Ark Angels

[edendreams]

I just thought this was interesting because it's the story of the ark just retold in fantasy with the three main characters being the daughters of Noah (instead of the sons) it does look upon god differently but it's interesting none the less. so I figured why not bring up the attention about it to others. ^-^

[Kisa]

Does it use the Bible references blashemously or in just a creative way? I was afraid to pick it up in case it blasted Christians... It sounds good in theory....

[edendreams]

mm i didn't notice any blastphamy it is interesting because of how they protray the earth as being a man and how the things we do weaken him and make him ill. No i didn't notice any when i read it really is just using the story and creativly telling it. also when i read this i do realize it's another culture that probably doesn't understand the story fully themselves so how they protray the idea makes me pretty interested if there are christians in japan. or Korea (i think its a korean artist)

[Lady Macbeth]

I haven't seen it. I looked it up on TokyoPop's website - they don't give much information about the series at all. http://www.tokyopop.com/dbpage.php?propertycode=NOA&categorycode=BMG

It seems the characters are set up something along the lines of how Magic Knight Rayearth was - three girls, all with unique powers, saving the world from a mysterious sinister force. I have read Les Bijoux, which is also by this series's author, Sang-Sung Park, and the author has some interesting ideas on what constitutes "good" and "evil".

And yes, the author is Korean. This is Korean manga, not Japanese manga.

[Kale]

I'm sorry... No Blasphemy?

And I quote: "The three girls, Shem, Ham and Japheth, are sisters from another world."


That's not a good sign...

[Lady Macbeth]

I doubt the author's intent in changing Shem, Japheth and Ham to girls was to be obscene or profane. I also highly doubt the intent was to be contemptuous, irreverent or impious.

My concern comes from the fact that, by the plot summary, the author seems to have only loosely based the story - she took the premise of saving the world's animals, and the three children, and created her own story from there. It probably was not intended to be a religious story, or if it was it was from the perception of a wholly different culture.

[Kale]

I don't mean that in itself... I mean that it could only go down from there... Who knows what else she might change? Next God'll be a girl, and a Noah will be gay, and these animals they are saving are actually the monkey's we'll evolve from!


The opportunities are endless...

[meboeck]

Just because there are opportunities doesn't mean the author will use them. There are plenty of series that could have fansarvice or immoral situations but don't. It is totally unfair to judge this manga based on what it could have. If someone on this site says it doesn't have bad stuff, it probably doesn't. I see no place in the synopsis where it comes even close to suggesting anything immoral or blasphemous.

[uc pseudonym]

This manga is available online at http://www.tokyopop.com/mangaonline (only one chapter a month, probably only for the first volume). I've read three chapters, including the first, and I believe I have a few things I need to say in this thread.

First, this story has next nothing to do with Noah. If not for the names and the word "ark" (which is hardly intellectual property of the Bible) it would have no connection whatsoever. The three girls go back in time to save species from extinction and put them in this Ark to prevent the gradual destruction of the Earth by mankind. That is all; it's barely based on Noah's Ark, much less a retelling of it.

Second, it isn't even operating under a biblical system. That is, it is an entirely different world with a very different cosmology. If the author twisted anything to get her manga, it was Angel Sanctuary, not Genesis. As far as religion goes it seems to operate based on a sort of pantheism: there is a spirit that both guards and is Earth, as well as ones for other planets, other natural forces, as well as a life force overall.

Lastly, though I don't have a problem with the series, I've been very unimpressed with it. I wanted to read it because it was free and highly rated by users, but I couldn't make myself read more than a few chapters (and this is one chapter a month). I'm unfamiliar with the artist's background and I don't want to assume too much, but the plot and art strike me as so CLAMP-derivative that I'd call it a knock-off. Not something I'll be pursuing in any case.

[Lady Macbeth]

I just went and read the latest chapter online, and I have to agree with uc. It's as I expected, typical faerie-tale fare; grabbed a wide concept and some character names, and went with a whole new story from there. The art and style of storytelling does feel like a CLAMP knock-off (as I suspected, much like Magic Knight Rayearth) and it's not particularly enthralling.

I think this is one that I'll be giving a pass as well.

[Kisa]

I was just curious, didnt mean to start a fight...
It did look a bit iffy though and does look like a CLAMP copy... we shall see.....

[EricTheFred]

I do realize it's another culture that probably doesn't understand the story fully themselves so how they protray the idea makes me pretty interested if there are christians in japan. or Korea (i think its a korean artist)

Yes, there are Christians in both countries, although in Japan they are very much a minor presence.

From FactMonster:
Japan Shintoist and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)

South Korea no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1%