Shiva Record of Ragnarok Controversy: Indian Hindus Outraged by Netflix Anime’s Portrayal of Lord Shiva
God Shiva is one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, and his depiction in the popular Netflix anime Record of Ragnarok has sparked outrage among many Hindus.
In the anime, Shiva is portrayed as a violent and bloodthirsty fighter, which is a stark contrast to his traditional portrayal as a benevolent and compassionate deity. This has led many Hindus to accuse the show of disrespecting their religion.
The controversy has even led to calls for the anime to be banned in India. One Hindu organization, the Universal Society of Hinduism, has demanded that Netflix remove the show from its platform, calling it “offensive and blasphemous.”
Netflix has so far refused to remove the show, but the controversy has highlighted the importance of cultural sensitivity when depicting religious figures in popular media.
Will Netflix cave in to the pressure and remove Record of Ragnarok from its platform? Or will the show remain available to stream, despite the outrage from Hindus?
Shiva from the anime Record of Ragnarok is in controversy now for a number of reasons.
Relegation of Shiva’s Status
In the anime, Shiva is portrayed as a brutal fighter , trying to level him up with Thor and Zeus. This is a serious downgrading of Shiva who is considered Almighty and even as formless supreme soul.
In his physical presence he is peaceful and mostly in meditative pose according to Hinduism.
Any analogy of Zeus in Indian God can be drawn to God Indra who is King of Gods. All Gods including Indra worship Supreme Soul Shiva. Trying t bring Shiva to the levels of Zeus or Thor is a huge blow for Hindus.
Shiva, along with Vishnu and Brahma is one of the Tridevas, together they are responsible for Creation , operation and Destruction of entire Creation. Trying to bring him to the levels of Demi Gods like Zeus, Thors is highly objectionable for Hindus
Inaccurate Depiction
His depiction is seen as inaccurate and disrespectful to Hindus. Some Hindus also find his design to be offensive, particularly his angry face with five eyes and four hands. Supreme God Shiva has two hands and as calm composed benevolent look. Shiva dress is also shown a middle eastern like dress which is offensive to Hindus.
Anime Shiva has short hair boyish mannerism, while Vedic Hindu Shiva has always the calm composed demeanour of matured man. Right from the start we never see Shiva is childhood or young boy. He is and was always a wise meditative Supreme soul.
Reinforcing Negative Stereotypes
The anime’s depiction of Shiva could reinforce negative stereotypes about Hinduism.
Some Hindus are concerned that non-Hindu viewers who watch the anime may get the wrong impression of Hinduism and its deities. They worry that Shiva’s portrayal as a violent fighter could reinforce the stereotype that Hinduism is a violent religion.
Unlike Greek gods, Shiva is still worshiped
Other Gods May not be worshipped as of but God Shiva is still worshipped by millions of Hindus in India and across Globe. Hence any misrepresentation and falsified stories are considered blasphemous.
Banned in India
The anime was banned in India due to the controversy surrounding Shiva’s depiction. This has further angered many Hindus, who feel that their religious beliefs are being marginalized.
In addition to these specific concerns, some Hindus are also concerned about the broader trend of anime and manga depicting Hindu deities in a disrespectful or inaccurate way. They argue that this trend is disrespectful to Hindus and their beliefs.
Some Hindus believe that the character should not be given the same name as Shiva, but rather a different name. Not only Shiva, but the names of other supporting characters should also be changed.
While anime is just fictional, it should not be taken seriously. Shiva’s continued worship by millions has created a new degree of controversy altoghetr. It’s like Jesus being marginalized in a western cartoon show.
Overall, the Shiva from Record of Ragnarok is a much more simplified and exaggerated version of the original God Shiva from Hinduism. He is portrayed as a more violent and aggressive character, and his powers and abilities are exaggerated for dramatic effect. The creators of Record of Ragnarok have also taken some liberties with Shiva’s appearance, giving him a more muscular build and five eyes.
It is important to note that Record of Ragnarok is a work of fiction. However, Hindus have criticized the anime for its inaccurate and disrespectful depiction of Shiva. This epic anime series, while a work of fiction, has incited the wrath of some devout Hindus for its outrageously inaccurate and disrespectfully portrayal of none other than the mighty Lord Shiva himself!
The storm of controversy swirling around Shiva’s depiction in Record of Ragnarok is reaching a boiling point, and it shows no sign of simmering down anytime soon. Brace yourselves, because the outrage is about to reach a fever pitch as Netflix seemingly remains unmoved by the calls for correction !
This heated drama surrounding Shiva’s character in “Record of Ragnarok” is a powder keg ready to explode! Will the controversy finally force Netflix to take action, or will it ignite a firestorm of further debate? Don’t miss this thrilling story that’s setting the fandom ablaze!
