Nembutsu Monogatari 7: A fusion of profound themes and beautiful visuals

Detailed review and recommendation of Nembutsu Monogatari 7

■ 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 2
・Nenbutsu Story 3
・Nenbutsu Story 4
・Nenbutsu Monogatari 5
・Nenbutsu Story 6
・DVD version of Nembutsu Monogatari

■Detailed evaluation

Nembutsu Monogatari 7 is the final volume of an OVA series created to promote the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, focusing on the Tannisho, a book depicting the teachings and personality of Saint Shinran. The series aims to address religious themes in a way that is easy for viewers to understand, and in that respect it is very successful.

First, let's talk about the visual expression. "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" was produced by Visual 80, and is characterized by extremely high quality animation for an OVA at the time. In particular, the scenes depicting the life and teachings of Saint Shinran feature beautiful colors and backgrounds, making it a visually appealing work. Additionally, the movements and expressions of the characters are depicted in great detail, allowing viewers to gain a deeper understanding of the feelings of the main characters, such as Shinran, Yuen, and Rennyo.

Next, about the story. "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" depicts episodes centered around "Tannisho," which conveys the teachings of Shinran. Shinran's teachings on Other-Power Nembutsu are extremely profound, and some parts of them may be difficult for the average viewer to understand. However, this work depicts Shinran's teachings from the perspective of his disciple, Yuen, making the teachings feel more familiar to viewers. Also, by depicting Shinran's personality and life, the show is designed to make it easier for viewers to empathize with Shinran's teachings.

Let's also talk about the characters. In "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7," the main characters such as Shinran, Yuien, and Rennyo are portrayed very attractively. In particular, Yuien, who conveys Shinran's teachings, has a deep understanding of Shinran's teachings and plays an important role in passing them on to future generations in the form of "Tannisho." Rennyo is also portrayed as a monk who worked hard to spread Shinran's teachings, and through his life and teachings, he helps viewers understand the teachings of Jodo Shinshu.

Furthermore, "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" aims to widely disseminate the teachings of Jodo Shinshu throughout the entire series, making it a very meaningful work in that respect. In particular, "Tannisho," which focuses on the teachings of Shinran, is a very important episode in understanding the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, and viewers can gain a deeper understanding of those teachings through this work. In addition, episodes depicting Eshinni, who became Shinran's wife, and the life of Rennyo Shonin are also included, allowing viewers to understand the teachings of Jodo Shinshu from multiple perspectives.

Furthermore, "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" aims to convey the teachings of Jodo Shinshu to viewers in an easy-to-understand way by utilizing the OVA format. OVAs have more time and budget to produce than TV anime, so they can create higher quality animation and stories. "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" also benefits from this, making it a visually very appealing work. Also, by utilizing the OVA format, viewers can enjoy the work at their own pace, which is another point that makes it a very commendable work.

Finally, "Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" is a work that aims to widely disseminate the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, making it a very meaningful work in that respect. "Tannisho," which centers on the teachings of Shinran, is a very important episode in understanding the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, and through this work viewers can gain a deeper understanding of those teachings. It also includes episodes depicting Eshinni, who became Shinran's wife, and the life of Rennyo Shonin, allowing viewers to understand the teachings of Jodo Shinshu from multiple perspectives. Furthermore, by utilizing the OVA format, it aims to convey the teachings of Jodo Shinshu in an easy-to-understand way to viewers, making it a work that can be highly praised in that respect as well.

■Recommendation details

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" is a work that aims to widely disseminate the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, making it a very meaningful work in that respect. "Tannisho," which centers on the teachings of Shinran, is a very important episode in understanding the teachings of Jodo Shinshu, and through this work viewers can gain a deeper understanding of those teachings. It also includes episodes depicting Eshinni, who became Shinran's wife, and the life of Rennyo Shonin, allowing viewers to understand the teachings of Jodo Shinshu from multiple perspectives. Furthermore, by utilizing the OVA format, it aims to convey the teachings of Jodo Shinshu in an easy-to-understand way for viewers, making it a work that can be highly praised in that respect as well.

Here are some reasons why I recommend this work:

• Content that conveys the teachings of Jodo Shinshu in an easy-to-understand way
• High-quality animation and beautiful visual expression
• Fascinating portrayals of the main characters, such as Shinran, Yuien, and Rennyo
• A viewer-friendly structure that utilizes the OVA format
• Deeper understanding of the teachings of Jodo Shinshu throughout the series

"Nenbutsu Monogatari 7" is highly recommended for those who are interested in the teachings of Jodo Shinshu and those who want to know more about the life and teachings of Saint Shinran. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy high-quality animation that utilizes the OVA format. In addition, it is a perfect work for those who want to understand the teachings of Jodo Shinshu deeply through the entire series. Please watch this work and try to understand the teachings of Jodo Shinshu and the life of Saint Shinran deeply.