May 11, 2012
Let me state upfront that there are already several outstanding reviews of this show by other members. I would encourage anyone interested in Kannagi to read them as well.
I however have a different opinion regarding the middle episodes, which have been disparaged by several reviewers, because they seem to wander off topic. I like the ‘slice of life’ genre and it is that aspect of this series which I find so engaging. Rather than write about the entire season, I want to focus on one episode in particular [Specifically episode 7].
Some quick background first. In this show Jin carves a figure of goddess for
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a high school art project. Unknowingly, the wood Jin used was from a scared tree and the goddess [Nagi] takes on human form. Because the sacred tree had been cut down the goddess has no place to return and ends up living in Jin’s home. Other characters include Tsugumi, a childhood friend who lives next door, various members of the art club from his high school, and Nagi’s sister Zange [also a goddess].
Now back to Episode 7, which oddly is an episode where the main character [Nagi] has locked herself in the closest because she is upset with Jin, and focuses on his efforts to coax her out. The episode works well and does so for three reasons: one it is entertaining, two the story is able to keep our attention, and three it very subtly shows keen insight into the nature of relationships between people.
It is entertaining using situational humor and dialog, and while it often pokes at the idiosyncrasies of the main characters, it is able to do so in a way that is neither mean spirited nor degrading. Over the course of the show, the other characters are involved in trying to sooth Nagi’s feeling and coax her out of the closet and while their efforts are both unsuccessful as well as amusing, their concern and their presence is also in itself very endearing.
The craft of storytelling by the writer is impressive: the original offense committed by Jin is not immediately revealed. Slowly, we are able to piece together that Jin had accidentally erased a taped episode of Nagi's favorite anime show before she watched it. Furthermore we learn that the reason Jin erased it was because he was recording a show with cute kittens that he thought Nagi would like, which he did without consulting her.
But it is next part that really is impressive because of its insight on people and their relationships. The shows end with Jin reflecting on his actions and realizing that he had not truly considered her feelings and being able to offer a much more sincere apology. Interestingly, one is left a sense that while Jin has made a step forward, Jin still does not quite completely ‘got it’. Jin is a good person, but Jin had minimized Nagi’s disappoint and hurt because he felt his good intentions were important and should be considered in her reaction to him. In clinging to his self-perception as a ‘good guy’ he behaved poorly, both by being dismissive of Nagi’s feeling and by minimized the harm he had caused, and furthermore he was unaware that it was this behavior more than the original offensive that had left Nagi so angry and frustrated that she had locked herself up in closet.
As a side note I tried to explain this episode to my brother and he could not get it, he too had the “it’s no big deal and she should just get over it” attitude (then again he’s not married).
This is a series that asks a lot of interesting questions and to its credit does not give simple pat solutions. Unfortunately the manga was suspended due the ill health of the author Eri Takenashi. I don’t know if there will ever be a second season or if she will resume the manga. She was fairly young when she wrote it and it may be difficult for her to return to it. In 2010 a spinoff of Kannagi [Kanpachi] was started by her older brother Shinichi Yuhki also a mangaka.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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