Review of Kamisama Kiss Season 2

To be honest, this show always had always been a sort of epitome for what shoujo is. The characteristics, backgrounds, and general premise all points to the direction of what the franchise has tried to be. And from the first season, it capitalized on every opportunity to craft shoujo. Season 2 isn’t far different by experiences as it will feel just like the first season. What that means is another charming trip with our supernatural familiar friends and the all adorable Nanami once again. Out of any show that got the news of receiving a season 2 in 2014, this one hit the mark. It tookme by surprise when the sequel was announced especially since it just popped out of nowhere. Make no mistake though. This sequel is something I welcome with open arms. Titled “Kamisama Hajimemashita◎”, the season 2 assumes that you have completed the first season. As it begins directly from where it left off, viewers should be familiar of what they may expect.

The show hardly changes from where it had been from the beginning. There’s the familiars, humans, and society that are enveloped by a host of shoujo generics. But for what’s worth, the first few episodes crafts a more independent nature in Nanami. She’s here to prove herself and in fact takes action by attending a Divine Assembly, a meeting between Gods. Being a human herself, one can imagine how she will stand out as the “It Girl”. However, taking a close glance will show that Nanami has established herself as a strong spirited woman. She relies on almost no one and tries to become a better God while fulfilling her sacred duty. As such, this season focuses a lot more on story content rather than romance. The first half of the show easily sends this message as the series focuses on characterization. Not just for Nanami in this case but her partner Tomoe also gets a decent amount of spotlight. There are also some cryptic imagery regarding his past that viewers may be curious of.

Because the story context become a rather tense focus, we also have conflicts brewing as well. Mysterious characters such as Kirihito will get viewers wondering about his motivations, goals, and role in this season. Furthermore, there’s a bit of interpersonal problems with our main characters as well. For Nanami, we get the idea that she is trying to become a better God but she still has some doubts here and there. Then, there’s Tomoe who finally seems to realize the depth of his feelings. But what do we get in return? Some cliché romance delivery where neither seems to tie the knot. What that means is that there’s a whole load of teasing but nothing in the end is resolved for their romance. I can’t say this is exactly surprising with shoujo content. It usually takes time for this to develop and the first season portrayed that quite clearly with its romance angles. But as for this show, romance itself should be a more prominent term. It’s like a heart of this show that needs to pump (almost literally in a way) to get the show moving. Sometimes, this season does that cleverly and other time moves back to square one For what’s worth, season 2 relies much more on its story context rather than romance focus.

Despite this, the second season still has that soft feeling of charming elegance. Some episodes has that slice of life feel combined with shoujo themes. And while most of this is hardly original, it creates the essence of a satisfying shoujo. Adaptation wise, the show retains its comedy and drama. Most of the comedy is lighthearted with the expressive tones and scenarios that can be taken to heart. To say the least, this show always balances itself when it comes to all of its plot elements. From the cryptic imagery, dialogue, and plot developments to character building, this sequel is more or less of shoujo story book. Each page adds more context to some parts of the story while focusing on certain characters. In fact, Tomoe and Nanami aren’t just the only main characters we get to know more. There’s other prominent figures such as Kurama and Jiro that we get a nice bite out of their past lives. In retrospect, the franchise’s characters all stand out in some way along with this delicate story wrapped by shoujo.

Technical production in regards to the artwork remains generally the same for the sequel. Nothing has changed in regards to the world fiction of this series. It’s marvelous and can even be breathtaking at times to see the difference between the spiritual and human world. In particular, the Netherworld brings a different mood to this charming shoujo. Character designs remains generally the same for all the main characters. While we do get some new cute characters such as a monkey familiar, hardly anything else has changed. Nanami does have a more independent nature in her for this season though as she becomes more determined than ever to become a better God. The expressive emotions she delivers gives credibility to quite just that.

Soundtrack is mostly decent by standards. Sadly, it’s not really a strength for this season. OST still has that serene-like feeling although not memorable enough to leave a strong impression. On the other hand, the OP/ED songs has a really sharp focus with its shoujo style. Of course, we can’t forget the main characters who are able to express their thoughts and feelings with their voices. While nothing is largely memorable by experience, it’s still charming to watch the characters act out in their roles. By voice content, it is satisfying.

At some point in this season, it won’t be a surprise to realize that the sequel drives its story by pushing its plot elements. While the first season has an intuitive focus on romance, this season takes the steering wheel to go with the context of the story. But there are still room for romance because every shoujo focuses a bit more on that. For what’s worth, Kamisama Hajimemashita◎ stands out as a way to show how much Nanami has changed from the beginning. The relationships she has with others is still a good focus in this season with its interpersonal perspectives. It has a convincing nature with everything it sets up from Nanami’s will to become a better God and to Tomoe’s realization of what he feels towards Nanami. Be prepared for a ride that blurs the line between humans and Gods.