Noragami Aragoto

I really won't be surprised if I get a mob of weeaboos wearing Yato masks at my door ready to baptize me in the sacred Yato holywater for rating it a 5 but please keep in mind that I actually use the rating system in it's entirety and believe it or not, I don't hate Noragami! This will contain minor spoilers. Overall I think Noragami is a very overrated series. I really didn't enjoy the first season and didn't realize what all the hype was about. It had a lot of problems - I felt the writing was poor, characters did stupid things that made nosense a lot of the time and the constant abuse of Yato is overused for comedic value but at a certain point it runs dry, and most of all - Yukine. Yukine is one of the most annoying and whiny characters I have ever witnessed. If nothing else, I applaud this season for reducing this fact to a minimum. The story of Noragami Aragoto has the same initial premise as the first season but this time is divided into 2 major arcs. The first arc focuses on the character of Bishamon, the strongest god of war who also has a deep hatred for Yato as he slaughtered her entire clan once before. By doing this though he saved her life, as requested by Kazuma, the only survivor of the clan. Everything begins when one of Bishamon's regalia is suddenly killed. No one however knows who killed the regalia and panic ensues. Also coincidentally before his death he befriends Yukine and when Yukine hears the news he turns into Emo Kid once more and goes to seek vengeance for his friend. The last season also gave a lot of hints that Kazuma knew Yato and their past is now unraveled. The second arc starts off by Yato receiving a shrine from Hiyori. In the Noragami universe gods who have shrines get special perks sorta say. Yato moves into the Heavenly Neighborhood or whatever other lame name you can think off and is now a proper god, being friends with everyone! After 1 episode of sunshine and rainbows Yato gets captured by Nora and a person she calls "father", who knew Yato for a long time as well as seen in the flashbacks of them holding hands. So this is where the series went downhill for me. This arc just felt so unnecessarily rushed (I've heard so from people who read the manga as well so it isn't just me). So much content is just bundled together in this single arc and sadly, 7 episodes isn't nearly enough time to cover it well. Produced by Studio Bones, all I can say is how fluid and nice it is. To be honest, the fight scenes can be lackluster sometimes but I really enjoy the character designs. I may be giving it too much credit because I just find it better than most of the animation this season though. Shame pretty colors can't save a show :^) Noragami Aragoto like the first season has a variety of music throughout the series and I'd like to say how much I like it like most people do but I really don't think it's anything that special. Sure it's better than the norm nowadays but it's not setting out to break any records. That being said, the opening theme is one of my favorites from this season. I'll be honest, for the most part I don't like the characters in this series. Let's briefly go over the main characters of the first season: Yato is a god that will obey your every request (( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)) for 5 yen but there's a twist to it - He has a dark past. This was revealed a bit in the end of the last season and now plays a big role in the plot. Hiyori is annoying at times but is generally okay and then there is Emo Kid. So now in this season we get more development for Bishamon and suprisingly, Kazuma. Bishamon has too much trust in all of her regalias and you could say that is her downfall. She is shown to be very stubborn when dealing with Yato, seemingly ignoring the fact that he saved her life. Right off the bat I wanna say that I feel like they handled the development of Suzuha alright but it may of been better to give him more screen time first since he is the plot device in this situation. The main antagonist of this season is also one of Bishamon's regalia by the name of Kugaha. He really isn't interesting much like the villain of the first season but hey at least he has a goal. We are then introduced to Ebisu who is one of the seven gods of luck, the god of fishing. He could of been a cool character if the series didn't decide to rush it so badly. Needless to say, he doesn't get nearly as much character development as needed for us to actually care about him. We also don't know a single thing about Nora or father, yay. Norgami Aragoto is a pretty enjoyable series really. As I said in the beginning, they made Yukine a lot more likable which I'm very happy about. The enjoyment does go down after the 2nd arc tags along but it was never to the point where I was forcing myself to watch. It's somewhat of an improvement from the first season and is an enjoyable series with cool fights and quirky characters (that get on my nerves sometimes but that's besides the point). It still struggles with the issues it had in the past like the plot and the character development in a lot of instances. The 1st arc is the pinnacle of the season (and I'd argue the series but I'm just a dirty hater of the first season), however the 2nd is inferior by a longshot due to how rushed it is. So all in all, while I enjoyed it more than the first season and you'll probably do too, Noragami Aragoto really isn't anything special. Originally uploaded on October 30th, 2015.

When thinking of Noragami, I often imagine the series as some sort of fairy tale. Only of course, it’s a fairy tale in the modern world about a delivery God named Yato. His question to own his personal shrine makes him an unusual character as well. From previously established concepts, Noragami Arargato returns in full force. And I have to say, any fans of the first season and manga will be delighted to see what the sequel has to offer. The second season takes directly after the first season and we get a full on course of the story from the beginning. Unlike some supernatural orshoujo stories that concentrates on romance and relationships, Noragami Aragato crafts human emotions out of fantasy. The previous season already build a lot about personal conflicts such as Bishamonten’s troubled past. And in this sequel, it greatly expands on that as she takes vengeance against Yato. It’s simple to say really though. This season is more of an emotional roller coaster ride. From the first few episodes, it’s clearly shown that there’s darker background building through its various flashbacks. Demonstrated by the appeal of character trauma and PTSD-like scenarios, each episode builds up to a grand climax of this season. At the center of it, we have Yato who struggles with his own problems. Although luckily, he still has trustworthy friends like Hiyori and Yukine at his side. A good portion of the season takes a look at characters from a personal approach. A key character and enemy to Yato is Bishamonten. Her troubled past links with Yato as viewers see how regalias (weapons made from the deceased) were killed by him. So in return, she wishes to gain revenge. Sounds plausible right? There’s actually a lot more story to that and thankfully, this season nails revelations through its precise buildups. From the present viewpoint, the storyline also follows Bishamonten’s followers as they are now. Some of her prominent regalias such as Kazuma and Aiha get their own roles with discrete purpose. At the same time, it creates some tension among her own group as tense feelings are expressed. Similarly, Yukine experiences grief as he loses a friend and learns about the destiny of being a shiki. Furthermore, Yato and Hiyori builds more of their relationship with trust that becomes stronger each episode. This can also be applied to Yato and Yukine as the latter even puts his own life at risk in battle. It goes to show how far these three’s friendship has led to their strong loyalty. Unfortunately, there’s also betrayal as viewers will learn the real mastermind who engineers suffering and despair throughout season. That’s just the first half though, there’s even bigger things that awaits those who is patient and eager to see how far the story develops. These include the origins of masked phantoms, how Gods exists, and what awaits for Yato’s future. As Bishamonten is upgraded to a much more prominent role this season, it’s also important to realize her character. I think it goes beyond her vengeance against Yato as she is also a character with a compassionate nature. She clearly cares about her regalia both past in the present. And furthermore, she often tries to give those who have no place to go a home that they can appreciate. So no wonder, when her regalias were annihilated in the past, Bishamonten would go into a vengeful frenzy. In addition, Bishamonten is a strong willed woman, the type that doesn’t give up easily. Although her reasoning may have flaws, she is merciless towards her enemies and guards her own personal feelings closely. This sometimes leads to backfire as well when she lets those personal feelings get the best of her that leads to reckless decisions. In retrospect though, I think Bishamonten is definitely a character that is important to the core of this season; whether it’s her personality, morals, or actions. Although there’s a darker nature of the second season, comedy still retains its comedic nature. So yes, there will be plenty of time to laugh such as with Yato’s childish moments. Anyone familiar with the first season will get to see how Yato’s lack of common sense places him in ridiculous positions. While it may be a bit of or hit or miss at times, Noragami always retains its ability to entertain the audience through clever dialogues. It also shows that Gods can be like humans with their behavior and even relatable through what they do. Similarly the previous season, studio Bones does a terrific job at working with its animation. The character designs looks clear with Yato as he maintains both a humorous and cool side. Bishamon also returns with her battle gear and tough attitude that is translated by her facial expressions. And that’s a fun thing to look at. Noragami often has fun with itself and this season is no different. Almost every comedic moment is demonstrated with effective expression of character reactions. Whether it’s Yato or some other character, it’s very amusing and feels natural. Hiyori, Yukine, and some of the returning cast also looks good as well while the Phantoms are designed with credibility with their malevolence. And lastly, we can’t forget about the soundtrack. On a personal level, the first season’s OP song has a catchier song with more stylistic choreography. But after examining at the sequel, I can say with confidence that the new OP song works quite well too. It has a similar style with fast paced action sequences and montage of the main and supporting characters. While there’s some foreshadowing too, the show does a great job with its themes. The OST is also quite noticeable between scenes of sadness, anger, and humor. It’s surprising at how the show can maintain it throughout the entire season. Noragami Aragato is definitely a sequel that can appeal to just about anyone. Whether you’re looking for some drama, action, or comedy, it has a little bit to offer from all angles. Our main characters return and it’s fun to see where they are now. Bishamonten’s personal rivalry with Yato is a pivotal part of this season so a fan of her character will be in for a treat. And even if you’re not a fan of hers, the season is still entertaining with its concrete storytelling. It’s really a show that’s hard to pass by so what are you waiting for?

The first thing that could be said about the second season of Noragami is that it is arguably better in terms of story and characters than the first season, yet may lack in other departments. This mainly concerns aspects such as expanding on the world and its phantoms, that were enticing in the afore-mentioned one. It is in fact quite an improvement, and was naturally quite enjoyable; nonetheless, it has its flaws as well, which will be discussed below in addition to its strengths. ~Story~ The story follows once again the main protagonists Yato, Yukine and Hiyori and their interactions with the world; yet in this seasonit begins to focus on the goddess of war Bishamon. She is known to be kind, which causes her to take in a lot of shinki's when saving them from phantoms: this will naturally cause her quite some problems, as she isn't able to tend to them all. Pain, insecurity and paranoia are on the order of the day, and the fact that Bishamon hates Yato doesn't ease the situation at all. The anime doesn't entirely focus on the goddess of war; it also expands on the world of the gods, in addition to their importance. In addition, it provides a bit of an insight in the underworld, while mutually introducing numerous gods and characters. It could be said that the story in mainly character driven, as it expands on Yato's past, as well as Bishamon's and surprisingly, Kazuma. Quite a lot of action was provided, which was well executed - although having its share of plot convenient twists - in addition to keeping good levels of intrigue throughout the series. However, quite some things were very predictable, as well as their respective outcome, which was a bit of a shame. It also shared its slice of life moments in which it focused more on the female lead character, yet these were uninteresting as it didn't provide any story progression, neither character development. The pacing of the series was overall well done, although it had its share of some inconsistent jumps. However, what was personally a drawback, was the fact that it didn't expand on the different worlds of Noragami, meaning how these are related, as well as the phantoms and how these affect the various worlds. ~Characters~ The cast of characters in Noragami is by no means big; in fact, there are a handful of characters, which are for the most part distinguishable from each other, especially the main cast. Audiences will be rewarded with some more insight in Yato's past, as well some character development, albeit not impressive. This is because the main mysteries surrounding him are still not explained, and in fact, even more were added. Other positive aspect was the explanation on why Bishamon hated Yato, although the reason behind this were quite lackluster. Moving on to Yukine, who in my opinion was the most intolerable character in the prequel, did undergo some character development. The fact that his constant wining and sudden outbursts were much less pronounced in this season was a welcoming change, yet it still happened, being in some cases overly dramatic. However, the main problem lay with Hiyori, who underwent zero character development, as well as fleshing out. She plays no important role whatsoever, other than just being a female lead who supports Yato. It is as if her problems with the phantom world lay forgotten. As mentioned earlier, the story also began focusing on some gods, in particular that of Ebisu. Although it was interesting, not enough information was released to even begin to care for the character, hence making the events that follow a bit tensionless. Other gods were introduced as well, yet were never expanded on; some seemed to be interesting character-wise. ~Animation and sound~ The animation quality of Noragami is of high quality, what is expected of a show airing in 2015. The battle scenes are well executed, being diverse and well conveyed to the viewer in addition to being consistent: blood, anger, fear and the likes are well relayed to the viewer. The backgrounds are well drawn and detailed, matching with the different scenes. Character design is appealing to the eye, as well as diverse, yet a bit generic in some instances. In some cases inconsistencies could be found when for example these were in the background. The soundtrack used is quite strange at first, as viewers from the prequel may have thought as well; nevertheless, it is befitting and catchy is some instances. Voice actors performed their roles well, in most cases matching with the personality of the various characters. ~Enjoyment~ Noragami was overall quite an enjoyable anime which certainly maintained me entertained throughout the whole series with the different aspects and mysteries presented. Expanding on the different character's past was a pleasant sight, although some were annoying, as well as underdeveloped, which was a drawback personally. The art style was nice to look at, as well as the catchy soundtrack. Although the different outcomes where somewhat predictable, in addition to some convenient plot twists which weren't convincing, I certainly could recommend Noragami for an entertaining time. Just don't expect impressive characters or stories. Thank you for reading.

The refreshing new season of Noragami directly starts off where the prequel ended, continuing to follow the interactions and daily lives of the dynamic trio of Hiyori, Yukine, and Yato. As a new season unfolds, new characters, relationships, and secrets are introduced. Past questions and plot holes as seen in the previous season now have answers. Yato’s infamous line of, “You, who desecrate this Land of the Rising Sun. With the advent, I [Yatogami], lay waste with the [Sekki] and expel thy vast defilement. Rend!” makes a comeback in this season still accompanied by the famous usual track of “Noratan”. However, this season’s OST lineupis far more captivating, emotional, and energetic. The diverse OST has songs ranging from classical, dubstep, electro house, and even rap. The songs are beautifully integrated throughout the series’ heightening moments of hype and grief. Altogether, the Noragami series is known for its OST and new catchy OP (Kyouran Hey Kids!! By THE ORAL C!GARETTES). The new season begins to unravel with the introduction of the Bishamon arc. As seen in the prequel, Yato and Bishamon hold grudges dating back centuries, their resentment for one another remains unknown to the audience. However, this arc does a great job of slowly unraveling the history and past of the two Gods and their regalia. Flashbacks and dialogues are naturally integrated, making the story interesting yet easy to follow. Not only does this arc dissolve the bad blood between the God of War and God of Calamity, but it also strengthens the relationship between them. Through this arc, new understandings and relationships are formed between characters, furthering their trust, faith, and hope in one another. The second arc of the season introduces a new character: Ebisu. Ebisu, the God of Fortune is comically portrayed as the generic everyday Japanese salaryman. His introduction is rather abrupt, with little to no background information known about him. At first, this made me wonder if it was worth the time getting to understand his character making it difficult to feel emotionally connected to him. However, as the story progresses, the series does a great job of revealing his troubling past and motives, but unlike the Bishamon arc, it felt rather rushed. As the arc and series were near its end, closure was done in an awkward manner making the latter half of the series lackluster in comparison to the first half. Despite this problem, the arc still managed to tackle important personal revelations made by Yato. Although the series caters to the battle shounen audience, it does a great job avoiding common tropes that are typically seen. Unlike popular shounen heroes, Yato is a complex character shrouded in mystery, where his past is slowly being uncovered by those closest to him. Once known as the God of Calamity, Yato’s past plays an important role in his shortcomings, forcing him to fall into a state of vulnerability numerous times. Friendship remains an important recurring theme that allows Yatogami to hold onto his humanity and slowly transform into the individual he desires to become. Noragami Aragato as a whole does a beautiful job of amplifying the character development and storytelling, furthering the emotional bonds and ties between Hiyori, Yukine, and Yato. The trio’s chemistry and friendship can be described as a puzzle with its pieces fitting together perfectly. Each individual’s weaknesses and strengths bounce and play off of each other creating balance. What one lacks, the others possess. Despite their growth, moments of vulnerability, insecurity, and instability also continue to plague Yato. These brief moments of doubt reveal how Gods, figures of authority, worshipped by followers and the common also manifest very humanlike qualities, making them realistic and relatable to the audience. They too give rise to temptation, lust, greed, and fear. Overall, this series is highly enjoyable and worth the watch, especially if you enjoyed the prequel. However, the ending cruelly hints at more and without a third season announcement your only option is the manga.