Once, when many planets intermingled and the boundary between man and god was vague... This is a tale of a particular family, a tale of love and rebirth.
Kyosougiga
Welcome to my page dedicated to the original net animation
series Kyousougiga! Kyousougiga first began as a web
animation directed by Rie Matsumoto and produced by Toei
Animation with Banpresto. It was released in 2011 on Nico
Nico Douga and YouTube. An anime series aired in 2013 and is
the best known entry to the series. There were also two
manga adaptations
(one for each animation) released between
2012 and 2014.
The Story
Kyousougiga follows the young girl Koto after she arrives in a town named Kyoto while searching for her mother. Kyoto is a separate dimension created by the priest Myōe via his ability to bring things he paints to life. In this town, nothing stays broken and nobody ages, with the exception of Myōe's three children, the current custodians of Kyoto. Myōe and their mother Lady Koto, a black rabbit given human form by a Bodhisattva, left Kyoto and never returned. Now adults, the three children Kurama, Yase, and Yakushimaru, come to believe that the young Koto may be connected to the mystery of their missing parents.
Ultimately, Kyousougiga is a story about family, its ups and downs, and the love that drives us forward.
A Kyoto That is Not Kyoto
The town of Kyoto is written with the characters 鏡都, which translated literally means mirror capital. The real life city of Kyoto is written as 京都, which means capital city.
Real Life Inspiration
Kyousougiga gets its name from the Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga scrolls, also known as the Chōjū-giga scrolls. It is a set of four picture scrolls (emakimono) depicting anthropomorphic rabbits, monkeys, and frogs engaged in various activities. It dates back to the 12th and 13th century and is generally considered to be the oldest instance of manga. A trio consisting of a monkey, a rabbit, and a frog appear in the background of several scenes in Kyousougiga before revealing themselves to be the acting god of the world.
Did You Know?
Several locations in Kyousougiga are inspired by historic sites in Kyoto. These are covered in the 5.5 special episode.
Webmaster's Thoughts
This is probably my favorite anime of all time. It's a wonderful fairytale of a story. Rie Matsumoto is incredible at utilizing the medium of animation to tell a story. The art style is vibrant and expressive and bursting with personality. There is so much symbolism happening that multiple rewatches are almost necessary, yet because of said symbolism, it's rewarding each time.
Every character is so unique and has their own idiosyncrasies. They are my most favoritest dysfunctional family in the whole wide world <3 Despite it all, they manage to resolve their differences and come together stronger than ever before. Kyousougiga is a story about learning to love yourself as much as it is a story about family. The ending makes me cry every single time!! Go watch Kyousougiga!!!
Here is one of my favorite scenes (spoiler free)!