Mamoru Oshii

I met the world-famous Japanese anime filmmaker, Mamoru Oshii, in Tokyo and his interview was one of the most unexpected but heartwarming interviews in this project.

His film, “Ghost in the Shell,” gained recognition in Japan, Europe, and the U.S. It was released in 1995 and is now considered a masterpiece. The story as well as the technology of this film inspired the creation of “The Matrix.”

So I was surprised when Oshii-san said his concept of God was a dog, and that dogs represent the qualities of the Divine that we as humans seek most. Some aspects of dogs are obvious in this regard—they love us unconditionally, they’re loyal, and always happy to be with us. But what is so interesting is Mamoru Oshii’s explanation of why this is so important. He says that because human beings have language and are so focused on themselves, we’ve become unhappy. To get outside of ourselves, we must have pets who remind us to be present and happy. This is a similar philosophy to that of Ram Dass, known for his book: Be Here Now, and all of the other meditation masters. In some ways, having a dog or cat is another form of meditation.

Oshii-san summarized this perfectly when he explained why a basset hound—his companion in real life (apparently named Daniel!)—appears in all of his movies, sometimes as the only living being. He believes that the body is empty, like a shell, and the dog represents his body. In his view, people can be free if they are not in their shell/body. When he plays with his dog, he forgets that he is human, and he feels free.

There is a deep connection between dogs and humans. The importance of dogs to humanity is evident in ancient cultures. One city in ancient Egypt was named Cynopolis (“dog city”) and, by law, all its residents were made responsible for the good care given to all dogs. Orion, the hunter in Greek mythology, traveled with his dog named Sirius. The ancient Greeks chose the symbol of a three-headed dog to guard their dead. Images and figures of dogs are seen frequently standing guard at temple doors in Japan. Dogs are known to be loyal, courageous, protective, and loving towards their owners. Might dogs be angels in disguise? There are people who believe this to be true.

Having heard Oshii-san’s view of human beings, I better understand his artistic vision. As he expressed in our interview: “I have a certain artistic consciousness; it’s the reason why I make films. In my case, things like animals or mechanical objects are totally opposite of living things. In the combination of opposite objects, I feel the beauty of it. I am not really interested in what humans can express. What I deal [with] in my own films are machines, such as destructive weapons. I do feel a type of beauty in such things. In the setting that no humans are part of, the beauty is established because there is no human involvement. I feel strongly that beauty could be created that way—in ruins of buildings, where there are no humans.”

The spirit of Portraits in Faith is that any and all paths to the Divine are good if they result in a person becoming kinder, more tolerant, and loving, and thus able to contribute for the benefit of the universe and all creation. I cannot think of a more accessible metaphor for God than the unconditional love and groundedness provided by dogs and other pets. My time with Mamoru Oshii reminded me of how complicated human beings can make life, and how spirituality is often about blocking out the language and the voices that distract us from our sacred nature.