Kamichu!

Animation: 9/10

Story: 9/10

Music: 7/10

Action: 7/10

Overall: 8/10

Length: 16 Episodes

Themes: Fantasy, Slice of life, Coming of Age, Comedy, A little bit of romance
Original Air Date: June 2005

 Is it possible to become a god overnight? Well, in 1980’s Hiroshima, Hitotsubashi Yurie does just that. Unsure of what kind of god she has become or even what her powers are exactly, she has a lot to learn! Her friends Mitsue and Matsuri dub her “Kamichu” – a combination of Kami (god) and chuugakusei (middle school student). If life is not busy enough for Yurie being a god, she also has to balance everyday things. Do you think a god can get out of midterm exams? You’re mistaken. Not to mention she has an interest in the president of the calligraphy club, Ninomiya Kenji. Unfortunately he doesn’t seem to notice much of anything! Luckily Yurie has great friends and a supportive family by her side, and even has the help of other Shinto gods to guide her. Hey, gods need a little help sometimes, too!

Animation/Art:
The animation was very fluid and flowing, and really nice on the eyes. At times it was very detailed. For example, when they characters talked, their mouths didn’t just open and close. Each sound was visible, and as realistic as possible. Though the drawings as a whole were rounded and soft, they worked very well for this type of anime. The colors used were very soft, and were consistent with the cute/calm theme. The best part is that quality didn’t go down as the anime progressed. It remained as consistently eye appealing throughout! The opening animation was very well done, but I can’t say the same for the ending theme. Though it was still cute to look at, I wanted more detail!

Music:
While the majority of the soundtrack was pretty average, the music was fitting for the series. There were a lot of calming themes, especially during scenes when the characters were just hanging out. Even the action scenes had music with a calmer tone, but that wasn’t a bad thing! The opening song was pretty catchy, and it grew on me. Very upbeats, and once again, fitting for the series. The ending theme was catchy, and cute, but I almost expected more from it. It does not contrast the opening theme at all, and I was hoping for something a little calmer that reflected the background theme, or even just the main theme of the anime. Even so, as a whole, the music was ear candy.

Action:
There wasn’t TOO much action, but there was enough to keep you interested. There is not much I can say without spoiling some scenes. The “action” sequences were well placed, and didn’t go overboard, but I still wish I saw a little more Kamichu-ing along the way.

Overall:
Great series, and definitely worth a watch! It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s what I like about it. It remained a slice of life type of story, but incorporated the fantasy element very well. The characters were believable despite their situations being full of things that just wouldn’t happen for real. Besides, there is no way anyone should think this series isn’t full of impossible happenings. As much fun as I had watching this, there were also some very touching moments that made me tear up a little (because I’m a sap!). The story was refreshing and familiar, and a nice break from much of the anime that is being shown now. There were good messages about friendship, family, courage, responsibility, love, and growing up. Give it a watch! ChuChuChuuuu~!