Medieval Otaku’s Third Anniversary

On this Easter, both this site and myself age one year.  This is the only time I can recollect my birthday has falling on Easter.  Does this coincidence mean that Medieval Otaku will gain a fresh breath of life?  That I shall set a new and vigorous posting schedule for my third year as a blogger?  No, I’ll probably continue writing on random themes which usually touch upon the Middle Ages, Catholicism, or anime as my dear readers are accustomed.  Thank you to all my dear readers who have enjoyed reading these posts over the past year.  As I always say, you need to struggle through many mediocre posts before finding the few gems which fall Deo iuvante.  Let me give you the low down on the posts you shall be seeing on here in the near future.

Some of you might have remarked on the fact that March features neither manga recommendations nor a post on a theological work.  Let Silencer stand as my manga recommendation for March.  The blog All About Anime and Manga seems to have many good recommendations for manga, and I intend to pick up a few series for review in April.  On the other hand, I do have a belated post on spiritual books in the works: How to Converse with God by St. Alphonsus  Liguori and The Art of Loving God by St. Francis de Sales.  Both are very short works, but of incredible spiritual profit.  At the same time, my dear readers, you would be right to point out that I am cheating: books about how to practically live out the Christian life are not precisely theology.  Still, I hope that my reviews will encourage you to pick up one or both of these works.  Those of you who want a review on real theology must await my post on Philo.

A Renaissance depiction of Philo, whose philosophy is said to have been very influential in St. John’s Gospel.

The feedback on “Quick Takes from Maria the Virgin Witch” was a joy to read.  As promised, an article on the themes posed by the series–particularly its lack of a theology of the Cross–shall be forthcoming.  Iblessall gave the show a really low rating of 3/10 for its misrepresentation of Christian doctrine and the Medieval Church.  As a naturally more lenient critic and a sucker for any show which shows real enthusiasm for the Middle Ages, I rated it a 7/10.  After all, the mangaka exudes a liberal mindset and deserves some credit for not actually hating the Catholic Church or the Middle Ages–as liberals have done since the Enlightenment.  I’ve seen many worse representations of Medieval Christianity.  How is a non-theist supposed to understand the mystery of suffering, the Eucharist, or any other mystery of Catholicism when many Catholics–even rather devout Catholics–often fail to understand them?  With suffering in particular, we understand it best when not actually suffering.  Then, when our crosses press hard on our shoulders, all those perfect and rational arguments for the necessity or suitability of suffering fall away one by one until we are left with blind faith in a Cross we have ceased to understand.  Verily, it is the difference between C. S. Lewis’ The Problem of Pain and A Grief Observed.  How in need of grace and mercy we all are!

Lastly, I shall post articles on my watch list for this season and give my ratings for the last one.  I’ve already watched one episode of Danna ga Wakaranai (my shorthand for I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying).  It does not quite feel the same as the previous season, and I wonder whatever happened to the fact that Kaoru was pregnant?  Where’s the kid?  But, I’m sure to watch this anime to the end.  Other than this show and Knights of Sidonia, I’m not certain that this season is any more interesting than the last.

Happy Easter everyone!  Christus Resurrexit!  Resurrexit sicut dixit!  Alleluia!