Kannazuki no Miko: A thorough review of the fascinating story and character depth

Kannazuki no Miko - Review and Recommendation

Kannazuki no Miko (Kannazuki no Miko) is a 2004 anime TV series based on a manga by Kaisaku. The series is set in a depopulated part of Japan surrounded by beautiful nature, and the story revolves around Kurusugawa Himeko, an ordinary girl who attends Ototachibana Academy. It was directed by Yanagisawa Tetsuya, animated by TNK, and produced by the Kannazuki no Miko Production Committee. It aired from October 2 to December 18, 2004, and is made up of 12 episodes.

story

Somewhere in Japan, a depopulated town surrounded by beautiful nature... it could even be called a village. Anyway, it's a mountain town with a high sky and a bright moon that is easily visible. In this town, there is a huge and gorgeous school, Ototachibana Private Academy, established to help students become closer to nature. The story begins with Kurusugawa Himeko, an ordinary girl who attends this school...

The one who supports the timid and shy Himeko is the young lady of a distinguished family, who is skilled in both academics and sports, intelligent and beautiful, yet has a straightforward personality. A true perfect superhuman. The school idol, Himemiya Chikane. Himeko's childhood friend. Ogami Souma, the school's male idol, who is a little clumsy but sincere. Surrounded by these two friends, Himeko lives a bright and fun school life. Sometimes it hurts to see Souma and Chikane, who are rumored to be the perfect couple, but everyone can see that they are a perfect match, and above all, Himeko loves them both. So... that's what Himeko convinces herself.

It's Himeko's 16th birthday. A sun mark appears on her chest. At that moment, a shock penetrates Soma's mind. A black aura emanates from him as he begins to suffer. A strange assassin attacks the confused pair. Himeko and Chikane are cornered and helpless. Facing this dire situation, something inside Himeko snaps!

The story of a sad girl with reincarnation of blood begins now...

cast

・Kurusugawa Himeko/Shimoya Noriko・Himemiya Chikane/Kawasumi Ayako・Ogami Souma/Majima Junji・Tsubasa/Matsumoto Yasunori・Miyako/Otani Ikue・Girochi/Kase Yasuyuki・Corona/Ueda Kana・Reko/Noto Mamiko・Nekoko/Nonaka Ai・Otsuha/Nishimura Chinami・Yukihito/Minami Omi・Ogami Kazuki/Saito Shigekazu

Main Staff

・Original work/Kaishaku・Director/Yanagisawa Tetsuya・Series composition/Uetake Sumio・Character design, chief animation director/Fujii Maki・Mechanic design/Murata Goro・Design works, chief mecha animation director/Shiokawa Takashi・Art director/Yasuhara Minoru・Color design/Kimura Satoko・Director of photography/Saito Akihiro・Editor/Sakurai Takashi・Music/Kubota Mina・Sound director/Iwanami Miwa・Producers/Hidaka Isao, Kawase Kohei・Production producer/Nakagawa Shinobu・Original work collaboration, animation production/TNK
Produced by: Kannazuki no Miko Production Committee (Toshiba Entertainment, Geneon Entertainment, Mouse Promotion, Memory-Tech, TNK)

Main Characters

●Kannazuki Shrine Maiden, Kurusugawa Himeko
A second-year high school student attending Ototachibana Academy. She is as innocent and pure as a puppy, becoming ecstatic when praised and sulking when criticized. She is overly timid and withdrawn, but also insensitive to the feelings of others... On her 16th birthday, she becomes embroiled in her destiny as a shrine maiden who seals away evil gods.
・Himemiya Chikane
She is the only daughter of a local noble family that has been around for hundreds of years. She is so popular at school that she is called "Prince-sama" because she excels in both academics and sports, is intelligent and beautiful, and is flawless. Her parents are overseas for work, so she lives in an ultra-luxurious mansion with just a few servants. Her popularity makes her difficult to approach, but she shows her friendliness to Himeko.

●Orochi Group: Ogami Souma
Childhood friend of Himeko. He is intelligent and good at sports, and is rumored to be the ideal couple with Chikane. He may appear cool at first glance, but he is actually a hot-blooded man. To put it bluntly, he pretends to be an adult, but inside he is a child. He awakens as a member of Orochi, the evil god of darkness (the Seventh Head), and gains the power to use robots, but in order to protect Himeko, he fights the other Orochi members.
・The leader of Tsubasa Orochi. The first head. A noble and heroic warrior. A relatively upstanding person among the Orochi army, which is full of personality disorders. He understands the relationship between "Orochi" and the "shrine maidens" as a war of annihilation with no room for compromise, and intends to fight to the end. He seems to have some kind of relationship with Souma.
・Deputy leader of Miyako Orochi. Second head. Tsubasa's right hand. Sexy sister. Female strategist. Takes on the dirty tactics and jobs that Tsubasa isn't good at. Her favorite robot is a Thousand-Armed Kannon robot.
・Girochi Miyako's younger brother. The third head. A middle school student, though old. His weapon is a chain. He has a strangely cheerful personality. He fell in love with Himeko at first sight. But he's basically a pervert, which is problematic. He likes looking at her. He likes touching her. He likes hugging her. He likes hitting her. He likes choking her. He likes fondling her breasts.
・The fourth head of Corona. An idol girl. A bright, cheerful, singing terrorist. She loves herself. She thinks she's God. She's a pretty nasty girl. But she has great determination when it comes to her work. Her weapon as a human is a spear (stage microphone).
・The head of Reiko 5. A student manga artist. A very lazy, downcast girl. She acts according to her mood. Her weapon is a shuriken with the tip of a pen.
・Nekokoroku's head. Cat nurse. She ends her sentences with "nya". She's always smiling, but it's a little scary because you can't tell what she's thinking. Her weapon is a hypodermic needle.

Others: The head maid of the Otoha Himemiya family. Chikane has been her attendant since she was three years old, and she has a passionate crush on her. She is overflowing with pride for having served Chikane longer than anyone else, by her side.
・Yukihito Kazuki's assistant. Souma's good confidant. Love advice too!?
・Ogami Kazuki Souma's older brother. A mystic scholar and a descendant of the head priest of the Moon Shrine. A handsome and pure man. He has the air of a high priest. He is a good confidant for Chikane and Souma.

subtitle

Episode 1: The Land of Eternity (2004/10/01)
Episode 2: Overlapping Sun and Moon (2004/10/08)
・Episode 3/Secret love shell (2004/10/15)
Episode 4: What I Think (2004/10/22)
Episode 5: Beyond the Darkness (2004/10/29)
・Episode 6: You in the Sun (2004/11/05)
Episode 7: Rain Falling on Love Prison (2004/11/12)
Episode 8: Storm of the Silver Moon (2004/11/19)
Episode 9: To Yomihirasaka (2004/11/26)
Episode 10: Invitation to Love and Death (2004/12/03)
Episode 11: The Sword Dance (December 10, 2004)
・Episode 12: The Maiden of Kannazuki (2004/12/17)

Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Re-sublimity
・Lyrics by KOTOKO
・Composition: Kazuya Takase ・Arrangement: Kazuya Takase ・Singer: KOTOKO

・ED1
・agony
・Lyrics by KOTOKO
・Composition: Tomoyuki Nakazawa ・Arrangement: Tomoyuki Nakazawa ・Singer: KOTOKO

・IN1
・Supply -core-
・Lyrics by KOTOKO
・Composition: Kazuya Takase ・Arrangement: Kazuya Takase ・Singer: KOTOKO

review

Kannazuki no Miko is known for its beautiful visuals and deep storyline. In particular, the friendship and growth of Kurusugawa Himeko and Himemiya Chikane is depicted, allowing viewers to empathize with their emotions and draw them into the story. In addition, the characters of the Orochi Clan, including Ogami Souma, are also unique, and each character's backstory and motivations are carefully depicted.

The animation quality is also high, highlighting TNK's production skills. The character designs are by Maki Fujii, and are distinctive in that they highlight the individuality of each character. The mechanic designs and background art are also beautiful, making the game visually appealing.

Music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. The opening theme "Re-sublimity" and the ending theme "agony" sung by KOTOKO are powerful songs that reflect the theme of the story and resonate with the hearts of viewers. The inserted song "Suppuration -core-" is also impressive, and livens up the battle scenes and dramatic scenes.

The story unfolds at a fast and slow pace, with many scenes shifting from peaceful school life to intense battle scenes. Himeko's growth and awakening are particularly moving and leave a strong impression on viewers. Souma's struggles and his battles with the Orochi gang are also not to be missed.

The relationships between the characters are also explored in depth, particularly the friendship between Himeko and Chikane, the bond between Souma and Himeko as childhood friends, and the complex relationships between the members of the Orochi clan. As the backgrounds and motivations of each character are revealed, viewers can empathize with their actions and emotions, immersing themselves deeply in the story.

Kannazuki no Miko is a work that combines beautiful visuals, a deep story, unique characters, and moving music. Viewers will be drawn into the world of the story by the friendship and growth of Himeko and Chikane, the conflicts and struggles of Souma, and the unique characters of the Orochi Clan. This work is especially recommended for those who like fantasy and drama.

Recommendation

Kannazuki no Miko is especially recommended for those who like fantasy and drama. This work combines beautiful visuals, a deep story, unique characters, and moving music, and has the power to draw the viewer into the world of the story. Please pay particular attention to the friendship and growth of Kurusugawa Himeko and Himemiya Chikane, the conflict and struggle of Ogami Souma, and the unique characters of the Orochi group.

This work is also recommended for those who want to enjoy both school life and battle scenes. There are many scenes that transition from peaceful school life to intense battle scenes, so viewers will not get bored. Furthermore, the theme songs and insert songs sung by KOTOKO are also important elements that liven up the atmosphere of the work, so music lovers will also enjoy it.

Kannazuki no Miko is a work that combines beautiful visuals, a deep story, unique characters, and moving music. Viewers will be drawn into the world of the story by the friendship and growth of Himeko and Chikane, the conflicts and struggles of Souma, and the unique characters of the Orochi Clan. This work is especially recommended for those who like fantasy and drama.