Sartaj Singh
An adaptation of Adachi and Tokashiki’s eponymous Japanese manga series, ‘Noragami’ is a lighthearted action fantasy anime that follows the exploits of a minor god struggling for relevance and a young girl who unwittingly becomes wrapped up in his world of spirits, monsters, and deities. Yato is a minor god who struggles to gain any followers and doesn’t have a single shrine dedicated to him. While the vagrant god is out on the city streets selling his divine assistance for a 5-yen offering, he is about to be run over by truck-kun, but is saved by a high school student, Hiyori Iki.
Yato prevents her from dying, but Hiyori’s soul becomes loose, causing her to faint occasionally and have ethereal experiences. Seeking Yato’s help in curing her condition, Hiyori joins the minor god’s quest to improve his following, battling otherworldly beings along the way. After enjoying the vibrant animation of the Bones production, intriguing world-building, and a surprising amount of heart, one may become inclined to search for more anime similar to ‘Noragami.’
12. Beyond the Boundary (2013-2014)
Produced by Kyoto Animation, ‘Beyond the Boundary’ or ‘Kyoukai no kanata’ introduces us to Akihito Kanbara, a high school student who saves fellow student Mirai Kuriyama from taking her own life. Soon afterward, Mirai stabs Akihito with a sword made from her own blood, revealing that she is the last spirit hunter of her clan and that the unaffected Akihito is a half-youmu.
The youmu are said to be the manifestation of negative human emotions and cause war and disease, but they also dwell peacefully alongside humans. Charmed by Mirai, Akihito promises to help her hunt down youmu and gain experience as a spirit world warrior. The dark fantasy anime will appeal to fans of ‘Noragami’ with its well-written characters, stunning animation, and explorations of an enigmatic spirit world.
11. Bakemonogatari (2009-2010)
Part of the ‘Monogatari’ series by studio Shaft, ‘Bakemonogatari’ thrusts us into a world where supernatural oddities, or monogatari, haunt the lives of ordinary people. The story centers around Koyomi Araragi, a high school student who encounters various individuals afflicted by these mystical curses. Alongside his enigmatic mentor, Meme Oshino, Koyomi works towards curing each curse, uncovering the pasts and emotions of those affected.
From a girl who becomes weightless to another who turns invisible, each arc unveils a unique and compelling tale of human struggle and resilience. With its distinctive animation style, witty dialogue, and philosophical undertones, ‘Bakemonogatari’ will capture the imagination of those who like the multifaceted characters and depth of emotion in ‘Noragami.’
10. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (2015-)
Created by studio J.C. Staff and also known as ‘Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka,’ the action-adventure anime series revolves around Bell Crane and his juvenile patron goddess, Hestia. The narrative sees the pair grow and make a name for their familia in a fantasy world of dungeons, gods, and monsters. Bell Crane has aspirations of becoming a great adventurer. He lives in the city of Orario, under which sprawls an endless labyrinth known as The Dungeon. Orario is also home to a number of gods from the Greek Pantheon, who have limited their powers to exist as humans and experience their hardships and triumphs.
Each god has their own familia comprised of adventurers of varying numbers and powers depending on their stature. Crane is a weak fighter who joins the impoverished house of Hestia as its only member. However, Crane has unlocked a unique ability, Liaris Freese, which speeds up his growth and strength in proportion to the intensity of his feelings. When he is saved by Ais Wallenstein, an unmatched swordswoman and beauty, his story of dungeon crawling and romance begins. The anime is likely to appeal to those who were drawn by the underdog god premise of ‘Noragami.’ It boasts a fresh twist on the genre, with colorful characters, an interesting power system, and whimsical romance on the side.
9. Rin-ne (2015-2017)
‘Rin-ne’ or ‘Kyoukai no Rinne’ by Brains Base follows high schooler Sakura Mamiya, who has the ability to see ghosts after a childhood incident, as her path intertwines with that of Rinne Rokudo, a mysterious classmate who is a reaper of the spirit world. When Sakura sees Rinne for the first time, she thinks of him as another ghost, as he has been an absentee student. In reality, Rinne is a poverty-stricken shinigami who frees souls bound to the world, sending them into the wheel of reincarnation.
The anime follows Sakura and Rinne’s humorous adventures as they encounter, and sometimes battle, beings from the spirit realm while nurturing a subtle romance. ‘Rin-ne’ is similar to ‘Noragami’ in its premise of a high school girl entering a fantastical parallel world through a downtrodden resident of said world. Both shows have humor, compelling characters, and an intriguing spiritual world.
8. Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (2020)
‘Toilet-bound Hanako-kun’ or ‘Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun’ is brought to life by studio Lerche and revolves around a girl exploring the urban legends of her school with a supernatural being. Nene Yashiro, a high school girl with a strong interest in the occult, ventures into a haunted bathroom in search of a wish-granting spirit and meets Hanako-kun. A mischievous and enigmatic ghost, Hanako-kun, strikes a deal with Nene, promising to fulfill her wish in exchange for her assistance in maintaining the peace between the supernatural and human worlds. Enthusiasts of ‘Noragami’ will undoubtedly like this one for its unique aesthetic and storytelling, blending genres while narrating an unexpectedly heartwarming tale of friendship and redemption.
7. Blood Lad (2013)
Animated by Brain’s Base, ‘Blood Lad’ follows the story of Staz Charlie Blood, a powerful vampire residing in the Demon World. Unlike his peers, Staz is fascinated by the human world, particularly Japanese culture, and spends his time as an otaku. His laid-back life takes an unexpected turn when Fuyumi Yanagi, a human girl, accidentally wanders into the Demon World and begins to connect to Staz.
However, her untimely demise leaves Staz determined to find a way to bring her back to life, and he enters the human world. He is accompanied on his expedition by Fuyumi’s ghost, a half-werewolf named Wolf, and a spatial magician. With its blend of comedy, action, and supernatural elements, ‘Blood Lad’ offers stylish and entertaining episodes likely to appeal to those who appreciate such aspects of ‘Noragami.’
6. Durarara!! (2010)
‘Durarara!!’ transports us to Ikebukuro, Tokyo, where an ensemble of characters, each with their own unique story and past, come together like pieces in a puzzle to form a thrilling grand narrative. Mikado Ryuugamine is a young boy who moves to Ikebukuro to reunite with his childhood friend, Masaomi Kida. However, Mikado soon finds himself drawn into the chaotic and dangerous underworld of Ikebukuro, where he encounters eccentric characters such as a headless rider, the information broker Izaya Orihara, and the enigmatic vigilante Shizuo Heiwajima. With its intricate plot, detailed characters, and an urban setting that seems to come alive, ‘Durarara!!’ will captivate fans of ‘Noragami’ as it has similarly creative humor and a mysterious story.
5. Blue Exorcist (2011)
‘Blue Exorcist’ AKA ‘Ao no ekusoshisuto,’ tells the story of a vengeful human-demon hybrid who enrolls in an exorcist school to defeat his father, Satan. Produced by A-1 Pictures, the series details the adventures of Rin Okumura, the adopted son of an exorcist who has the ability to enter demon mode and burst into all-incinerating blue flames.
To honor the death of his adoptive father, Rin enrolls at True Cross Academy, where he meets his talented twin brother and eclectic students who become his comrades in the fight against the demon realm. Similar to ‘Noragami,’ ‘Blue Exorcist’ highlights a clash of realms, delving into serious themes while maintaining a lighthearted and comedic style of storytelling.
4. Bungo Stray Dogs (2016-)
‘Bungo Stray Dogs’ is an anime series produced by Studio Bones. Set in Yokohama, Japan, it follows Atsushi Nakajima, an orphan who possesses supernatural abilities. After being kicked out of his orphanage, Atsushi encounters members of the Armed Detective Agency, a group of individuals with unique powers who use their abilities to solve various mysteries and cases in the city. Atsushi soon joins the agency and discovers a world filled with dangerous enemies, the deadliest of whom is the Port Mafia.
A criminal organization with extremely powerful enforcers, the mafia controls the city from the shadows and inadvertently comes into conflict with the agency. Coming from the same studio as ‘Noragami,’ ‘Bungo Stray Dogs’ will entice fans of the former with its mysterious plotlines, engaging characters, and a beautiful blend of supernatural elements and noir.
3. Soul Eater (2008-2009)
‘Soul Eater,’ or ‘Sôru îtâ’ in Japanese, is a Shounen anime that centers on duos of human-weapon hybrids and the meisters who wield them in order to harvest evil souls and grow their power. The Death Weapon Meister Academy is set up by the lord of death himself to create death scythe-level weapons for Shinigami to wield against the forces of darkness.
Students Maka Albarn and her laid-back partner Soul Eater Evans, a human-turned-scythe, lead the charge alongside other pairs like Black☆Star and Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, and Death the Kid with twin pistols Liz and Patty Thompson. The series is known for its outrageous humor and binge-worthy arcs, which are sure to beckon fans of ‘Noragami’ with their exploration of the show’s unique power concepts and twist on Shinigami world-building.
2. The Devil Is a Part-Timer! (2013-)
‘The Devil Is a Part-Timer!’ follows the Demon Lord Satan himself, who is forced to retreat to modern-day Tokyo after being defeated in his world of Ente Isla. In this new realm, Satan takes on the identity of Sadao Maou and secures a job at a fast-food restaurant to make ends meet. Alongside his loyal general, Alciel, Satan encounters other characters from his old world who now disrupt his increasingly peaceful life.
Made by studio White Fox, the series mirrors ‘Noragami’ in its combination of real-world elements with the supernatural concepts of angels and demons. The series is a slice-of-life anime that combines humor and unexpectedly well-animated action sequences and will appeal to fans of ‘Noragami’ looking for a relaxing and laid-back watch.
1. Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! (2016-)
Masterfully crafted by Studio Deen, ‘Kono subarashii sekai ni shukufuku o!’ is a hilarious isekai that follows the misadventures of Kazuma Satou, a teenage shut-in who finds himself in the realm of the gods and set to be reincarnated into a fantasy world after a comical death. As the childish goddess Aqua mocks Kazuma for his shut-in life and absurd death, Kazuma is offered a special boon to help him in this new world. Getting back at Aqua, he chooses for her to accompany him in his reincarnation, and the two are transported to the starter town of Axel.
Struggling to get by with labor work and quests, Kazuma and Aqua create an adventuring party of laughably specialized builds, including Megumin, a powerful but one-trick wizard, and Darkness, a durable knight with a near-perverse affinity for getting hit. Just like in ‘Noragami,’ the anime features a woefully struggling god and surprisingly good world-building and action sequences. With hysterically quirky characters, colorful adventures, and a refreshing take on the isekai genre, ‘Konosuba’ is sure to thoroughly entertain fans of ‘Noragami.’
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