Kamisama no Ekohiiki (2022)

Definitely a MUST-WATCH

Let me start by saying that I’m not a fan of gender-bender/body-swap stories (I think The Shipper traumatized me for a lifetime), but having read the manga beforehand made me anticipate this particular drama.

The main character is Yashiro who’s crushing on childhood friend Kenta, he gathers the courage to confess but Kenta turns him down, trying to maintain their longtime friendship. Suddenly tragedy strikes (insert Truck of Doom’s cameo) and Yashiro is visited by the god of the local shrine who grants him a wish and Yashiro, in all his heartbroken innocence wish to be reborn as a high school girl to have a second chance with Kenta. So Yashiro transforms in the round-eyed lovely Kagura and thus begins his story.

While at first the main plot seems to be Yashiro’s journey to win his friend heart while in Kagura’s body, soon the story begins to unfold and instead the drama focuses in how Yashiro’s choice start to change not only his life but that of his friends also. So much of this drama is about putting oneself in others shoes and showing how this young group of friends try to navigate between new feelings and situations, making sense of everything and trying their best to experience love and show kindness. So despite the fantasy genre, the characters, their motivations and actions are credible and so so relatable.

Beyond a doubt, my favorite thing about this drama are the deep friendships between the main characters.

Speaking of our main characters:

I love Yashiro, he’s everything I love about a protagonist: vulnerable but resilient, so open in his affections and honest to a fault. Clearly, the fact that he wished to become a girl just to be with the boy he like suggests that he doesn't have the right place every Friday ...but I loved him for that too.

Although his wish should’ve made it “easier” for him to develop a relationship with Kenta, life rarely goes as planned and relationships are complicated and messy, so soon his resolution to make Kenta fall in love with him takes a back seat while he deals with all the unintended consequences of his wish, and he does it with a kindness and aplomb rarely seem in someone his age.

Kenta, on the other hand, is charming and outgoing, but surprisingly mature and levelheaded. Even from the start it’s obvious that he values his friendship with Yashiro above all else but it takes a while to sort himself out about the extent of his feelings. So, part of the drama is about the progression on Kenta’s part to ponder and realize his feelings for Yashiro, but even when the realization that he could gave everything up except for Yashiro hits him, this doesn’t mean the end of his struggles. Because even if he’s ready to admit that Kagura IS Yashiro indeed, he isn’t the Yashiro he knew all his life and then grew to love, and he’s not going to settle down with her, easier as it might be.

Rin is this happy-go-lucky kind of girl and initially you think she gonna be the typical ex-girlfriend ready to drive a wedge between the main leads (and she kinda does but not in the way you’d imagine lol); but in the end, I just sincerely wanted her to find love and happiness again.

Late comer, Kagura, was harder to figure out. At first she seems perfectly happy with the whole body-swap situation, but soon is evident that she’s struggling with her own feelings and insecurities. Fortunately our main trio gives her a kind of safe place for her to deal with her own issues.

All in all, I've really enjoyed this little gem of a drama. It wasn't perfect but the combination of refreshing characters and poignant moments, with an honest exploration of identity and sexuality, made this drama an incredible experience

In conclusion, do watch Kamisama no Ekohiiki even if it’s not your genre, just watch the first episode and you’ll be hooked.

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Kamisama no ekohiiki (God’s favour) based on the manga adaptation by Komura Ayumi, delves into the physical and psychological experience of a body swap genre. The eight-episode series is not your usual body swap rom-com drama. It goes beyond and makes the audience question what it truly means to love someone and what it means to be our authentic selves.


Story:

The other day, I had finished reading the manga source during the series airing. In terms of story structure, I believe screenwriter, Kitagawa did a brilliant job refining the manga source to develop a more dimensional layer to the series character's including Kagura and Rin. While it changes the characters' arc, it does not deviate too much from its original story.

What makes the series stand out from previous body swaps is that it puts us in the perspective of these characters. Most of the time characters are portrayed to be sure about their attraction toward another. However, in this series, everyone is questioning themselves. The common saying “In any shape or form, I will always love you.” Is an ideal thought which is challenged by the complexity of attraction and self-identity. The series explores questions such as “Can we still love the same person regardless of appearance?" or “Can we only love the person because it is their body and soul alone?." The series scenario becomes intriguing as the impulsive requests of Yashiro and Kagura impact not only themselves but everyone around them.

Usually, Japanese dramas tend to have a maximum of twenty to thirty-minute duration; however, this series has over forty minutes. Therefore, it helped the story pacing and created more room for additional scenes, especially with supporting characters (e.g. parents). The series does little to spend on fillers and unnecessary drama, which increased my interest. However, a minor rushed pacing in the last one-hour episode. While it tried to stay true to the manga chapters' order, it could have been a little more refined in the editing process.

Acting/Cast:

The majority of the main cast are aged close to their respective characters bringing an authentic touch to the series. In terms of character casting, Fujiwara fits the cheerful and lively energy of Yashiro. Kubozuka added the outspoken personality and charisma of Kenta. Arai gave the confident and assuring nature of Rin. While Sakurada’s character, Kagura is one dimensional in the manga, she conveyed the troubled mind of Kagura very well.

Both Fujiwara and Sakurada had a convincing performance playing their body swap personalities. I noticed in casual conversation scenes their mannerism from the way they sit and carry themselves plays an interestingly fun touch to their portrayal. There are moments when the actors do perform in an over-the-top manner, especially the voice changes. However, the actors nailed the emotional scenes.

The chemistry of all the characters was fantastic. I believe the portrayal and direction of Yashiro and Kenta’s bond were more impactful in the series. The backstory scenes build a stronger image of friendship which made me root for the two characters compared to the manga. Without adding spoilers, Kubozuka’s performance strongly shined in one specific episode. Arai as Rin did a brilliant job expressing conflicting emotions of yearning masked by her supportive nature of Kagura. Sakurada and Arai's brilliant chemistry helped build the unrequited/friendship bond between Rin and Kagura fairly quickly in the series.

The portrayal of Kami-sama by Furukawa is slightly toned down compared to his cartoonish personality in the manga. I believe it's a great writing decision as adapting a manga character to live-action can come with challenges to seeing the character in a serious light. The series added some dialogue in later episodes which can spark inspiration in the audience. Shida had a believable performance as Ukon, and I appreciated how the series gave her more involvement than her manga character.

Music:

Warner Bros Japan and Koyama conveyed a soothing track that compliments the natural green scenery and brings a hint of the traditional Japanese period. Innocent by Keina Suda gives an energetically modern vibe to the opening sequence.

Rewatch Value:

I believe it's a nice binge that carefully explores sensitive topics of coming of age in a fun yet somewhat realistic light. As mentioned before, it’s refreshing to see a rom-com supernatural drama where characters lift each other rather than having them be each other's obstacles. This could apply to most love triangle related dramas. From the popularity, it has received on Tik Tok and other social media platforms, I believe the series would have been reacted to and widely enjoyed by overseas audiences.

Overall, the series focus on the character's search for self-acceptance can be applied to any audience. We may sometimes desire to be someone else, to gain approval from others or ourselves. Kami-sama no ekohiiki shows that we can overcome our struggles and learn to accept ourselves moving forward.

If you are looking for a short body swap series with a twist, I would recommend this drama series. It's also not explicit as the manga, which can be watchable for an audience who may not usually be a fan of LGBT or BL related films/series.

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