The Unsung Hero, Yato

Wearing a navy blue tracksuit and a fluffy fluff scarf you would never say that he was a god of calamity. He looks like an average person in his early twenties. His strikingly blue eyes have a cat like appearance when he is angered. The whole look is pulled together with his dark bluish black chin-length hair that he occasionally wears in a ponytail.

He calls himself a delivery god and will grant any wish for just 5 yen.

Personality

He is considered playful, sneaky and generally childish. He tends to buy gimmicks that are obvious scams promising to grant wealth, popularity or something along those lines. Despite being a god and being around for many centuries he has never had a shrine. His deepest wish is to have a shrine of his own. Thus he is determined to become a popular god with a large devout following. To remain in people’s minds he writes his number everywhere he can and does odd jobs for people. He can be serious and mysterious. As well as crude and unpredictable.

He has a low tolerance for people with weak wills and has little desire to help people who are willing to commit suicide.

When money is involved, Yato appears to be quite materialistic. Despite coming across as aloof and idiotic he can be wise and serious when the situation demands it.

Relationships

Yato has a close bond with the god of poverty, Kofuku. She seems to be the only god who has cared about Yato through the ages. They have known and trusted each other for a very long time. Kofuku is fully aware of Yato’s past as a god of calamity even warns Hiyori that “Yato is a scary God”. However Kofuku doesn’t mind Yato’s past. Yato sees her as a valuable ally and trusts her. Their mischievous personalities combine well and make for the perfect ‘partners in crime’ friendship. Daikoku is Kofuku’s shinki. So he has also known Yato a long time and is often annoyed by Yato’s antics. However he does truly care for Yato’s well being and vice versa.

Yukine is Yato’s shinki. At first he was cold towards Yato but he has developed a deep bond with Yato, going as far as to sacrifice himself to save Yato. Yukine is Yato’s One and Only as well as his guiding light. At first Yato’s relationship with Hiyori was viewed as tedious but he has since come to value and appreciate her as their bonds deepened.

Bishamonten, a war god, has hated and hunted Yato for centuries. However through a fierce confrontation. They have come to an understanding and Bishamon has come to forgive Yato. Yato now states that they are ‘drinking buddies’. A dramatic change in their relationship. Kazuma, Bishamon’s Blessed Vessel views Yato as their benefactor. He views Yato as that because Yato saved Bishamon’s life at his request. Yato has a few other acquaintances and during the series you can see their relationships deepen with Yato as well.

Then there is Nora, a shinki with many names and thus many masters. Nora and Yato share the same “father” and have been together since Yato was a young boy. “Father” is the person who wished Yato into existence. Both of which Yato has a difficult relationship with, wishing to be free if them.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Yato uses teleportation to get from job to job quickly as well as to prove that he is a god to Hiyori when she doubted him. Yato is also able to exorcise and destroy Ayakashis. Being a God he is also capable of preforming Divine Possession.

He suffers from Athazagoraphobia, which is the fear of being abandoned or forgotten by those around him. Which is fully understandable. Should he be forgotten, he will cease to exist. Another weakness is that without his Shinki he is basically vulnerable.

 

Character Development

There are many sides to Yato showing throughout both the anime and the manga. Slowly more about Yato is revealed regarding his past and what he has done and reveals a lot more about himself.

Character Role 

Yato is the male protagonist of Noragami. He is a God of Calamity, but as of recently has decided to be a God of Miracles.

Unique Character quality

Despite his past many years of searching for his one unique person he never gave up or stopped believing that he would one day find that person or get his own shrine.

Ranking

I would rate him as A-Class bordering on S-Class

He can hold his own and has multiple depths to him. He is there the moment someone needs him. He has destroyed a weapon of heaven defending a fellow god showing real ability, especially once he gets serious.

Spoilers ahead!!!

More About Yato:

• Yato’s real name is Yaboku
• His exact age is unknown but it is estimated he is over 1000 years of age!
• His English theme song is “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds
• Yato’s has sweaty hands according to his shinki
• Yato refer’s the thing around his neck as ‘Fluffy Fluff Scarf’
• Yato seem’s to have a perverted side as shown when he drew a picture of Hiyori naked with wings