Kamisama Kiss

Julietta Suzuki’s Kamisama Kiss blends supernatural romance with high school comedy in a shōjo manga that ran for over eight years. The story follows Nanami Momozono, a homeless teenager who inherits a shrine and becomes a local deity. She must navigate godly duties, deal with mischievous spirits, and manage her growing feelings for her fox familiar, Tomoe. Suzuki balances lighthearted humor with emotional depth, exploring themes of responsibility, friendship, and love. The series originally serialized in Hakusensha's Hana to Yume from February 2008 to May 2016, with 25 collected volumes. Viz Media released the English translation under its Shojo Beat imprint.

An anime adaptation by TMS Entertainment aired in two seasons: 13 episodes in fall 2012 and 12 episodes in early 2015. Director Akitaro Daichi helmed both seasons, which closely follow the manga’s first major arcs. Four OAD episodes, subtitled Kako-hen, released from August 2015 to August 2016, delve into Tomoe’s past. Fans praise the series for its strong character development and the slow-burn romance between Nanami and Tomoe. The manga’s art style evolves from quirky to more polished, reflecting Suzuki’s growth as an artist.

The series sold over 5 million copies worldwide by 2020. It won the 2016 Kodansha Manga Award for best shōjo manga and was a YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens selection in 2013. A spin-off, Kamisama Kiss: Kako-hen, and an official fanbook were also released. The character Tomoe became an iconic fox spirit in anime, inspiring fan pilgrimages to real-life shrines like Mikage Shrine in Kyoto.[edit]