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Kamisama Kiss & Japanese Mythology

The land of Kamisama Kiss is full of comedy, romance and plenty of supernatural happenings. As fantastic as it may seem, quite a few aspects are based on actual Japanese folklore and superstition. The world of Japanese mythology is as ancient as it is vast, with its roots firmly based in both Shinto and Buddhist traditions. Throughout Kamisama Kiss there is a constant play on the relationship of the human world and the supernatural, especially the relationship of the Tochigami land god, Nanami, and her yokai familiar, Tomoe. What makes this shōjo anime special is the fact that Nanami is just a human girl, thrust into a supernatural situation. You'll find that many day to day traditions in Japan have direct influence from ancient mythology and beliefs. Let's explore some of the background of Kamisama Kiss's two main characters.

The adorable Nanami Momozono's world gets turned upside down when she is evicted from her home due to her father's wild gambling, and forced to wander in despair. Following a display of compassion, Nanami is transformed into a land god in recognition of her kind character. In Japanese mythology and tradition, keeping harmony between nature and everyday life is of utmost importance, with the Tochigami serving as a type of guardian to the local area. The land god serves an important role in keeping peace between the Yokai (spirits) and local residents. Japanese traditions include prayer and offerings to the land gods at local shrines.

Nanami's role as land god is simple enough—caretaker of the shrine. Much like any place of spiritual practice, Japanese believe that the upkeep of a shrine is of utmost importance. She soon attains the ability of 'harae,' or purification, which can be seen practiced daily by Japanese Shinto. The practice of pouring water over graves, oneself, or even the street outside one's house, acts as a way to ward off bad luck, guilt and unwanted yokai. You will often see Shinto priests use smoke, or sumo wrestlers use salt in similar ways.

The wild and unruly yokai Tomoe serves as the familiar to Nanami, as well as her loyal guardian. Although he initially mocks Nanami, the handsome and powerful spirit is absolutely loyal to her, with his feelings for her growing throughout the story. Tomoe is a 'kitsune yokai,' or fox spirit. In ancient Japanese folklore, foxes are believed to have magical abilities and to possess intelligence that trumps even humans. The legends of kitsune have changed throughout the ages, often being described as loyal friends to mankind, or as evil and mischievous—all qualities easily seen in the mysterious Tomoe.

Foxes are also said to be able to shapeshift into humans once they reach the age of one hundred. There is an old myth that a beautiful woman traveling alone might actually be a fox in disguise. Supposedly, you could identify kitsune by their overwhelming fear of dogs and inability to hide their tail. Kitsune and kitsune yokai—which Tomoe is—have very different stories in Japanese mythology. As a fox, Tomoe was a servant to the Demon King, but as a spirit, he has come to accept a level of harmony with mankind. This unique take actually explores both sides of the Kitsune mythology quite well, having Tomoe display both extremes at times.

As we enter 2015, you will find many Japanese that practice Shinto beliefs, reflecting back on much of the mythology and traditions that have made Japan the special place it is today. As families make their visits to shrines across the country, there's no better time to immerse yourself in some of Japan's rich folklore and mythology with FUNimation's Kamisama Kiss—all-new episodes of season 2 are simulcasting now at funimation.com/kamisama-kiss. The complete first season is also available on home video, and if you order the Goddess Edition of the complete series, you even get a Tomoe Omamori— which is much like the type of charm you would receive from a real Shinto shrine this time of year. Both the regular edition and Goddess Edition feature DVD and Blu-ray discs, and are on sale for a limited period of time directly at FUNimation.com!