TV-Series
Description
"Noragami" is a supernatural action anime that revolves around Yato, a minor deity striving to gain recognition and build his own shrine. Yato, often seen as a vagabond god, takes on odd jobs for a mere five yen, aiming to amass enough followers to elevate his status. His journey intersects with Hiyori Iki, a high school girl who becomes a half-phantom after saving Yato from a bus accident. This incident leaves her soul frequently detaching from her body, allowing her to interact with the spirit world.
Yato's weapon, a regalia named Yukine, is a spirit transformed into a divine weapon. Yukine, initially rebellious and struggling with his new existence, undergoes significant character development as he learns to control his powers and understand his role. The trio—Yato, Hiyori, and Yukine—navigate a world filled with gods, spirits, and malevolent entities known as ayakashi. Their adventures often involve battling these ayakashi, which are manifestations of negative human emotions, and dealing with the complexities of the spiritual realm.
The narrative delves into themes of identity, redemption, and the consequences of one's actions. Yato's past is gradually revealed, shedding light on his motivations and the darker aspects of his history. Hiyori's dual existence as a human and a phantom creates tension, as she must balance her normal life with her involvement in the supernatural. Yukine's growth from a troubled spirit to a reliable regalia is central to the story, highlighting the bonds formed between gods and their weapons.
The series also introduces other deities and their regalia, each with unique abilities and backstories, adding depth to the world-building. Conflicts arise not only from external threats but also from internal struggles and moral dilemmas faced by the characters. The interplay between the human and divine realms is a recurring element, emphasizing the impact of human emotions and actions on the spiritual world.
"Noragami" combines action, humor, and emotional depth, creating a compelling narrative that explores the intricacies of its characters' lives and the world they inhabit. The series balances episodic adventures with an overarching plot, maintaining a steady progression that keeps viewers engaged.
Yato's weapon, a regalia named Yukine, is a spirit transformed into a divine weapon. Yukine, initially rebellious and struggling with his new existence, undergoes significant character development as he learns to control his powers and understand his role. The trio—Yato, Hiyori, and Yukine—navigate a world filled with gods, spirits, and malevolent entities known as ayakashi. Their adventures often involve battling these ayakashi, which are manifestations of negative human emotions, and dealing with the complexities of the spiritual realm.
The narrative delves into themes of identity, redemption, and the consequences of one's actions. Yato's past is gradually revealed, shedding light on his motivations and the darker aspects of his history. Hiyori's dual existence as a human and a phantom creates tension, as she must balance her normal life with her involvement in the supernatural. Yukine's growth from a troubled spirit to a reliable regalia is central to the story, highlighting the bonds formed between gods and their weapons.
The series also introduces other deities and their regalia, each with unique abilities and backstories, adding depth to the world-building. Conflicts arise not only from external threats but also from internal struggles and moral dilemmas faced by the characters. The interplay between the human and divine realms is a recurring element, emphasizing the impact of human emotions and actions on the spiritual world.
"Noragami" combines action, humor, and emotional depth, creating a compelling narrative that explores the intricacies of its characters' lives and the world they inhabit. The series balances episodic adventures with an overarching plot, maintaining a steady progression that keeps viewers engaged.
Episodes
Staffel 1
1A Man Called Yato
Hiyori Iki,a middle school student, notices a phone number and the words "Help pay for a shrine" written on a public wall. Later that night, she sees a ghostly creature with multiple faces attack a boy. A young man in a tracksuit appears, swings a wooden sword at the creature, and chases it away. He introduces himself as Yato, a god without a shrine or followers. Yato explains that the creature is a phantasm, an impurity that preys on humans, and that he needs a regalia—a weaponized spirit—to exorcise it properly. He works odd jobs for five yen per request, hoping to earn enough to build his own shrine. Hiyori finds him unreliable but becomes curious after she sees him jump off a bridge unharmed. The next day, Yato attempts to exorcise a phantasm possessing a student but fails because his wooden sword cannot kill it. Hiyori shoves the student out of the path of an oncoming bus, saving him but causing the bus to hit her. Her soul separates from her body, and she becomes a half-phantom, able to float and pass through objects. Yato explains that her soul is now loose and her body lies unconscious in a hospital. He warns that if her soul remains detached too long, she will die. He offers to help her return to her body, but first he needs a regalia to fight the phantasms that will attack her. Hiyori follows Yato as he searches for a wandering spirit to serve as his regalia. He finds a lost boy’s spirit on a bridge, calls out to him, and the spirit responds. Yato draws a circle on the spirit’s back and prepares to give it a name. The episode ends with Yato beginning the naming ritual, uncertain whether the spirit will accept or reject him.
2Snow-like
Hiyori Iki wakes up in her bedroom with a cat tail protruding from her lower back. Her mother notices nothing unusual,but Hiyori hides the tail under her skirt before going to school. In class, her soul separates from her body again and floats outside. She finds Yato sitting on a tree branch. Yato explains that the phantom bite loosened her soul’s cord. If the cord breaks completely, her soul will permanently detach. He needs a regalia, a divine weapon, to cut the phantom and repair the cord. His previous regalia left him because he could not provide enough prayer or offerings. Hiyori promises to build Yato a shrine if he saves her. Yato takes Hiyori to the Receptacle of the Underworld, a field where lingering human spirits gather. Most spirits ignore Yato because he is a poor, unknown god. Yato approaches a boy lying alone on the ground. The boy has no name and no memories of his life. Yato offers him a name and a place to belong. The boy accepts. Yato draws a kanji on the boy’s forehead, names him Yukine, and cuts a line on his cheek. The blood seals the contract. Yukine transforms into a katana. Yato now has a regalia, but Yukine’s cold, resentful demeanor suggests he may not obey easily. The episode ends with Yato holding Yukine, preparing to face the phantom that threatens Hiyori’s life.
3Bidden Calamity
Yato,the delivery god, acquires a new regalia named Yukine. Hiyori Iki continues to suffer from her half-phantom condition. Yukine resents Yato for his poverty and lack of a shrine. He refuses to clean Yato's apartment or assist with jobs. Yato attempts to train Yukine, but the boy cannot transform into a weapon. A phantom attacks a family in a park. Yato fights without a weapon and receives a deep slash across his back. Hiyori drags Yato to safety while Yukine watches from a distance. Hiyori confronts Yukine about his behavior. Yukine admits his fear of being forgotten after death and that he died alone and cold. Another phantom corners Hiyori. Yukine jumps in front of her and transforms into a short sword for the first time. Yato uses the sword to sever the phantom and declares Yukine his true regalia, naming him Sekki. Yukine experiences a moment of warmth but quickly withdraws. The episode ends with Yukine hiding his blade form from Yato, setting up continued resistance.
4Where Happiness Lies
Yato's right hand develops a bleeding wound. Hiyori explains to Yukine that a shinki's wrongdoing creates blight on the god's body. Yukine stole a wallet from a man on the street. Yato orders Yukine to return the wallet. Yukine refuses and runs away. Yato catches him and drags him to a small apartment building. Inside a room,a boy named Kaito sits alone. Kaito waits for his father to come home for his birthday. Yato reveals that the man from whom Yukine stole is Kaito's father. The man intended to buy a birthday gift with the wallet's money. Without the money, the man cannot buy the gift and delays coming home. Yukine watches Kaito fall asleep waiting. He returns to the street where he stole the wallet and places it on a bench near the man's workplace. The man finds the wallet and buys the gift. Yato's blight begins to shrink. Yukine asks Yato why he endures the pain of a disobedient shinki. Yato answers that a god exists to grant human happiness. Yukine remains silent, still uncertain about his place as Yato's regalia. The episode closes with Yato's wound still present and Yukine's attitude unchanged.
5Borderline
Yato accepts a request to exorcize a phantom haunting a hospital ward. Hiyori and Yukine accompany him into the building. Inside,Yukine watches a young boy struggling with a long illness. The sight makes Yukine recall fragments of his own human death, though the full memory remains hidden. Yukine steals a leather wallet from an unattended visitor's coat. He uses the cash to buy a smartphone from a vending machine outside the hospital. Hiyori notices the phone in Yukine's pocket and asks how he obtained it. Yukine lies, claiming a god gave it to him, but Hiyori clearly doubts the story. Later, Yato feels a sharp burning pain spreading across his back. He removes his shirt and finds black blight marks crawling over his skin. Yato realizes Yukine committed theft and confronts him at the shrine. He draws his regalia sword and cuts Yukine's arm, revealing identical blight marks on the regalia's body. Yato explains that a regalia's wrongdoing directly injures their god and that the blight will kill him if it spreads further. He warns Yukine that a third offense will force Yato to sever their bond by killing him. Yukine sits alone in the shrine after Yato leaves, holding the phone but making no call. Yato tells Hiyori that he cannot trust Yukine any longer, leaving their partnership on the verge of collapse.
6Scary Person
7Uncertainty & Destiny
8Over the Line
9Name
10Regarded with Hate
11Abandoned God
12A Scrap of a Memory
Cast
- LaboNicolas König
- Tomone
- Hiyori
- Mayu/TomoneClara Laguarda
- Kuraha
- Bishamon
- Daikoku
- KinuhaRosangela Malimpensa
- Tsuyu
- Kofuku EbisuLinda Fölster
- Tenjin
- Yukine
- Rabo
- Hiyori Iki
- RabōCelso Henrique
Comment(s)
Staff
- DirectorKotaro Tamura
- ScriptDeko AkaoAkiko WabaHiroko Fukuda
- Episode DirectorShūji MiyaharaTetsuo HirakawaNaomichi YamatoKotaro TamuraTakurō TsukadaYoshifumi SuedaTsuyoshi Tobita
- Original creatorAdachitoka
- Art DirectorKazuo Nagai
- Animation DirectorAtsushi AonoKenji MizuhataKōichi HorikawaHideki YamazakiTakeshi MatsudaHideto KomoriSatomi KaniYukiko IbeMasahiro SuwaNaoto Abe
- Director of PhotographyMayuko Furumoto
- Series CompositionDeko Akao
- StoryboardTomomi MochizukiYoshimitsu ŌhashiKatsumi TerahigashiHiroshi KobayashiKōichi TakadaTetsuo HirakawaKazuya NomuraMasayuki SakoiKotaro TamuraYoshifumi Sueda
- MusicTaku Iwasaki
- Character DesignToshihiro Kawamoto
- Chief Animation DirectorToshihiro KawamotoHideki Yamazaki
- Sound DirectorMinoru Yamada
- ProducerTomokazu IizumiNaoki AmanoYuri TeraoToshiaki DoushitaKōta KurodaShin FurukawaGaku NakagawaYōko Tanaka
Production
- ProductionMOVICKodanshaBONESShochikuA-Sketchavex entertainmentDentsu Inc.LAWSONNoragami Production Committee
- Animation ProductionBONES
Relations
Anime overview
Manga overview