Hermes: Ai wa Kaze no Gotoku

These films were made to promote Happy Science, a Japanese new religion.

Anime either based on, heavily influenced by or drawing key aspects from folklore. Folklore encompasses the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, people or culture passed down through the generations by word of mouth and later often recorded in written form.

While the majority of works listed in this club have their origins in East Asian folklore (for obvious reasons) also included are examples of folklore ranging from portrayals of the mythology of Ancient Greece, stories featuring local spirits, legendary folk heroes, adaptions of Brothers Grimm fairy tales and narratives featuring the Gods of the Norse pantheon as characters. Modernised interpretations and retellings have been largely excluded.

As MAL currently sadly only allows a max of 50 entries on interests stacks this list prioritises the stand out and most high quality examples of folkloric anime. For a more comprehensive list which also includes manga, I direct you to my accompanying folklore club of the same name.

Happy Science (幸福の科学, Kōfuku-no-Kagaku), formerly known as The Institute for Research in Human Happiness,[a] is a controversial new religious and spiritual movement, which has been characterized as a cult.

The Happy Science group includes a publication division called IRH Press, schools such as Happy Science Academy and Happy Science University, a political party called the Happiness Realization Party, and three media entertainment divisions, which are called New Star Production, ARI Production and HS Pictures Studio.

The group was founded in Japan on 6 October 1986 by former Wall Street trader Ryuho Okawa whose followers regard him as the incarnation of a supreme being from Venus.[4]

Every cinema or direct to video anime film that came out in 1997.

1996: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/34762
1998: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/34766

Disclaimer: There are a few hentai movies, that could be counted as well:
- Chimera: Target I Datenshi Kourin (1997)
- Injuu Alien (1997)
- Injuu Daikessen (1997)
- Injuu Nerawareta Idol (1997)
- Injuu vs. Onna Spy (1997)
- Orchid★Emblem (1997)