In the Western world and Christian cultural spheres, Attack on Titan is widely recognized and highly acclaimed as a masterpiece of dark fantasy. But look back about a decade before its arrival. There existed a brilliant, deeply melancholic anime called Elfen Lied—a tragic tale depicting the brutal conflict between humanity and a mutated post-human species endowed with telekinetic powers.
It is a strangely captivating work where innocent, cute character designs coexist with shocking, visceral violence.
And then, there is its opening theme song, "LILIUM."
This piece is styled like a traditional, sacred hymn, singing of absolute purity and spiritual salvation. According to some fascinating accounts, its impact has transcended the boundaries of anime culture entirely; regardless of specific denominations, "LILIUM" is now occasionally performed as an actual choir hymn in churches across the West.
A Japanese subculture anime theme, blending seamlessly into the sacred musical traditions of the Western world—that is the beautiful, transcendent reality of this song.
Greeting from a middle-aged Japanese observer in his room. I translated one of my thoughts from my Japanese note blog to share with you all.
