Believe it or not, I just recently finished watching Kamichu for the very first time. When the show first aired nearly two years ago, I was out of the country and too busy with work to watch anime. I did, however, have the opportunity to catch the first two episodes, and liked what I saw.
So, I was quick to purchase the first DVD volume of the show when it was released here in the States. The wait had left me anxious; for months, I had heard friends praise the show, some describing it as the year’s best. Clearly, I had missed out on something good. Or so I thought…
After watching the first DVD volume, I felt conflicted. Kamichu had everything I looked for in a slice-of-life show: atmosphere, unique setting, and quirky characters. But, like most slice-of-life shows, it had a hook. And, for whatever reason, the hook wasn’t working for me. I didn’t have any particular problem with the, “she’s a god in training,” angle, really. I thought it was kind of clever. I wasn’t watching for the hook, however, and after four episodes, it was clear the hook would dominate the show - so much, in fact, that I questioned even continuing with it.
Ten months and a bargain later, however, I found myself in possession of the remaining DVD volumes. My negative impression of the first four episodes had softened with time, no doubt. But, more than anything, I was desperate for some good slice-of-life. It was a chance I was willing to take.
Well, I’m happy to report that it was a chance worth taking.
Now that I’ve finished Kamichu, I feel a little embarrassed for having underestimated the positive impact the hook has on the show. Ultimately, the show derives much of its charm from the hook. While those episodes in which the hook is most prevalent are far from my favorites, the episodes in which it is more carefully and subtly integrated are, in my opinion, slice-of-life at its best. It gives the story and characters purpose - something that, while often overrated, is always welcome.
That said, I mostly appreciate the show for its atmosphere. Not only is the story set in a lovely place like Onomichi, but it also takes place in the early 1980s. I could feel the nostalgia… and I didn’t even grow up in Japan! Time and place are important to me, I think, and if I can feel that in a story, I take notice. In fact, in Kamichu, time and place might be just as much a hook as, “Mitsue-chan, I became a god.” It’s clearly used to great effect.
I can see myself rewatching Kamichu again and again. I already want to rewatch it! And I doubt I’ll ever tire of it, either. Of my many favorites, there are very few shows of which I could confidently say, “I’ll never tire of this,” but when I think about those shows, a familiar feeling washes over me. It’s the feeling I get from Kamichu.
In other words, I’m hooked.
