Nembutsu Monogatari 2: A combination of profound themes and beautiful visuals

Detailed review and recommendation of Nembutsu Monogatari 2

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

April 1993

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Production

Visual 80

■Explanation

This series was planned and produced by the religious corporation Honganji Publishing. It was created with the aim of widely and easily conveying the teachings of Jodo Shinshu and the stories of its founder, Saint Shinran. It contains one episode per volume in a total of seven volumes, including "Tannisho," which vividly depicts Shinran's teachings on nembutsu and his personality; "Eshinnisama," which depicts Eshinni, who became Shinran's wife; "Rennyo-sama (Volume 1)," which depicts Rennyo-sama's life from his birth to Yoshizaki's marriage; and "Rennyo-sama (Volume 2)," which depicts Rennyo-sama's life until his death. In addition, a DVD version of the Nembutsu Story was later released, containing the episodes from the series, "Episode 1: Tannisho - Shinran-sama and Yuen," "Episode 2: Rennyo-sama (Volume 1) - Burning Days," and "Episode 3: Rennyo-sama (Volume 2) - Glorious Days."

■ Main Characters

A monk and disciple of Yuen Shinran. He wrote the Tannisho, which conveys Shinran's teachings.
- A priest of the Rennyo Jodo Shinshu sect.
・Shinran, founder of Jodo Shinshu.

■ Related works

・Nenbutsu Story 1
・Nenbutsu Story 3
・Nenbutsu Story 4
・Nenbutsu Monogatari 5
・Nenbutsu Story 6
・Nenbutsu Monogatari 7
・DVD version of Nembutsu Monogatari

■Detailed evaluation

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" is one of the OVA series produced to widely disseminate the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, focusing in particular on "Tannisho," which depicts the teachings and personality of Saint Shinran. Although this work deals with religious themes, it succeeds in giving viewers deep emotion and understanding. Below, we will take a detailed look at the story, characters, production background, visual expression, music, and impact of the work on viewers.

story

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" is an episode centered on "Tannisho," which conveys the teachings of Saint Shinran. "Tannisho" was written by Shinran's disciple Yuien to convey his master's teachings to future generations, and its contents portray the importance of tariki nembutsu and Shinran's character. The episode depicts how Shinran's teachings spread and how many people they influenced. The story follows Shinran's life and teachings, encouraging viewers to gain a deeper understanding of Jodo Shinshu.

character

The main characters in "Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" are Shinran, Yuien, and Rennyo. As the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect, Shinran's teachings and personality are depicted in detail. In particular, in the scene where he preaches the teachings of Other-Power Nembutsu, Shinran's expression and words filled with compassion are impressive. Yuien is the person who wrote "Tannisho" to convey Shinran's teachings to future generations, and his devoted attitude strongly appeals to the viewer. Rennyo is a monk who contributed greatly to the development of the Jodo Shinshu sect, and his life and teachings are depicted in "Rennyo-sama (Volume 1)" and "Rennyo-sama (Volume 2)". Although these characters deal with religious themes, they also exude depth and charm as human beings.

Background

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" is one of a series planned and produced by the religious corporation Honganji Publishing, with the goal of spreading the teachings of Jodo Shinshu. It was produced by Visual 80 and released as an OVA in April 1993. The series consists of seven volumes, each with one episode. The background to its production was an ambitious attempt to spread the teachings of Jodo Shinshu through the medium of animation. It is also worth noting that parts of the series were later re-released as "DVD version of Nembutsu Monogatari."

Visual Representation

The visual expression of "Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" is devised to visually convey the teachings of Jodo Shinshu. In particular, in the scenes where Shinran's teachings are preached, the backgrounds and colors are used skillfully, deeply moving the viewer. The animation quality is also high, with the characters' expressions and movements carefully drawn in detail. In addition, to depict the historical background of Jodo Shinshu, the scenery and architecture of the time are realistically reproduced, achieving both visual beauty and historical accuracy.

music

The music in "Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" plays an important role in making the teachings of Jodo Shinshu more deeply felt. In particular, quiet, deep music is used in the scenes where Shinran's teachings are preached, drawing the viewer's attention. The music effectively expresses the development of the story and the emotions of the characters, and succeeds in enhancing the overall atmosphere. In addition, traditional music and chants of Jodo Shinshu are incorporated, which has the effect of making the religious themes feel more real.

Impact on viewers

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" was created to widely disseminate the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, and in achieving that purpose it has inspired many viewers with deep emotion and understanding. In particular, "Tannisho," which depicts Shinran's teachings and personality, not only helps viewers understand the importance of nembutsu through other-power reliance, but also has the effect of giving viewers a sense of inner peace by coming into contact with Shinran's compassionate personality. Furthermore, by learning about the history and teachings of Jodo Shinshu, viewers are given the opportunity to reexamine their own faith and outlook on life. Despite dealing with religious themes, this work has succeeded in inspiring viewers with deep emotion and understanding, and it can be said that its influence is great.

■Recommendation details

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" is highly recommended for those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the teachings of Jodo Shinshu and for those who are interested in the life and teachings of Saint Shinran. It is also recommended for those who are interested in animated works with religious themes. The film is able to deeply move and understand the viewer through its visual beauty and musical effects. Furthermore, by learning about the history and teachings of Jodo Shinshu, it will provide an opportunity to reexamine your own faith and outlook on life.

Related work recommendations

As works related to "Nenbutsu Monogatari 2," we also recommend "Nenbutsu Monogatari 1," "Nenbutsu Monogatari 3," "Nenbutsu Monogatari 4," "Nenbutsu Monogatari 5," "Nenbutsu Monogatari 6," and "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7." These works are a series that depict the teachings of Jodo Shinshu and episodes of Saint Shinran, and by watching them together with "Nenbutsu Monogatari 2," you can gain a deeper understanding of the teachings of Jodo Shinshu. We also recommend "DVD version of Nembutsu Monogatari." This DVD includes "Episode 1: Tannisho - Shinran and Yuen," "Episode 2: Rennyo-sama (Part 1) - Burning Days," and "Episode 3: Rennyo-sama (Part 2) - Glorious Days," making it the perfect way to review the episodes of "Nenbutsu Monogatari 2."

How to watch

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" has been released as an OVA, so it can be viewed on DVD or Blu-ray. It may also be available on some online streaming services, so please check the lineup of each service. In particular, the DVD version of "Nenbutsu Monogatari" is useful for watching parts of the series all at once, so please consider purchasing it.

summary

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 2" is one of the OVA series produced to widely disseminate the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, focusing in particular on "Tannisho," which depicts the teachings and personality of Saint Shinran. Although this work deals with religious themes, it succeeds in giving viewers deep emotion and understanding. Various elements such as the story, characters, production background, visual expression, music, and impact on viewers have been highly praised, and it is highly recommended for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of the teachings of Jodo Shinshu and those who are interested in the life and teachings of Saint Shinran. We have also introduced related works and how to watch them, so please refer to them.