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The seven deadly sins were first created and recognized in early Christian teachings around the 3rd century. It is surmised that these personal characteristics are deemed toxic and can cause many problems in people who suffer from these sins, even “eternal damnation.” In anime, these deadly sins are very common and portrayed very accurately. It is usually added for character development or to advance the plot. It tends to make the show even more enjoyable and memorable to the audience.
The first of the deadly sins is the sin of pride.
Pride is defined as “A feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements.” Many characters in anime are very powerful, and they know it! One example of a character that exhibited the sin of pride is Selim Bradley from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Selim Bradley was a homunculus created to hold all the pride in the world. He hated humans and looked down on humanity. His pride led him to make very poor decisions.
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His weaknesses later became his downfall.
Another great character is Gilgamesh from Fate/Stay Night. The interesting thing about this anime is that it took significant and special people from earth’s real history and put them in fantasy situations. Gilgamesh from ancient history was re-imagined as this prideful, very powerful fighter who destroyed countless cities and civilizations. He had many weapons and his tactics became more and more corrupt as his pride took over. He had never been defeated and that got in the way of his wisdom.
Another common sin is the sin of wrath, which is defined as “Extreme chaotic anger.”
One character who’s wrath defined him as a person was Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan. Eren grew up in a world where giant titans terrorize humanity. He vowed at a young age to kill all the titans attacking mankind and would stop at nothing to get his way. Later on in the show, he actually turned into a titan himself, but lost control because of his anger. His wrath makes him extremely dangerous and chaotic.
Another great representation of the sin wrath is Erza from Fairy Tail. Erza was by far a favorite character of the series and it shows. She was an amazing fighter with powers beyond anyone else in the show. Her anger got the best of her many times and she struggled to control herself. This was very evident, especially when people stole her favorite strawberry cake. Though her power and anger got in the way at times, she always meant well and fought to protect those she loved. The sin of lust is a very popular sin in media today. Lust is defined as “A very strong sexual desire for someone.”
Rize Kamishiro from Tokyo Ghoul was a very great example of the sin lust. Tokyo Ghoul is set in a world where monsters named ghouls hunt humans for game and nourishment. Rize is a ghoul who used her charms and the lust of others to trick them to their death. She eventually dies in the show, but her ghost lives on to haunt the main character of the anime. Another great character is Irina Jelavić from Assassination Classroom. This dangerous femme fatale character is another favorite. She masquerades as an English, set on capturing and killing her target. She uses lust and charm to trick her enemies and get information. Gluttony is probably one of the most relatable sins. This sin means “an excess of eating.”
Natsu Dragneel from Fairy Tail was a very good example of Gluttony. Natsu always had something he was eating. If he’s not in a fight, he’s chowing down on anything he can find. The dragon slayer could even eat lightning of all things. He had a dragon’s appetite, to say the least, and it sure came in handy.
Mitsukuni “Honey” Haninozuka from Ouran High School Host Club was another character that exhibited gluttonous behavior. Honey was a member of his school’s host club, a club to entertain girls from rich families who were bored and had no friends. He was always seen eating cakes and candies, offering them to other people as he wishes. One episode, he even got a tooth cavity from eating too much sugar and was forced to stop. He was not very happy.
Envy is “A feeling of resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions.” This sin is also a very common sin in media. One example of envy is Yuno Gasai from Future Diary Yuno was a sweet, charming girl who fell in love with Yuki. It eventually was revealed that she had too many screws loose in her head. Every time someone got too close to him or even wanted to hurt “Her Love” Yuki, she became a cold-blooded killer. This caused many problems for them in the series. Jean Kirstein from Attack on Titan is also a good example of envy. Jean was shown as a very envious character. From day one, he joins the training cadets for the soul purpose to get the cushy life of the MIlitary Police, instead of on the front lines. He eventually developed a crush for Mikasa Haggermin, another cadet, and got jealous of Eren and her. The sin of greed is defined as “An intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.” Alucard from Hellsing was a very greedy character. He's a demon who enjoyed destroying other monsters in any way he wanted to, which usually involved him toying with them. Alucard was practically invincible, and he used that talent as a “dramatic effect” as he often let his opponents damage him before he attacked. The vampire took pleasure in the despair of his enemies and his greed usually got the best of him at times.
Light Yagami from Death Note was also a very greedy person. The story heavily relied on Light's cleverness and the layers upon layers of complex and sometimes overdramatic plans. Light started out as a good, educated kid, with a bright career in police work like his father. But when he found the death note, he transformed into a disturbing mastermind, exacting his will over the world. Light met his graphic demise as his greed for power took control. Lastly, the sin sloth, which is defined as “reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness.” Shota Aizawa from Boku No Hero Academia was the best example of slothfulness. Shota Aizawa was the laziest character in the series.
He is first seen in a sleeping bag refusing to teach his class. He had a bad attitude and if he didn’t get to sleep a lot during the day, he took his sleep deprivation out on the students. He even “Taught” the class by writing things on the board and then going to sleep. Kuro from Servamp was another great representation of the sin Sloth. Kuro was the Servamp of Sloth, a vampire cursed with the sin of sloth. Even in life and death situations, Kuro would have rather gone home and slept instead of engaging in meaningless fights. Most of the time, he eventually got forced to fight and protect his friends.
All of these sins are very common and represented in anime. Having all these sins coexist in the show makes it even more exciting to watch. We can learn the strengths and weaknesses of each sin. Seeing how each one of these characters has to overcome their sin or fall into despair makes watching anime even more enjoyable.
Representation Of The Seven Deadly Sins in Anime. (2024, Feb 07). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/representation-of-the-seven-deadly-sins-in-anime-essay
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