Kurusugawa HimekoPlease note the SPOILER warning, many key elements and developments of the anime, Kannaduki no Miko are revealed in the following paragraphs, do not continue reading if you do not want to know the various plot twists.
Kannaduki no Miko - Episode 1: A distant land
The show starts with a narrative that introduces an element of mythology and mystery by mentioning that there is a shrine on the moon no one knows about. This leads to life in the sleepy village of Mahoroba , where we see Kurusugawa Himeko woken up by a perky Saotome Makoto.
Kurusugawa Himeko
Saotome Makoto
Himeko appears to be rather tardy and clumsy, as well as soft-spoken and shy, in direct contrast to Makoto’s confident and cheerful demeanour. We also get blatant fanservice as Makoto playfully rushes Himeko to get ready for school by taking photos of her in various states of undress.
The girls arrive at Ototachibana Academy and Makoto races up the long flight of stairs to the entrance and calls for the blond to hurry. Himeko tries to get pass a group of students but they ignore her and continue to slowly make their way up the stairs while talking animated about the upcoming birthday party for Chikane, the most admired girl in school and the pride of the academy. A girl comes up from behind to join in the conversation and carelessly brushes Himeko aside.
Himeko loses her footing and falls backwards. Makoto cries out in alarm but is too far to prevent a nasty fall down the long steep flight of stairs. Suddenly Himeko’s hand is grabbed and she is pulled into the safe embrace of none other than the lovely Chikane.
And so we see the first of many clichés, this is the classic damsel in distress being swept off her feet by a suave saviour. And God help me, but this was the moment I started paying attention to the show. Nothing beats a healthy dose of melodrama and this scene showed me that this anime had guts. It was willing to go all the way to entertain with pure drama but did not cross the line into cheesiness. The anime managing to pull off this scene grabbed my attention like nothing else could.
There is an uproar as the surrounding students register Chikane standing in their midst and they exclaim in awe at being in her august presence, as well as outrage at her holding a nobody in her arms (amusing to hear “Miya-sama! You’re so beautiful! Who is that girl?!” in the same breath. Note that everyone addresses Chikane as “Miya-sama”, a shortened version of her family name with the deeply deferential honorific attached).
Chikane ignores everyone else as she asks the little blond in her arms if she is hurt. Himeko is flustered and jumps back, bowing and stammering her thanks. She bends down to pick up Chikane’s bag, which she dropped in her haste to help Himeko, dusts it off and hands it to the other girl, apologising and barely daring to raise her head. Chikane gently smiles, takes the bag and greets Himeko by her family name as she gracefully ascends the stairs, leaving behind a flushed and delighted Himeko (i t is a little surprising that Chikane would know Himeko’s name).
Back in class, Makoto teases Himeko about being hugged by Chikane and expresses envy at her luck. When Himeko downplays the whole encounter, Makoto launches into a speech expounding the virtues of Chikane ( helpful since it will reveal why she is so revered).
We learn that she is a veritable paragon, full name Himemiya Chikane, born into one of the most ancient and honoured aristocratic families, her family is incredibly wealthy, she is beautiful, a brilliant student, an outstanding athlete, a talented musician and a refined socialite who accomplishes every endeavour with exceptional grace and beauty, which is only rivalled by her compassion and kindness (such earnest overkill that it is kind of endearing even if it is another cliché, here we have the perfect woman and the anime makes no bones about how great she is).
Himemiya Chikane
As if that is not enough, Makoto does not hesitate to add that she receives DAILY proposals and love letters from numerous esteemed individuals , which I will not bother to list, but is it pointed out with relish that the offers come from both genders (I just love how blatant they are). Makoto goes on to say that the only person who even comes close to be worthy of Chikane is Oogami Souma.
Oogami Souma
Also known as Jin-sama (due to the kanji pronunciation of his shortened family name and of course the deferential honorific he shares with Chikane), he is another high profile student at Ototachibana Academy . He comes from a noble family, excels in both studies and sports and as the only person remotely in the same league as Chikane, the school is rife with rumours of the two being a couple. But note that Chikane occupies an almost sacred status that even Souma cannot touch.
We leave the classroom and see that Makoto and Himeko have joined a crowd of students watching Chikane and Souma in a tennis match. The easy interaction between the two, fuel the rumours that they are dating.
When Makoto gets called away, Himeko turns her attention to the two tennis players and smiles dreamily as she recalls Chikane’s words during their earlier encounter. Just before she departed, Chikane uttered what sounds like an invitation to meet in the rose garden at noon .
While various students carrying bentos search the school and wonder plaintively where Chikane always disappears to for lunch, Himeko ducks under a rose briar and pops up in a secluded little garden, hidden from the rest of the school by the tall surrounding hedge. Himeko gasps at the lovely sight of Chikane seated gracefully on the ground and she immediately snaps a picture when invited to proceed.
As the two girls eat lunch together, we see that they are friends, emphasised by the familiar way Himeko addresses the other girl, by the use of her first name with the diminutive –chan (the reason for keeping their friendship a secret escapes me).
When Himeko wonders aloud why a busy and sought after individual such as Chikane wants to have lunch with her, Chikane states that it is because lunch is the only time she can get away from her many commitments to be alone with Himeko. We witness a surprising hint of insecurity when Chikane offers to stop meeting for lunch if it bothers Himeko (seems like these meetings were initiated by Chikane). However, Himeko protests profusely that she enjoys the lunches and Chikane stops her protestations by softly saying her name and then offering a cup of tea.
The way they address each other is very telling, Himeko uses Chikane-chan instead of the commonly used Miya-sama and Chikane uses just “Himeko”, first name with no honorific, which is considered rude unless the two have a close personal relationship. It is also surprising to see Chikane preparing a cup of English milk tea for Himeko, a rather subservient action that an aristocrat such as Chikane will probably not have the occasion or inclination to perform for anyone other than herself, unless it is a formal tea ceremony.
As they drink their tea, Himeko comments that she only asked Chikane that question because Chikane is so good at everything that she is like a princess and so out of her league. Chikane gazes up into the sky pensively and denies it as melancholy music plays in the background (seems like being thought of as flawless pains Chikane) .
Himeko is presented with a birthday party invitation. Himeko protests that she already got her invitation along with the rest of the school, but Chikane says that this is different from the grand formal party her family hosts. This party is only for the two of them and Himeko gladly accepts.
We leave the garden and see Himeko running for the bus but fail to catch it. A motorcyclist pulls up beside her and the helmet is pulled off to reveal the other celebrity of Ototachibana Academy , Oogami Souma. He addresses her in a familiar manner but what is more surprising is that she does the same. He calls her by her family name, but no honorific, Himeko calls him by his family name too but with a –kun (used to address a male who is considered a peer or junior).
Souma gives Himeko a ride to the mall, and we flashback to a time when they were kids and little Souma was giving little Himeko a ride on his bicycle. Souma thinks to himself that as long as Himeko is able to smile so happily, then he feels like he can go all the way to the moon. He felt that way when they were kids and he still feels the same way.
No wonder they are so chummy, they knew each other from such a long time back, probably before Souma became so popular. So here we have the two most celebrated youngsters seeking Himeko out, an ordinary girl of little consequence, two clichés at once, royalty entranced by a commoner and a possible love triangle.
Souma helps Himeko pick out a birthday present for Chikane and sends her back to the dormitory. He makes a date to celebrate her birthday the next day and leaves before Himeko has a chance to tell him that she already promised to go to Chikane’s private party on the same day, since they share the same birthday.
Meanwhile, Chikane fusses over her attire for the party and her maid, Otoha, expresses surprise at Chikane’s rare concern over her appearance. Chikane says this party is different, just thinking about it makes her heart ache.
Otoha
We cut to Souma at home, where Souma is planning to reveal his feelings to Himeko on her birthday with his brother Kazuki giving him inexpert advice. As Kazuki leaves Souma to his nerves, he broods on things to come (he seems to be aware of some imminent event. Also we see that both Chikane and Souma are planning on making the next day a special one with Himeko) .
Oogami Kazuki
Back at the dormitory, Himeko happily admires the photographs she took of Chikane and thinks about how beautiful, talented and splendid Chikane is. She smiles blissfully at her fortune at having met Chikane and becoming her friend.
On the morning of their sixteenth birthday, all hell breaks loose. The sky is eclipsed in total darkness and a male voice commands all followers of Orochi to awake and kill the Solar and Lunar Priestesses. We see seven people answering the call, including Souma. Kazuki and his assistant, Yukihito, watch in horror as Souma goes berserk.
Yukihito
A huge rock hovers right over the middle of the town and people run in panic. Makoto and Himeko escape from their dormitory but Himeko runs back to retrieve Chikane’s birthday present. Souma releases a monster from the rock and the explosion destroys part of the town and the monster continues the ravaging in its search for the priestesses and ends up capturing Himeko from her dormitory.
Chikane somehow senses that Himeko is in danger and rides to her rescue on a horse (oh did I fail to mention that she is an accomplished equestrian too?) carrying her bow and quiver (archery is one of her many sports) but her arrows have no effect on the monster. She screams Himeko’s name and Souma finally registers that his monster is holding an unconscious Himeko in the palm of its hand.
A female voice calls out for the priestesses to awaken we see scenes of Chikane and Himeko in religious garb, a shining white gate frame on a distant planet, a golden mech erupting from the ground, an incandescent red robed figure, a masked and blood splattered purple robed figure holding a sword. A solar symbol appears on Himeko’s chest and Souma screams as light pours from the symbol and he battles the dark energy within himself.
The monster drops a still unconscious Himeko and Chikane leaps, grabs her in the air and cushions her fall. Chikane tries to wake Himeko and realises that her heartbeat is very weak. She hesitates a moment before apologising and then tentatively trying to revive her heartbeat (blatant fanservice here since there was no real need to unbutton Himeko’s shirt, but we get a cute blushing Chikane out of it).
Miyako, another awakened Orochi follower, appears on the scene in a huge sinister looking robot. She has come to finish the job and Chikane shields Himeko with her body as Miyako’s mech fires at them.
Souma manages to gain control over the dark energy in him and his monster steps in between Miyako and the two girls, shedding its rags to reveal that it is a robot too and deflects the blast away from Himeko and Chikane. Miyako is shocked and incensed at Souma’s betrayal, as he forcefully states that he is not Orochi’s pawn but Oogami Souma (sounds corny I know, but the earnest voice acting and dramatic visuals makes it almost impressive) .
Miyako
What follows is the most unbelievable sequence of scenes yet.
Chikane sees the solar symbol on Himeko’s chest and an image of a smiling Himeko in red robes flash in her mind. While the two mechs battle fiercely in the background, Chikane cradles Himeko and tenderly implores her to wake up.
Souma gets angry at being forced to harm Himeko and really whales on the other mech, the whole time cursing the Orochi loudly. As Souma readies his attack, Chikane shuts her eyes and slowly leans in close to Himeko.
Souma shouts out his attack and Himeko slowly opens her eyes. With her eyes still closed, Chikane murmurs “Happy Birthday” and kisses Himeko full on the lips, just as Souma unleashes his attack on the mech and yells Himeko’s name.
Himeko’s eyes widen in disbelief at the kiss but then we see that she decides not to react as her eyes slowly close again. Souma destroys the other mech and a robotic bird rescues Miyako just before her mech disappears in a bright beam of light.
Souma swears an oath to fight the Orochi and protect Himeko. So full of conviction and determination but also completely oblivious to the kiss that Chikane and Himeko are sharing at that exact moment (right in front of his mech too, I might add).
I never thought I would see so many wildly disparate themes in one anime and all of this happened in the first episode! That whole last segment, it defies description, as the catchy ending song (Agony performed by Kotoko) came on, I was left contemplating the images that just raced before my eyes and could not help but laugh in amazement that they even thought of doing something like that, much less managed to pull it off.
The stage is set for more than just a love triangle, the prince and princess look ready to fight for the heart of the helpless damsel, who will she choose? Souma literally battles his demons and won, while Chikane fought to control her desire and lost. However, Chikane covertly declared her feelings by stealing a kiss from an unresisting Himeko, who is unmindful of Souma’s vow to protect her and furthermore, he never got the chance to reveal his feelings, as he originally intended. So who really won this round?
Throw in a few robots, some ancient mythology, arresting layered characters with latent powers, complex relationships, interesting villains, wacky storyline and subplots, and we have a show that breaks all the rules and while barely escaping being totally tacky at times, I could not wait to watch more.