Barbara Greene is Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at Tokyo International University
關鍵詞
Pure Land; otaku; Puella Magi Madoka Magica; transcendent; nijigen; postmodernism
摘要
Since its premiere, the 2011 anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica has been widely regarded by both critics and consumers as a groundbreaking work. While contemporary otaku culture typically eschews the notion of a grand narrative, this does not mean that otaku lack a longing for the transcendent, which is often projected onto a young girl whose limitless potential triggers an intense reaction with otaku who have an affinity for the fictional over the mundane. However, Madoka Magica harkens back to an even older model of the transcendent. Within the series, through powers gained from multiple, self-sacrificial incarnations, the lead character Madoka is able to break free from her reality and into a paradise in which her fellow magical girls can attain absolute peace. This article explores the ways in which the discourse of Pure Land Buddhism have been integrated into Madoka Magica and, thereby, offers otaku a postmodern Pure Land.
目次
The Use of Pure Land Imagery in Madoka Magica 24 Religion as a Database 25 Magical Girls and Karmic Returns 26 Madoka Magica as a Postmodern Hagiography 28 The Need for a New Transcendent 31 The New Transcendent 34 Salvation from a Broken World 36 Cycles of Reincarnation 39 Conclusion 40 references 42