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Kamigami no Ki – Chronicles of the Gods

Year:

2016-2017

Running time:

3 mn

Number of Seasons:

1

Episodes:

16

Genre:

Animation, Adventure, Historical, Anime web series

Nationality:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Platform:

Director:

Toshiyuki Morikawa

Producer:

Screenwriter/s:

Toshiyuki Morikawa, Tommy Hino

Cast:

Other websites:

Trailer:

Summary
In 3000 BC, Bastet, Anubis, Ra and ‘Medjedo’ are taken care of by two humans, Iabi and Aheku as they get up to mischief and embark on adventures. The show is predominantly internet based and is directed and voiced by Toshiyuki Morikawa.
Iabi and Akehu undertaking their mummification duties (left) and Ra picking up Medjed and taking him into battle (right) (Screenshot by author)
Ra sat on top of a pyramid, watching over the Egyptian landscape (left) and Ra emitting a bright light from the solar disc he wears on his head (right) (Screenshot by author)
Medjed preparing to eat the heart of a deceased person awaiting mummification (left) and the ‘Fact Card’ featured as part of the first episode that describes Medjed (right) (Screenshot by author)
Bastet sleeping on a tree branch (left) and Iabi and Akehu struggling to swim in the flooded landcaspe as a mummy floats by (right) (Screenshot by author)
Egyptomania narratives or motifs
The intro music is designed in such a way as to invoke a sense of ancient Egypt, through the use of Arabic style music. Accompanying the music are pop-lyrics listing the God characters of the show: Medjed, Bastet, Ra and Anubis.
The intro then moves across a papyrus style scene, reminiscent of the Book of the Dead, in which characters and Gods are shown to go about their daily life, whilst the voice over states:

"Around 3000 BC, somewhere near the Nile in Egypt, there was a very prosperous civilisation and there were deities".

The landscape of the show features pyramids and half buried statues, palm trees and day-to-day living spaces in the form of small, simple houses made of stone.
As the first short episode of the series opens, we are introduced to Iabi and Aheku, who are in charge of mummification. Iabi then announces that he has become the "servant of the deities".
It is at this point that we are introduced to our first God: Medjed.
In most Japanese depictions of Medjed, the deity is presented as a "cute’", "clumsy" and harmless character (eg, in the anime series Oh Suddenly, Egyptian God (see TV Series in the Egypopcult Database), Medjed often finds himself in trouble for accidentally shooting laser beams from his eyes.) In Kamigami no Ki, however, he takes on a more sinister role. Morikawa’s depiction of the minor-deity Medjed is as a blood-sucking, vampiric type creature who presides over mummification, and in order to retain his favour, Iabi and Aheku must provide him with a constant supply of human hearts to feast upon.
At the end of each mini-episode, we are introduced to each God, and are presented with a brief "fact sheet" as part of the "files of the deities". Medjed’s example is as follows:

"Medjed: an enigmatic deity in Egyptian mythology. Invisible. Is said to eat the heart".

Baset is introduced in the second available episode. Iabi and Aheku are thinking about cake and are looking out over a barren field with no hope of a harvest in sight. Above them is Bastet, resting peacefully on a tree branch, depicted as a small cat washing herself. She appears to be in the form of a pet cat, rather than a powerful deity, whose sleeping habits prevent her from acting on the wishes of her human servants correctly. When they wish for rain, Bastet sleepily grants the wish, and it begins to pour, flooding the land until the rain becomes so heavy that both men are struggling to swim and a mummy floats by. They ask Bastet to stop the rain, but it begins to snow instead. The short episode ends with Iabi and Aheku stating: "Merry Christmas".
In the third available episode, it is Halloween. Medjed is assisting in Halloween decorations and is visibly tired, using his a "beam gun" from his eyes to carve pumpkins. They intend to sell the pumpkins to become rich. However, it appears that Halloween is over. Medjed becomes frustrated and blasts his ray guns into the face of Aheku.
In the fourth available episode, we meet Ra, depicted as a small bird with a good nature who wishes to help the characters of the show. Iabi and Aheku have brought a parcel of food to sit and have a picnic but when they unwrap it, it is frozen. Ra watches from a rooftop and upon seeing how sad the two men are, he emits a blinding light from his headpiece (which appears to be a form of solar disc). At first, Iabi and Aheku appear to be afraid by this, but they realise that Ra has cooked their meal for them so that they could enjoy their picnic.
In the fifth available episode, soldiers are preparing for war in order to "own the fertile soil of the Nile". Ra, watching from the top of a pyramid, flies away and scoops up Medjed, and uses his laser beams to destroy the army. Meanwhile, Iabi and Aheku remain in the village undertaking their mummification duties, unaware of the battle of the Gods.

Author: Michelle Keeley-Adamson

Other information
Salvador, R.B. 2017. Medjed: from Ancient Egypt to Japanese Pop Culture. Journal of Geek Studies 4(2): 18-19.
Open access
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