Manga 24692 Noragami Reviews Filter Check 2

I'm an anime to manga reader and have been following Noragami after it's first season aired in 2014.

After picking up where the first season left off, I was completely immersed in the story and they way Adachitoka were able to create an intricate world filled with rich, Japanese Shinto history and motifs. Noragami does a great job pacing its action and development, thus playing effectively into the storybeats when it moments need to be emotional or tense. I genuinely enjoyed the first few arcs for characters like Bishamon, Yukine, and Ebisu as the manga paces out their conflicts well, resulting in great payoff for ... their development that can be seen in later chapters.

Noragami's characterization is also commendable in the fact that characters develop progressively and do not revert or remain stagnant in their motives and personalities that many shounen plots/characters tend to fall victim to. Once a character arc ends, that very character usually comes out with a new mindset or understanding than before.

One particular trait I noticed about Noragami is that it loves to end its chapter on cliffhangers, be it the suspense before a dire battle or a revelation revealed, it always manages to leave me at the edge of my seat anticipating the next chapter. However as of late, this trait has also been detrimental to its pacing. After the Ebisu arc, the pacing has been somewhat shoddy in the way things have been tending to drag out in terms of storytelling. The cliffhangers that were once leaving me at the edge of my seat before has now started to hamper the progression of the plot. This in turn has really muddled that fast-paced suspense that was present in the manga in earlier chapters. The character development also begins to suffer because of the sputtered pacing, and it feels character motives are all over the place.

Seeing we are essentially very close to the end of the story, I'm still anticipating to see how things will end. Noragami started off very strong and as the story began to unfold, I was completely enveloped and invested in its characters— especially Yato. Though the pacing might be spotty as of late, this doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment to an extent.

Story - 7/10

Gods and spirits.Minor and major gods.Noragami has an interesting theme(personal preference.I love mythology).However, the story-telling is inconsistent and weak.There's humor here and there, but the weakness of the plot irritates me a lot.

Art - 7/10

Decent.but nothing too spectacular.

Character - 5/10

... This is where it bugs me.Noragami does no effort on character.Everyone's character is changed to suit the situation, especially the supporting characters.There is some charcater development, but nothing note-worthy.

Enjoyment - 7/10

Despite it's flaws, Noragami is a fun read.It sometimes irritates me, but it also makes me laugh and feel.

Overall - 6/10

I wouldn't call Noragami a worthwhile read, but it's not bad.The humor and setting are fun.