Many anime films have tried to explore the difficulties of being a child who has lost either a family member or something important in their lives Child of Kamiari Month quickly went up on our radar here at Honey’s Anime as it follows a 12-year-old Kanna Hayama who lost her mother but ends up learning that her mom wasn’t just an ordinary woman but the god of footraces. After finding herself losing a marathon and becoming depressed by her dad’s words, Kanna ends up in a slowed-down version of her world where the gods reside and she must now fulfill her destiny as a possible future “idaten”. The story for Child of Kamiari Month intrigued us but does this anime movie have the drive to race past other great anime films like it? Here are our thoughts on Child of Kamiari Month!
Simple Story with a Big Heart
Many will find it hard to not instantly feel emotions from the opening moments of Child of Kamiari Month as we witness a young Kanna run through a forest with her mom. Watching Kanna try to be tough but showing she’s still just a kid is a rather simple story set-up but still works for the overall themes of the movie. Child of Kamiari Month rarely deviates from simple storytelling and attempts at shock value but it makes the story a perfect fit for all ages young and old. Not every anime needs extreme world-building or deep narrative dialogue. Simple sometimes works wonders and for the nearly 2-hour tale of Child of Kamiari Month, this simple tale is fun even if it doesn’t push anime films to their next level.
Great OST
Sound-wise, we adored the OST in Child of Kamiari Month. The subtle tunes and instrumental moments really made Child of Kamiari Month a movie you could just sit and listen to without the characters talking. There are moments where we were more impacted by the subtle tone changes from a happy upbeat adventurous tune to a melodramatic one than when a character talked about their experiences or feelings. We kind of want the OST for Child of Kamiari Month just so we could have a great soundtrack to laze about in bed or when we walk on a nice pathway in the spring.
Not the Most Exciting Main Cast
From the pretty bland main girl Kanna to the simple demon Yasha, Child of Kamiari Month lacks a very powerful cast of characters. Even the gods we meet along Kanna’s journey are all just creatures from reality with slight alterations and never really wowed us. Kanna does have some powerful moments in her search for more information about her mother and her past as a God but we noticed it was a bit hard to really fall in love with this MC. Yasha as well goes too quickly from being a pain in the rear end to an ally/rival and his development lacked any real oomph. Overall, Child of Kamiari Month doesn’t have the best cast but we’re sure there are some people out there that will understand Kanna’s plight and find her easier to get behind. At least there is Shiro who is just downright adorable as a bunny guide.
Cute Ending
Despite the story for Child of Kamiari Month being okay at best, the ending did have us smiling and we swore a few tears began to form. We won’t spoil the ending but seeing what Kanna learned about bonds and about herself was a good life lesson to be seen by many.
Final Thoughts
Child of Kamiari Month doesn’t pave the way for new-age anime films but don’t let that dishearten you. What it lacks, it makes up for with a simple story that anyone who knows loss can understand and the tale still has just enough impact to make viewers feel something when the credits roll. We have noticed a lot of mixed reviews for Child of Kamiari Month but let us say that we think this movie needs a watch as we still had a good time viewing it.
Have you already watched Child of Kamiari Month or plan to watch it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For even more Netflix anime reviews and news keep stuck to our running hive here at Honey’s Anime!
Author: Aaron
