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Eastern-Religious Concepts in Used in the Media

DarkSun

:eltiT
I'll describe what I know most about: Final Fantasy.

Firstly, if you haven't heard of this series at least once, then you've been hiding in a whole for the past two decades. They're insanely good.

In Final Fantasy VII, the Lifestream is representative of the Gaia, or the Earth Spirit.

It's a fact in the game, that when a person dies, their spirit-energy returns to the Lifestream, and from the planet's own life-energy, all other life may be formed.

Death is said to be nothing more than returning to the planet.

This has parallels to Buddhism, Taoism, Hiduism, and other beliefs, like that concept of "Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust."

In FFVIII, countless Norse myths are employed.

"Ragnarok", in Nordic mythology was meant to signal the end of an old order in the universe, and the beginning of a new one. The gods would clash against one another in a titanic struggle that would alter the nature of reality itself.

In the game, you fight against, and gain the strength of, countless mythological creatures throughout various strands of mythology. Ifrit, Queltzacotle, Shiva, Diablos you fight against, while progressing through a very touching story. Eventually, you're in space at one point, and a massive amount of fiends are raining down onto the planet, when you run into a space ship called "Ragnarok". Believe it or not, after that point in the game, the main character is changed forever.

There are parrallels.

In Final Fantasy X, a creature called "Sin" was unleashed unto the world of "Spira" as a punishment for humanitiy's indulgences.

I could go on, but I'm affraid that I'll bore you.

Is it just me, or is religion being used as a means of entertainment more and more often? I don't mind. It makes for extremely good story-lines.

:eek:
 

ChristineES

Tiggerism
Premium Member
I have played some Final Fantasy. I have played the mentioned VII-- With Cloud, Aeris, Barret and so on. I also played earlier games like VI, with Terra, Locke, Sabin, Edgar, and so on and IV, with Cecil- The Dark Knight who becomes a Paladin. Great games, can't get enough of them. And I am a Christian (my husband does not approve of me playing them).
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
Is it just me, or is religion being used as a means of entertainment more and more often? I don't mind. It makes for extremely good story-lines.
It is being used as such. Allthough with Final Fantasy, most of the monster's I imagine come about due to them being classic fantasy monsters.
But there are also countless movies that have heavy religious and philosophy themes to them, such as the Matrix, V for Vendetta, Constantine, 9th Gate, and many others.
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
I have played some Final Fantasy. I have played the mentioned VII-- With Cloud, Aeris, Barret and so on. I also played earlier games like VI, with Terra, Locke, Sabin, Edgar, and so on and IV, with Cecil- The Dark Knight who becomes a Paladin. Great games, can't get enough of them. And I am a Christian (my husband does not approve of me playing them).

Why not?

If you have a set belief system in place, then how is hearing stories about other faiths going to change that?

=S
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
It is being used as such. Allthough with Final Fantasy, most of the monster's I imagine come about due to them being classic fantasy monsters.
But there are also countless movies that have heavy religious and philosophy themes to them, such as the Matrix, V for Vendetta, Constantine, 9th Gate, and many others.

The Matrix is one of my all-time favourite movies.

^___^

Books tend to do it, too. Raymond E. Feist is a classic example.

Magician is one of the best books I've ever read. He took bits and pieces from countless cultures, and created two separate races out of them. It's genius.

He then goes on in later books to have the main characters discover more and more about reality. Philosophy, and eastern religious thought is used a lot.

Hmmm...

Back to the Final Fantasy stuff... Is it just me, or was FFXII worse than all the games previous to it?

It really only focussed on the vanity and flaws in man-kind, and really didn't go into the concepts which others did.

That may be why it wasn't much of a success, now that I think on it. That, and the battle system sucked/
 

Somkid

Well-Known Member
I saw the movie (I never played the game its not my thing) and I can say there was a hint of Chinese and possible Japanese mythology mixed in there but nothing that I would consider to be a valid Eastern religion.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
Back to the Final Fantasy stuff... Is it just me, or was FFXII worse than all the games previous to it?
FFXII had a different development crew than the previous ones. Which is probably why it didn't sell that well, especially considering it had a mediocre soundtrack, lame battle system, and a weak character development.
Maybe if it wasn't called Final Fantasy it would have sold better since it wouldn't have had to have lived up to the series legacy?
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
I saw the movie (I never played the game its not my thing) and I can say there was a hint of Chinese and possible Japanese mythology mixed in there but nothing that I would consider to be a valid Eastern religion.

I'm assuming that you mean Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children?

I must have the wrong terminology then. Japan and China are in the east, and those myths would have been considered religion at one stage, so I dubbed the term.

I'm sorry... :sorry1:

I'll edit the thread title now.
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
Oh, wait!

The Lifestream is believed to be the planet's spirit-energy where a person's life merges after death. From the Lifestream, all new life is formed. It's a constant cycle.

It's not exactly the same, but wouldn't that have parallels to Nirvana and Reincarnation?

Again, I could be wrong, and if I am, please do tell me. I'd love to hear.
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
FFXII had a different development crew than the previous ones. Which is probably why it didn't sell that well, especially considering it had a mediocre soundtrack, lame battle system, and a weak character development.
Maybe if it wasn't called Final Fantasy it would have sold better since it wouldn't have had to have lived up to the series legacy?

Something that doesn't have a turn-based battle system really shouldn't be called a "Final Fantasy" game.

If it was purely real-time, then it could have been something new, like Kingdom Hearts.

As it was, the sad mix between the two battle systems really failed.

There's that, and there was no real story in comparison to the others.

I agree with you. People wouldn't have been as upset with it, if it had lived up to the legacy it came from.

:eek:
 

rojse

RF Addict
I thought the battle system in FFXII was excellent - no battle screens, more stragetic placement in battle, and the levelling system was excellent - having to gain licences to use certain weapons, armours or abilities is a great idea.

But I will agree the story sucked.
 

whereismynotecard

Treasure Hunter
I thought the battle system in FFXII was excellent - no battle screens, more stragetic placement in battle, and the levelling system was excellent - having to gain licences to use certain weapons, armours or abilities is a great idea.

But I will agree the story sucked.

I still haven't finished that one... Too much school, work, and internets to do...
 

rojse

RF Addict
One excellent example of religious concepts in media is Philip K Dick's Man in the High Castle, which uses quite a lot of I'Ching in the story. (The author used it to decide how he would write the story, but that's a separate post.) The characters in the novel ask the I'Ching for advice in what they do. It also introduced me to a lot of eastern ideas that are not encountered in the west, but I won't ruin the book for those that have not read it.

I think that eastern religion and philosophy are introduced into the media because they are so different to the ideas we are normally exposed to in the West. The big beard in the sky that damns people, and simplistic concepts of good and evil is not nearly as stimulating as ideas on reincarnation, or the life-force of the earth, and so forth. It certainly introduces new areas of philosophical discussion that are not normally encountered.

It probably also helps that game creators, such as Final Fantasy, make their games primarily for a Japanese audience, but that is not nearly as intellectual an answer as the one before.
 

eudaimonia

Fellowship of Reason
This has parallels to Buddhism, Taoism, Hiduism, and other beliefs, like that concept of "Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust."

I don't think that's true in the case of Buddhism. There is no "lifeforce" or "soul" in Buddhism, and therefore nothing that goes anywhere.


eudaimonia,

Mark
 

ChristineES

Tiggerism
Premium Member
I never played FFXII, but reading what I have here, I probably wouldn't. The best thing about FF is that there were stories to follow, almost like reading a book (but more like you are part of it). The stories were always pretty deep, too-- The good vs. evil type story.
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
I don't think that's true in the case of Buddhism. There is no "lifeforce" or "soul" in Buddhism, and therefore nothing that goes anywhere.


eudaimonia,

Mark

And yet there is a belief in reincarnation, right? I might look this up. Thanks.

^_^
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
Transmigration:

Based on his no-soul (anatta) doctrine, the Buddha described reincarnation, or the taking on of a new body in the next life, in a different way than the traditional Indian understanding. He compared it to lighting successive candles using the flame of the preceding candle. Although each flame is causally connected to the one that came before it, is it not the same flame. Thus, in Buddhism, reincarnation is usually referred to as "transmigration."


Okay, I see now. Sorry I took so long to look that up, I've been busy.

But the same concept is sort of there, regardless. Life is being "transmigrated" from one being to the next in Buddhism, so the same parallel between that religion and the Lifestream still applies... Sort of.

Anyway, does anyone know when FFXIII is coming out and what it could be about?
 

Panda

42?
Premium Member
12 lacked good story, good characters and had a rubbish battle system. I think FFVII or FFVIII had the best level systems, and I much prefer the old battle systems to the one used in FFXII
 

DarkSun

:eltiT
12 lacked good story, good characters and had a rubbish battle system. I think FFVII or FFVIII had the best level systems, and I much prefer the old battle systems to the one used in FFXII

Same... But if the give FFXIII a similar battle system to KH then I won't complain. I will be annoyed if they try out any funky new mixes between real time and turn based.

FFXII was an epic fail. If I have to sit through a story that meaningless again with such a bad battle-system then I'll burn the game to cinders. :D
 
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