Our Home Inari Shrine: A Thorough Analysis of the Charming Characters and Touching Story

My family's Inari. - My family's Inari. -

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Light novel

■ Broadcast period

April 7, 2008 - September 15, 2008 Chiba TV April 6, 2008 - September 14, 2008 (Episodes 1-24) Every Sunday 24:00-24:30
Teletama April 6, 2008 to September 14, 2008 (1st to 24th episodes) Every Sunday 25:30 to 26:00
tvk April 7, 2008 to September 15, 2008 (Episodes 1 to 24) Every Monday 25:15 to 25:45
KBS Kyoto April 7, 2008 to September 15, 2008 (Episodes 1 to 24) Every Monday 25:30 to 26:00
Sun TV April 8, 2008 to September 16, 2008 (Episodes 1 to 24) Every Tuesday 24:00 to 24:30
TOKYO MX April 9, 2008 to September 17, 2008 (Episodes 1 to 24) Every Wednesday 25:30 to 26:00
TV Aichi April 9, 2008 to September 17, 2008 (Episodes 1 to 24) Every Wednesday 26:28 to 26:58

■Broadcasting station

UHF

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 24

■Original Story

Jin Shibamura ("My Home Inari Shrine" published by ASCII Media Works Dengeki Bunko)

■ Director

Yoshiaki Iwasaki

■ Production

・Animation Production: ZEXCS
Produced by: Inari-sama Production Committee (Kadokawa Shoten, Kadokawa Pictures, Clockworks, NTT Docomo, Sony PCL, ZEXCS)

■Works

©Jin Shibamura/ASCII Media Works/Oinari-sama Production Committee

■ Story

Long ago, a large sacred fox was enshrined as the guardian deity of the Mitsuzuchi family.
His name was Kuugen, and he was an incredibly clever fox who could use all sorts of magic with ease, but at the same time he loved trouble.
The priest of Mitsutsuchi, fed up with Kugen, who continued to commit acts far too wicked to be called pranks, spent seven days and seven nights sealing him away in a shrine on the mountain behind the temple.
And now, in order to protect Takagami Toru, the last descendant of the Mitsuzuchi family, who is being targeted by an unknown monster, Kugen has finally been released from the shrine... however, his demeanor is completely frivolous, in stark contrast to the feared legend.
Tohru, a boy of today, even called him "Kuu-chan"...
Also, Kou, the guardian of the Mitsuzuchi family, who protects Tohru along with Kuugen, joins in, and with this incident Tohru and his older brother Takajo, who is the current head of the Mitsuzuchi family, become embroiled in one mysterious event after another...

■Explanation

A guardian angel for every household!
Battle galore!
Comedy special!!
A serving of the monster "Tenko"!!!
Kuu-chan and his fun friends bring you a variety show of animal ears, where they coo, sleep, and play!

In order to protect Takagami Toru, the descendant of the Mitsutsuchi family, from monsters, the great fox spirit Kugen was released from the shrine. However, contrary to the feared legend, his demeanor is frivolous. Toru even calls him "Ku-chan". Also, Kou, the Mitsutsuchi family's guardian, joins in, and Toru and his brother Takagami Toru, the current head of the Mitsutsuchi family, become embroiled in one mysterious event after another...

*Quoted from Bandai Channel

■Cast

・Tenko Kuugen (female) / Yukana・Tenko Kuugen (male) / Nakamura Yuuichi・Kou / Hayami Saori・Takagami Noboru / Mizushima Daichu・Takagami Toru / Shimamura Yuu・Ebisu / Ono Daisuke・Sakura Misaki / Kano Yui・Miyabe Momiji / Ito Shizuka・Rokuhyo / Mizuhashi Kaori・Tenko Gyokuyo (female) / Takahashi Mikako・Tenko Gyokuyo (male) / Hatano Wataru

■ Main staff

・Original illustrations by: Discharge Video ・Planning by: Takeshi Yasuda
・Producers: Atsushi Ito, Manabu Harada, Nobuhiko Sako, Tsuyoshi Natsuno, Hiroyasu Asami, Koichi Izukura ・Production cooperation: Yasuhiko Goto ・Producers: Seiichi Hachiya, Tomoko Suzuki, Tsuneo Takechi, Yuka Harada, Yoshifumi Kominato, Tomoko Kawasaki ・Assistant Producer: Takashi Tachizaki ・Producer cooperation: Hiroyuki Yuzawa ・Series composition: Reiko Yoshida ・Character design: Yasunari Nitta ・Art director: Yasutoshi Kawai ・Director of photography: Shinobu Ohata ・Sound director: Tsuyoshi Takahashi ・Color design: Hideo Kamitani ・Special effects: Yukiko Kakita ・Editing: Jun Takuma ・Music: Koji Takanashi ・Music producer: Shunichi Uemura ・Music production: Columbia Music Entertainment ・Animation production: ZEXCS
Director: Yoshiaki Iwasaki Producer: Oinari-sama Production Committee (Kadokawa Shoten, Kadokawa Pictures, Clockworks, NTT docomo, Sony PCL, ZEXCS)

■ Main Characters

・Tenko Kugen (female)
A large fox enshrined as the guardian deity of the Mitsuzuchi family. Due to its mischievous nature, it was sealed away, but was released in order to protect the Takagami brothers, the last descendants of the Mitsuzuchi family. It has forgotten its gender, so it can take on both male and female forms.
・Tenko Kugen (male)
A large fox enshrined as the guardian deity of the Mitsuzuchi family. Due to its mischievous nature, it was sealed away, but was released in order to protect the Takagami brothers, the last descendants of the Mitsuzuchi family. It has forgotten its gender, so it can take on both male and female forms.
・Kou A shrine maiden with exceptional powers of "moisture" who serves as the guardian of the Mitsuzuchi family. She lives in the Takakami household to watch over Kuu. Her origins are shrouded in mystery, and her personality is calm, expressionless, and emotionless. On the other hand, she is stubborn and sometimes does unbelievable things.
Takagami is the eldest son of the Takagami family, a descendant of the Mitsuzuchi family who had the guardian deity Shotenko Kugen. He has almost no power as a priest, but since the previous head's mother passed away, he is the de facto head of the family. A 17-year-old who manages all the household chores for the Takagami family and boasts excellent cooking skills.
- Toru Takagami The second son of the Takagami family, he is in the sixth grade of elementary school. Because he inherited the power of the Mitsuzuchi family more strongly than his older brother, he is often targeted by youkai, but he doesn't realize it at all. In fact, he is a kind-hearted person who even helps those who try to kill him, feeling sorry for them.
A nice young man who works at the convenience store that Ebisu Noboru and Toru often visit, but for some reason he seems to know Kuu's true identity. He ends up becoming involved in the story in an unexpected way.
Misaki Sakura is in the same club as Takanori Sho and secretly has feelings for him, but due to her shy personality she is unable to express her feelings to him. She is confused by a beautiful woman who suddenly appears around Sho, and sometimes becomes too obsessed with her thoughts and goes out of control.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: Inari-sama. The seal is broken (2008/04/06)
・Episode 2: Inari-sama comes to live in my house (2008/04/13)
・Episode 3: Inari-sama. Going to school (2008/04/20)
・Episode 4: Inari. Harvest (2008/04/27)
Episode 5: Inari-sama. Violating taboos (May 4, 2008)
Episode 6: Inari. Eating to my heart's content (2008/05/11)
Episode 7: Inari holds a baby fox (2008/05/18)
・Episode 8: Inari-sama. Searching for something (2008/05/25)
・Episode 9: Inari-sama. A big fight (2008/06/01)
・Episode 10: Inari-sama. Betrayal!? (2008/06/08)
・Episode 11: Inari-sama goes into service (2008/06/15)
・Episode 12: Inari-sama. Traveling (2008/06/22)
・Episode 13: Inari-sama. Becoming a high school girl (2008/06/29)
・Episode 14: Inari-sama. Making a phone call (2008/07/06)
・Episode 15: Inari-sama. Going to church (2008/07/13)
・Episode 16: Inari-sama. Be patient (2008/07/20)
・Episode 17: Inari Shrine. Chasing after it (2008/07/27)
・Episode 18: Inari-sama. Receiving memories (2008/08/03)
・Episode 19: Inari-sama. Roasting sweet potatoes (2008/08/10)
・Episode 20: Inari-sama. Traveling again (2008/08/17)
・Episode 21: Inari-sama. Treatment (2008/08/24)
Episode 22: Inari-sama joins the party (2008/08/31)
・Episode 23: Inari-sama. Died (2008/09/07)
・Episode 24: Inari Shrine. Going to the shrine for the first visit of the year (2008/09/14)

■ Related works

・My family's Inari Shrine. Kuu-chan's Bonus Theater

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・KI-ZU-NA~To the Faraway Ones・Lyrics by Goro Matsui・Music by Shigenobu Okawa・Arrangement by Junpei Fujita (Elements Garden)
・Song: Hitomi Sora

・ED1
・The wind is trying to say something・Lyrics by Goro Matsui・Music by Kentaro Yamamoto・Arrangement by Jun Umehori・Singer by Kou (Saori Hayami)

・ED2
・Words of Happiness ・Lyrics by Seiji Miura ・Music by Funta
・Arrangement: Funta
・Singers: Kuu (Yukana), Kou (Saori Hayami), Tama (Mikako Takahashi)

・IN1
・Process
Lyrics by Ryoji Sonoda; Music by Junpei Fujita (Elements Garden)
・Arrangement: Junpei Fujita (Elements Garden)
・Song: Miyabe Momiji (Ito Shizuka)

・IN2
・Miracle ~I believe in you~
Lyrics: Izumikawa Sora Composition: Izumikawa Sora Arrangement: Izumikawa Sora, Yamazaki Yo Singer: Hitomi Sora

My Inari Shrine. - Wagayano Inari Sama. - Reviews and Recommendations

"My Inari Shrine," which aired in 2008, is an anime series based on Shibamura Jin's light novel, and its unique world view and charming characters have attracted viewers. This anime was broadcast on UHF stations and was released in a volume of 24 episodes. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and features of this work, as well as the recommended points.

The appeal of the story

The story of "My Family's Inari Shrine" begins when Kuugen, the great fox spirit who has been the guardian deity of the Mitsuzuchi family since ancient times, is released from his seal to protect Takagami Toru, the modern-day descendant of the Mitsuzuchi family. Contrary to the legend, Kuugen has a frivolous personality, and Toru calls him "Kuu-chan," and he begins living as a member of the family. This setting provides an interesting twist in which a sacred being blends into everyday life, providing viewers with a fresh surprise.

The story follows Tohru, his brother Takanori, and Kou, the Mitsuzuchi family's guardian, as they get caught up in a series of mysterious events. Each episode features battles with monsters and gods, comedy elements from everyday life, and the deep bonds between the characters, ensuring viewers won't get bored. In particular, the chaos caused by Kugen's mischievous personality provides both laughs and emotions, entertaining viewers.

Character Appeal

The greatest appeal of this work is its unique and attractive characters. The protagonist, Takagami Toru, is a pure and kind-hearted sixth grader who is so good-natured that he even tries to help those who are trying to kill him. His purity gives the story warmth and evokes sympathy from the viewer. Meanwhile, his older brother, Takagami Noboru, is an interesting character who is reliable in taking care of all the household chores, but has no powers as a priest.

And Kuu-chan is the central character of this work. Because she has forgotten her gender, she can transform into either a man or a woman, and her frivolous personality and mischievous side add humor to the story. Kou is an expressionless, emotionless guardian woman, but her stubbornness and unbelievable actions at times make her even more charming. Sub-characters such as Ebisu and Sakura Misaki also add excitement to the work with their own personalities and involvement in the story.

Animation and Music

ZEXCS, the animation studio, has meticulously depicted the characters' movements and expressions, bringing out the maximum visual appeal. In particular, Kugen's transformation and battle scenes are spectacular and provide visual enjoyment. In addition, the beautiful backgrounds by art director Yasutoshi Kawai also enrich the worldview of the story.

In terms of music, the background music by Yasuharu Takanashi enhances the atmosphere of the story and brings out the emotions of the viewer. The opening theme "KI-ZU-NA ~To the Distant One" features Hitomi Sora's powerful singing voice and symbolizes the theme of the story. The ending themes "Kaze ga Nani ko to Iwatatteru" and "Shiawase no Kotodama" also have beautiful melodies that match each scene and will stay in the viewers' hearts.

Recommended points

"Our Family's Inari Shrine" is a work that can be recommended for the following reasons.

1. **Unique setting and story development**: The setting of a divine being coexisting with a modern family gives viewers a fresh surprise. Also, the battles and comedy elements in each episode are well balanced, so you won't get bored.

2. **Charming Characters**: The unique characters, including Kuu-chan, draw viewers in. In particular, Kuu-chan's frivolous personality and mischievous side provide both laughter and emotion.

3. **Beautiful animation and music**: The detailed animation by ZEXCS and the beautiful background music by Yasuharu Takanashi enrich the world of the story and provide visual and auditory enjoyment.

4. **Themes of family love and friendship**: The themes of family love and friendship depicted throughout the story warm the hearts of viewers and evoke empathy. In particular, Tohru's purity and Noboru's reliability deeply move viewers.

"Our Inari Shrine" is a worthwhile anime series that combines laughter, emotion, beautiful visuals and music. The unique setting of the coexistence of a sacred being and a modern family, and the story woven by the charming characters, will provide viewers with new surprises and emotions. Please watch this work and experience its charm for yourself.