Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Publisher: Kodansha (JP), Dark Horse (U.S)
Artist: Kousuke Fujishima
Serialized in: Afternoon
Translated by: Dana Lewis, Alan Gleason, Toren Smith
Original Release Date: August 11, 2015
In reading Oh My Goddess!, this work that had its anime air on the International Channel when I was 10-13 makes me feel regretful. While it shows in every aspect that it’s a 1980’s creation, its fun premise about an average college kid falling in love with a Goddess through a phone call is way more entertaining than it should be.
Keiichi Morisato is no longer that average kid after he wishes for Goddess Belldandy to be at his beck and call after she called him and claimed she’d grant any wish he desired. After realizing it’s not a joke and she’s really bound to him, they’re kicked out of the male only dorm room. After Keiichi’s friends rejected him staying at their place for “no can do” or creepy reasons, they find themselves taking the space of a monk who decides to give them his temple as he ventures to attain true Buddhism. From there, the romance saga begins.
What first took me aback when reading this was the style. It resembles little of the anime I remember. That’s a me problem, and I quickly paid no mind to as I read more chapters. While it goes for comedy, this is a romance manga that slowly builds into a harem or romance manga instead of shoving the boring male lead into the spotlight. By a good portion of the series, Keiichi and Belldandy kiss. The only debate left is whether or not they are actually a couple, as what currently happens now is the two enjoying each other’s presence, showing moments of affection, but neither actually saying they love each other.
That’s why outside forces conspire to either get them to love each other more — that’d be Belldandy’s sister, Urd — or break them up, which is what Sayoko Mishima tries to do because she’s jealous of Belldandy. We learn exactly how powerful the wish Keiichi asked for in these moments, with powerful force fields sending characters away or unexpected occurrences preventing the two to break up. We should be glad it’s not just that. It’s mostly about a college student hanging out with some interesting bad yet good characters, and trying to survive as an adult, with a goddess who comes to help all the time.
The issues Oh! My Goddess has more to do with time than its overall style. This is definitely dated. You can’t tell by the art, which looks appealing, but by the rough cuts of panels and abrupt character speeches. That’s what separates it from most shounen romance as, this being a seinen title, it stands out for having a somewhat normal relationship even with a goddess as a main character. With more goddesses at play though, the perspective of the story will change from what it currently is now, and that could be an issue then.
That perspective currently — goofy, almost homely, and welcoming — is enjoyable. The characters, from Keiichi’s sister to even a guy who admits he spends a few weeks with girls only to move on to the next, provide some minor endearment thanks to the nature of the story. The stories are all different and not always connected, and though this the personalities of each character makes Oh! My Goddess shine. That’s why, if you’re in need of a different style of romance, you may want to take your chance on this.