Is Misty a Christian?

[Cherrim]

If I remember correctly, the Japanese celebrate Christmas as a holiday in which gifts are exchanged, but Christmas in Japan isn't tied to Jesus in the least. They do the gift exchanges and celebrate the time of giving and being with one another, but it has nothing to do with Christianity. As such, the Christmas specials on Pokémon would be the same. It has nothing to do with the Christian celebration or the birth of Jesus but rather it's like the Christmas specials they have here with Santa and stuff in them. Purely for show.

As for the initial example given, that's just superstition--it's "common knowledge" that vampires are killed with a combination of those items and that's why Misty pulled them out. Long since then have the items lost their Christian connotations (well, I would assume so anyway--I barely even made the connection to Christianity even now xD) so I don't think anyone can assume she has a religion based on that.

Really, if you had to extrapolate a religion in the show, it would be closer to a polytheistic religion or perhaps Shintoism. As MiSs~Kon mentioned, they seem to worship the legendary Pokémon more so than any one God. Therefore I think when they show them praying, it's just symbolic of wishing or hoping rather than actual praying and if it is a real act of prayer, it's probably to a legendary Pokémon or something along those lines.

But I also agree with The Hunk--this is a children's TV show from Japan. xD I think we're looking too deep into this. The show just depicts a group of kids exploring the world and making new friends. If they really meant to put religion into the show, it would be blatantly there.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

To the best of my knowledge, Christian symbolism is just kind of...there in Japan. It's used a lot because it's interesting and different from their culture. Take the Zelda series. It is littered with Christian symbols. Crosses, bibles, etc. There's even official art depicting Link praying before a crucifix within a church. Despite these visual items, the faith itself is not expressed through the series.

In this case. It was a ghost Pokemon. Perhaps they were just going for the occult.

 

[goofy_charizard_girl]

I don't really know if Misty is a Christian or not, but could anyone fill me in with something. I mean you are talking here about Misty celebrated Xmas. Was that in anime? And one more thing. Isn't Misty a Japanese? And Japanese aren't Christians-at least not in general. Aren't Ash and the others from Japan, or have I been linving in a lie all this time?:\

 

[Cherrim]

Technically they're from Kanto which, while named after a Japanese region, is part of a separate Pokémon world. As for Christmas, there was at least one Christmas special in the anime in which they celebrated the holiday.

 

[beauty. proletariat]

Holding a cross does not mean ur christian! what about maths? can we rename the subject into christian studies just coz the + and X signs look like crosses? can we now say that science is a fake when it has proved to basically do anything in life? well, i am religionless and refuse to believe that pokemon follows a religion.. also, u watch people... Science will unveil then gospel of Judas and soon enough... we shall know the truth about christanity!!! MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHH!

 

[Charaxes]

Holding a cross does not mean ur christian! what about maths? can we rename the subject into christian studies just coz the + and X signs look like crosses? can we now say that science is a fake when it has proved to basically do anything in life? well, i am religionless and refuse to believe that pokemon follows a religion.. also, u watch people... Science will unveil then gospel of Judas and soon enough... we shall know the truth about christanity!!! MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHH!

I get what you mean, but that can be a loaded statement, particularly the final sentence. So, I'd tone that down if I were you. Just erring on the side of caution.

 

[Ari-chan]

Indeed, on the subject, I believe Misty (or any pokemon character for that matter) is devoid of religion, simply because it's not a religious show, and was never ment to be. This isn't Veggie Tales after all. If anything they are part of a completely different religion, one that is logical to the world of Pokemon (this isn't our world after all, despite some of the puns and jokes they make in the dub about places like mongolia and minassota). There is also the fact that just because none of the characters show any religious practice, means that they have no religion. There are tons of people in the world who hold belief/claim in some sort of religion, yet never show practice of it. A person can believe in god as the creator of all and that his son rose from the dead for our sins without attending any sort of mass or following any sort of Christian practice. Just like a person can be claimed a christian and actually practice the religion while at the same time believe in the theory of evolution and as a scientist.

As for Christmas, yes there were absolutly no ties to religion in that episode. Simply because there are no ties to Christian religion with Christmas in Japan. Heck most movies/Christmas specials here in America barely have any christian ties as well, since not everyone who celebrates Christmas is a Catholic. Christmas in Japan is no different then Valentines day (most people who participate in Valentines don't even know the story of St. Valentine). It's just a fun holiday to spend with family and friends, nothing more.

Pokemon isn't the only anime to have a christmas special episode either. There are alot of anime that with Christmas episode, yet show absolutly show tie to Jesus in it at all. Example: Mahoromatic is an anime about a combat android who decides she'll spend the rest of her life (which is only a year) as a maid for this one boy. The show has alot of episode with holidays and special events in Japan, and of them is Christmas. Yet in the anime there was no mention of religion, they simple put up decorations (Tree, lights, reefs), had a party, and did a gift exchange. The episode right after that though was the New Years Festival, where they did all sorts of traditional Japanese New Year Festivities (like going to a Shinto shrine). In short you can celebrate a holiday and not have any sort of religious tie to it.

The Cross, like stated was simply used as a joke. Misty was pulling out all sorts of superstitious items comenly associated with warding off Vampires.

One thing you have to remember people, this is a kids anime made in Japan, why in the world should it show any sort of Christian beliefs? It doesn't need it, and odds are most people who worked on the show practice one of the two main religions of Japan, neither which are close to christian.

Shows like this don't need religion to make it any more meaningful or good, just like it for what it is. A kids show meant for kids devoid of any religion. Shows that don't show religion are usually done that way so that anyone can watch it.

 

[cardfreak]

I don't think she is Christian. It is kind of hard to say at all.

 

[QuietDragon]

Kasumi prays to the God of Water Pokemon more than once in the Japanese version, so I'd say she believes in a God, but since religion really isn't important in the anime (except the movies (what with Fire, Freezer, and Thunder being called gods in the original) maybe in Yadon's Enlightment, Satoshi's Enlightment ... but very small anyway), it's mostly left for speculation.

Crosses are worn and waved around a LOT in anime, 'cause crosses are trendy there.

Edit: Oh, right, and the Pippi and their idol-worship of the moon rock. xD Can't forget that.

 

[Chibi-chan]

The options are pretty harsh for this one....I don't think she's atheist, she believes in some god or another like QuietDragon stated. But seriously...who really cares if she's Christian or not? That fact wouldn't change her personality or how she acts. She's a drawn character. I don't think Kunihiko Yuyama or any of the producers had religion in mind...especially a foriegn one. Don't fall for 4kid's edits! O:

 

[pokemaster7]

It doesn't mean that she is Catholic, however. I am a Catholic (you say that my religion is corrupted, I'll spam you into next week) yet I go to church every Sunday. In fact, just like ribozyme said, she receives no sacraments, does not worry about mortal sin, etc. I believe that each character seems to have a religion, it's just that they don't openly show it. Just because it isn't shown in the show doesn't mean that it doesn't exist (like the bathroom in the show, for instance).

What are bathrooms? Hmmmm...

 

[Auron]

In Manga and Anime, and generally all cartoons, characters have more items than they usually have...Well...How can I explain this...

If you check Misty's bag, you'll never find the garlic, the stake and hammer and the cross. So, why Misty had all those things ?? Quite easy. That scene was a comic, funny gag. And for those funny scenes, characters use some strange items, like Misty used.

 

[Zishi]

Hey just chill

Hey she Is not!!!:D and she is only a cartoon character not more than this

 

[Goku Goku]

I don't think Misty, and the majority of the people in the Pokemon world, are religious. Atheism and traditional beliefs/indigenous beliefs/Shamanism, as I see it, seem to be their main religion, though signs of Buddhism and Christianity do exist, but not as a majority (well, it wasn't really stated if the they have a religion or not). Personally I think the people of the Pokemon World worship Pokemon, or nothing/no-one at all. :D

 

[Alistair]

Personally, I do not think that Misty is Christian. The cross is there, as others have said, to ward off vampires. I think that the religion is actually some variation of Shintoism, where they beleive in kami-like Pokemon. (Kyogre, Groudon, And Rayqaza support this theory)

 

[Yesterday]

I'm sure she pulled out the cross for parody reason. I can't really see anything really religious about that.

 

[Auron]

Just I said before: For parody reason.

Also I support the Shintoism Theory: There are god-like Pokémon.