5 Yen per Task, Well Worth the Time- Noragami

 

I seriously am not sure how this series kept popping up on my radar and then having my curiosity piqued by it.  The cover on the discs didn’t have anything that jumped out at me and while the plot did seem quite interesting it didn’t seem too much out of the ordinary.  Blame Amazon’s suggestion algorithm, I guess.  But curiosity did get the better of me and I decided to take a gamble after borrowing my friends’ discs as another part of my “catch up on series I had put off” campaign.  So how did the two seasons of “Noragami” fare?

 

Well, starting out, the series felt pretty good, easily and slowly easing one into the plotline.  The atmosphere is immediately set by the main male character Yato, an easy-going, carefree and complete ditz who dreams big but has little to back up his boisterousness.  See, in “Noragami,” Yato is a god in a parallel supernatural universe, and both are bridged after the main female character Hiyori Iki saves Yato from being hit by a bus. Of course, being able to move between both universes is not something done through Hiyori’s own will, and she demands to have this stop so she can return to her own world, though this is not as easy as it sounds, considering how far from grace Yato has fallen.  Now, it is because of all these factors coming together that the scenario and mechanics of this supernatural universe can easily be understood, something which is helped along by the slow pacing and piecemeal approach to the introduction of new characters and concepts as Yato attempts to regain relevance and fulfill his dream of owning a shrine and becoming a well-known, wealthy deity.  Perhaps the biggest complaint so far is the randomness that Hiryori moves from her world to the world of the supernatural, with the timing done out of convenience as a simple way to fill in plot holes.

 

 

Now, the extra characters that get introduced later on do add complexity to the series, though it does take a while for them to make their mark, both in terms of complexity and in terms of the relationships that must be formed and reactivating Yato’s old relationships.  But do take it easy and enjoy the likeable and relatable characters, especially the budding relationship between Yato and his partner/regalia Yukine.  Though simple at first, it is down-to-earth, relatable, and later on, even touching, moreso when one considers that a god’s and their regalia’s minds are linked, such that one’s impure thoughts and consequences of less-than-ethical actions is transmitted to the other.  The secondary characters, while they come off as side characters with set simplistic roles, feel integrated and linked to very key aspects of the plotline, and again, their history is slowly doled out, keeping them relevant and one interested in the show.  Now, “Noragami” won’t wow you with its color palate or its drawings, but there’s enough action and adequate quality animation to keep one interested and the storyline steadily moving along.  There’s great usage of the color white in the series, leading to a mystical enigma in the scenes where it is the primary color.  There’s a distinct lack of music other than the background battle music, but I didn’t seem to mind too much or come off as detracting.  The battles themselves don’t wind up the senses or get the blood running, however, as the majority of them against the demonic phantoms feel quite one-sided, and the designs here don’t display a lot of creativity.  It is when Yato and Yukine have to battle against side character antagonists are things on a more even playing field, moreso when Yato’s past begins to unravel, and even moreso when side character Nora gets introduced.  The final battle in the first season is a great way to cap off the development established throughout the prior episodes, however, and an excellent transition into the second season.

 

 

Now, one should not watch just the first season of “Noragami,” though it does end at a good point where one can take a short break.  The second season starts right where the first season left off, but it becomes clear that all the character development from the first season gets turned up a notch in the second season.  No time is wasted in developing new, more solid storylines from the first season, but thankfully it uses the same ingredients and develops them even further using its own recipes.  There is much more that meets the eye with characters such as Bishamon and especially Kazuma who were more side characters in the first season.  In fact, the arc at the beginning of the second season dedicated to Bishamon is the most well-done of season two, bringing in a perfect, well-balanced mixture of righteousness, pity, honor, trust, and friendship that keeps one wanting more.  Thankfully it is positioned a few episodes into the second season so there is a chance to add in some useful mechanics and allow for a proper transition from the first season.  This arc also showcases the battle animation and choreography as well as the final battle in the first season, and also comes with the benefit of additional character development and stronger wills and relationships.  Again, the scenes with bright white backgrounds provoke strong and introspective thinking, with the use of flashbacks strengthening and broadening the story’s depth.  Yato and Yukine’s relationship jumps up another notch in this arc, and it is at this point where characters’ true feelings really begin to sink in, and where Yato is becoming much more than just a useless laughingstock.

 

 

However, it is also at this point where things go a little bit sideways, as Yato’s social ascension has caught the attention of a higher entity.  Now, introducing new characters and elements of the parallel universe more than halfway into the second season probably aren’t the best moves, and the implementation and introduction here is a bit rushed and haphazard.  The final story arc has similar problems, as it tries to do a bit too much in what little time there is left in the series, leading to a slightly rushed plotline, simplistic and slightly clumsy dialogue and a feeling of jumpiness.  See, the problem is that the characters are split apart in two different physical locations, with the plotline having to swap between them, and a third entity has made its presence known.  The intensity and angst rides on the raw feelings that are thankfully still there to keep things cohesive, and thankfully the last arc also benefits from the second season’s improved battle structure.  Now, the series does thankfully come to a conclusive ending, even if some of the characters’ fates are left in flux.

 

 

So what’s the conclusion with “Noragami?”  Well, I’m a bit surprised that this series isn’t more well-known, because it is well-constructed and well-thought-out.  It somehow manages to be well-balanced and have a great sense of humor and heart, paced well, and have good storyline depth, all in a manageable span of 26 episodes over 2 seasons.  What is most impressive is how the transition from one story arc to another happens so fluidly, and character development gradual and noticeable but natural.  Sure, the color palate could stand a little more vibrancy and saturation, and some of the plot holes could have been filled in slightly better.  But all in all, “Noragami” is a great series, one that shouldn’t be missed and deserves more attention.  Do get the discs, however, as it doesn’t appear to be available for streaming.