I simply couldn't resist falling in love with this manga; it's incredibly adorable.
The story is intriguing and original, incorporating elements of Greek mythology that add to its appeal. Initially, I wasn't fond of the art style, but once I got accustomed to it, I found it to be quite beautiful.
The characters are among the best aspects of the manga. Karin undergoes significant development over the 32 chapters, as do the other characters.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend it to those who enjoy cute romance and fantasy manga, as well as to fans of diverse genres.
While the humor was great and I thoroughly enjoyed it, the story was confusing at some parts, and the main goal of the story was never accomplished. Nothing happened to the Himekas. Are they still apart? Are they still sick? Also, the plot was a bit too mature for the art style and age group it was aimed at. There were some characters that seemed unnecessary or poorly introduced, such as Micchi, Ami, Kazusa, along with the butler and the cat (Shi).
The art was good overall, but the art style did not match the maturity level of certain scenes, making them seem less romantic and more creepy or perverted. The disconnect between the art and the storyline made it difficult to fully appreciate the intended emotions in those moments.
Kamichama Karin is a manga series where my opinions often differ.
While there were downsides to this series, it was engaging enough to keep me reading until the final chapters.
Firstly, I read the translated version of the manga, but it still felt somewhat raw. Certain sentences were unclear, and I had to reread them multiple times to grasp their meaning.
Second, there were inconsistencies. For instance, when Kazune destroyed Kirio's ring, Kirio had to attempt kidnapping Yuki to obtain Zeus' ring's power. However, he could have simply worn the ring himself without going through the trouble of proposing to Karin, who wasn't even meant to have it.
Third, the fight scenes seemed to conclude too quickly. It felt like both parties only needed one swift blow before the opponent fell to the ground. This could also suggest that Kazune was too weak to prolong the fights.
My fourth and final criticism is that both Kazune and Karin appear too young for kissing in dark places.
However, there are positive aspects as well. The series was exciting, and I finished it in less than a week, eagerly anticipating what would happen next at the end of each chapter. The ending was satisfactory, and the overall plot seemed well thought out. Despite its flaws, it still appeals to my taste, so if you're interested in a story about a female Kami-sama, I recommend giving it a read.
Kamichama Karin does one thing perfectly—making you read it again and again even though you know the story isn't that great.
The story revolves around a young girl named Karin Hanazono. In the beginning, she is a girl who is no good at sports or school, lives with her mean aunt, and has really no talents except for self-pity. Both her parents died, and her cat Shi-chan just passed away. Then she meets a handsome boy while visiting her cat's grave. His words to her are: "What are you doing, stupid? Stop crying. You'll catch a cold if you stay out here, stupid girl. Girls are so stupid..." What does little miss Karin do? *punches boy repeatedly*
Then she meets a lovely young lady named Himeka Kojou. She hangs around with her, gets her makeup done by Himeka, and then a handsome young boy comes by. Himeka states that this boy is Kazune Kojou—her cousin—and the very same boy that called her stupid a while back. Later, Karin finds out that the ring on her hand that her dead mother gave her as a present can make her transform into a... GODDESS!
And our story begins.
The thing with Kamichama Karin is that it is extremely confusing and not very well planned. Koge-Donbo* has a bunch of ideas in the story—but none of the questions get answered. Some in CHU (the second series of Kamikarin) but other than that, none others. Also, it could be very serious and then come to a seriously unserious note, such as a joke or guy-guy kiss that gets all the girls startled.
The art is perfection—much to expect from Koge-donbo*'s brilliant artwork. And the characters are nicely laid out too. Sometimes they also are not what they seem AT ALL. And you'll be saying WTF about every five minutes with this one. The enjoyment is... well, I enjoyed this one a lot, being one of the first manga I ever read. Who couldn't resist? A little girl who turns into a goddess, saying I AM GOD!!! every time she transforms, yaoi-ness once in a while, comedy, romance, even gender-bending. Kamichama Karin has something for everyone.
After thoroughly enjoying Pita Ten, I was eager to explore more of Koge Donbo's original works, so naturally, I picked up Kamichama Karin. It started with all the best intentions—a whimsically quirky magical girl adventure. However, dear reader, it gradually fell apart until there was nothing left to enjoy.
Kamichama's most significant flaws stem from its story. While the offbeat humor fits well in the initial volumes, it becomes increasingly inappropriate as a more serious plot unfolds. The characters' antics and slapstick humor feel particularly out of place during the climactic volume, leading me to wonder if it was part of Donbo-san's contract to include jokes in every chapter.
But that's minor compared to where things really went wrong. Koge Donbo seemed to forget how to write a plot twist. More specifically, they forgot until the final chapter and then crammed 20 twists into four pages without any consequences or significance to the story. This defied the established realism and was simply too much to swallow. Despite the good buildup and intriguing longevity, the last chapter was enough to rate the story a 4.
The characters were not much better. Karin was fun for a few chapters, but she never grew beyond being a ditzy character. She is constantly irritating, has an annoying way of speaking, and generally has no redeeming qualities. Instead of being a main character, she is portrayed as a love interest whose only abilities are to be ditzy, cute, and eventually win her man. Seriously, she does nothing else.
Other characters were either incredibly flat, completely unbelievable, or demanded more time be spent on them. Villains sometimes receive gravitas, but most conflicts are treated as jokes. The characters are supposed to be in mortal danger, yet there is never a sense of urgency in their fights. The only redeemable character was Kirika, who offered some depth and a compassionate role, a drastic change from the rest of the one-dimensional cast.
One might assume that Koge Donbo's adorably cute artwork would save this series. From the first volume alone, you'd be correct. Her trademark style fits well with the story she's telling, even though her SD-drawing hasn't improved from her previous work. Everything goes smoothly until the series reaches its final stretch, at which point the art quality takes a drastic nosedive, looking like an amateur doujinshi artist trying to copy the mangaka's style. It's embarrassing that such consistently wonderful A-ranked art could deteriorate so drastically.
To be fair, I didn't entirely hate Kamichama Karin. The ending was horrible, and while there's a sequel, after the mess in the final chapters, I doubt I can bring myself to read it. For what it's worth, Koge Donbo sets up a fantastic story. It's not too dark, has a good amount of humor, and comes together nicely, but the rushed finale and lack of gravitas in dramatic moments bring the whole thing down more than I would have liked. If you're a fan of magical girl stories, I'd recommend giving it a try, but don't expect too much, especially from the ending.
Overall, I give Kamichama Karin a 5 out of 10.
This is my very first review, so here goes.
Kamichama Karin is undoubtedly one of the cutest manga ever. Every time I read it, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh my, how adorable!"
The standout feature of this manga is clearly the charming character designs. Koge Donbo's artwork is simply outstanding. My favorite character is, without a doubt, Karin Hanazono. She’s full of energy and, of course, utterly adorable.
As for weaknesses, there aren't many to mention.
I was able to follow the storyline, which eventually led to a surprising revelation that I won’t spoil unless you read the manga yourself.
Overall, this manga is thoroughly enjoyable and stands out as one of the best magical girl series.
An incredibly adorable anime with no harsh language and charming illustrations. I appreciate how the characters' emotions are transparent to the reader. Reading this playful manga is like being caught in a whirlwind of fun. It's even more enjoyable to watch "Mr. Glasses-Guy" get his butt kicked.
Popular Reviews
I simply couldn't resist falling in love with this manga; it's incredibly adorable.
The story is intriguing and original, incorporating elements of Greek mythology that add to its appeal. Initially, I wasn't fond of the art style, but once I got accustomed to it, I found it to be quite beautiful.
The characters are among the best aspects of the manga. Karin undergoes significant development over the 32 chapters, as do the other characters.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend it to those who enjoy cute romance and fantasy manga, as well as to fans of diverse genres.
Kamichama Karin is a manga series where my opinions often differ.
While there were downsides to this series, it was engaging enough to keep me reading until the final chapters.
Firstly, I read the translated version of the manga, but it still felt somewhat raw. Certain sentences were unclear, and I had to reread them multiple times to grasp their meaning.
Second, there were inconsistencies. For instance, when Kazune destroyed Kirio's ring, Kirio had to attempt kidnapping Yuki to obtain Zeus' ring's power. However, he could have simply worn the ring himself without going through the trouble of proposing to Karin, who wasn't even meant to have it.
Third, the fight scenes seemed to conclude too quickly. It felt like both parties only needed one swift blow before the opponent fell to the ground. This could also suggest that Kazune was too weak to prolong the fights.
My fourth and final criticism is that both Kazune and Karin appear too young for kissing in dark places.
However, there are positive aspects as well. The series was exciting, and I finished it in less than a week, eagerly anticipating what would happen next at the end of each chapter. The ending was satisfactory, and the overall plot seemed well thought out. Despite its flaws, it still appeals to my taste, so if you're interested in a story about a female Kami-sama, I recommend giving it a read.
Kamichama Karin does one thing perfectly—making you read it again and again even though you know the story isn't that great.
The story revolves around a young girl named Karin Hanazono. In the beginning, she is a girl who is no good at sports or school, lives with her mean aunt, and has really no talents except for self-pity. Both her parents died, and her cat Shi-chan just passed away. Then she meets a handsome boy while visiting her cat's grave. His words to her are: "What are you doing, stupid? Stop crying. You'll catch a cold if you stay out here, stupid girl. Girls are so stupid..." What does little miss Karin do? *punches boy repeatedly*
Then she meets a lovely young lady named Himeka Kojou. She hangs around with her, gets her makeup done by Himeka, and then a handsome young boy comes by. Himeka states that this boy is Kazune Kojou—her cousin—and the very same boy that called her stupid a while back. Later, Karin finds out that the ring on her hand that her dead mother gave her as a present can make her transform into a... GODDESS!
And our story begins.
The thing with Kamichama Karin is that it is extremely confusing and not very well planned. Koge-Donbo* has a bunch of ideas in the story—but none of the questions get answered. Some in CHU (the second series of Kamikarin) but other than that, none others. Also, it could be very serious and then come to a seriously unserious note, such as a joke or guy-guy kiss that gets all the girls startled.
The art is perfection—much to expect from Koge-donbo*'s brilliant artwork. And the characters are nicely laid out too. Sometimes they also are not what they seem AT ALL. And you'll be saying WTF about every five minutes with this one. The enjoyment is... well, I enjoyed this one a lot, being one of the first manga I ever read. Who couldn't resist? A little girl who turns into a goddess, saying I AM GOD!!! every time she transforms, yaoi-ness once in a while, comedy, romance, even gender-bending. Kamichama Karin has something for everyone.
This is my very first review, so here goes.
Kamichama Karin is undoubtedly one of the cutest manga ever. Every time I read it, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh my, how adorable!"
The standout feature of this manga is clearly the charming character designs. Koge Donbo's artwork is simply outstanding. My favorite character is, without a doubt, Karin Hanazono. She’s full of energy and, of course, utterly adorable.
As for weaknesses, there aren't many to mention.
I was able to follow the storyline, which eventually led to a surprising revelation that I won’t spoil unless you read the manga yourself.
Overall, this manga is thoroughly enjoyable and stands out as one of the best magical girl series.
An incredibly adorable anime with no harsh language and charming illustrations. I appreciate how the characters' emotions are transparent to the reader. Reading this playful manga is like being caught in a whirlwind of fun. It's even more enjoyable to watch "Mr. Glasses-Guy" get his butt kicked.