Original Run: May 18, 2006 - August 10, 2006 Number of Episodes: 13 Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance Based on the Series Created By: Yoshikazu Kuwashima and Suzuhito Yasuda
***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Kamisama Kazoku. Reader discretion is advised.***
Series Synopsis
Living a quiet life with his family, Samatarou Kamiyama (voiced by Daisuke Kishio) must learn as much as he can about the human world. This knowledge will be beneficial when it comes time for him to succeed his father, God. While he may not look like it, Samatarou is the heir to the almighty.
Aiding Samatarou is his best friend, Tenko (voiced by Ami Koshimizu). On the day Samatarou was born, Tenko was called down from heaven to serve as his guardian angel. Thus, it is her responsibility to watch over him until the day comes when he can care for himself. Though faithful in her duties, Tenko has developed strong romantic feelings towards her friend.
Series Positives
It is rare when I don’t find myself enjoying a show to, at least, some degree. Even when one has its fair share of problems, there is usually something I can get behind. Kamisama Kazoku is no different.
While not the greatest of series, it did have its moments. I can honestly say this show was not dull.
It’s worth mentioning that Kamisama Kazoku had a strong cast. With this being an incredibly average show, the voice acting shone through the monotony. You can hear the effort put into the performances, which added a much-needed layer of immersion.
Like any other anime comedy, Kamisama Kazoku had expressive and exaggerated emotions. So, it was terrific to have a cast that matched that level of visual energy.
Few shows can surprise me. Although I may not always predict what will happen, I can usually think of all the possible outcomes. To this Kamisama Kazoku’s credit, its story went down roads I’ve never seen before. There was some genuine uniqueness to this series.
In thirteen episodes, Kamisama Kazoku pulled off three story arcs. While the third one was okay and the first one was – problematic – this show found its stride in the second.
This was where Kamisama Kazoku hit all the right notes and pulled all the right strings. It was funny, dramatic, heartwarming, sad, and even creepy at times.
I’m not going to spoil anything, but this was where Kamisama Kazoku blew me away with its story. You got to see the growth in both Samatarou and Tenko’s personalities and their relationship. I wish the entire series had centered around the second arc’s events since it rectifies many of the first few episodes’ problems.
Series Negatives
All the positive aspects of Kamisama Kazoku were fighting an uphill battle. More often than not, this series was digging itself out of a massive, self-incriminating hole. Then, when it seemed like it was finally going to get out, it fell right back in.
I don’t know if I would say Kamisama Kazoku’s art style and character models were horrid. I’m mean, I have seen worse. However, I have also seen a lot better. The first time you see what everyone looks like, something just feels off.
This show was flat, uninteresting, and possessed a noticeable lack of emotion, which directly contrasted with the excellent voice work.
Speaking of lousy impressions: The first four episodes of Kamisama Kazoku. If you find yourself tempted to pass on on this series withing the first few minutes, I implore you to stick it out. But, yeah, it was pretty terrible.
The source of this was Samatarou. Although many male characters in romantic comedies are dense, they don’t come close to this ignorance level.
Consider Tenko. She wasn’t always honest with herself, but she also wasn’t subtle about her feelings. Because of this, some of Samatarou’s actions and reactions were downright cruel at times.
Another problem was how this show would reset itself after each arc. I cannot even begin to describe how much I hated this.
Any lessons learned within arcs one and two were erased away. Usually, this was thanks to Samatarou doing something stupid. What this did was prevent the growth of any of the characters. Part of a story’s fun is seeing how people handle consequences. This show never did that.
Therefore, everything that happens had no point.
Another reason you may give up Kamisama Kazoku is due to how the first arc ends. Before I go any further, know that this show had a great ending. Samatarou saw how big of a jerk he was and realized the person he cared most about was Tenko. It was well done, and it demonstrated how Samatarou grew as a person. The only problem was this ending happened in episode four. The actual finale of this series was just okay.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, this show was average. It had its fair share of ups and downs, and at times I was really enjoying myself. Other times, though, I would get lost in the many inconsistencies and mistakes.
If you watch as much anime as I do and haven’t seen this show, don’t worry, you’re not missing much. But if you want to add another series under your belt and have some free time, by all means, check Kamisama Kazoku out.
But these are just my thoughts. What are yours? Have you seen this series? How would you advise Kamisama Kazoku? Leave a comment down below because I would love to hear what you have to say.
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For Anime Hajime, I’m LofZOdyssey, and I’ll see you next time.
