Ancient Judaism in modern video games

I'm thinking of a classic story. It is the story of a man from the desert who was born into a subjugated race. He fights with all his might to free his people from bondage, and after a long struggle he subdues the tyrant who forced them into slavery. However, his people are anything but grateful, some even going so far as to advocate for a return to their shackles. The Liberator and his people still press on until they reach their promised land, but there is one man who does not follow the path our hero paved into the future, and that man is our hero himself.

What story am I thinking of?

Chances are, you've already guessed it. I'm thinking of course of the legendary anime series “Gurren Lagann” by Studio Gainax.

“Gurren Lagann” follows a boy named Simon as he leads humanity in the fight against an alien threat called the Anti-Spirals. On the surface, it's a silly Japanese cartoon about giant robots. If you dig a level deeper, you find a story about humanity. The series deals with themes of grief and loss – the infamous eighth episode twist (spoiler alert: Simon's mentor dies) is perhaps the best example – but behind it all lies a message of hope.

Simon and his friends' persistence in the face of untold adversity is what brings them victory in the end. This brings us to the deepest level of our analysis: “Gurren Lagann” and so many other stories like it are not just about explosions and giant robots, nor are they just about humanity. They are also thoroughly Jewish.

Having grown up with anime, niche video games and, perhaps most importantly, the Torah, I noticed a few things that my peers may have missed; The themes of the latter crop up quite often in the former, and rarely is it even that subtle. For example, “Shin Megami Tensei” (“True Reincarnation of the Goddess” in English) is a Japanese role-playing game series that clearly expresses its Judeo-Christian influence.

Having grown up with anime, niche video games and, perhaps most importantly, the Torah, I noticed a few things that my peers may have missed; The themes of the latter appear quite frequently in the former.

The central antagonist in many games is a deity named YHVH; This should be somewhat noticeable to anyone with a basic knowledge of Hebrew. In fact, some of the later games in the series featured voice acting, and in a rather clever trick, YHVH's name was censored when spoken aloud, suggesting that it is unpronounceable.

Persona Q, a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei sub-series Persona, features a title with lyrics that rather explicitly reference a passage in Exodus. “Just like the shining stars light the way when it's dark,” sings singer Yumi Kawamura, “You keep blinking at me. You never turn away from me, in this vast, gloomy night sky – light the fire in the night!” It should come as no surprise that the man who created this series, Kouji “Cozy” Okada, dabbles in religious and occult Well versed in literature.

Whether you like it or not, the Torah is everywhere.

Of course, the true soul of Judaism speaks not only to our God and our Torah, but also to our courage and determination. Stories like the “Gurren Lagann” mentioned above practically recount journeys like Moses’, but there are others that tell our story in a broader sense. “Attack on Titan,” a popular manga series by author Hajime Isayama, follows a boy whose history is erased by an oppressor who wants to end his people's bloodline – a chilling and very relevant historical parallel. “Metaphor: ReFantazio,” the latest (as of this writing) major release from gaming studio Atlus – also behind “Shin Megami Tensei” – tells the story of a young man fighting for the throne of his kingdom while facing discrimination from the tribe opposite he was born into it.

The Jewish experience is a distinctly human experience, so its ubiquity in the media may well be a happy coincidence. However, it is important that we remember that some of the Earth's oldest stories are ours and we can also see ourselves in some of the youngest. Because who the hell do you think we are?

Noah Mamet is a writer, artist and aspiring composer. He was born in Boston and currently lives in Utah, where he studies content writing and digital media.