Via the website Badass Nerd:

Today comes video from Japan of a 16th century Buddhist temple trying to hip up its image by going after the otaku. They’ve created an anime character mascot, and even hire a girl to cosplay ["costume play"] her in public to do recruiting. In fact the monks actually PRAY to a statue of the character, who is modeled after the Shinto goddess of art and wisdom. And they’ve created some kind of hideous video gamey jingle that I suppose appeals to the part-cyborg youth of modern cyberpunk Tokyo.

See video of all this here.

Those who’ve been following (for example) Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha graphic novel and its film adaptation, or Deepak Chopra’s “Buddha” comic book, know that it’s not so new to mix Buddhism and comics. But it does seem to work, and one Buddhist temple is getting in on the act. As Culture Clash Daily reports:

This month [Japan's Ryohoji] Temple unveiled its new “moe Buddhist [signboard],” [rendered in an animation-based style] combining modern and ancient art. [This development came about after the temple's chief priest, Shoko Nakazato] displayed a picture of “moe” outside the temple to welcome passers by. Moe is a traditional Japanese slang word often for a young girl, and associated with innocence, love and caring.

According to Shoko Nakazato, young people and the media have been flocking to the temple ever since. (The temple’s website takes a similar approach, also depicting and blending moe and Buddhist imagery.) But as one visitor told The Japan Times, “I’m afraid that the temple will end up being just a mecca for fans of manga and anime, which is probably not the temple’s intention.” As for the artist behind the sign? She says that while she “was initially worried she might be doing something ‘indiscreet,’” [she] concluded that even if the sign was controversial, it might lead people to visit the temple and think about religion.”

That’s the question raised by Saint Young Men, a new manga that looks at the relationship between Jesus and the Buddha — roommates in an alternative-reality Tokyo suburb.

Read The Revealer’s review here.

Not really! But here’s a diversion. Via CNN: “What do you get if you mix one U.S. president, green tea ice cream and a Buddha statue?” Not exactly a barnburner of a story, maybe, but it’s nice to see Kamakura’s Buddha on the news.

It’s in Japanese. I don’t speak Japanese. But I do have a pretty good awesomeness detector.

Click the image above or here.

I’m a little confused just how much Buddhism there is or isn’t in this movie — see a review here — but it looks and sounds kinda promising as-is:

It’s apparently premiering at the Japan Society in NYC tonite, so check it out and let us know what you think if you can.

A real quick Hulu clip from the Today Show — about a sculptor making Buddhas from cardboard.

This was posted here a couple of weeks ago:

Well, Lost, my favorite current TV show just got, um, favoriter.

Don’t know how I missed this initially, but one of the newly-returned show’s newest characters, a Japanese guy who is “Master” of the mysterious, rebirth-granting temple recently found by the Losties, is named Dogen. As in “Eihei Dogen,” founder of the Japanese Soto school of Zen Buddhism.

This is probably not insignificant, not on a show whose characters are named things like “John Locke,” “C.S. Lewis,” and “Daniel Faraday.” Also, of course, the whole thing centers around an enigmatic organization called “The Dharma Initiative.”

My eyes will be on the show and on Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Dogen, for more. The second episode of the season is on tonight. Get caught up with last week’s premiere here.

But now, in a new interview with the New Yorker’s Vulture blog, Sanada denies a Buddhist connection:

Dogen translates roughly to “the temple of eternal peace.” Also, Dogen was a thirteenth-century Buddhist teacher. Any significance to your character?

Yeah, he’s not a Buddhist. Dogen’s name is inspired by a famous Buddhist in Japan a long time ago. He’s not a Buddhist, per se; it’s just a name. And also he has another real name from growing up in Japan.

Yes, even PerezHilton.com posted this video, writing: “LOLs! In an attempt to attract new, younger followers to Buddhism, Buddhist monks in Japan are trying a new approach – rapping! Check out the HIGHlarity of the hip hop monks…” (And comments there have been positive, too, so far.)

What do you think of Mr. Happiness and his drink-pouring extended posse? The more traditional of us may balk, but he’s doubled attendance at his temple. Can you argue with those results? (And really, is this all so “HIGHlarious”?)

Boy, this story about Japanese monks trying new approaches to bring youth under their wings sure has been popping up a lot over the few months. I’m not gonna rehash it here, but suffice it to say this story’s been recycled a lot.

And hey, no need to rehash anyway — not when good ol’ Nate at Precious Metal is getting to the heart of the matter in a different and personal way. Check it out and lend your voice.