I'm not really that familiar with Japanes Manga and Anime, but who hasn't noticed the rise of popularity of this cultural export since the 1980s? With the success the Helena Blavatsky character in the Fate/Grand Order video game, I noticed a surprising amount of Theosophy-inspired characters, features and themes. Besides the basic eastern base of spiritual traditions, I notice that there is also a Japanese interest for western Victorian Gothic ideas, along with early western science-fiction, giving rise to the steampunk genre. Although there has been some academic study of religious influences in manga/anime, I don't think that there has been much research into Theosophical influences in the genre. Therefore this humble post proposes to sketch out some brief, rough notices of some of the more obvious instances that I've encountered, in a very informal way, which I think would make for some fun and interesting academic research.
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Figurine. That pet critter is Olcott
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Young swimwear figurine
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Special Winter Outfit
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Cosplay Portrayals
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Blavat Sky
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Blavatsky
seems to have developed a fairly solid fan base. Some prominent
successful merchandise include, a figurine, and a young beach swimsuit
figurine. She has a special Winter outfit now.
2- There is also a character named Blavat Sky, a fortune teller and diviner at the Sphere Music Hall meetings from Kuroshitsuji or Black Butler is a manga written and illustrated by Yana Toboso.
3- Koudelka Iasant, main character in console role-playing game developed by Sacnoth and published by Aruze Corp in Japan and in the United States and Europe by Midway Games in 2001. In 1888, when Koudelka was nine years old, she was found in London by Mrs. Blavatsky,
a renowned medium for the spirits. She raised Koudelka as her daughter,
helping her hone her skills until she passed away in 1891.  |
| Dietlinde Eckhart |
4- Dietlinde Eckhart is a kind of evil Blavatsky, based on woeful pop culture WW2 conspiracy theories. She is the main antagonist in Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa. She is a German-born, soft-spoken woman with radical visions for the future of her troubled country.
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| Marianna Blavatsky |
5- Another evil Blavatsky, Marianna Blavatsky is the villainess of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. The game was the long awaited re-imagining of the video game Wolfenstein 3D but actually, the game restarted the franchise. It would be followed by the 2009 sequel Wolfenstein.
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| Anna Bonus Kingsford |
6- Theosophist Anna Bonus Kingsford appears in A Certain Magical Index, Toaru Majutsu no Indekkusu, a Japanese light novel series written by Kazuma Kamachi and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura, a manga adaptation by Chuya Kogino began serialization in Monthly Shōnen Gangan since April 2007. J.C.Staff produced two 24-episode anime
series between 2008 and 2011. An animated film was released in February
2013. A 26-episode third season aired between 2018 and 2019. Several
spin-offs and other adaptations have also been made, including several video games. A Certain Magical Index, Toaru Majutsu no Indekkusu
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Bad Castelvania Saint Germain
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7- The Count of Saint Germain has gained popularity in pop culture versions, which extends to Japan. Count Saint Germain (San Jeruman) is a character in the Castlevania animated series. He is a mysterious man investigating the events of Lindenfeld and its priory.
9-Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor, Roku de Nashi Majutsu Kōshi to Akashikku Rekōdo) is a Japanese light novel series written by Tarō Hitsuji and illustrated by Kurone Mishima. Fujimi Shobo has published twenty-four volumes from July 19, 2014, to November 17, 2023, under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation with art by Aosa Tsunemi has been serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Ace from March 26, 2015, to June 25, 2021, and has been collected in sixteen tankōbon volumes. An anime television series adaptation by Liden Films aired from April to June 2017.
11-Atlantis is a prominent setting in the Shin Getter Robo manga series.  |
Shin Getter Robo Atlantis
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Shin Getter Robo is a manga series by Ken Ishikawa from 1996 to 1999. It serves as an interquel between the Getter Robo G and Getter Robo Go manga.
was adopted by Blavatsky after her surviving famy, feared her latent psychic power, abandoned her in London. Under her tutelage, Koudelka honed her sk10- Atlantis Dragon
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| The Boy and the Heron |
12- Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron features a golden gate, a symbol of which Through the Gates of Gold by Mabel Collins gives a mystical example.
13-  |
Bleach Hell Arc
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Bleach And Theosophy: Tite Kubo's Hell Arc & Blavatsky's on Hell pontos fathom podcast episode 21.
the resonances between Kubo's return to Bleach manga with his newest Hell Arc & Madame Blavatsky's diagrams of Hell from Theosophy
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Cosmic horror-manga-style
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14- H. P. Lovecraft is popular is Japan, so there may be related Theosophical elements in the various Lovecraftian manga sagas.
16- Captive Hearts of Oz is a modern Oz shoujo style manga series, featuring the characters from L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz, published by Seven Seas. It is written by Ryo Maruyu with artwork by Mamenosuke Fujimaru. 2017. Dorothy Gale – along with her beloved dog, Toto – alongside a trio
of fascinating new companions, and a mysterious young man known as
"Zero," must follow the Yellow Brick Road
on her journey to escape Oz and some of its less than friendly
denizens, the evil Witches. Yet even though all this seems to be
happening for the first time, Dorothy feels as if they have all met
before... Buried secrets and conflicted romance await Dorothy as she
travels through the wonderful land of Oz!
Sailor Moon Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, the Japanese mass media juggernaut began as a manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. The series follows the adventures of a schoolgirl named Usagi Tsukino as she transforms into the eponymous character to search for a magical artifact, the "Legendary Silver Crystal". She leads a group of comrades, the Sailor
Guardians, as they battle against villains to prevent
the theft of the Silver Crystal and the destruction of the Solar System.
18- Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun
is a Japanese manga series written by Iro and illustrated by Aida, which results in their conjoined name 'AidaIro'. Kamome Academy is famous for its rumors regarding its Seven Wonders and
supernatural occurrences. Nene Yashiro, a girl who wishes for a
boyfriend, and a first-year high-school student, summons the Seventh and
most famous Wonder, "Hanako-san of the Toilet",
the spirit of a girl who allegedly haunts the bathroom and can grant
wishes for the right price. Upon summoning her, Nene discovers that
"Hanako-san" is nothing like the rumors say; Hanako-san is a boy. With a
turn of events, she is spiritually bound to Hanako and becomes his
assistant, helping him destroy evil supernaturals and change rumors in
order to maintain the balance between the spirit world and the human
world.
Someone did a massive study of esoteric elements in this franchise.
20- Tensei Shitara Suraimu Datta Ken That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime In Tensura Vol. 15, the character Ciel states: 'I am Ciel, a Manas, or a Theosophical Core, and the unifier of all Skills. I exist within the soul of my Master, Rimuru-sama'
This covers some specific Theosophical influences. The article below covers general occult themes that would indicate a wider level of Theosophical influence.
Use of the Psychic in Manga and Anime - Eri Izawa
A recent book, Anime, Philosophy and Religion, Edited by Kaz Hayashi, 2023, doesn't mention Theosophy much, but themes such as transhumanism have a Theosophical outlook. I think that Akira could be considered a kind of Theosophical allegory.
Some mangas that feature the occult, the supernatural, and paranormal:
10 Best Occult Anime, Ranked According To MyAnimeList
The Best Occult Anime
15 Anime Based On Hindu & Buddhist Mythology
Top 50 Magical Girl Manga
Best Magical Girl Anime
PS - Notes on feminine portrayal in Japanese popularity culture
first time I think that I've posted an image of FGO Blavatsky without cropping it, due to the issue of female representation in anime, which is part of a growing problem related to many complex social factors
Race and Zen Julius Evola, Facism, and D.T. Suzuki 
