For many years, I spent my days during the Lenten season and sometimes during the winter advent in increased Bible and devotional study. As a result, I have accumulated some cool devotionals and books, many with a pop culture theme.

None have given me as much joy as when I ran across a Finding God in Anime: A Devotional for Otakus in 2021. This book was a wonderful compilation of collected devotionals from authors Moriah Jane and Laura A. Grace based some of my favorite animes. They had me at My Hero Acadamia and hooked me with Cowboy Bebop.

I enjoyed this book so much, I not only wanted to share it with everyone, I was low key envious of everyone who got to be a part of it. In was only a short time later, I learned they were taking submissions for Volume 2, and in 2022, I got to be a part of it.

When Volume 2 came out, it included my own entries inspired by the epic Saitama of One Punch Man and our strive to be perfect. Although we are not, we are “wonderfully and fearfully made,” just like Psalm 139:14 says. I was also able to get my own entry inspired by the unconditional love and loyalty Ein showed Ed in my favorite anime Cowboy Bebop.

It was so cool being part of such a creative, group of lovers of anime and manga. Also some readers of manhwa, Korea’s version of manga (e.g. Solo Leveling), were among them, all who shared my own Christian values. There are a lot more out there than you would know, and I was able to make some online connections with wonderful people of all ages from all over.

Now, this series is three volumes strong, with Volume 3 coming out today on Amazon. This one is just as impressive of the last, and I get to be part of it again with a devotional inspired by the infectious nature of joy like that of Gon’s in Hunter x Hunter:

“A joyful heart it good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” — Proverbs 17:22

I also did a devotional based on the new manga-inspired anime Sakamoto Days and the importance of second chances, forgiveness, and grace.

Those are only my entries, as there are more 70 entries in this devotional bases on many great anime titles. I’m not the only one who did a Sakomoto Days entrance, as that show has had some impact on viewers. There are also more pieces on One Punch Man and Cowboy Bebop as well as entries on such diverse titles Trigun, Fruit Baskets, The Boy and The Heron, Yu-Gi-Oh, Bleach, Kaiju No. 8, My Happy Marriage, and even Godzilla Singular Point.

There are several more wonderful titles I didn’t list, but I have to give some shout out to the ceaseless energy and faith of Moriah Jane and Laura A. Grace, as well as every other person involved with this project. Being even a small part of this is like being part of a huge family of people who realize they can use their own passions and joys to find God’s presence.

Now, obviously, we are not saying these animes are Christian or spiritually based. What devotionals like Finding God in Anime do teach us is, if we want to find ways to share with others how God’s presence is everywhere, even in places we might not expect, we can. Even in the little pleasures in life we love talking about…like anime!

You can pick up Finding God in Anime: A Devotional for Otakus Volume 3 on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle forms. There is also Kindle bundle of all three volumes now available.

For more information visit the Finding God in Anime page on Instagram.