Noragami

The minor war god Yato wants to have a shrine of his own, but he's a forgotten deity and dirt poor as well. He's saving up to build a temple through his delivery and wish granting services for five Yen. Yato's shinki leaves him however to seek someone better. A shinki is a divine weapon which the gods use to defeat ayakashi, emotional fragments that can possess people. Not only is Yato homeless and poor now, he's also weaponless.

While looking for a lost cat, Yato was spotted by a human girl crossing the street. It seemed to her that he was unaware of the passing cars. Iki Hiyori comes to his rescue and was hit by the bus. Hiyori's spirit is temporarily separated from her body but this incident becomes more common even after she recovers physically. Yato told her she is a half phantom who belongs neither to the far shore nor the near shore. She must be careful not to sever her connection in the human world. Hiyori then asks Yato to help her, but Yato doesn't know how. Instead, Hiyori becomes more involved in Yato's life especially after Yato found a new shinki.

Yato holding a shinki

From left: Yukine, Yato and Hiyori

From left: Yukine, Hiyori and Yato

The 12-episode series started off great but it focused too much on humor and the relationship of Yato, Yukine and Hiyori. The action scenes are not bad however and are probably the best feature of this series. The pace is slightly inconsistent, though what kept me hooked was the mystery of Yato's past. I think the series could have been improved. It was no different from how some series started (e.g., Ao no Exorcist and Bleach) and showed some signs that the story was going in the same direction as those I've mentioned. This is still the first season however, so I'm hoping this is just a sort of introduction to a good follow-up.

I think it says a lot that I don't have much to say about the series. But the conflict in the story alone is interesting, the animation is good and I'm a fan of the supernatural genre so I can be patient. I just think it lacks something.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10