in [[OneGenderSchool all-female Catholic schools]], and don't have PseudoRomanticFriendship-kind, conveniently ignore how the Church and Christianity, in general, are notorious for being {{Heteronormative Crusader}}s. In fact, while they have tried to soften it in recent years the church considers it a mortal sin (i.e. [[OhCrap will send you immediately to eternal damnation if not forgiven]]). The more knowledgeable works will at least notice this enough to play it for {{Gaynst}}.

* Plenty of YuriGenre anime set in [[OneGenderSchool all-female Catholic schools]], and don't have PseudoRomanticFriendship-kind, conveniently ignore how the Church and Christianity, in general, are notorious for being {{Heteronormative Crusader}}s. In fact, while they have tried to soften it in recent years the church considers it a mortal sin (i.e. [[OhCrap will send you immediately to eternal damnation if not forgiven]]).

* ''Literature/TrinityBlood'' has a female cardinal, a child pope, impossible robes, vampire hunters, magic users, and most of the cast seems to be under the age of thirty, with about a fifth of them under the age of twenty.

* ''Manhwa/TheGodOfHighSchool''has 2 instances of this,the first is Nox,that although they worship God, they are not based on any real branch and do not even use crosses as symbols, the priests can be of both sexes and it is more a Badass army than a religion,now the second case is the Vatican, which in case you realize that they are this when they have a martial arts team, they have a priest who uses spells reading the bible and a kung-fu nun and we don't Let's forget about the young priest who is a Dante expy

[[folder:Anime And Manga]]

* The Ormus Church of ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' is essentially the Catholic Chruch InSpace. It is headed by an individual known as the Pope ([[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerised into the "Patriarch"]][[note]] "Patriarch" is actually the tile of the Pope analogue in Eastern Orthodox Christinaity [[/note]] in the English edition), is comprised of cardinals, and its [[ChurchMilitant military wing]] is called the "Inquisition". Even the two Popes/Patriarchs seen in the series have Catholic papal names implying a continuity with the historical line of popes: Julius XIV and Sergius XVII.

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': In a broader sense than just Catholicism; the 'Index' of the title belongs to the British Puritans. The series barely portrays religion correctly ''if at all''. For starters, 'Magic' is synonomous with 'Religion', as almost all magic users are either part of, or were once part of, fantasy versions of real-life religions. Then we have characters like Stiyl Magnus, a 15 year old chain-smoking priest, or Kanzaki Kaori, a KungFuJesus version of a saint. In season 2, nuns fight while wearing miniskirts.

* TheChurch is TheEmpire, TheGovernment, TheOrder, or [[OrganizationIndex some other kind of organization]]: The Church is portrayed as having some kind of mission or authority other than just religious, as in they are a task-force, or protectors against supernatural forces, or just the ultimate authority in the world, more like an empire.[[note]]Note that while the actual Catholic Church was attached to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_States significant secular states]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_order_(religious_society) military orders]], and arguably an empire by virtue of its relationship with the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_States#Relationship_with_the_Holy_Roman_Empire Holy Roman Empire]], they tended to be separate from the Church itself and had their own governance structures.[[/note]]

* TheChurch is TheEmpire, TheGovernment, TheOrder, or [[OrganizationIndex some other kind of organization]]: The Church is portrayed as having some kind of mission or authority other than just religious, as in they are a task-force, or protectors against supernatural forces, or just the ultimate authority in the world, more like an empire.

* One particularly infamous YuriGenre example is ''Literature/MariaWatchesOverUs''; on top of having a SempaiKouhai system that only exists in their world, students regularly use rosaries as necklaces even though this is considered taboo in real life. So much so that ''Manga/MariaHolic'' (indirectly) called them out on this by explaining that rosaries are for prayer and not jewelry.

* ''Literature/TrinityBlood'' has a female cardinal, a child pope, impossible robes, vampire hunters, magic users, and most of the cast seems to be under the age of thirty, with about a fifth of them under the age of twenty.

* In ''LightNovel/HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere'' one of the factions claims to be the Catholic Church complete with a leader they call the "President Pope".
* One particularly infamous YuriGenre example is ''Literature/MariaWatchesOverUs''; on top of having a SempaiKouhai system that only exists in their world, students use rosaries as necklaces even though that is pretty taboo. So much so that ''Manga/MariaHolic'' (indirectly) called them out on this by explaining that rosaries are for prayer and not jewelry.

* ''ComicBook/WarriorNunAreala'', a heavily manga and anime influenced Western comic from BenDunn.

* One particularly infamous YuriGenre example is ''LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs'', on top of having a SempaiKouhai system that only exists in their world, using rosaries as necklaces even though that is pretty taboo. So much so that ''Manga/MariaHolic'' (indirectly) called them out on this by explaining that rosaries are for prayer and not jewelry.[[/folder]]

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': In a broader sense than just Catholicism; the 'Index' of the title belongs to the British Puritans. The series barely portrays religion correctly ''if at all''. For starters, 'Magic' is synonomous with 'Religion', as almost all magic users are either part of, or were once part of, fantasy versions of real-life religions. Then we have characters like Stiyl Magnus, a 15 year old chain-smoking priest, or Kanzaki Kaori, a KungFuJesus version of a saint. In season 2, nuns fight while wearing miniskirts.

* In ''LightNovel/HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere'' one of the factions claims to be the Catholic Church complete with a leader they call the "President Pope".

* ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'', Garterbelt is supposed to be a priest, however that doesn't stop him from being involved in S&M activities, being foulmouthed, using firearms, and showing some RageAgainstTheHeavens from time to time. Also, he acts more as a commander officer for P&S, giving them their orders to neutralize the ghost.

** It may be debatable if Garterbelt's behavior is a good example of this trope since some catholic priests (and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Alexander_VI even]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_II popes]]) ''have'' done stuff like that, and even worse, in RealLife. (Except giving orders to angels, of course.)

* Plenty of YuriGenre anime set in [[OneGenderSchool all-female Catholic schools]], and don't have PseudoRomanticFriendship-kind, conveniently ignore how the Church and Christianity, in general, are notorious for being {{Heteronormative Crusader}}s. In fact, while they have tried to soften it in recent years the church considers it a mortal sin (i.e. [[OhCrap will send you immediately to eternal damnation if not forgiven]]).
** One particularly infamous example is ''LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs'', on top of having a SempaiKouhai system that only exists in their world, using rosaries as necklaces even though that is pretty taboo. So much so that ''Manga/MariaHolic'' (indirectly) called them out on this by explaining that rosaries are for prayer and not jewelry.

[[quoteright:348: [[LightNovel/TrinityBlood https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/trinity_blood_1721.jpg]]]]

* ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'' has a female cardinal, a child pope, impossible robes, vampire hunters, magic users, and most of the cast seems to be under the age of thirty, with about a fifth of them under the age of twenty.

** Then we have the [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Tohsaka family]]: [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseChristian they are known to be Catholic since the first missionaries arrived to Japan and have stayed so during the Tokugawa persecutions]], but the only hint they are Catholics is the trust they have in the aforementioned Executor and his father (also priest and retired Executor) and Rin wearing a cross in her usual outfit.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'': The Maxwell Church [[HowWeGotHere Episode Zero]], where Duo lived for a period of time (after his StreetUrchin gang got caught stealing food.) The other kids were all adopted out, but Duo kept being brought back because the would-be parents couldn't handle him. Fr. Maxwell and Sr. Helen acted as parents for Duo, and generally acted more like a Shinto priest and {{Miko}} in charge of a shrine than an actual priest and nun.

Compare ChristianityIsCatholic, CrystalDragonJesus, CreepyCoolCrosses, and NunsAreMikos. Also compare FantasticCatholicism, which is the western version of this trope. See also UsefulNotes/JapaneseChristian.

* Plenty of YuriGenre anime set in [[OneGenderSchool all-female Catholic schools]], and don't have RomanticTwoGirlFriendship-kind, conveniently ignore how the Church and Christianity, in general, are notorious for being {{Heteronormative Crusader}}s. In fact, while they have tried to soften it in recent years the church considers it a mortal sin (i.e. [[OhCrap will send you immediately to eternal damnation if not forgiven]]).

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', magical girl Kyoko Sakura is the daughter of a priest who [[spoiler:committed murder-suicide after discovering his daughter's secret identity]]. The flashback scenes of the Sakura Church are strongly Catholic-inflected, with elaborate stained glass windows depicting Biblical scenes and Father Sakura himself wearing a cassock and collar...but he obviously couldn't be Catholic in RealLife since he's married and has children. It's cnclear whether the creators meant Kyoko to be a related sect like the Anglican Church (which does have a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Church_in_Japan small but notable presence in Japan]]) or if they simply employed Catholic imagery as the [[ChristianityIsCatholic easiest, most recognizable way]] to sign post her Christianity.

* '

* ''Manhwa/SoulCartel'': The story of Myth/{{Faust}} and the functionality of heaven and hell are rewritten entirely. For one thing, there's reincarnation, and the Angels that keep demons from escaping from hell are known as Azraels. Yes, that was plural. It's established that people die and go to the underworld as souls, and work towards being reborn. Inside the underworld there are a large number of devils, and Mephisto from Faust was one who wanted to tempt the eponymous character with his contracts and Faust himself claiming that he would be able to resist. It was a contest between man and demon, with God as the judge. And Mephistopheles is a borderline SuperDeformed child with long red hair. The actual story follows a young Korean boy who's caught in Mephisto's rematch with the now-reincarnated Faust, as Mephisto takes a liking to him, claiming that he will be his next target and asking ''him'' to act as the judge of this contest, because he claims that God unfairly intervened and ruined his chances when he was about to win.
** Also, later in its revealed that part of the reincarnation process includes the option for human souls to train to become Azrael-class angels themselves. The nine rings of hell are actually the nine levels of the under world, with the bottom serving as the origin of all evil in the universe and Satan's personal home. The Angels also have what are essentially boarder patrols and immigration offices that make sure that demons and spirits don't cross into the different levels without permission.

* ''Manhwa/SoulCartel'': The story of Myth/{{Faust}} and the functionality of heaven and hell are rewritten entirely. For one thing, there's reincarnation, and the Angels that keep demons from escaping from hell are known as Azraels. Yes, that was plural. It's established that people die and go to the underworld as souls, and work towards being reborn. Inside the underworld there are a large number of devils, and Mephisto from Faust was one who wanted to tempt the eponymous character with his contracts and Faust himself claiming that he would be able to resist. It was a contest between man and demon, with God as the judge. And Mephistopholies is a borderline SuperDeformed child with long red hair. The actual story follows a young Korean boy who's caught in Mephisto's rematch with the now-reincarnated Faust, as Mephisto takes a liking to him, claiming that he will be his next target and asking ''him'' to act as the judge of this contest, because he claims that God unfairly intervened and ruined his chances when he was about to win.

Since Japan (and other countries that produce derivative media, such as [[{{Manhwa}} Korea]] and [[{{Manhua}} China]]), [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseChristian don't have a large population of Christians]], local audiences don't especially know nor care a great deal about the total accuracy in the depiction of the Church or Church-based organizations in their writing. At the same time, their cultures do have ''some'' exposure to Christianity especially Catholicism, which is more than can be said about many other foreign religions. As such, Catholicism has just the right mix of exotic symbolism that can still be recognized ''as'' Catholic symbolism by the target audience while still coming across as foreign and interesting. When it shows up, the Church is predominantly there to provide a sense of magic or mystery (the [[SceneryPorn beautiful Catholic architecture]] is also a plus) to the setting or backdrop of the story, with priests more akin to [[ReligionIsMagic wizards or mages]] [[RuleOfCool and the importance of correctness being secondary]], and more than likely not even factor into their priorities.