Kamisama Kiss

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Kamisama Kiss (Kamisama Hajimemashita) is a Shoujo manga series created by Julietta Suzuki. It begins with Nanami Momozono, a teenage girl whose father ran out on her because of his gambling debts and was subsequently evicted from her home, "saving" a strange man (Mikage) from a dog in the park. After hearing her story the man gives Nanami his house as a thank you for saving him. Nanami accepts the offer, due to having nowhere else to go.

Following a map the man had given, Nanami finds a rundown shrine instead of a house. Deciding that at least a roof over her head was some kind of improvement Nanami decides to spend the night. Only to run into, and almost get killed by Tomoe, who was expecting Mikage to finally return after his twenty year absence. See, it turns out that Mikage is actually the land god of the shrine and by giving Nanami the shrine he has just passed that torch on to her. Hilarity Ensues.


Tropes used in Kamisama Kiss include:

"Hey Asshole! Just being a man and a warrior isn't enough for Nanami to be loved....It's like looking at a reflection of myself, seriously irritating."

  • Honey Trap: When the original plan to get Jirou really drunk so that his wards are weakened fails, Tomoe turns into Nanami and starts seducing him. Since Jirou is attracted to Nanami and very much in denial about it, it works magnificently.
  • Holding Hands: Nanami and Tomoe do this at the end of chapter 16.
  • Horned Humanoid: Akura-Ou
  • Hypocritical Heartwarming: Tomoe is sarcastic, rude and highly critical of just about anything Nanami does. But should anyone else insult her and/or criticize her he is quick to come to her defense.
  • I Am Not Left-Handed: Tomoe against Ikusagami.
  • Idol Singer: Kurama's day job.
  • I Kiss Your Hand: Tomoe does this for Nanami when she suffers from stage fright.
  • Interspecies Romance: Tomoe and Nanami and various others.
  • Instant Fanclub: Kurama gets one the moment that he starts attending Nanami's school.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: A variation of this. When it looks like Tomoe doesn't want to renew his familiar contract, Nanami is ready to let him go.
  • I Will Protect Her: Tomoe expresses this sentiment multiple times about Nanami.
  • Jerkass: Tomoe immediately springs to mind.
  • Joshikousei: Nanami and Ami.
  • Kid with the Leash: Tomoe is a pretty powerful and ruthless demon, however thanks to the familiar contract when Nanami gives him an order he has to obey it no matter what. To say he is unhappy about this situation would be an understatement.
  • Kimono: Tomoe wears them most of the time, and Nanami sometimes, too, especially when to celebrations.
  • Kitsune: Tomoe, though he seems to have once been human as he has flashbacks of being a sick young boy.
  • Ladykiller in Love: Kurama and eventually Tomoe.
  • Lap Pillow: The old Tanuki-woman Mizutame does this at one point for Tomoe because he let her escape from Akura-Ou in the past.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: Justified since it is revealed that Mikage made Tomoe forget his relationship with Yukiji.
  • Lean and Mean: Ikusagami, Kirihito.
  • Little Bit Beastly: Tomoe, Kurama, a few others.
  • Location Theme Naming: Three guesses as to which mountain Kurama was born on.
  • The Loins Sleep Tonight: While Nanami is off to the God Summit, Tomoe visits the Red Light District, but it is implied that he does it only to drive away his loneliness while she is gone. Hence he drinks until he falls asleep without having sex with any of the Tanuki-girls.
  • Love Hurts: Nanami after Tomoe rejects her.
  • Love Redeems: Jirou thanks to Nanami.
  • Magic Contract Romance: Tomoe and Nanami, of course.
  • Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex: Tomoe express this fear at the end of chapter 16, although it is of the non-sexual variety. Later, Mikage tells Nanami that he sent her to Tomoe precisely because he hoped that she might be able to help Tomoe overcome it.
  • Master of the Mixed Message: Tomoe, though later on he once accuses Nanami of this.
  • Mayfly-December Romance: The reason why love between humans and youkai is forbidden. Made worse by the fact that when youkai do fall in love, they love very strongly and even long after their partner died.
  • The Messiah: Nanami
  • Mistress and Servant Boy: Nanami and Tomoe, although he is much older and more powerful than her, she can bend him to her will thanks to the familiar contract.
  • Mr. Vice Guy: What does Tomoe do after first meeting Nanami and getting pissed with her? He heads to the demonic Red Light District. Judging from the way the geishas treat him he goes there quite often. Then Nanami follows him.
  • Noble Demon: Tomoe used to be this, when he was still following Akura-Ou/the Evil King.
  • Non-Action Guy: Mizuki seems to be stronger than any human, but so far he hasn't shown any fighting skill, despite being a familiar. Kurama's powers are so weakened by being away from his place of birth that he is very close to this, too.
  • No Sense of Personal Space: Tomoe often is like this in regards to Nanami, much to her embarrassment. However, once he learns that she loves him, he stops for a while, only to fall back into the habit again. When he finally starts noticing that he returns her feelings after all, he goes back to being hesitant about behaving in this manner.
  • No Woman's Land: Women are forbidden to enter Kurama Mountain. Nanami goes anyway.
  • Onmyodo: Nanami uses this type of magic, and so do other humans.
  • Opposites Attract: Nanami and Tomoe
  • Ordinary High School Student: Nanami is a dirt-poor example.
  • Orphean Rescue Mission: Nanami does this for Kirihito.
  • Out, Damned Spot!: When Tomoe first met Mikage he was desperately trying to wash blood off of himself. Tomoe later has a repeat of the situation with Nanami.
  • Paper Talisman: Nanami's main weapon. However, she cannot cause effects with them that exceed her own power.
  • Parental Abandonment: Nanami.
  • Physical God: Mikage and Nanami. Later Nanami gets called to a God Summit and we get to meet a few more of them.
  • Pretty Butterflies: Mikage is associated with butterflies and can even turn into one.
  • Piggyback Cute: Tomoe does this for Nanami in chapter 60 after she gets drunk.
  • Plucky Girl: Nanami
  • Power Limiter: Mikage did this to Tomoe when he became a familiar, but it is later lifted with the Luck Mallet to beat Ikusagami. Also, Kurama's powers in the human world are very weak, because a tengu's powers are derived from the mountain they were born on.
  • Really 700 Years Old: Tomoe looks to be in his late teens, early twenties, despite the fact he is at least over five centuries old. Mizuki also counts, so does Mikage (looks like a middle-aged man despite haven been around for a few centuries).
  • Red Light District: Tomoe frequently goes there in the early parts of the story.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: Nanami is red; passionate, energetic, frequently acts on impulse, very extroverted. Tomoe is blue; is very proud along with being much more calm, intellectual, tends to think before acting and is more introverted.
  • Restraining Bolt: How the familiar contract works when Nanami orders Tomoe to stop doing something, especially killing people.
  • Semi-Retired Monster: Tomoe was pretty much the exact opposite of a saint before Mikage recruited him to be his familiar. And he still isn't exactly a nice guy.
  • The Rival: Kayako Hiiragi is also a teenage girl blessed with a god's powers and is determined to surpass Nanami.
  • Rivals Team Up: Kayako and Nanami, Tomoe and Mizuki, Tomoe and Kurama, etc... Rest assured if a character is a rival to the two protagonists sooner or later they will team up.
  • Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Tomoe, whenever someone hurts or kidnaps Nanami.
  • Secret Test of Character: It turns out, that Tomoe declaring his love for Nanami and wanting to elope with her was all just a dream created by Otohiko, which was supposed to test if she was suitable to be a landgod.
  • Sex Is Evil and I Am Horny: Jirou, ohhh boy, are you in trouble.
  • Shapeshifting Seducer: Tomoe is more than capable of doing this and has actually done it once that we know of. Remember, the guy is a Kitsune.
  • She Cleans Up Nicely: Tomoe's reaction to Nanami after Himemiko lends her one of her kimonos.
  • Shock and Awe: Nurakami's power.
  • Shoujo Demographic
  • Shotgun Wedding: Mizuki tries to do this to Nanami. Considering what Tomoe's likely reaction was going to be, this is probably not the smartest thing he has ever done.
  • Shrines and Temples: Nanami lives in one and later she visits Okuninushi's shrine to attend the god summit.
  • Skilled but Naive: Mizuki has quite a few magical tricks up his sleeve but as Tomoe puts it, he grew up in a glass house and has no idea about how the world really works.
  • Slasher Smile: Akura-Ou has a rather impressive one. Tomoe does it too on occasion.
  • Snakes Are Sexy: If you have any doubts take a look at Mizuki.
  • The Social Darwinist: Jirou
  • Star-Crossed Lovers: Tomoe's view on human/youkai relationships.
  • Stealth Mentor: Otohiko to Nanami, during to the contest against Kayako.
  • Straight Edge Evil: Jirou
  • The Tease: Tomoe acts like this towards Nanami in chapter 47. She is not pleased, to say the least.
  • Time Travel: Mizuki has a magical artifact that can send people back in time.
  • Tsundere: Tomoe is a sarcastic ass towards both towards Nanami and Mikage 90% of the time but there are several moments were he shows that he really does care for them and that he can be kind when he wants to.
    • Nanami is the exact opposite. Normally she is very sweet and caring, but piss her off and the claws will come out.
  • Voluntary Shapeshifting: Tomoe is capable of disguising himself as an ordinary human and even shapeshifting into Nanami.
    • Mamoru, Nanami's monkey shikigami, can become a cute little boy at will.
    • Mizuki can turn into a snake.
  • The Underworld: Yomi-No-Kuni
  • Urban Fantasy: The story takes place in modern day Japan.
  • Vain Sorceress: Nurakami is a goddess but otherwise she fits this perfectly. Kayako is a lot like this, too.
  • War God: Ikusagami
  • Weak but Skilled: Nanami eventually becomes this.
  • Winged Humanoid: Kurama, Jirou, pretty much every other Tengu. Kurama even uses it as part of his Idol Singer gig, were he pretends to be a fallen angel from Heaven.
  • White-Haired Pretty Boy: Tomoe, Mizuki.
  • You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Tomoe gives a speech of this type to Nanami before she dances the Kagura.
  • Youkai: Numerous examples in the series.
  • You Sexy Beast: The premise of the main romance.