TRINIDAD, July 8, 2002: HPI’s local contacts here sent in a note that a Japanese-language DVD had appeared entitled “RG Veda.” Our correspondent, Anil Mahabir, spoke with a distributor of the DVD who said, “The film is not about anything even remotely resembling Indian culture or Hinduism, although the name “RG Veda” might seem to suggest such.” Intrigued, HPI tracked down a website on this DVD (“source” above). There we learned, “RG Veda was created by a group of female Japanese artists and writers who go by the name of CLAMP. RG Veda was one of their first creations, and they are also responsible for X (called X/1999 in the U.S.), Tokyo Babylon, Clover and a few others.” The illustrations, apparently made some time ago, are in Japanese “anime,” a stylized cartoon, and the plotline summarized on the website does indeed seem to have nothing to do with the Rig Veda. Concerned that Hindus might take offense at the cartoon, the Trinidad distributor, Hafeez Amin of Genesis Foundation (genesis@wow.net) has decided not to feature the DVD as part of their Japanese cartoon festival. He did ask our correspondent, “Should you do the necessary research and deem this movie able to be shown to general audiences in Trinidad & Tobago please do not hesitate to contact us.” HPI readers who want to look into the cartoon are welcome to send Hafeez their comments.
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