Noragami Aragoto

​Large parts of this episode were spent spelling out information that I'd already inferred and discussed in the previous recap. If you want to read my clarifications on the ma- versus ha- clans, you'll find that in the previous review. Fortunately, this week was also a parade of heartbreak, so there's still plenty to talk about!

We open on Kazuma and Hiyori locked in a scourge cage together. Last week, two of Bishamon's traitorous shinki, the super-sketchy Kugaha and the jealous Aiha, kidnapped the two. Yato caught wind of this and reasonably assumed that it was on Bishamon's orders. Now, with Hiyori cut off from her comatose body and at risk of death, Yato is pissed.

First things first, Kugaha finally does his evil mastermind duty and exposits on his master plan. His aim is simple: seize Bishamon's power for himself. He wants to do this by exploiting how gods work in the world of Noragami. You see, if Bishamon dies, people won't just stop believing in her – their faith in “Bishamon” will create a new version of the goddess. This subsequent incarnation will inherit the previous version's power but lack her memories. Kugaha wants this to happen so that he can raise the next Bishamon and indoctrinate her into doing whatever he wants. This would give him a ton of power. But who will take out Japan's mightiest war god? Why not her archenemy, the former calamity god Yato! Unfortunately, while Bishamon is desperate to go toe-to-toe with him, Yato always flees their confrontations. So Kugaha draws Yato to Bishamon by framing her for Hiyori's kidnapping. Now they'll both be at each other's throats and hopefully wreck each other before realizing that something is amiss. To ensure that Bishamon loses the encounter, Kugaha has substantially weakened her through his “medical” treatments and Kazuma's expulsion. It's a simple but devious plot. Still, this hasn't turned her into a slouch in battle – her shinki manage to force Yato into a corner so that she can deal a killing blow. However, Yukine throws himself in her way, giving his life to save Yato. This episode ends on the resounding note of Yukine's sacrifice, as well as Kazuma's.

You see, we finally learn why Yato killed Bishamon's shinki all those years back. As it turns out,Kazuma asked him to do it, all in order to save Bishamon's life. She's apparently gotten herself into this situation before, taking on too many vassals who prey on each other when she can't pay them enough individual attention. Last time there wasn't even an evil mastermind – just good old-fashioned human infighting and gatekeeping. Her shinki corrupted each other, eventually forming an enormous tumor-like phantom. Kazuma, as the only uncorrupted shinki, asked Yato to exterminate his brethren in order to save his mistress. Impressed by Kazuma's self-sacrificial loyalty, Yato agreed. Bishamon survived, but learned nothing from the incident, begging Yato to spare her “little ones” until the end. The trauma only led to her picking up more shinki and recreating the disaster many years later. Meanwhile, Kazuma has kept his role in all this secret, allowing Bishamon to stew in her hatred of Yato. That leads us to where we are now.