Record of Ragnarokis famous for its eccentric and new portrayals of classic mythological and historical figures. From Greek to Norse to Hindu, the anime has showcased at least one member of each mythological sphere. Perhaps the appeal ofRecord of Ragnarokis how at their core, these characters are true to their mythological sources, but are interpreted in unexpected ways. Zeus is an energetic yet adorable old man, and Thor is a stoic and brooding giant of a man.
Another figure that got this treatment is Shiva, the God of Destruction in the Hindu pantheon. He is a prominent deity that many Hindus still worship today. InRecord of Ragnarok’s rendition, he is a young sprightly man with rippling muscles and boyish charm. However, many Hindus were not accepting of this portrayal, to the point where the anime is now banned in India.
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Lord Shiva, explained
In Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is one third of thetrimurti, the three principal deities of Hinduism. This trio consists of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer). He lives on Mount Kailasa with his consort Parvati and has two sons: the elephant-headed Ganesha (the Remover of Obstacles) and Muruga (theGod of War). In Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is known as the “Destroyer” because he destroys evils of our society and minds, which in turn make way for more positivities. This is based on the Hindu philosophy of rebirth, where creation follows destruction. He also destroys the cycle of time, which thus welcomes the creation of a new cycle.
Record of Ragnarok’sShiva
Shiva is presented in the anime as a young man with short shaggy hair, four arms and shirtless; this is a deviation from the actual deity. Traditional depictions of Lord Shiva show him with long hair with a knot on top of his head, two arms (mostly, for there are many statues and pictures of him with four arms) and he wears a tiger skin draped across his chest and pelvis. He also has five eyes, a gold headband, and blue tattoos in the anime, which is not accurate to traditional depictions of the god. The anime’s version also omits various aspects of Lord Shiva’s appearance, such as the Ganges River spouting at the top of his head, thecobraVasuki that is coiled around his neck, and the crescent moon in his hair.
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Record of Ragnarokdoes keep some similarities, however. Lord Shiva’s skin is the signature dark blue, he loves to dance (his dancing form in Hindu mythology is named Nataraja, or the Dancing Shiva) and his third eye is open. His temparement for violence is not so prominent in the mythology, while it does exist. It is said that Lord Shiva is both the most worshipped and feared of all the Hindu gods.
The controversy
The appeal ofRecord of Ragnarokis its portrayal of historical and mythological figures across many cultures. Viewers tune in to see how these famous names will be interpreted and the representation of their stories. However, the iteration of Lord Shiva has garnered negative feedback from Shiva devotees (or “Saivites”).
Mr. Rajan Zed, President of the American organizations called the Universal Society of Hinduism, released a statement in October 2020 to request the Warner Bros. Japan, Coamix and the creators of the manga to stop trivializing Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities. Hindu mythological figures such as Rudra, Vishnu and Parvati are also featured in the show alongside Shiva. In Zed’s statement, he expressed concern that non-Hindu viewers will get the wrong impression of Hindu religion and that the deities depictions are inaccurate, and potentially harmful, at worst. While he was unsuccessful in stopping the manga production, the anime is now banned from Netflix India to escape controversy. This is not the first time Zed has spoken out about the portrayal of Hindu gods and goddesses in popular media, for he has been vocal about the depictions of Krishna in the gameShin Megami Tensei IV: Final,Apocalypse inX-Men: Apocalypseand Kali in theSmitegame.
Is the controversy valid?
There are two sides to this coin, for art is up to the individual’s interpretation. On the one hand, Hinduism is one of the world’s largest religions and is still widely practiced globally. Therefore, an interpretation of gods from such a currentreligionin a more violent storyline can be seen as inappropriate. Devoted Hindus and Saivites know Lord Shiva as a god that is peaceful as well as destructive (you could call it positive destruction), as opposed to the violent role he plays inRecord of Ragnarok. Therefore, it is understandable why Hindus may find this offensive.
On the other hand, the argument can be made that the show is not trying to be a documentary. Its a fantastical story where all gods are meeting, which has never happened in legends and folklore. The characters are also not portrayed as entirely accurate, so you could say the show is not trying to be a work of non-fiction. Where Shiva is concerned, in a world where man is literally fighting the heavens to decide their fate, the destructive aspect of Shiva is arguably exaggerated to fulfill the main plot which is the gods fighting to end the existence of the evilmankind. This is true for the other gods fighting in the anime.
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