Oh, like you didn’t even comprehend that “Kamisama Kiss” (“Kamisama Hajimemashita”) would have a second season? Really? Let’s look at the closing line from my review of the first season: “And with the coupler end (and a pair of OVAs out there), this show is far from being over.” I win! I win! I….*ahem* Let us proceed.

It’s been about a year since Nanami has taken over the shrine and there is to be a Gathering of the Gods, the Divine Assembly. Think of it like a giant anime convention, but without the vendor’s room. Well, she is the Earth God and needs to go, but there are all kinds of troubles with that. Who is going to ‘mind the store’, as it were? (And that opens the door for some delicious humiliation of Tomoe). Once there, Nanami makes a huge discovery about the Gods: they are a lot of preening prats. There is not a whole lot of god-like behavior from these folks, more like shore leave for a bunch of sailors. It is an amazing arc, as Nanami really grows as a God and her understanding of those around her. Also, that they are not any different than regular people: shirking work, sleeping in late, pigging out, inappropriate actions. Maybe it’s more a political convention, eh? Anyway, this series of adventures (including an excursion into the underworld) takes up half of the season, but it doesn’t feel forced or imposed.

The second half is another longish arc, where she and crew have to go to Mount Kurama and help with an issue there that might divide the Gods. Can’t reveal too much, but it involves Tomoe’s feelings for Nanami and a potential line of succession. A lot of this show is based on Tomoe and his overall feelings. We make discoveries as to why he is the way he is and, potentially, why his previous master, Mikage, left him. We also see Nanami less afraid of being the Earth God, but not losing her sense of humanity. Maybe she can teach these gods a thing or two about being there for people.

As to the ultimate question (“What is going to happen with these two?”), that will have to await the concluding season. Yup, there is going to be a season three to wrap it all up. And for a 12-episode run, it skates along almost too fast.

One point about the artwork. For the second season, they have done something odd with the mouth. You see it on Tomoe there, this bothersome down-line across the bottom lip. For me, it was an annoyance to no end, as it served no purpose, except to annoy me to no end. But that’s a minor beef with an otherwise entertaining show.

On a scale of 1 to 10:

Artwork 7 (Still kinda off and even more so with the new gods)
Plot 8 (Picked up for the second season)
Pacing 8 (Few slack moments)
Effectiveness 7 (Some stretched out scenes)
Conclusion 7 (It reaches a ‘coupler point’, but hasn’t ended)
Fan Service 1 (A similar show would be “Ouran High School”)

Overall 8 (Getting better and better)

And remember, it’s first run until you’ve seen it. Watch it, snake boy!