"...An astonishing 17,000 visitors were attracted to the Megumi Chalet mountain resort for the special light display. Campaigners distributed over 12,000 candy canes, 25,300 tracts and 1,300 copies of the "Manga Messiah," a popular Japanese-style comic that details the life of Jesus. Fifteen Singaporean participants had raised approximately 3,800 Euros (5,000 USD) to help fund the purchase of the illustrated books..."

Is the "light of Jesus" tinged with anti-Jewish hatred ? The OM article implicitly raised the question as it enthused, "Pray that everyone involved will keep Jesus' light shining in their lives, and that more evangelistic and mission efforts will take place in Japan."

But, the distribution, in Japan, of Manga Messiah represents only a tiny fraction of the global effort to spread the anti-Jewish Manga comic. In Uganda, over 400,000 full length copies of the 360 page-plus color comic book have been distributed to Ugandan schoolchildren, by the Ugandan government and with the endorsement of Uganda's first lady, Janet Mouseveni. The plan, reportedly, is to distribute another 400,000 (at least) but the Ugandan (Anglican_ Church, under Archbishop Henry Orombi, also known for  his virulent tirades against homosexuality, plans to distribute ten million abbreviated copies of Manga Messiah (pared down to a cheaper 64-page version).

Henry Orombi has claimed, in a June 13, 2007 public address in Uganda, that "Acts of homosexuality and lesbianism have infiltrated our schools, especially secondary schools." The Archbishop went on to declare that he has "personally joined the war" against the alleged 'invasion', which Orombi associated with the "moral decay of society." Orombi's statements about the alleged threat have included the suggestion that gay assassins might be plotting to kill him.

A recent story by journalist Max Blumenthal noted, Uganda is characterized by a ferociously anti-gay climate, fed by Ugandan politicians and religious leaders, and incited by an activist tied to Rick Warren, pastor Martin Ssempa. "Purpose Driven Life" author and global evangelism mogul Rick Warren is a close ally of Henry Orombi and Peter Akinola, who together represent roughly 36 percent of the global Anglican communion and whose block formed the rump majority of the 40-million-odd breakaway (or 'schismatic' ) Anglicans who met on June 22, 2008 at the GAFCON conference in Jerusalem.

Henry Orombi leads an estimated nine million Ugandan Anglicans, whole Peter Akinola represents roughly 28 million Nigerian Anglicans. Archbishop Akinola has supported anti-gay legislation in Nigeria more severe than anti-gay legislation passed in pre-war Nazi Germany. Not to be outdone, Archbishop Orombi both vituperates against gays and also appears to now sanction the distribution of anti-Jeiwsh propaganda.

As I wrote  in my Huffington Post story, the globally distribution of Manga Messiah "suggests the historically covert anti-Semitism within American Christian Zionist culture is mutating, changing and entering a new phase: the anti-Semitism is becoming overt. The Christian Zionism of Tim Lahaye and of Senator John McCain's recently renounced political endorser Pastor John Hagee, which has traditionally perpetrated coded attacks on Jews while also declaring them to be blessed by God, especially if they move to Israel, may be entering a new and very dark phase."

According to Chip Berlet, senior analyst at Political Research Associates and an expert on hate-speech, conspiracy theory, and far-right wing ideology,  the internationally distributed Manga comic now also sold by at least on global bookstore chain is a "A colorful comic training manual for motivating young leaders of the next pogrom against Jews. Not just offensive--ghastly and horrific in content with a clear enemy scapegoat identified for venting apocalyptic religious bigotry."

A Spanish version of Manga Messiah has been printed by the American Bible Society and many of the reported 50,000 copies of that version are being distributed, according to Christian Comics International, in Guatemala and Ecuador.

Manga Messiah has received somewhat mixed reviews. As a one writer for Manga Life concludes,

its audience will probably be limited to Christian teens who like seeing the Bible stories they hear in church illustrated in the style of popular manga (B+). Anyone else will probably not be too interested

However, the Christian teen demographic that Manga Messiah might reach ranges in magnitude from between tens of millions upwards to hundreds of millions globally and although its likely that only a small fraction of that group will be exposed to Manga Messiah they will be exposed to one of the most enduring accusations in the cannon of anti-Jewish invective since the birth of Christianity: the claim that Jews are plotting, in league with the devil, to destroy the Christian faith. (see images below)

The distribution of Manga Messiah in Uganda is an especially notable attempt to flood a country with anti-Semitic literature but by some reports Manga Messiah has also been distributed in mass quantity in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Philippines.

As Rabbi Eric Yoffie, leader of the largest branch of American Judaism, reminded an American Jewish audience of over 5,000 in November 2005