Oh My Goddess! Anime Review

Quick Review

• Reviewer: Marc
• Review Date: 2006-08-06
• 4.5 stars out of 5

Oh My Goddess! has long been a fan favorite, and deservedly so--it has to be one of the sweetest anime series ever made. The story has its share of comedy, and dramatic moments too, but the overriding theme is just a good old fashioned so-sweet-your-teeth-hurt romance; you're just not going to find a cuter love comedy anywhere. The character and costume design are lovely, the art a pleasure to look at, and the veteran Japanese voice cast--Belldandy's pleasantly melodic voice in particular--everything you could hope for.

If you would even consider watching a sweet love comedy, this is the one to get.

Read the full-length review...

Full Review

• Reviewer: Marc
• Review Date: 2006-08-06
• 4.5 stars out of 5

Oh My Goddess! has long been a fan favorite, and deservedly so--it has to be one of the sweetest anime series ever made. The story has its share of comedy, and dramatic moments too, but the overriding theme is just a good old fashioned so-sweet-your-teeth-hurt romance; you're just not going to find a cuter love comedy anywhere.

In general, the story is well written and fun, but other than being a rather mellow relative to its more dramatic or comedy-oriented kin, it definitely doesn't tread any new territory in the genre. Oh My Goddess! is categorized as a comedy, and that tends to be the tone--after all, you can't stick three goddesses and a college student in a temple together and not have some pretty funny situations arise, albeit relatively low-key ones. The story also has a comparatively high proportion of drama, although the problems of these lovers tend to be pretty trivial.

The lack of serious drama isn't an issue, though, because the two main characters are just so nice that you get the feeling nothing could pull them apart. Fortunately, the story never goes overboard with the inevitable tense moments. All that applies to the first three parts of the series--in the final two-parter, things take a significantly more dramatic turn (though there are still a few light moments). One thing that surprised me was how well the uncomfortable situations and light drama throughout the series work; it has just enough of a tug at the heartstrings to keep you riveted. The reason for this would probably be the flip side of how cute the main couple is--their relationship is so innocent and sweet that even the minor trials have enough impact to keep things interesting.

But the story isn't what made Oh My Goddess! so popular. As with any super-popular series (including Kousuke Fujishima's other one, You're Under Arrest!), it's the characters that carved a special niche in the hearts of fans. Archetypes though they may be, you've got a great mix of personalities, and you just can't help but like them. I suppose some people might be put off by Urd (though I wasn't), and you might not be the biggest Skuld fan (then again, you might be), but it's almost impossible not to like Belldandy--she's just too sweet and innocent not to love.

The character designs are a treat--clean and attractive. They're based on the manga at the time the series was produced, which (due to Fujishima's art improving) actually look much better than the art at the beginning of the comic. The costumes are also noteworthy--the clothing is stylish and imaginative (true to the original), and is beautifully drawn as well.

Other than the great clothing and character design, the art in the series isn't particularly noteworthy; the backgrounds are generally simple and use soft colors. In fact, the whole series has a kind of sot-focus look to it. It isn't a big deal, but it makes for a distinctive feel, and works well in the flashbacks and the few scenes that take place in the heavens. The animation never gets to flex its proverbial muscles since there isn't much action in the series, but the character animation is smooth, natural, and generally very well done. Overall not the flashiest of series, but a pleasure to look at.

Finally, the voices. The original Japanese dialogue is well cast and features some of the better voice actors in the business. All of the primaries are very well acted, but Kikuko Inoue give's Belldandy's voice a smooth, never-too-perky tone that stands out from the norm. Even the minor characters are well acted, and all the performances are very distinctive; Megumi, for example, is chipper with an ornery little sister edge, and Keiichi's former dormmates are an amusing lot. The subtitles, as expected from AnimEigo, are of uniformly high quality.

Although I have not personally seen the dub, I have it on good authority from someone who actually tried out for the part that the guy who got it couldn't have done a better job. The rest of the casting is also good, with a particularly great performance behind Belldandy's voice.

Summing up, Oh My Goddess! is one of the love comedy classics of anime, and deservedly so. The story is light but not over the top, and has enough drama to keep you interested and involved. The animation is very nice, the character designs and clothing are a joy to look at, and the characters themselves have everything that anime fans love. If you would even consider watching a sweet love comedy, this is the one to get.

Related Recommendations

If you liked this, you'll probably want to give Fujishima's other series, You're Under Arrest!, a try. It's funnier, has more action, and is much lighter on the romance. There are also three other Oh My Goddess anime incarnations: A movie, which is significantly more serious, Adventures of the Mini Goddess, a pure-fluff side-story, and the much newer TV series.