Oh My Goddess!

Oh My Goddess!

Company type	Manga series
Industry	Manga, Anime, Merchandise
Founded	September 1988 (1988-09)
Founder	Kōsuke Fujishima
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Manga, anime (OVA, TV series, film), video games, light novel, merchandise
Parent	Kodansha (publisher)

, occasionally titled Ah! My Goddess! in certain editions, is a Japanese manga series created by Kōsuke Fujishima. It was published in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon from September 1988 through April 2014, culminating in 48 volumes. The narrative centers on college sophomore Keiichi Morisato and the goddess Belldandy, who takes up residence with him at a Buddhist temple. When Belldandy’s sisters, Urd and Skuld, join their household, they encounter gods, demons, and supernatural phenomena while Keiichi and Belldandy’s relationship deepens. The English-language rights to the manga are held by Dark Horse Comics.

This franchise encompasses an original video animation (OVA) produced by Anime International Company (AIC), an anime television series broadcast between 2005 and 2006, two further OVAs, and a feature film. Additionally, another anime adaptation was developed by OLM, Inc.. The brand has generated a wide array of merchandise, including video games and a light novel. Licensing for the OVA was managed by AnimEigo, the film rights were acquired by Geneon Entertainment, and various TV series licenses have been held by Media Blasters, ADV Films, and Funimation.

By June 2020, the manga had surpassed 25 million copies in circulation, placing it among the top-selling manga series. In 2009, Oh My Goddess! received the 33rd Kodansha Manga Award in the general category.

Plot

Keiichi Morisato, a university sophomore, inadvertently reaches the Goddess Help Line. The goddess Belldandy appears before him, revealing she has been dispatched to grant a single wish. Believing it to be a joke, he wishes for her to remain with him permanently, a request that is immediately fulfilled.

Since living together is prohibited in his male-only dormitory, they relocate to an old Buddhist temple. Their stay is extended indefinitely after the resident monk departs on a pilgrimage to India, impressed by Belldandy’s virtuous nature. Life grows more complicated when her sisters Urd and Skuld move in, sparking numerous adventures as Keiichi and Belldandy’s bond evolves.

Setting

The universe of Oh My Goddess! is inspired by Celtic/Norse Mythology, comprising three realms: Heaven (Valhalla), Hell (Niflheim), and Earth. Heaven is inhabited by the All Mighty and goddesses; Hell is the domain of demons; Earth is home to humans. A vast computer system named Yggdrasil governs reality.

Goddesses are categorized by Class, Category, and Restrictions that define their power level, duties, and operational constraints. First Class goddesses face more stringent guidelines, particularly regarding honesty. Categories include Administration, Commercial (Field), and Special Duty. Restrictions may be Limited or Unlimited; breaches can result in suspension or revocation of their license. Belldandy holds a First Class, Second Category, Unlimited License; Urd and Skuld are Second Class, First Category with Limited Licenses. Goddesses wear power limiters often fashioned as jewelry.

Their purpose is to bring happiness through the Goddess Technical Helpline (Goddess Relief Agency), which grants wishes to deserving but unfortunate humans. A competing organization known as the Earth Assistance Center also employs goddesses. Wish fulfillment requires system authorization and forms contracts stored within Yggdrasil. To preserve equilibrium against demons—who offer wishes at a price—Heaven and Hell adhere to strict accords preventing bloodshed; each god maintains a life contract linking them to a demon counterpart.

Demons possess similar class structures and licenses but utilize familiars instead of angels. They manifest on Earth through catalysts due to a divine seal called the Gate to the Netherworld. Their organizational system mirrors Yggdrasil’s framework and they also establish contracts with humans.

Goddesses receive angels initially in egg form that hatch as their powers develop; these angels serve as lifelong companions reflecting their goddess’s inner nature.

Earth is inhabited by various spirits overseeing domains such as Money, Wind, and Engines. Specific entities include Earth spirits guarding territories. For instance, Morgan le Fay, an influential Earth spirit featured in the movie, demonstrates strength comparable to goddesses despite having lower raw power levels.

Production

Prior to developing Oh My Goddess!, Kōsuke Fujishima created the manga You're Under Arrest!. A notable character from this work, Miyuki Kobayakawa, was featured as a goddess in a four-panel comic, implying that Oh My Goddess! might be a derivative work. Fujishima’s fascination with the idea of a goddess functioning "as an occupation" inspired the launch of Oh My Goddess! in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine in September 1988.

Title discrepancy

The translation of the original Japanese title presented difficulties. Even 15 years post-release, fans debated between "Ah! My Goddess" and "Oh My Goddess!" When U.S. anime distributor AnimEigo obtained rights for the original video animation (OVA), they chose the title Oh My Goddess!, a decision later adopted by Toren Smith and Dark Horse Comics for the manga translation accompanying the 1994 OVA. Smith interpreted the title as a pun on "Oh my god!" and confirmed this interpretation with Fujishima.

Conversely, Kodansha’s bilingual manga edition used Ah! My Goddess, as did Pioneer's North American film release and Media Blasters’ 2005 TV series DVD. Fujishima mentioned in Animerica that "Oh" more accurately conveyed his original intention but stressed the importance of adjusting titles to suit each publishing region, recognizing that films might necessitate different naming. He also expressed a desire for uniformity in titles across both manga and animation versions.

Manga

Authored and illustrated by Kōsuke Fujishima, Oh My Goddess! commenced serialization in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon in September 1988, concluding after a 25-year run on April 25, 2014. Kodansha compiled its 308 chapters into forty-eight volumes, issued from August 23, 1989, through July 23, 2014. The final volume was also released as part of a limited edition box set containing a special edition volume, a mini comic book titled Adventures of Mini-Goddess, a drama CD featuring anime voice actors, and high-quality reproductions of previous covers.

A spin-off series titled Aa Shūkatsu no Megami-sama (Ah My Job-Hunting Goddess), created by Uhei Aoki and Kumichi Yoshizuki, explored Keiichi and Belldandy’s experiences during an economic downturn. It ran in Monthly Afternoon from January 25, 2019, to October 25, 2021. Kodansha collected this spin-off into five volumes released between September 20, 2019, and January 21, 2022.

English release

In North America, Dark Horse Comics acquired licensing rights for the series and initially published it in a left-to-right orientation. Dark Horse released the first 112 chapters individually from August 1, 1994, until September 1, 2004. Additionally, chapters appeared serialized in their now-discontinued anthology Super Manga Blast! from March 29, 2000, to April 25, 2001.

The initial three volumes were combined into an abridged edition called "1-555-GODDESS," issued on November 1, 1996. Later collected volumes included unabridged chapters arranged to better align with story arcs beginning with volume four on October 15, 1997. The first three volumes were subsequently reissued unabridged between June and October of 2002. The nineteenth and final volume of this edition—marked "19/20" and concluding at chapter 129 (corresponding to Japanese volume twenty)—was published on January 19, 2005.

Starting with volume twenty-one on July 6, 2005, Dark Horse switched to the Japanese right-to-left reading format along with a new translation. The first twenty volumes were republished in this style from December 7, 2005, through February 22, 2012. The entire series reached its forty-eighth volume with a release dated October 20, 2015.

In July of 2014, Dark Horse announced plans for a fifteen-volume omnibus collection; the inaugural omnibus volume was released on July 29, 2015. As of March 27, 2024, seven omnibus volumes have been made available.

Light novel

The inaugural novel, titled Oh My Goddess! First End, was authored by Yumi Tōma, the voice behind Urd, with artwork contributed by Fujishima and Hidenori Matsubara, who also served as animation director for multiple adaptations. The story takes place three years following the initial encounter between Belldandy and Keiichi. Kodansha published this novel in Japan on July 20, 2006, while Dark Horse secured the English-language rights and released it in North America on December 12, 2007.

Original video animation

In 1993, a collaborative production effort involving Anime International Company, KSS, Tokyo Broadcasting System, and Kodansha resulted in a five-episode original video animation (OVA) series adapted from the manga. Hiroaki Gōda directed the project, with Pony Canyon handling distribution. The premiere episode debuted on February 21, 1993, and the final installment was issued on May 17, 1994.

The screenplay was crafted by Kunihiko Kondo and Nahoko Hasegawa; musical composition was by Takeshi Yasuda; character designs were created by Hidenori Matsubara.

AnimEigo obtained the North American licensing rights and released each episode individually on VHS with English dubbing and Japanese subtitles between June and August 1994. By November 1996, all episodes were compiled on Laserdisc featuring bilingual audio tracks. Subsequent releases included two DVD volumes in 2001 and a "Remastered Collector's Edition" in 2006. The license expired in February 2010.

In March 2010, Tokyo Broadcasting System announced a new seven-minute OVA exclusive to a revamped boxed set of the first season. This OVA was first included with volume 42 of the manga (released February 23, 2011), followed by a second OVA bundled with volume 43 (September 22, 2011), and a third accompanying volume 46 (August 23, 2013).

Film

The movie entitled Ah! My Goddess: The Movie premiered in Japan in 2000, featuring the original principal cast along with several well-known manga characters not previously seen in anime adaptations. Shochiku distributed the film domestically, while Geneon Entertainment handled North American and UK releases in 2001. The storyline draws heavily from multiple manga arcs, chiefly focusing on the Lord Of Terror narrative.

The Adventures of Mini-Goddess

Produced by Oriental Light and Magic, the comedic TV series Adventures of Mini-Goddess consists of 48 episodes showcasing miniature versions of Urd, Belldandy, and Skuld. It aired on WOWOW from April 1998 through March 1999 as part of the Anime Complex omnibus program. Distributed by Pony Canyon in Japan and Geneon Entertainment in North America, this series diverges significantly from the original manga by centering on the goddesses' escapades alongside their pet rat Gan-chan while in diminutive form.

Ah! My Goddess

The 2005 television adaptation Ah! My Goddess closely adheres to the manga’s storyline. Directed by Hiroaki Gōda and animated by Anime International Company under Tokyo Broadcasting System’s production, it was broadcast from January to July 2005. Bandai Visual issued eight DVD compilations within Japan that year, including two OVAs on a special edition disc. Media Blasters licensed the series for Region 1 DVD release across North America, distributing six compilation volumes between September 2005 and July 2006 before offering premium and standard box sets. In the UK, MVM Films managed distribution with comparable DVD releases through 2007 followed by a box set release in 2008. Despite Media Blasters’ license lapsing, episodes continue to be accessible via Hulu.

Following the success of its initial season, a second installment titled Ah! My Goddess: Everyone Has Wings (branded as Flights of Fancy in North America) continued Keiichi and Belldandy’s narrative after the Lord of Terror arc. Also directed by Gōda and produced by TBS, this season aired from April to September 2006. Although its television run concluded at episode 22, DVDs include episodes 23 and 24. Bandai Visual released eight DVDs across Japan from July 2006 through February 2007. Media Blasters opted not to license this season; instead ADV Films acquired North American rights and issued six DVD compilations between May 2007 and March 2008. Funimation later secured distribution rights and released a complete box set in November 2008.

To commemorate the manga’s twentieth anniversary in 2007, a two-episode special entitled Ah! My Goddess: Fighting Wings, directed once again by Hiroaki Gōda and produced by TBS, aired on December 9. Bandai Visual subsequently released it on DVD within Japan in February 2008.

Soundtracks

The Japanese voice cast of the series, who are also accomplished vocalists, have performed on more than a dozen albums issued under the Goddess Family Club label as well as original soundtrack collections.

Video games

In 1993, Banpresto developed an adventure game titled Aa! Megami-sama! for the NEC PC-9801, which was later enhanced with added voice acting and improvements in a 1997 port for the PC-FX.

Sega launched Quiz: Ah! My Goddess - Stay With Fighting Wings in August 1998 for the Dreamcast, incorporating characters from both the anime and manga, including Belldandy, Skuld, and Urd.

February 2007 saw Marvelous Interactive release an Ah! My Goddess game for the PlayStation 2 in Japan, offered in both a limited "Holy Box" edition and a standard version.

Reception

As of June 2020, the manga series had surpassed 25 million copies in circulation. It received the 33rd Kodansha Manga Award in the general division in 2009. Volume 41 achieved the position of tenth best-selling manga during its release week on Japan’s Oricon charts. The film secured the #28 spot on Wizard's Anime Magazine’s list of "Top 50 Anime released in North America." Additionally, the anime was nominated for Best Comedy Anime at the 2007 American Anime Awards.

External links

• Official TBS Oh My Goddess! anime website