If You Liked Kamisama Kiss, Then Take a Trip to Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

The pandemic was a veritable breeding ground of many things, new anime fans included. I’m not saying I’m glad it happened, but I will never complain about having more people to geek out with. And it’s undeniable: the lockdown forced many media consumers to turn to genres outside their norm in order to find entertainment. Many fans of romance found that anime wasn’t, in fact, just a bunch of buff dudes screaming at each other and becoming friends after punching each other in the face. I mean, those shows definitely exist, but there are so many others, including laughter inducing, tear-jerking, drama filled romances.

You can probably imagine my surprise when I started seeing Kamisama Kiss, a romance anime from 2012, suddenly frequenting the discussion feeds again. The story, for those who need a refresher, is about a down on her luck girl named Nanami who is bequeathed an old shrine as a place to live. Unfortunately, she also inherited the title of the land god who previously inhabited the shrine, as well as his surly familiar and all his responsibilities. The anime has it all – love, humor, drama, redemption, and hot anime spirits. And for those who saw this and want more, I’ve got just the show for you.

Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits is about a college student who is taken to the spirit realm after her grandfather passes away in order to settle one of his debts. According to a contract, she must marry the ogre-god/master of Tenjin-ya: an upscale bed and breakfast for spirits. Unwilling to accept her fate, she bargains her way into working off the debt by running an eatery at the bed and breakfast. As she works, she befriends many of the ayakashi (spirits) who either work at or visit the inn. She also becomes embroiled in a mystery affecting the fate of the southern realm, all while growing closer to her supposed husband-to-be. The show is one of my favorites and if you enjoyed Kamisama Kiss, I think it’ll be one of yours, too.

If you liked Nanami, the female protagonist of Kamisama Kiss, then you will also like Aoi Tsubaki. Much like Nanami, Aoi is thrust into the spirit world where everyone wants to either eat or marry her. Both are tenacious young women who, despite setbacks, face whatever is thrown at them with determination. They also show an admirable amount of understanding and support to the spirits who are so different from them and in some cases even put them danger.

If you liked Tomoe, Nanami’s hot but snarky familiar, you will love both Ginji and the master of Tenjin-ya. Honestly, I almost started with Tomoe because he was the number one reason most people gave me for liking Kamisama Kiss. And I don’t blame them. He’s hot and I loved watching him go from resenting the female lead to genuinely caring for her – without losing his sass. If you are determined to watch another anime with an attractive fox spirit, Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast has you covered.

Ginji is the young master, or second in command, at Tenjin-ya. He is a fox spirit who has various transformations which he utilizes depending on the situation. He’s the first ayakashi at the inn to be kind to Aoi and plays a key role in helping her open her eatery. Ginji might actually get more screen time than the main romantic counterpart and is a bit friendlier and more accessible. There’s even a hint of a love triangle, though Ginji ultimately supports the master and Aoi’s relationship. Even if he’s not the romantic lead, he’s definitely in the running for best boi.

Odanna, which literally translates to master innkeeper, is the one who initially brings Aoi to the spirit realm to be his bride. He is, at first, rather harsh when Aoi rejects the agreement, but you quickly begin to see how he watches over Aoi from behind the scenes and gradually spends more face time with her. You also find that he is not only the master of Tenjin-ya, but the ruler of the part of the spirit realm where they are located.

If you enjoyed the romance in Kamisama Kiss, then you will enjoy watching Aoi and Odanna grow closer. I actually think the romantic relationship in Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast is better, though treated more subtly, because it’s one of consent. Although Odanna is initially upset that Aoi refuses to marry him – and how harsh she is in referring to him as an ogre – he agrees to let her try to pay off the debt by earning the money herself. There are many moments when he teases her regarding sharing a space to sleep or calling her his bride, but he is never and never actually crosses the boundaries she sets for them. It’s a rather refreshing approach to the romance considering what usually happens in these kinds of stories with a similar power dynamic. Hot, rich, and respects consent? Sign me up.

For those who aren’t satisfied with just romance (blasphemy!), Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits has a lot more to offer. One of my favorite aspects is Aoi’s cooking. They are always talking about food and trying new dishes and while the delicious-looking results may make you hungry, I learned some things about Japanese cuisine I hadn’t known before. And unlike Food Wars, it’s less like food porn (I mean food porn literally – people’s clothes are ripped off when they eat something good) and more casual knowledge you pick up while adorable people are brought together by yummy food.

If Ginji and Odanna aren’t enough for those of you looking for hot anime spirits, rest assured there are even more. The anime takes place mostly in the spirit realm, after all. And if you think I forgot about everyone’s favorite tengu pop star from Kamisama Kiss, I didn’t. Kakuriyo even has a tengu family reconciliation in the second half of the show so you won’t miss out on your favorite dysfunctional yokai, though the ones in Kakuriyo are decidedly less straight-laced than the ones in Kamisama Kiss.

Altogether, Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits is a wholesome show with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and cute relationships – both friendly and more. It's available to watch on Funimation and Crunchyroll, both in Japanese with English subtitles or dubbed in English. I’m confident that you will enjoy it if you liked Kamisama Kiss because, really, what’s not to like?