3ET: Noragami

From left to right: ghost, god, human.

Studio: Bones

Director: Tamura Koutarou

Writer: Akao Deko (Nazo no Kanojo X, Arakawa Under the Bridge)

Main Cast:

Kamiya Hiroshi as Yato

Uchida Maaya as Iki Hiyori

Kaji Yuuki as Yukine

Character Design: Kawamoto Toshihiro (Cowboy Bebop, Wolf’s Rain)

Music: Iwasaki Taku (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Kuroshitsuji)

If there is one thing I can give Noragami, it's that there are clear goals for its main characters. Yato, a very minor god in the pantheon of Japanese gods, is trying to make enough money to build a shrine to himself. And doing so at a rate of 5 yen (about a nickel) per wish granted. It's not that he doesn't have power, so long as he has a "regalia", or a magical weapon made from a human soul. In his case, his "regalia", a high-school aged boy named Yukine, really just wants a way to survive on the street now that he's somewhat alive again. As for the main girl, Iki Hiyori, she wants her soul to stop randomly being detached from her body, something that happened when she tried to save Yato, who in turn was saving a cat to fulfill a wish. So, this is good. I like having characters who know what they want and are working towards those goals. That's what forms the backbone of a plot.

As for other parts of the plot, those haven't quite materialized yet. That's not a terrible thing, as the show is spending its time really spending time with the characters thus far. These moments attempt to give me something to latch onto when it comes to the characters. Yato comes off as a slacker with a heart of gold, and apparently wearing a school gym class uniform isn't seen as divine. Hiyori is trying to be active in this new world of gods and demons she finds herself thrust into, trying to fight some of the more malevolent spirits. She also plays the straight man to a lot of Yato's antics. Yukine is the newest character, and his bond with Yato was nice to watch develop. He only tolerates Yato, but he realizes that his master is doing his best.  There is potential for the characters to grow, and I'm not asking "why are these people hanging out with each other" all the time, which is always a plus. 

Ghost and god again, this time the ghost in his sword-form.

There are other things in Noragami that show its potential. The way the gods interact with the world without being noticed is well-explained, as is the way the relationship between a god and his "regalia" is shown. These are examples of information is presented in a natural way, as opposed to being painful dumps of exposition. Also, the show looks nice. The action scenes really work, and the end of episode three does a good job of showing Yukine's power before Yato even realizes it. Also, there is a reveal about the nature of "regalia" at the end of episode three that was surprisingly effective and hit me in the empty space where my heart should be.

I'm not grading Noragami based on what I saw, but on what I might see. It has potential, maybe not to be a great show, but certainly a good one. And if I go back to my rules on passing or failing, that means I have to pass this one. I'm hoping I'm putting my faith in something good, but if not it won't be the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.