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When it comes to the “nun” characters in works, which words immediately come to mind to describe them? According to real church culture, these characters are usually closely related to the three vows of “poverty“, “chastity“, and “obedience“.
However, in creations, especially in Japanese anime, games, and other 2D works, we often see nuns portrayed as characters who deviate from traditional concepts, transforming into characters with a mad nature. This initial setting may have simply been to create a stark contrast to the traditional image of nuns, thus giving the character a unique appeal.
However, Japanese netizens have enthusiastically discussed this topic, pointing out that in recent years, almost all nun characters seem to have become crazy. When this crazy image becomes the standard configuration for nuns, that contrasting cuteness is no longer fresh. Let’s explore the collapse of the nun image in works together.
A Japanese netizen nicknamed “Dead Fish” posted on the X platform discussing recent nun characters, especially in Japanese anime, games, and other 2D works, which are often labeled as “bad“, “madman“, etc. Nuns, which should symbolize poverty, chastity, and obedience, now appear to be increasingly rare in these works.
For example, the image of a nun that appears in “BLACK LAGOON: Corporate Mercenaries” has become the focus of discussion. This subversion of the traditional nun setting initially attracted attention due to its contrast appeal. However, as this setting has become widespread, such character images are no longer novel, leading to the collapse of the nun’s image in the audience’s mind.
Many netizens have also expressed their views on this. Some pointed out: “The initial contrast between the character and the impression was very interesting, but now this setting is everywhere, and it makes me worry that the charm of the contrast will be destroyed.”
Another person mentioned: “Everyone wants to play with contrast, but if you play too much, you lose the freshness.”
Additionally, some netizens mentioned the portrayal of the nun character in “Black Clover,” which brings to mind the complexity of characters in “Blue Archive.”
Members of the nun organization in “Blue Archive” are considered quirky, yet they are still kind and devout nuns, although it is also acknowledged that their image is somewhat overly sexy.
Some netizens believe that the deviation in the image of nuns today is influenced by works such as “BLACK LAGOON: Corporate Mercenaries” and “A Certain Magical Index.”
Therefore, although the characters in “Blue Archive” are not truly “strong id=0 crazy,” due to the viewers’ expectations, they are perceived as potential “strong id=1 crazy.”
In contrast, the character Seira Shinmor in “The Phantom Thief Girl” still maintains the image of a kind, aspiring nun.
Similarly, the characters in “Towanoquon: The Tale of Seki” also retain traditional nun characteristics, even making one feel a refreshing sense as if this orthodox type of nun had been long forgotten.
This phenomenon is not limited to nun characters; the role of the “holy maiden” also faces the same changes. When contrast settings are overused, they gradually lean towards becoming formulaic, losing their original fresh charm. Similar issues occur with clown characters and other professional female characters, causing concern about their stereotypical images.
Characters such as shrine maidens, female doctors, health teachers, and maids also face the same problem of image collapse.
The image of shrine maidens has already collapsed decades ago…
In short, it is striking to see that the image of traditional nuns seems to be rare these days, especially when looking at characters like those in “Tenko no Sakunahime.”
