Release Date: January 5, 2014
Studio: Bones
Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Comedy
Synopsis: Up-and-coming god Yato finds himself down on his luck when his Sacred Treasure, a type of living weapon, tenders her resignation. He resolves to fight evil by himself until a chance encounter with a high school girl changes his fortunes.
Verdict: This could be an early candidate for best anime of the Winter season, if not the year. Studio Bones has a successful track record as long as my arm, so the world of mangaka Adachitoka springs to life with vibrant colors and smoothly animated action sequences. Phantoms, supernatural ripples caused by strong emotions, come in all shapes and sizes; the first episode alone finds Yato facing down a giant red snake born from the malicious competitive spirit of exam week and a towering, gluttonous neon blue frog. Playing opposite Hiroshi Kamiya's Yato is Maaya Uchida as Hiyori Iki, a spunky, MMA-loving high school girl who finds herself caught up in the fledgling god's world after saving him from getting hit by a bus. Hiyori serves as a fitting stand-in for the audience since she often balks at the bizarre nature Yato's swashbuckling lifestyle. Although it looks like this is Kotaru Tamura's first turn as director, so far he seems to be doing a good job of balancing the fantastical with the everyday. After learning that her new companion fancies himself a god of immeasurable power, Hiyori's initial reaction is to call the police. Light moments like these sprinkled in between impressive supernatural action sequences make for an engaging viewing experience. If Noragami doesn't turn out to be one of the best series of the year, it'll still be one of the most fun to watch.
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