Television series
Noragami
Noragami is a gleefully anarchic anime about a broke minor god hustling for believers in modern Japan. It swings wildly between laugh-out-loud comedy, genuine heartfelt moments, and kinetic action sequences, all wrapped in a visual style that's playful and inventive. It's for anyone who wants their supernatural adventure seasoned with real personality and doesn't mind a little tonal whiplash in service of actual stakes.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love scruffy, self-deprecating gods and bickering, found-family banter, with brisk comic timing that suddenly turns melancholy and sharp in its action.
Skip it if you want a comedy that stays light throughout, since its jokes share space with darker, more serious stretches and the action can feel hurried.
What it asks of you: Twenty-five-minute episodes, two seasons, so it asks for a few easy sittings and patience with episodic wandering before its threads start to pull together.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Jujutsu Kaisen2020
Shares Noragami's gift for balancing comedic character moments with unexpectedly brutal action. Features a charismatic lead with a supernatural calling, a found-family dynamic, and genuinely impressive fight choreography that rewards close watching.
But The second season loses some momentum and the sheer volume of side characters can feel overwhelming if you're not invested in the broader mythology.
Mob Psycho 1002016
Whip-smart comedy paired with jaw-dropping animation and a protagonist learning to navigate supernatural power responsibly. Director Bones brings the same visual flair Noragami has, but with even more creative ambition in how it uses the medium.
But The comedy is extremely dry and absurdist—if you need punchlines telegraphed, this won't land. Also shifts tone quite dramatically in later seasons.
Ergo Proxy2006
Another atmospheric blend of action and philosophy wrapped in a unique aesthetic. Post-apocalyptic rather than urban fantasy, but shares that sense of characters navigating a world with rules they're still learning. Gorgeously weird and genuinely unsettling.
But It's deliberately paced and meditative—nothing like Noragami's energy. Also genuinely bleak, and some find the middle stretch repetitive.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Noragami
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Haibane Renmei2002
Both present supernatural worlds with their own logic and rules that characters must navigate and negotiate. Both ask what it means to find purpose within systems you didn't choose.
A girl awakens in a strange town with no memory, surrounded by winged beings living under mysterious rules. Quiet, contemplative, deeply strange—it builds a world that feels genuinely alive. By the end you'll be thinking about what it all means for weeks.
But Completely different energy from Noragami. It's slow, poetic, and deliberately oblique about its mythology. If you need action or clear answers, this will frustrate you deeply.
More like this (8)
Bungou Stray Dogs2016
Paranormal mysteries solved by charismatic misfits with distinct abilities. Fast-paced and fun with strong character chemistry. When it leans into its best ideas, the plotting is genuinely clever and the emotional beats land hard.
But Tonal consistency is not its strength—it careens between comedy and melodrama sometimes without warning. Some story arcs feel padded.
Hataraku Maou-sama!2013
Supernatural beings forced into mundane modern circumstances, played entirely for comedy. The chemistry between the leads is wonderful and the fish-out-of-water premise is mined for genuine laughs without ever feeling mean-spirited.
But It's lighter and less interested in actual stakes than Noragami. Also ends on a cliffhanger that doesn't resolve, which frustrated plenty of viewers.
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun2020
Gorgeous art direction and a supernatural mystery-of-the-week structure with surprising emotional depth. Balances quirky comedy with genuine otherworldly dread. The relationship between Hanako and Natsuhiko develops beautifully across the season.
But The visual style is deliberately disorienting and the plot is more episodic than arc-driven. Some viewers find the pacing slack.
Soul Eater2008
Stylish supernatural action-comedy with a great ensemble cast and a willingness to play with genre conventions. Each character gets their moment, the fights are inventive, and it commits fully to its aesthetic without being precious about it.
But The anime diverges significantly from the manga and doesn't resolve its major conflicts. The art style won't appeal to everyone—it's deliberately angular and exaggerated.
Kamisama Dolls2011
Grounded supernatural mystery-thriller about a man haunted by his past with sentient puppets. More dramatic than Noragami but shares that sense of characters bound to something ancient and powerful. Keeps you guessing.
But Shorter runtime and the plot gets convoluted in places. Second season feels rushed and the ending doesn't quite land as satisfyingly as it sets up.
Blue Exorcist2011
A young man discovers he's half-demon and must decide what he wants to be. Strong character dynamics, decent action, and genuine warmth beneath the supernatural premise. The manga is far superior but the anime has its charm.
But The anime deviates from source material and has pacing problems. The animation quality is inconsistent and some arcs feel filler-adjacent even when they're not.
Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story2020
Both use comedy and lightness as a setup for moments of real weight. Both feature protagonists grappling with supernatural systems that treat them as means rather than ends. Both reward rewatching.
Appears to be a whimsical magical girl story. Absolutely isn't. One of anime's most devastating meditations on sacrifice, agency, and the cost of power. Structurally flawless and visually daring in ways that still hold up.
But The early episodes are deliberately saccharine to set up the subversion. If you quit before episode three, you've missed the point. Also genuinely upsetting—this isn't cathartic, it's tragic.
Nana2005
Both find profound character depth and emotional honesty within their chosen genres. Both build rich worlds where found family and loyalty matter more than external stakes. Both understand that comedy and tenderness live in the same space.
Two women named Nana meet on a train to Tokyo and become inseparable. It's funny and messy and romantic and devastating—a character study wrapped in rock music and cigarette smoke. The chemistry between the leads is incandescent and the soundtrack is perfect.
But It's a shoujo romance, not an action series. Slower paced, more introspective. The live-action film is genuinely melancholy rather than escapist. Also unfinished—the manga was never completed, so you won't get closure.
Recommended by
xxxHolic, Blue Exorcist, Kamisama Dolls, Sousei no Onmyouji, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Mission: Yozakura Family, Tokyo Ravens, Campione!, Shakugan no Shana, Blue Exorcist: The Movie, Angel Sanctuary, Mahou Sensou