“Kamisama Kiss: The Complete Series” is a romantic comedy anime series about whether or not this human girl can make a yokai fall in love with her. Featuring a cast of fascinating characters and an upbeat story with action and humor, “Kamisama Kiss” is an anime series for those who want something less violent and dark and are in a mood for a series more upbeat and humorous.
Image courtesy of © 2014 FUNimation. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: Kamisama Kiss: The Complete Series
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2012
DURATION: 13 episodes (325 Minutes)
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Subtitles: English
RATED: TV PG
COMPANY: FUNimation
RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2014
Original Creator: Julietta Suzuki
Directed by Akitaro Daichi
Script by Akitaro Daichi, Michiko Yokote
Music by Toshio Masuda
Character Design by Junko Yamanaka
Art Direction: Takashi Aoi
Anime Production: TMS Entertainment
Featuring the voices of:
 Shinnosuke Tachibana/J. Michael Tatum as Tomoe
Suzuko Mimori/Tia Ballard as Nanami Momozono
Akemi Okamura/Anastasia Munoz as Kamehime
Akira Ishida/Joel McDonald as Mikage
Chika Ookubo/Josh Grelle as Kotetsu
Daisuke Kishio/Sean O’Connor as Kurama
Daisuke Namikawa as Sukuna Ryuuou
Hiroki Takahashi/Ian Sinclair as Otohiko
Natsuyo Atarashi /Jad Saxtonas Onikiri
Nobuhiko Okamoto/Micah Solusod as Mizuki
Satomi Satou/Alexis Tipton as Ami Nekota
Shūta Morishima as Isobe
Vanilla Yamazaki/Luci Christian as Narrator
Yu Kobayashi/Julie Mayfield as Isohime
Yui Horie as Numa no Himemiko
Nanami was just a normal high school girl down on her luck until a stranger’s lips marked her as the new Land God and turned her world upside down. Now she’s figuring out the duties of a deity with the help of Tomoe, a reformed fox demon who reluctantly becomes her familiar in a contract sealed with a kiss.
The new responsibilities – and boys – are a lot to handle, like the crow demon masquerading as a gorgeous pop idol and the adorable snake spirit who’s chosen the newly minted god to be his bride. As the headstrong Tomoe tries to whip her into shape, Nanami finds that love just might have cute, pointed fox ears. With romance in the air, will the human deity be able to prove herself worthy of her new title?
In 2008, mangaka Julietta Suzuki created the manga series “Kamisama Hajimemashita” which was serialized in the manga publication “Hana to Yume”.
The manga series was released as a tankobon and currently is ongoing with a total of 17 volumes published. The series would eventually receive an anime adaptation in 2012 courtesy of TMS Entertainment and is directed by Akitaro Daichi (“Animation Runner Juromi”, “Legendz: Yomigaeru Ryuuou Densetsu”, “Poyopoyo”), screenwriting by Michiko Yokote (“Ah! My Goddess”, “Big Windup”, “Bleach), music by Toshio Masuda (“Naruto”, “Excel Saga”, “Ai Yori Aoshi”), character designs by Junko Yamanaka (“Aishiteruze Baby”, “Detective Conan”, “Hamtaro”) and art direction by Takashi Aoi (“Darker than Black”, “Hell Girl”, “RahXephon”).
And now the anime series will be released as a Blu-ray and DVD combo courtesy of FUNimation in Feb. 2014.
The series revolves around Nanami Momozono, a teenage girl who’s father leaves her behind due to his gambling debts is made homeless. Evicted from her apartment and hoping to find somewhere to live, she runs into a man named Mikage, who is afraid of dogs.
Nanami helps him out and out of kindness, Mikage allows her to live at his home while he is not there. Telling her to tell the people that Mikage sent her to the location.
And as Nanami moves in, she finds out it is not a home but a shrine of worship and she meets two yokai (ghosts) named Onikiri and Kotetsu.
She then meets Tomoe, a fox yokai who serves as the familiar of the land god. He absolutely detests humans but because of circumstances, he must now obey Tomoe’s every word.
And because of that, he becomes protective of her, even when she goes to school.
But overtime, as Tomoe is there for her, Nanami begins to fall in love with him, while Tomoe starts to question himself and whether he can have feelings for a human.
But life will not be easy for Nanami as she encounters other yokai such as Shinjiro Kurama, a male idol who is actually a crow tengu; Mizuki, a snake familiar who begins to fall for Nanami and hates Tomoe plus many other characters that may become Nanami’s friend or foe. But behind the scenes, Mikage, the person who had Nanami live at his place, watches behind the scenes. What is he up to?
VIDEO:
“Kamisama Kiss” is presented in 1080p High Definition. It’s important to note that the series does feature beautiful character designs and at times, beautiful background and environments. But it’s also a series that was made to look soft. While utilizing many colors, the series has a dreamlike look to it. So, it’s not the most vibrant anime series but some will appreciate it’s dreamlike appearance, but those who want or expect vibrant picture quality may be affected by the look of this anime series.
AUDIO:
“Kamisama Kiss: The Complete Series” is presented in English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0. The series is primarily a dialogue driven series, so it’s a front and center channel driven anime series. There is a bit of action and this is where the English lossless soundtrack is much better in terms of dynamic range. But both are well-acted and whichever your preference, should be happy with either soundtrack.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Kamisama Kiss: The Complete Series” comes with the following special features:
- Episode 1 Audio Commentary – Featuring audio commentary with Jerry Jewell (ADR Director) and Tia Ballard (voice of Nanami).
- Episode 6 Video Commentary – Featuring a video commentary with Jerry Jewell (ADR Director), Tia Ballard (voice of Nanami), Sean O’Connor (voice of Kurama) and J. Michael Tatium (voice of Tomoe).
- Episode 12 Audio Commentary – Featuring audio commentary with Jerry Jewell (ADR Director) J. Michael Tatum (voice of Tomoe).
- Textless opening song and all textless closing songs
- U.S. Trailer – (1:28) FUNimation trailer for “Kamisama Kiss”.
When it comes to anime that deal with yokai, there have been interesting series in the past. From “Ghost Sweeper Mikami”, “Ghost Hunt”, “Phantom Quest Corp.”, “Haunted Junction” and “Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan”, “Kamisama Kiss” is less about quashing yokai but more of an anime series if a human and a yokai can fall in love?
In someways, there was a part of me that felt this series had a “InuYasha” feel to it. Girl falls for supernatural guy who must obey girl’s commands but instead of living in another world, everything exists in Nanami’s real world setting.
There are plenty of fascinating characters in the anime series that can serve as antagonists, but somehow because of Nanami’s caring nature towards yokai, she’s able to make even the enemy an ally.
And quickly, the series shifts from two characters with communication issues, to a girl who falls for a yokai who detests humans and will do everything possible to show her love to him and maybe, make him fall for her. But will he? And can a yokai fall for a human?
For the most part, the series is upbeat and fun, it has its few emotional moments and its action scenes, but for the most part, this is a romantic comedy anime series set in a yokai setting. It’s a series that stays true to its roots of being adapted from a shojou manga series and in essence a love story.
The Blu-ray release features beautiful character designs and animation and has a dreamlike appearance, so it is a bit soft than vibrant. Both soundtracks are well-acted but the English lossless track is much better in terms of dynamic range because it’s a 5.1 soundtrack as opposed to the Japanese version which is a 2.0 soundtrack. And FUNimation included two audio commentaries and one video commentary.
Overall, “Kamisama Kiss: The Complete Series” is a romantic comedy anime series about whether or not this human girl can make a yokai fall in love with her. Featuring a cast of fascinating characters and an upbeat story with action and humor, “Kamisama Kiss” is an anime series for those who want something less violent and dark and are in a mood for a series more upbeat and humorous.
