Kamisama Hajimemashita

A young girl is abandoned by her father who owes money and is left to fend for herself. This sounds like it’s an excuse for the parents to not care what happens to their child while strange things are around them. It’s cliché but I can’t think of any other way they could have walked around this. The fact of the matter is that they had to get rid of the parents one way or another and they picked one of the two ways they could have done it. That or make them dead and have her an orphan but that one is used evenmore often then the person leaving their child. I only wonder where the mother is. Nanami is well… not my favorite heroine although she is actually rather strong willed. I don’t like how she is always saying pretty much anything that’s on her mind rather quick, sometimes she ends up going on these rants like one that I talk about later on. On the other hand, I love how sweet a spirit she is in that she wants to help anyone she comes in contact with. She has had a hard life so it would have been so easy to make her selfless like Honda from Fruits Basket but she isn’t. She acts selfish many times though she never does it to get on someone’s nerves (Unless it’s Tomoe). Well, like normal romance, she is taken in by someone and falls in love with the person even if he is not of this world. It would be fine if this was a normal romance with the man being a human but in this case, we have a fox spirit who has a really bad temper at times. At first glance, I guess you could consider Tomoe a muli-personalitied demon. He will fix Nanami dinner after telling her he despises being her familiar; call her a idiot when he is trying to save her; and things similar of that nature. With all the whining he seems to do about her, you would think he would just up and quit when he got a chance, right? Well, that’s what I thought when he was free of his duties at one part but then he reinstates his position as her familiar again. That is not a real spoiler as it happens really early in the show but it’s a good example of just how split this guy is. The opening is a bit, I don’t know. It’s just a bit confusing. It’s all images of her with a song about being a girl and just starting to be a girl? I’m confused as to what the opening was supposed to do as they don’t really do anything but show this young girl. It didn’t fit the show at all making me want to skip it every time. Other then that, the animation and everything reminds me of a lot of other shows out there with a supernatural spoof. It’s dark in a colorful atmosphere. It’s hard to explain as the darkness is just the addition of dark purples and blues but then the brightness of those colors pop. In artist terms, the supernatural part of the show is dark hues and the brighter everyday parts are more of lighter shades of pastels and such. Now let’s talk about the voices. I love the how comical the narrator is and she helps bring a bit more life to the story. She doesn’t pop up at any old time, only when it seems like it’s supposed to be a comical part of even when some sort of hardship is happening like in the beginning. Sadly, every once in a while, she does come in at a wrong time when talking about what happen in the last show. Nanami talks way too much. She seems to want to be as good a narrator as the narrator is. When she first wakes up from her dream, she talks on and on about what she thought was a dream. This happens a lot it seems. Her voice is a bit annoying as she still seems rather stuck up, a very good contrast though to the rather gentle voice of Tomoe. Well, gentle might not be the right word for him as he is rather stuck up and rude to Nanami but he is voiced by one of my favorite voice actors J. Michael Tatum, the same voice as Sebastian from Black Butler. It’s a very calming voice and it is fun to see him sort of freak out at some parts because of Nanami’s mistakes or his own. I think that’s what sets Tomoe apart from the others that Tatum has voiced before. I really thought it was a cute show although a bit to short. The ending was a ok ending but there is so much more that could of happened both before and after that I feel it falls a bit flat. I really did love watching it non the less.

Lighthearted, sweet with a dash of supernatural occurrences. It's the perfect recipe for a wonderful romantic comedy. The anime has a decent story, sadly shortened by the amount of episodes. However this does not spoil the story nor the character development. The anime has lovely artwork and a pleasant soundtrack (including the opening and ending theme which are gorgeous!) I find the characters appealing and engaging, also the comedy is rather light hearted and bearable in comparison to many slap-stick alternatives. I find it hard to not get into this anime considering that it combines comedy, a bit of action, supernatural and romance allin one. Best part is that it's quick to watch and more importantly has a rather satisfying ending. My only complaint is that it probably would have been more interesting to have more episodes and extended the development in that duration considering that the characters and story hold so much potential.

(This has been adapted from my reddit thread) When you think about it, one's home is a very precious thing. It's a safe haven. It's private. It contains the parts of one's life he or she loves the most, including family or that newly imported figure. When someone says that the atmosphere feels "homely," it's because at that moment, it is reminding him or her of that one place where he or she can truly be at peace. Sadly, some people don't have such a location. Others still are forced to change it. Within Kamisama Hajimemashita is a story depicting finding one's home with the helpand support of those held dear. STORY The adventure begins rather quickly. Nanami Momozono is a high school girl who is forced onto the streets after her father's gambling habits cause her to lose her home. One night, she saves a man who, as thanks, gives his "home" to her. Kamisama Kiss (as it is also known) lays out its events in a rather episodic fashion. Much of what occurs involves Nanami overcoming difficulties based on her human status in a fully spiritual world. She has no powers, she's clumsy, and is helpful to a fault. However, her kindness almost always turns the outcome in her favor. Whether it is matchmaking the local swamp god or befriending her kidnapper, she finds it in her heart to love those around her. This trait is one that many characters from many shows obviously have. But it seems more appropriate here, given her literal god-like position. Kamisama Kiss is a tale about the home. At the same time, it attempts to weave in the romantic relationship that develops between Nanami and Tomoe, her familiar. The romance involved is nothing powerful, but it is interesting. In a sense, it's about two people from different backgrounds (race, ethnicity, culture, etc.) coming to terms with the emotions they have. The season pits both of them on opposite sides of the spectrum. But as it unfolds, they begin inching closer and closer until at least a somewhat satisfying stopping point is reached. Its exploration isn't too deep, however. Besides Tomoe's strong animosity towards humans, the anime never truly questions or investigates such a pairing. And therein lays the problem. The romance and home ideas seem to be constantly butting heads in terms of story-telling. That is, the show doesn't know whether it wants to focus on the romance or the "finding one's home" side. Both are done nicely, but a dissonance is created where it doesn't know what it wants to be. It tries to use the romance to facilitate the home idea. When it does, it becomes more about the relationship and less about the overall message. What is the ultimate message? The show tries to drive home (pun intended) the idea that one's home isn't necessarily where you were born or where you're able to be productive. Indeed, it's the place where one feels most comfortable. Being able to just relax and not have to worry about the outside world. Walking through that front door to be greeted by the things you love. That's home. Honestly speaking, the concept is simple, but one rarely gives it any thought. And that's because having a home in this sense is, for the majority, second nature. ANIMATION Kamisama Kiss is, for the most part, rather plain. The art style itself appears quite "soft." The colors involved are generally boring, in that the show doesn't go out of its way to make anything incredibly eye-catching. This is true for the environments and the character designs. The locations are typical: the school, the shrine, the park, etc. The designs for the characters are tame, despite the spiritual nature that enshrouds them. The exception is Nanami. She has a beauty and radiance about her that is unnatural. The combination of her large eyes, taught smile, and lengthy brown hair probably give this effect. However, considering how there are thousands of clones like her in the anime world, her presence in the show was strange to say the least. In regards to actual animation, it varies between average and slightly below average. The show incorporates minimalist drawings and animation for good comedic effect. As the show progressed, however, the animation began to degrade. This is especially apparent near one of the ending sequences. Despite the buildup involved, what is given is never fully shown (i.e., not properly animated). CHARACTERS While the story may be askew, the characters of Kamisama Kiss are, for the most part, not. Nanami is the star. Her kindness and determination know no bounds. A land god by day and a teenage girl by night, she does her best to bring happiness both to the shrine she calls home and to its inhabitants. Her determination often puts her in a bind, but she never lets it get the best of her. This is also true of her relationship with Tomoe. Her feelings are usually unrequited, but she just sees it as another obstacle to triumph. She starts the season unsure of where her life will take her next but by its conclusion, she can safely find solace both at home and in the heart. That is, for her, "home is where the heart is" is just as true as "heart is where the home is." Perhaps the most interesting character is Tomoe. His abrasive behavior and general lack of empathy make him difficult to approach, let alone get along with. However, as the anime demonstrates, there are underlying causes for this. The show characterizes Tomoe as this rude servant. However, like the humans he hates, he is multidimensional. The audience learns of his past, of his motivations, and of his more endearing qualities. There is actual reasoning for his standoffish attitude, and it was pleasant to learn of its underlying causes. The side cast also does their job nicely. While each have their own personality, they serve a higher purpose. And that is in developing the relationship between Nanami and Tomoe. As easy examples, Mizuki (the snake familiar) provides Nanami with historical insight. Likewise, Kurama gives Tomoe important information pertaining to dealing with society. The side characters are able to do this because they specialize in these areas. And this is true for the rest of the characters. In their own way, they are able to add at least a smidgen of growth to the ever growing connection between the two main leads. SOUND The OP is, surprisingly, very good. The whispering vocals, the single guitar chords, and the more prevalent Chinese guitar give off a simple mellow feeling. The middle part with the perhaps clacking castanets is also a fun little transition. Following the footsteps of the OP, the ED is sung in a very quiet manner. Again, the single guitar chords give the piece a more mellow effect. In fact, it almost makes everything eerie or mysterious. The beginning "ah, ah, ah..." is also a very smooth lead-in for the rest of song. The soundtrack is also well done. The atmospheric pieces really add nicely to the overall spiritual theme of the show. The piano keys, the hand drums, and especially the piece involving the "water ripple" sound (very hard to describe!) were executed nicely. Voice acting wise, there are no standout performances to be had. ENJOYMENT Romance is my forte. All of the blushing, the hand holding, the kissing, the hugging, the mutual feelings, I love it all. This one has most of these traits, and utilizes them well enough. Watching Nanami fall for the familiar she found was, therefore, quite an enjoyable experience. On top of this, she's mysteriously beautiful. Seeing her differing outfits or jubilant expression were usually enough to make me swoon. The comedy involved isn't anything grand. It does what it has to given the circumstances, usually with the minimalist animation talked about earlier. The hilarity involved also stems from the character interactions. Many of the cast rarely get along, so seeing them constantly arguing or teasing one another was usually possible to get a good laugh. Kamisama Hajimemashita is the beginning of the couple that is Nanami and Tomoe. The stories involved, the romance, and the characters are fun to see, and I am anticipating what the continuation of god and servant will be. SUMMARY Story: Fine, romance and home but gets lost in itself Animation: Fine, soft, plain, and with at best average animation Characters: Good, Nanami and Tomoe blossom, with literal supportive side cast Sound: Good, great OP, okay ED, good soundtrack Enjoyment: Good, Nanami is beautiful and so is romance Final Score: 6/10

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