lead=yes is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Julietta Suzuki. It was serialized in Hakusensha's manga magazine Hana to Yume from February 2008 to May 2016, with its chapters collected in 25 volumes. The series was licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media, released as part of its Shojo Beat imprint.
A 13-episode anime television series adaptation produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by Akitaro Daichi was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October to December 2012. A second 12-episode season was broadcast from January to March 2015. The series was followed by a four-part original animation DVD (OAD), subtitled Kako-hen, released from August 2015 to August 2016.
Plot
Nanami Momozono, a kind-hearted high school girl, aspires to an ordinary life, but her irresponsible father's gambling debts leave her homeless after debt collectors force her out of her apartment. While contemplating her situation on a park bench, she encounters a man named Mikage, who is being chased by a dog and dangling from a tree. After rescuing him, Mikage offers her his home in gratitude upon learning of her plight.
Upon arriving at Mikage's residence, Nanami discovers it is not a typical house but a shrine. She is greeted by Onikiri and Kotetsu, the shrine's guardians, and meets Tomoe, Mikage's familiar. She learns that Mikage was the Land God of the shrine and has transferred his divine status to her, marking her forehead as his successor. Though initially hesitant, Nanami gradually adapts to her new role, striving to fulfill her duties while living alongside Tomoe and the shrine attendants.
Over time, Nanami develops romantic feelings for Tomoe, but he rejects her, citing the taboo of a relationship between a human and a . Despite his resistance, Tomoe finds himself drawn to her as well, complicating their dynamic as they navigate their shared life at the shrine.
Characters
Main characters
- Momozono Nanami
- Nanami is a high school girl abandoned by her father due to his gambling debts, leaving her mocked for her poverty. When the land god Mikage passes his role to her, she becomes a fledgling deity with minimal spiritual power. Diligently balancing school and divine duties, she masters her primary weapon, Omamori, and commands a named Mamoru who shifts between monkey and boy forms to aid her in purifying or banishing evil. Though impulsive, her earnestness influences both gods and . Later, she marries Tomoe, now human, and retires from teaching to raise their son, visiting Mikage Shrine as an adult.
- 巴衛
- Tomoe is a powerful fox who once served as the familiar of the land god Mikage. When Nanami inherits the role, she binds him as her familiar, though he initially resents her. Cynical and mocking, he distrusts others but gradually warms to Nanami, admiring her determination. Though he treats her with playful condescension, he fiercely protects her, refusing to kill in her presence. His abilities include transformation magic and deadly Fox-Fire, though Nanami’s commands restrict his power. After realizing his love for her—revealed to be tied to her past self through time travel—he chooses to become human to stay by her side. Years later, they marry, have a son, and revisit Mikage Shrine as a family.
- ミカゲ
- Mikage is the enigmatic former land god of the shrine, who abandoned his post twenty years prior for unknown reasons. When he encounters a homeless Nanami, he transfers his divine title to her, claiming she is better suited for the role. With light hair, glasses, and a trench coat, he occasionally appears as a butterfly. His true motives remain unclear, though hints suggest he orchestrated events to prove humans and can love—specifically, that Nanami could reach Tomoe. This plan stems from a past encounter with a time-traveling Nanami, who inadvertently revealed future events, allowing Mikage to set the story in motion.
- 鞍馬
- A popular idol with a "fallen angel" persona, this crow from Mount Kurama initially sought to steal Nanami's godhood by consuming her heart. After being defeated by Tomoe and spared by Nanami, he abandons his plan and befriends her, even offering her shelter when she loses her divine powers. Though he harbors resentment toward Tomoe, he adapts well to human society—more so than other —and often flirts with Nanami, though he eventually accepts her relationship with Tomoe. After developing ambiguous feelings for Nanami's friend Ami, he returns to Mount Kurama to help select the next Sojobo, leaving his idol career behind but promising to reunite with Ami if she still waits for him. His real name is 真寿郎.
- 瑞希
- Mizuki is a snake familiar from the submerged Yonomori shrine. After Nanami rescues him from her cruel classmates, he becomes infatuated with her, even briefly kidnapping her in an attempt to force marriage. Though Tomoe intervenes, Nanami pities Mizuki and promises to visit him. He harbors deep resentment toward Tomoe and occasionally manipulates situations to undermine Nanami's growing affection for him. When Nanami sacrifices herself to save Tomoe from a sea demon, Mizuki becomes her familiar to rescue her. While his abilities are limited to brewing exceptional sake, he finds solace in being his true self around Nanami. After Nanami and Tomoe marry, he remains at Mikage shrine, greeting them warmly when they return with their son.
- 鬼切 and 虎徹
- The two bald, childlike attendants at Nanami's shrine who wear masks. Just like Tomoe, they are able to shapeshift. They are extremely fond of Nanami, Tomoe, Mizuki and Mikage. It is implied that there is an unpleasant sight underneath their masks.
Yōkai
- 煌かぶり
- A sadistic serving Akura-ou, he finds beauty in decapitating victims and pairing their heads with flowers. While merciless in killing, he shows loyalty to Akura-ou and avoids challenging stronger opponents like the gods of Izumo. He considers Tomoe beautiful but cold, and despises anything he deems ugly—including the furball that ultimately kills him. Tasked with capturing Yukiji/Nanami (with the sole condition of sparing her head), he falls for Nanami's talisman trick and lets her escape. When Tomoe severely wounds him, the vengeful furball devours him. His arrogance proves fatal as he underestimates those he considers beneath him.
- lit. "Swamp Princess"
- The princess of Tatara Swamp is a catfish who rules an underwater palace with her fish attendants. Ten years after falling in love with a lost human boy, Kotarō Urashima, she enlists Nanami's help to reunite with him. Nanami disguises her as human, allowing their romance to blossom. Though initially shocked to discover her true nature, Kotarō accepts and apologizes to her. Later pregnant with Kotarō's child (made possible by her temporary human form), she faces opposition from traditionalist attendants who demand she sever human ties. During Nanami's wedding, the couple escapes together rather than be separated, choosing love over tradition.
- Ryūō Sukuna
- Dragon Lord of the sea, who has been waiting to seek revenge against Tomoe for 526 years for ripping out his right eye and attacking the north gate of Ryūgū Castle. He found Tomoe after he saved Ami from drowning in the sea. The Dragon Lord's eyes are known as the Longevity Elixir and are said to give great power to whoever drinks them. Though aggressive and temperamental, he is afraid of his wife's anger. He is forced to give up his grudge against Tomoe after his wife befriends Nanami. He is very shocked to learn that Nanami and Tomoe were engaged.
- extra=lit. "Turtle Princess"
- The wife of the Dragon King. She disapproves of her husband's fights with Tomoe, partially because she knows he cannot beat Tomoe and only risks hurting himself more. She meets with Nanami by chance and becomes friends with her, further dampening her husbands attempts at combat with Tomoe.
- Akura-Ō
- Akura-ou, a with an indestructible body, once allied with Tomoe in spreading chaos until their partnership fractured over Yukiji's death. Centuries later, he inhabits the body of Kirihito Mori, a deceased boy whose final wish he fulfills. Though regaining some followers, he obsessively seeks his original form. His path crosses with Nanami when he disrupts the God's Summit and later opens the Kyo Gan Mon gate. After falling into Yomi-no-Kuni, Nanami rescues him despite his cruelty. Though he nearly kills her by draining her life force, her compassion leaves him conflicted—particularly when she declares her bond with Tomoe, stirring unfamiliar emotions within him.
- Once a pitiful, weak named Furball, Yatori served under Akura-Oh in the olden times. He slowly gained strength by eating those who stood in his, or Akura-Oh's way. He took on a human appearance by possessing one of Yukiji's servants, Sukeroku. He was fiercely loyal to Akura-Oh and when Akura-Oh returned, Yatori sought him out in order to continue serving him.
- 二郎
- Jirō, the formidable fourth chief of Kurama Mountain, rules the tengu with absolute authority. Known for his merciless leadership, he banishes any showing weakness—as he once did to Kurama in his youth. His harsh demeanor softens after meeting Nanami beneath the ancient sakura tree, though he denies his growing affection. Distracted by thoughts of her, his protective wards weaken—a sign of inner turmoil noted by his servant Yatori. When Yatori's betrayal leads to Nanami being attacked by Raijū, Jirō sacrifices himself to save her, confessing his love in what he believes are his final moments.
- ウナリ
- Unari, a hybrid mermaid-dragon , rules Okinawa's sea creatures. Her scaled face and horns caused her mother to deem her ugly, forcing her to wear a concealing feather robe. When Akura-Oh steals this fireproof garment (needed to reclaim his body), Nanami retrieves it in exchange for part of her lifespan. During the theft, a furious Unari kidnaps Ami, suspecting her involvement. Mizuki and Kurama intervene - while Kurama reacts with shock to Unari's appearance, Mizuki calls her beautiful. They briefly become engaged until Unari recognizes Mizuki's love for Nanami. In a touching farewell, she gifts him her now-unneeded robe as he promises annual visits.
Deities
- 乙比古
- A feminine male wind god. He initially disapproves of Nanami as the land god but acknowledges her after she successfully dispels the miasma that he had released on the shrine.
- 鳴神
- A bratty, selfish sky god who has an unrequited crush on Tomoe. She steals Nanami's mark, shrinks Tomoe into a toddler, and takes control of the shrine for a short period. She is very demanding and apparently goes through attendants at an unheard-of rate and seems to take sadistic delight in abusing her familiars.
- Ōkuninushi
- The God of Wealth who owns a large shrine in Izumo. He is in charge of the Divine Assembly held every year for deities.
- Ikuzagami Takehaya
- The War god who is reluctant to acknowledge Nanami, a human to be a Land God.
- 小梅 and こたけ
- (Koume)
- (Kotake)
- Two of the 32 Dog-Lions of Narukami and are her most loyal servants. The sides of their hair resemble that of dog ears.
- 年神
- He is in charge of changing the year.
Other characters
- Nekota Ami
- The first friend Nanami ever made at school. Originally, she found Nanami to be weird, but she also took a liking to Nanami. After Nanami, or rather Tomoe disguised as her, rescued her from a demon, she began to hang around Nanami more and officially became a friend after she helped her talk to Kurama. She made a promise with Kurama to not tell anyone about any of the strange occurrences that happen with Nanami, though it was Tomoe in disguise. Ami believes Nanami is a miko, or shrine maiden. Overall, Ami is a naive but bubbly and gentle girl, and a very reliable friend. She and Kei later find out that Nanami is a god and all the others are but they accept it quite well. Ami also has a huge crush on Kurama, who has slowly started to return those feelings, but they are not yet in a relationship.
- Ueshima Kei
- Kei is Ami's best friend. After Ami befriends Nanami, she also begins to see Nanami as a friend. Among the trio, she is the most mature, but also the most hot tempered. She is intuitive and picked up on the fact Nanami liked Tomoe. Kei gave advice to Nanami on how she could get his attention. She is rarely ever seen without her cellphone, on which she constantly sends text messages at a rapid pace, of which most of the time she does not even bother to glance at the screen.
- 雪路
- Yukiji, Nanami's ancestor, survives a attack that leaves her with deep hatred for their kind. Though Tomoe believes he loved her in the past, his affections were actually directed at Nanami during her time-traveling encounters. Yukiji later manipulates this connection, using her resemblance to Nanami to secure Tomoe's protection from Akura-ou while carefully avoiding eye contact that might reveal her true identity. When she falls gravely ill, Tomoe steals the Dragon King's eye to cure her, beginning a lineage of women who inherit its power - each remaining beautiful and healthy until passing it to their daughters. This explains Nanami's inherited beauty and the eye's protection throughout her family line.
- Urashima Kotarou
- A young human boy and Himemiko's love interest. Himemiko requested Nanami to help her to find a way to meet him again. Kotarou was shy around Himemiko when he first met her but, after getting to know her, grew fond of her and eventually fell in love with her. After discovering Himemiko was a , Kotarou rejected her for lying to him about her true identity. After clearing his thoughts and some persuasion from the Dragon King, he interrupted Himemiko's marriage to Nishiki, and Himemiko's true form emerges while they are escaping. Kotarou shows an amused expression (and almost lost his breath, as they were underwater) before telling Himemiko that he accepts her no matter what her appearance was.
- Momozono Kumimi
- Nanami's mother. Kumimi had died from an unknown disease and left her only daughter Nanami to be responsible for the house-hold, plus her husband (which is Nanami's father) of keeping him in check.
- 磯
- A classmate of Nanami's from school who enjoys picking on her.
- Umibe Natsuko
- A classmate of Nanami's from school.
- 稲穂姫
- A female goddess who is often seen sleeping, as the Fumigae Gods complained that she should have not slept throughout the year if she had known that she would sleep her way through the Izumo gods meeting.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by
Julietta Suzuki,
Kamisama Kiss was serialized in
Hakusensha's semi-monthly manga magazine
Hana to Yume from February 20, 2008,
to May 20, 2016.
The 149 individual chapters were later collected and published in 25 volumes by Hakusensha, released between September 19, 2008, and August 19, 2016.
North American publisher Viz Media licensed the English language distributions rights at the 2009 New York Anime Festival.
Volumes
Anime
A 13-episode
anime television series adaptation, produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by
Akitaro Daichi, was broadcast on
TV Tokyo from October 2 to December 25, 2012.
The opening theme is 神様はじめました and the ending theme , both performed by Hanae. Two original animation DVD (OAD) episodes were released on August 20, 2013, bundled with the sixteenth manga volume. One of them is based on the story from the fifteenth manga volume, while the other contains an all-new original story.
The opening theme is and the ending theme , both performed by Hanae.
A second 12-episode season was broadcast on TV Tokyo from January 6 to March 31, 2015.
The series has been licensed in English for streaming and home video by Funimation (later renamed Crunchyroll LLC).
Musical
A stage musical adaptation titled
Kamisama Hajimemashita: The Musical ran from March 21–29, 2015.
The musical stars as Nanami, as Tomoe,
Keisuke Minami as Kurama, and as Mizuki.
Additional cast members include as Onikiri, Keita Tokushiro and double-cast as Kotetsu, and
Juria Kawakami as Narukami.
made a cameo reprising his role as Mikage in voice.
The musical had a re-run in 2016, with re-cast as Mizuki,
LinQ member re-cast as Kotetsu, and
Makoto Okunaka re-cast as Narukami.
Reception
Jacob Chapman of Anime News Network describes
Kamisama Kiss as a 50/50 cross between
Inuyasha and
Fruits Basket.
The manga had five million copies in print by March 2016.
Notes
External links
