Haruhi Suzumiya and Madoka Kaname and the ascension to godhood

In writing this blogpost, I’d like to tell you that I am not a person of faith, and I am writing this post as a result of observation and speculation…

Some otakus today regard characters such as Madoka Kaname and Haruhi Suzumiya to more than just waifus, they are goddesses that are venerated. Strong is the fanbase of both characters that each fanbase is dedicated to their goddess that Haruhi has Haruhism and Madoka has Church of Madoka

I’d like to examine each “goddess“‘ ascension to godhood.

Haruhi Suzumiya

According to Wikipedia, she (Haruhi) cites a revelatory incident in her childhood when she attended a baseball game with her family. While before she would think of herself and her life as being special and interesting, the sheer number of people in the stadium and she later calculates live in Japan brings her to the realization that they fit into the normal, everyday occurrences and habits of Japanese citizens and humans in general. Her belief that at least one if person in the world would have to have a truly interesting and unique life, and her desire to be said person. I could compare Haruhi’s “ascension” to godhood as the gnostic way. Gnosticism, by simplest definition is the doctrine of salvation through knowledge. In Gnosticism, salvation of the soul is achieved by attaining knowledge of the mysteries of the universe, and in doing so one becomes a “higher class of being”. Haruhi’s realization gave her “knowledge”, allowing her to elevate herself from the normal, thus becoming “god”.

Madoka Kaname

Madoka Kaname’s ascension to godhood can be simply described as “becoming the the Embodiment of Hope”. Her ascension to godhood can be described as “taking the buddhist way towards enlightenment”, more exactly she became a Bodhisattva after her her wish was granted. For a more detailed explanation of Madoka’s ascension to godhood according to the tenets of Buddhism, please read this.

In ending this post, I could say that both girls took the humanistic path towards ascension, finding the spark of divinity within themselves.

6 thoughts on “Haruhi Suzumiya and Madoka Kaname and the ascension to godhood

  1. Pingback: Gnostic Haruhism, Buddhist Church of Madoka, and an Animevangelist «

  2. But Haruhi is almost completely selfish and sociopathic (and constantly has to be kept pleased to preserve the world), whereas Madoka makes a completely selfless wish in the end and saves all magical girls. Ergo, Madoka is more like Jesus or Buddha, while Haruhi is almost an Antichrist figure.

    Of course, given the crapsack world of most “deep” animes, the opposite could be true…

    • Think of it like this, Haruhi is a girl that could put color to an otherwise bland life of an otaku and Madoka is the realization of of selflessness caring that an otaku wants from a girl. Thinking of it that way, both girls are kinda similar in the sense that otakus like both of the goddesses.

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