Kamichu (DVD and TV version) For fans of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, there is an adorable 16-episode anime on DVD called Kamichu! - Kamisama de Chugakusei that has a similar feel and 'spirit' to it. The story is about a young teenaged girl who becomes a god. The anime is based on a manga series by Hanaharu Naruko which was published in monthly anthology magazine Dengeki Daioh. It was adapted into anime form by Brains Base for Aniplex, the Sony subsidiary that handles Japanese anime and music production. Other notable animes produced by Brains Base include Gunparade Orchestra, Innocent Venus and Shin Getter Robo. Kamichu was broadcast on Sony's anime cable network Animax in Japan and also in South East Asia. For those of you lucky enough to catch it on Hong Kong's Animax channel, you already know what a great show it is. If you missed it, don't worry: Animax will be showing reruns of the show, or you can now buy it on DVD. Four un-aired episodes will also be released on DVD. Kamichu is about a young girl called Yurie, a typical, shy, middle school girl. One day, she announces to her friends that she has become a god. But, unfortunately, she has no idea what type of god she is, or what her powers are. Her friends believe her and come up with a goddess name for her: 'Kamichu', a blend of the Japanese characters for 'God' (Kami) and 'middle school student' (chugakusei). The Shinto spiritual belief system is a major theme in this anime series, and is a big part of the Kamichu's story. Her spiritual growth, and how she views her physical world and the meta-physical world she has has joined, give rise to some interesting questions and problems. In 2005 Kamichu was awarded the Excellence prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival. It's a delightful show that shouldn't be missed.