Yato

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Lore & Background

Yato is a former god of calamity and a stray god introduced in the manga Noragami: Stray God, written and illustrated by the duo Adachitoka. The story revolves around him as a down-on-his-luck deity trying to make a name for himself. He meets Hiyori Iki after she saves him from an oncoming bus but gets hit herself, causing her soul to become loose from her body. Yato agrees to help her return to normal for 5 yen, though he does not accept any wish and sometimes charges differently or works for free. She becomes involved in the world of gods, spirits, and the afterlife. He works alongside his Shinki, Yukine, a spirit weapon forged from a deceased human's soul. The trio go through many adventures struggling with their friendship, identity, and pasts.

In Their Own Story

The story begins when Hiyori Iki, a normal middle school student, tries to protect a stranger (Yato) from a bus accident. The incident causes her soul to frequently slip out of her body, and she becomes aware of two parallel worlds: the Near Shore, where regular humans and creatures reside, and the Far Shore, where phantoms (demonic beasts) and human souls linger. Through her soul, she meets Yato, a strange, nameless god without a shrine. Yato is determined to make a name for himself by accepting any wish for 5 yen, including Hiyori's wish to fix her body. Alongside Yato's Shinki named Yukine, the trio go through many adventures struggling with their friendship, identity, and pasts.

Reader's Guide

Yato is a minor god who is down on his luck and struggling to gain followers. He accepts any wish for a fee of 5 yen. His key relationships include Hiyori Iki, a high school girl whose soul becomes loose after saving him from a bus, and Yukine, his Shinki (a weapon forged from the spirit of a deceased human's soul). Together, they navigate the Near Shore and Far Shore, confronting phantoms and other supernatural beings. The series explores themes of friendship, identity, and pasts through their adventures.

Did You Know?

• Yato does not accept any wish for a fee of 5 yen; he refuses to kill people and sometimes charges differently or works for free.
• Yato is a former god of calamity and a stray god, not officially classified as a 'minor god'.
• Yato's Shinki is named Yukine, a weapon forged from the spirit of a deceased human's soul.
• The manga Noragami was serialized from December 2010 to January 2024, with 28 tankōbon volumes.
• By February 2024, the manga had over 8 million copies in circulation.

The Stray God's Origins and Mission

Yato is the central protagonist of Noragami: Stray God, a minor god who is down on his luck and struggling to gain followers. He accepts any wish for a fee of 5 yen. His mission begins when Hiyori Iki, a high school girl, saves him from an oncoming bus but gets hit herself, causing her soul to become loose from her body. Yato agrees to help her return to normal, and she becomes involved in the world of gods, spirits, and the afterlife. Alongside his Shinki named Yukine, the trio go through many adventures struggling with their friendship, identity, and pasts.

Narrative Structure and Mythological Worldbuilding

The story of Noragami: Stray God is set in a world with two parallel realms: the Near Shore, where regular humans and creatures reside, and the Far Shore, where phantoms (demonic beasts) and human souls linger. Hiyori Iki's condition allows her to perceive both worlds after a bus accident causes her soul to frequently slip out of her body. This setting provides the stage for Yato's adventures, which involve confronting phantoms and other supernatural entities. Critics have praised the series for its plot, worldbuilding, and characters.

Publication History and Global Reach

Created by the manga artist duo Adachitoka, Noragami was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Magazine from December 2010 to January 2024, with chapters collected into 27 tankōbon volumes. By February 2024, the manga had over 8 million copies in circulation. It was licensed for English release in North America by Kodansha USA in 2014, with all 27 volumes released from September 2, 2014, to December 10, 2024. A nine-volume omnibus edition was also released from September 13, 2022, to August 19, 2025. The series was nominated for the 38th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2014.

Anime Adaptation and Multimedia Expansion

A 12-episode anime television series adaptation produced by Bones was broadcast from January to March 2014. A 13-episode second season, titled Noragami Aragoto, was broadcast from October to December 2015. Both series are licensed in English by Crunchyroll. The anime was directed by Kotaro Tamura with character designs from Toshihiro Kawamoto. Additional original animation DVDs (OADs) were bundled with limited edition manga volumes. The music for the series was composed by Taku Iwasaki. A mobile game, Noragami: Kami to Enishi, was released for Android on October 29, 2015, and for iOS on November 14, 2015.

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