Alternative TitlesEnglish: The Goddess is a Middle School Student Synonyms: Kami-chu! ~Kamisama wa Chuugakusei~ Japanese: かみちゅ!
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 12
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jun 28, 2005 to Sep 27, 2005
Duration:
26 min. per episode Rating:
PG - Children
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 7.621 (scored by 7841 users)
Ranked: #10712
Popularity: #925
Members: 19,427
Favorites: 124 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
comedy fantasy school slice of life |
SynopsisYurie Hitotsubashi was just an average middle school student living in the city of Onomichi on Japan's inland sea in the easygoing times of the 1980s. She spent her days worrying about exams and trying to get Kenji, the clueless boy she likes, to notice her. Then during lunch one day she suddenly announces to her friend Mitsue that the night before she had become a goddess. Their classmate Matsuri quickly latches on to Yurie's newfound divinity as a way to promote her family's bankrupt Shinto shrine. She hopes that replacing their hapless local god, Yashima-sama, with Yurie will make the shrine more popular (and profitable). Now, with Matsuri as her manager, Yurie has to grant wishes, cure curses, meet aliens, and attend god conventions. All the while attending school and working-up the courage to confess to Kenji. |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Kamichu!
Side story: Kamichu! Specials
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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judojon
30 of 36 people found this review helpful
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12 of 12 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
The slice-of-life genre has been done to death in anime. Even the most unique of premises have been turned into mundane school yard comedies that squander their potential. Kamichu is a refreshing difference from this. While it does does share the same settings and many characteristic as the typical slice-of-life, it uses its unique premise to set a Ghibli-esque sense of wonder and imagination; tapping into some of the untouched potential of the genre.
The story follows Yurie, a clumsy space-case middle school girl, who one night becomes a god. This however doesn't make her life any easier, as she knows nothing of what being a god entails, and still has to deal with the issues of a regular middle school student even as she takes up the responsibilities of a god. The mere premise and how it is handled is a reminder of what makes anime special; let's face it, if this premise was used in an American cartoon it would likely be a satire of religion centered around a middle-age man, which would include a lot of pop culture jokes and run so long that it loses sight of its original intent.
Of course, if the show went down the tired old route most slice-of-life anime do, it might have not been any better. What makes Kamichu special is the way it uses its premise to show Yurie grow as a person. Yurie knows nothing about being a god, and is pretty clueless in human affairs as well. Instead of just using this as a springboard for gags, the show pushes Yurie into situations in which she has to take action and make decisions, and thus learning and growing. The imaginative world that Yurie inhabits ties into this, with Yurie's experiences having a whimsical charm to them, whether it be rising the spirit of a sunken ship or attending a god convention, they are pleasant to watch.
Another big thing Kamichu has going for it is its likable cast of cast of characters. First and foremost are Yurie's two friends, Matsuri and Mitsue. The two are polar opposites, with Matsuri being outspoken and charismatic; while Mitsue is more reserved and cynical. The only common bond between them is their friendship with Yurie, which makes for some interesting and fun dynamic between the three. Then there are Matsuri's quiet younger sister, who can see spirits and gods (most people can't see gods other than Yurie, whom they can only see because she is also human); and Yurie's younger brother, who is similar to Mitsue in his cynicism. The rest of the cast consists of a wide array of humans, spirits, and gods including Kenji, Yurie's calligraphy-obsessed classmate and crush; and a poverty god residing in Yurie's cat, Tama. All are charming in their own way... and though they might wear down on some viewers' patience, as overly cutesy characters often do, it is a gripe overshadowed by their general likability.
On the technical side, Kamichu is really very nice. The character designs are generally adorable, especially those of Yurie, Matsuri, Mitsue, and of course Tama the cat; tough each in their own way. Sometimes the spirits and gods might look more weird than cute, but in an endearing way, kind of like in studio Ghibli's films. Actually, the visuals as a whole have a Ghibli-like spirit, though obviously not as polished as a big budget Ghibli film. That hardly matters though, few TV anime look as good as this. The music equally as beautiful, and really adds to the magic. There are some beautifully orchestrated pieces here that will have you feeling all warm inside as you gush about how cute the characters are.
Now, this all may sound like the show has nary a flaw, but actually it has a few very big ones. For as likable as the cast is, and how much time we spend with them, characters other than Yurie don't get a lot of development themselves. Sure, characters have their moments and those are wholesome on their own right, but they are dwarfed by the time the show spends on Yurie, or just being cute. That's another thing, for as wonderfully imaginative the show is, it does get too caught up in its whimsy and cuteness. It doesn't really dangle the cuteness in your face like lesser slice-of-life might, but it is distracting enough to take you out of the story more often than it should; like the alien scenario of episode three (with the alien being super adorable, of course). These are pretty big blows to the show, and take away from its overall quality of the story being told.
Though not without some major flaws, Kamichu is an enjoyable experience. It does what many slice-of-life anime fail to, tells a heart warming coming of age story. A story filled with likable characters and boundless imagination. More than anything, this is a good reminder of what the slice of life genre can be. read more
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Yuunagi
77 of 98 people found this review helpful
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12 episodes
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
“Sleeping in classes and coming late.
You haven’t changed at all, even after you became a god.”
"God." The word alone brings up images of supposed grace, divinity, and perfection. However, Hitotsubashi Yurie is far from being the embodiment of those qualities. In fact, she's quite the klutz even by mortal standards. Even so, providence has chosen this middle school student for the role of shinto kami (deity). Fortunately, she has friends to help her out with her troubles, whether earthly or divine.
Content:
After seeing more than a few other shows featuring magical girls and moe-blobs, one might wonder how Kamichu! could stand out from the rest of the crowd. The answer lies in its simplicity. Kamichu! may contain many extraordinary elements such as shinto gods, talking cats, and even aliens, but the treatment they get in the show is no more special than that of the more mundane aspects of an ordinary person's life. For example, while getting to know her godly powers and duties is important, Yurie also spends a fair amount of time worrying about her grades or trying to get closer to her crush.
Being a slice of life series, it's no surprise that the cast is another reason for the appeal of this anime. Their conversations and interactions have this candid and casual quality that few other shows could capture. Neither sickeningly sweet nor downright outrageous, their down-to-earth personalities make the characters easy to relate to and all the more lovable.
Execution:
Whether a spectacular spell is being whipped up or the characters are shown simply passing their time in an idle manner, the animation is generally well above average with a few forgivable hiccups. Also, there's always a surprising amount of detail on the screen. For example, the realm of the gods is certainly out of this world but the scenic city of Onomichi (said to faithfully depict it real-world counterpart) is no less captivating either.
However, the visuals are simply icing on the cake when compared to the audio. The soundtrack is top-notch and it simply sucks you into the soothing pace of the show. Like opium for the ears.
Overall:
Nostalgic, wholesome, simple, and magical, Kamichu! is a disarmingly cute show that would put smiles on the faces of even the most jaded audiences. read more
Recommendations
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Natsume Yuujinchou and Kamichu are both somewhat slice of life series which revolve around a young person with supernatural powers. And, of course, both series feature an awesome cat!
Both have the same slow pace, and the protagonists can see those kind of "ghosts" or fantastic creatures.
Stories where humans and the supernatural mingle together.
Kamichu is a very lighthearted look of this delicate and strange relationship, somewhat reminiscing My Neighbor Totoro by Studio Ghibli.
Natsume Yuujinchou takes a deeper and a quite more painful look into this relationship, introducing us to a string of beautiful stories between humans and youkai that are touching and often times sad.
Both are set in the summer, a time of the year that fits both series perfectly.
A slice of life where there is interaction with shintoist figures. Kamichu has more gods than anything while Natsume Yuujinchou has youkai.
It has the same heartwarming and yet melancholy tone. The main characters can both see gods and supernatural beings and possess of supernatural powers, without being flashy about them. Friendship, getting along, solving problems and helping both people and creatures seem to be an important theme in both.
The Japanese gods and creatures are also the same.
Other recs I can think of are Spirited Away and XXXHolic
They are both centred around spirits and follow the adventures of a person who can see these spirits. Kamichu is about a young, extremely cute (I never really say that but she really was) girl who suddenly becomes a Goddess and Natsume Yuujinchou is about a guy who helps spirits with their problems and desires, aswell as returning the names of those that his grandmother had written down.
They may not have very similar stories, the only think that connects them in this regard are the spirits. However both are extremely mellow and calming to watch.
You can simply sit back, watch and just enjoy with a smile on your face.
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Both are slice of life, and slow paced. Also, they both make atleast me smile. I guess you could say that they also give a similar "Aura".
Colorful visuals, pleasant music, lovable characters, and interesting premises of fantasy and nostalgia. Both are relaxing slice of life stories about cute girls with unusual occupations. If you enjoyed either of these, watching the other series is a must.
A peaceful slice of life, very organic and relaxing. The art is also similar in the sense of round and shiny character designs.
Actually, these two series are nothing alike superficially (plot, characterization, story devices, etc.), but with Kamichu, you slowly start to notice this nice, tranquil, slice-of-life feeling in their town. Scenes that depict Kamichu's town (ever-present in every episode) reminded me of Aria slowly revealing more and more of Neo-Venezia throughout its episodes.
The relaxed, yet full-of-life environments coupled with pleasant music, picturesque scenery, and idyllic everyday life make for a pretty nostalgic, yet original experience in both. As well, the main characters in both works are a group of three radiant girls with admirable friendship.
I just have a feeling that if you liked Aria, you'd probably also like Kamichu. IMO, Aria loses to Kamichu in the number of meaningful plot-events, character depth, and plot, but of course nothing compares to Aria's trademark atmosphere and environment.
Both fall into the "relaxing" slice of life genre rather than comedy. Watching either show just puts a smile on your face and helps you forget all your cares.
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Opening Theme"Hare Nochi Hare!" by Maho Tomita
Ending Theme"Ice Candy" by Mako
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Related ClubsBrains Base/Omori Takahiro Fanclub, Slice of Anime Life, Бессюжетные девочки, kitty club, The Lighthearted Anime Club, Iyashikei, Fan Fiction Guild, Shinto, seinen & josei, Aniplex Studios Fan club, The Second World War club, Slice of Life Club , Salvare's Favorites, English Dub Fanclub, Elegant Imouto, FUNimation fan Club, The few, the proud, the Lolicon, Claim a School Delinquent, The All-Over Otaku Club Okawari, The Nonaka Ai AssociationAsian Mythology and Folklore Club, The few, the proud, the Lolicon, Claim a God/Goddess, Saito Chiwa FC, Traps & Reverse Traps, Kemonomimi Shoujo, Lolicore, The God's World!, Kamichu! Fanclub, Goddere, A~World Society, Missile Punch, -˜~ _EclipsE_ ~˜- see all
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