Hi, everyone.

This is a sort-of deep question. Something that's pretty serious and requires some intelligent thought.

Alright. That said, do you think the producers of this game had a hidden religious agenda? Or, more accurately, a secret message to get into the kid's minds?

There are three radical positions I can see in the writers of this game, and I'll breifly explain myself.

A Christian message: The objective of the game has been to return joy and light to the world. Elena wants everybody to become happy once again. Throughout the game, Ryudo ends up learning that Granas isn't all that bad. He becomes a better person himself. He becomes happier and purer in heart.

A Satanic message: I'm reluctant to use the word "satanic". I hope none of you get the wrong idea and think I'm accusing the writers of being evil. No no. This is just a possibility... an IDEA. So, that said... throughout the game it's also stressed that evil isn't always a bad thing. Millenia, essentially part of the devil in person, ends up being a hero. She's a HERO. She ends up learning to love and be happy, but still... throughout this entire game, TOLERANCE TO DARKNESS IS BEING TOUGHT.

An agnostic/athiest message: At the end of the game, it's learned that Granas was dead the whole time. Although Elena prayed to Granas all of the time, and although there were miracles, Granas was dead, so they must have been coincidences that miracles resulted. Just coincidences. Is this game teaching that any miracles that come out of praying to God are just coincidences, and that there really isn't a God? Also, at the end of the game, with no Granas and no Valmar, the characters go about their lives on their own, in their own power, without relying on Gods anymore. They go in their OWN direction. Is this the message the creators want to give to the kids? Go about their lives in their own way, and don't rely on gods?

So, three points. I think the third is the most likely. I can't imagine the creators being Christian, and satanists is probably very unlikely. So, I'm going with possibility #3.

What do you guys think? I would like your output. And I apologize if I offended anybody. I tried to keep this as civil as possible.

Let's discuss!

Come on, now. Nobody has ANYTHING to say? It's been a few days, now...

Here's some more food for thought. The game also reveals the religious leaders to be holy and good on the outside, but evil on the inside. Selene, with her murderous "purifications," who ends up having the heart(?) of Valmar, and Pope Zera, who ends up being the evil, final boss. What could this game be saying about our religious leaders and popes?

Just another thing to think about that I wanted to note.

I think #3 is pretty close.. the overall message is basically humanist. Self-reliance. 'God is dead' - literally. But I think there's a bit more to it than that.

This is a very interesting question.. Japanese RPGs, anime etc tend to reflect modern Japanese attitudes to religion. Christianity never caught on in Japan, and the Church of Granas, with its 'Cathedral' and 'Inquisitions' is (I think) obviously modelled on the Catholic church. They even have a 'Pope'! In Japan most people are nominally Shinto - which is the traditional spirit-honouring religion. The concept of monotheism, that you must believe in God X and no other gods is quite alien to them. Therefore in Grandia II you have a world full of spirits, demons etc - which can be summoned or killed with a couple of Sky Dragon Slashes - but there is no single, all-powerful God.

If you're interested, the author Shusaku Endo wrote a novel called 'Silence' about Catholic missionaries in the 17th century landing secretly in Japan and trying to make converts. The main character struggles and wonders if it is impossible, and ends up (publicly) denying his faith. The 'Silence' in the title is the silence of God. Some of Elena's lines as she suffers a crisis of faith in Lord Granas made me wonder if her character designer/s had read this book. I wonder what Elena's White Apocalypse special move is all about though, if Granas is dead!

I found this site about spirituality in anime, which I think is fascinating, and I don't care if no-one else does^_^
http://www.umich.edu/~anime/history_spirituality.html

One last thing.. *spoilers!* I thought Ryudo burying the Granasaber at the end symbolised the death of the divine and humanity's need to believe in it. Granas is long dead, and now Valmar has been killed. No gods left to control or destroy people's lives.

Wow. Very good point, there.

I'm definitely thinking this game has a humanist world view.