Anime is popular all around the world and features characters with distinct personalities and tales. It is the growing medium of entertainment globally and people from different countries, languages, and religions are getting exposed to this art form.
The bulk of anime films are adaptations of manga or light novels. That deals with action, and romance fantasy but also deals with heavy topics like blood, death, and sexuality. Which leads to some religious reservations around it.
Anime refers to the distinctive animations that are mostly recognized as a Japanese art style.
Anime contains different elements for fan service that may be prohibited in Islam. Practicing Muslims often ask this question: is it haram to watch Anime or not?
Let’s figure out the answer so scroll down if you want find out!
What is Anime?
The art style connected with anime is distinct and easy to identify.
You are probably familiar with large eyes, untamed hair, long limbs and legs, and other traits. This exaggerated design allows characters to express themselves more freely, which is common in anime.
Dramatic closeups and zooms, rich lighting, and vibrant colors all contribute to the emotional atmosphere of the anime. Aside from its distinct visual style, anime has captivated audiences with its rich characters and intriguing plotlines.
What does Haram mean?
The concept of haraam and halal goes back a long way in the history of Islam. Muslims have to keep their distance from things that are declared Haraam by the Quraan and Allah.
Haram in Islam means forbidden.
Anything that is haram when done by a Muslim can make him a sinner. For example, Muslims are forbidden from drinking alcohol. Murder and adultery are also declared as haraam in Islam.
To give you an idea of what are considered haram in Islam, watch this video below.
Is Anime haram?
A quick answer is that Anime is not haram unless it wavers you from your belief and shows explicit content.
Watching shows and movies that contain witchcraft, or beliefs and actions that involve disbelief and falsehood, is haraam—however, simply watching them does not reach the level of disbelief (kufr), as long as there is no indication that the person watching is pleased with or accepts the disbelief that it contains.
The majority of cartoons and animated stuff can not be declared haraam altogether. The religious scholars first scrutinize and analyze the content, The values it is promoting, and the story line to determine whether it is haram or not.
Is Anime allowed in Islam?
It is a unanimous statement that anime does contain some prohibited content, even some Anime got banned due to their violence and sexual content.
Islam also prohibits such content that is perverse and sexual content.
There are several Anime about tricking God, glorifying Satan, fighting God, and so on. You get the picture. They conduct a number of things that are forbidden in Islam. So in light of Islamic teaching, Muslims should stay away from such topics to not taint their beliefs.
However, Anime shows and genres that educate the audience and do not go against the teachings of Islam are allowed in Islam. As a Muslim, when it comes to discovering whether an entertainment medium is a haram or halal you should ask these three questions yourself:
- Does it prevent me from carrying out my Islamic duties?
- Is it having a negative influence on myself and/or those around me?
- Is it focusing on the wrong things? (like obscenity, shirk, or abuse)
If any of the questions have the answer is yes, then look the other way and avoid such entertainment mediums whether it be anime or any other form of multi-media, as they can be haram.
Is Manga Haram?
Manga is permissible in Islam if it has a positive impact on your mental growth.
Manga can be considered haram if they include forbidden content (such as sexual content) or promote messages or ideals that violate Islamic teachings. Because of its dynamic aspect, some Muslims are perplexed by Manga.
Watching explicit animated stuff that opposes Islamic principles is prohibited, according to the IslamicQ&A. To the best of our knowledge, this also applies to Anime.
Can I watch Anime in Ramadan?
The Islamic rules, haraam and halal in Ramadan are the same as every other month, as are Islamic responsibilities. If you’re having second thoughts about watching Anime while ‘fasting,’ consider whether you should watch Anime at all.
Haram is defined as anything that prohibits you from praying or practicing Islam. Anime is not haram for as long as it is not ecchi, hentai, yaoi, or yuri. If it is typical shonen, seinen, or any other sort with no explicit scenes or characters, it is not harmful as long as it does not interfere with your religious devotion.
Generally speaking, most Anime does not contain any explicit haram material so it should be safe to watch during Ramadan without worry.
Is there any Anime about Islam?
Religion is still a less talked about topic in the anime industry so there is no Anime about Islam yet.
While there are a few Muslim Anime, for example, Altair: A Record of Battle. There are no popular Anime yet, there are Muslim characters. However, they are few and far between.
While there aren’t many Muslims in Anime, many producers find inspiration in spirituality, regardless of their level of religion or lack thereof.
This table highlights some notable Islamic character references made in Anime:
| Anime and Manga | Muslim Character Reference |
| Yume no Shizuku Ougon no Torikago | Suleiman, his concubine Roxelana, and the grand vizier Mateus form a love triangle. |
| Otoyomegatari | The manga takes place in 19th century Central Asia, with the majority of the characters, including the protagonists, being Muslims. |
| Altair: A Record of Battles | The action takes place in the fictitious Türkiye empire, which is modeled after the Ottoman empire. Despite the fact that religion is not explicitly stated in the anime, all of the protagonists are Muslims. Their names explain the story: Mahmud, Ibrahim, and Ahmed. |
| Magi – The Labyrinth of Magic & Sinbad no Bouken | themed after Arabian Nights (Sinbad being the spin-off of Magi). It has Characters with Arab Muslim names. |
Is watching Naruto a sin?
You might be surprised to learn that watching Naruto is not a sin unless it contains adult themes.
Many individuals believe that watching Naruto is a sin because the anime and manga genres are both works of fiction. Watching anime, according to the Church, is not a sin as long as the show does not contain any adult themes.
Naruto’s only adult themes are violence and mild swearing, yet this is insufficient to define it as a sin.
Conclusion
Religion is not a very talked about topic in Islam and it is better that it remains that way. Since it is a very sensitive topic and every person has a different view of it.
My final piece of advice on the subject is to do your own study regarding the prerequisites for Anime to be permitted in Islam. Some scholars believe that watching anime is allowed if:
- It contains no explicit sexual content, nudity, or other inappropriate material.
- It does not promote concepts that are incompatible with Islamic values.
- It does not pervert, corrupt, or parody religious or Islamic ideals.