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Dec 30, 2015
This review will contain no spoilers for neither Noragami Aragoto nor Noragami.
Noragami Aragoto is a huge step up from its predecessor. I had my fair share of issues with the first season, mainly relegated to flat characters and slight lack of development and intrigue. Above all else, Noragami Aragoto has established an identity with better writing in general, greater organization, and a more refined sense of self. The change in quality is immediately evident within the first three episodes, and the entirety of the first half of the show is an impeccably strong showing in comparison to the first season of Noragami. If you are
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on the fence as to whether Noragami Aragoto is worth the watch (be it that you were not pleased with the first season or not sure if the second season is a great enough pay-off to watch the first), I would definitely recommend the watch for the first seven episodes alone. The well-constructed first half certainly does overshadow the weaker second half, but the second half still grabbed my interest.
Noragami Aragoto is split into two arcs. Both of which focus on the idea of being forgotten, and the central message of not letting your past define you shines through with this season. As with the last season, Phantoms are at large, but corruption in the heavens and the controlling of such Phantoms have become a larger issue than the Phantoms themselves. This season focuses a lot more on characters and the conflicts between them, which is a welcome improvement.
While I still retained my qualms with Yukine, who feels almost like a cut-out character, he actually grew on me a bit even within the first two episodes. I absolutely loved the episode with Suzuha (Yukine's friend, the boy who cared for the tree), as it brought to light Yukine's growth as a character. I think the reason why I can accept Yukine's character growth as opposed to in the first season is that growth is reasonable with time, and it feels as though some time passed between the first and second season. This growth is in direct opposition to his prior immediate and awkward forced character development from the first season.
I loved Yato's character in the first season and I love it again here. His multi-faceted personality allows him to provide both humor and austerity which I felt necessary to the show. Yato brought both comedic relief and chills; truly a rounded character. This time, though, Yato was not the only character to shine nor the lone carrier of the show. Bishamon and her team of Regalia alongside Kugaha really gripped me. For once, it felt like characters had reasoning behind their unwavering drive. Bishamon's intent was thoroughly explained with great pacing. Whereas the enemies throughout the first season of Noragami felt as if their only trait was 'evil,' Kugaha, the villain of the first arc, is cunning and actually has a goal. Kugaha is smart and employs strategy instead of brute force.
While not all characters were well written nor fleshed out, those who were really impressed me. The one character who annoyed me most in the previous season grew on me, and that was certainly part of why I enjoyed this season more than the last. Again, above all else, the portion of the anime which stood out the most was the phenomenal soundtrack. The OP is super catchy and every track fits well with what is presented.
I enjoyed this season a lot more than the first. The weaker second half did damper my score, but it is certainly a daunting task to follow the phenomenal Bishamon arc. The last few seconds of Noragami Aragoto allow some hope that there will be a new season eventually, and I'll definitely be there to watch it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 29, 2015
This review does not contain any spoilers for the series.
Noragami is far more rooted in comedy than I had anticipated when beginning the series. I oftentimes anticipate the 'feel' of a show through its key visual, and more often than not I am wrong in my initial assumptions. Noragami isn't as serious as I would have liked, but the comedy doesn't necessarily fall flat nor dampen my experience too much. It works for the most part, but comedy usually isn't what keeps me coming back to a show. I found most episodes to follow the same relative formula of a comedic first half and a
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more serious second half interspersed with goofy moments. With such a focus on comedy and considering the series begins with little more than mere hints at something more than an average show - namely the introduction of Phantoms - I was certainly wary. The first three episodes of the first season of Noragami lack intrigue. What is provided was enough to keep me going and the setting created is a few steps away from generic, but it was another series where I struggled to become interested.
My most serious concern, however, is Yukine. Part of me feels like this is because the voice actor played Shuu, an equally unlikable character from Guilty Crown. Yukine is a character that lacks depth, an average teenager with issues of angst. While he does see some change near the end of the first season, it does not feel as though he truly understands the weight of his actions and their consequences. It could be argued that this was intentional - that this is how an average teenager may respond in such a situation - but I can't get over how bland of a character he truly is. This becomes an issue in more serious scenes, as the true identity of Yukine is unknown, leading to each of his actions, especially those which are good intentioned, seeming somewhat out of character.
There are enough elements working against the series that the anime must constantly work to keep me pleased. Fortunately, it does a good job of outweighing the negatives. Yato is a great character who actually has a personality. In stark contrast to Yukine, Yato is likable and is among the few characters whose comedy works on me. Kofuku, the God of Poverty, was another character who I enjoyed quite a bit. Each Phantom also has a really interesting design; although most Phantoms take on the shape of an animal or mythical creature, I really like the use of eyeballs and colors to depict something other-worldly. The eyeballs which occasionally appear on dark backgrounds remind me a lot of similar scenes in Aku no Hana. The sounds these Phantoms make are also very reminiscent of the ending theme to Aku no Hana, which I thought was actually pretty interesting, given both deal with themes of angst and pressure. Above all else, though, I am a huge fan of the soundtrack for Noragami. The music alone is able to carry the show in my opinion, as each track is simply delightful (save the ED, however, which I am not much a fan of).
Noragami's first season was solid. What it provided was certainly cool and a step in the right direction, but I'm not sure that it is entirely memorable. Unfortunately, the series is dragged down by various elements. Yato seems to have carried the series on his shoulders alone, being the character which provides the greatest humor, depth, and emotion. I do feel that it is worth watching, but do not anticipate brilliance nor absolute cohesion.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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