Nora (野良) also known as The Stray is one of Yato's former shinkis, and also Rabō. She has multiple owners, one notibly is Ebisu, and names though she is seen working for Yato and "father" the most often.
Appearance
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Nora looks like a beautiful young girl with short black hair and a pair of purplish black eyes. She is dressed in a white kimono with red under layer, and a striped red and black sash. Her kimono is worn right side up, indicating that she is dead as a human. She also wears a pair of straw sandals with white split-toe socks, a pair of small white gauntlets made of cloth, and a Hitaikakushi. Sometimes she is seen holding or wearing a white, faceless mask with a large eye drawn on it.She is one of the shortest characters in the series, standing at 154 cm, but has a thin, elegant frame.
Her prominent feature is the Japanese Kanji characters imprinted all over her body; a common feature for all Strays.
Personality
Nora, at first comes off as very gentle and kind. She seems to care deeply for Yato, and continually prompts him to use her.
Later, it is revealed how manipulating and nasty she is. She tries to kill Yukine, as well as taunt him due to the fact that he was impure but also because she wants Yato to use her. She also tries to kill Hiyori due to how close she has gotten to Yato, and how due to her, he has become soft.
She is shown to show interest in anything with beauty.
Alternate Names
As a Stray, Nora has multiple owners and thus, multiple names. She also takes different forms when different weapon names are called.
- As Yato's shinki, her name is Hiiro (緋, meaning “scarlet”) and her weapon name is Hiki (緋器). She becomes a water-transforming sword with wooden hilt. Yato only calls her Hiiro when they are working together, and calls her Nora when they aren’t. In the anime, Yato never called her Hiiro and her weapon form is only shown in flashbacks as a sword with wooden hilt, but Rabō called her Hiiro once in the end of Episode 7.
- As Ebisu’s shinki, her name is Tsutsu (筒, meaning “gun barrel”), her human name is Tsutsumi (筒弥) and her weapon name is Touki (筒器). She becomes a gun. This name only appears in the manga.
- As “Father’s” shinki, her name is Mizuchi (螭, meaning “cruel”), her weapon name is Chiki (螭器). Her weapon form is a shakujō. This name also only appears in the manga.
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- Other than the above names, Kanji characters that can be recognized (or close to those shown in the manga) are 臣 (tomi/SHIN, meaning “retainer”), 規 (nori/KI, meaning “standard”), 介 (yuki/KAI, meaning “shellfish”), 合 (an/GOU, meaning “join”), and 杞 (yagi/KOU, meaning “willow”).
Abilities and Skills
As a shinki, Nora is known to have various skills and special abilities:
- Water-transforming (manga) / Water-based attacks (anime)
- This is a special ability only attainable as Yato’s weapon Hiki. She is able to transform her blade into water to become Yato’s shield or impact absorber, or splashes some on Yato’s face when needed. This ability is shown in the manga many times during a mission to save Ebisu in the underworld. In the anime however, this ability is shifted from Hiiro/Hiki to Rabō’s weapon Furuhime/Reiki, and changed from water-transforming blade to water-based attacks. The common cue to her appearance is the sound of water drops.
- Shape-shifting
- This is a special ability only attainable as a Stray. When her names are called, Nora can change her weapon forms from one into another and shifts her position from one owner to another, as long as her owners are near her. This ability is shown in Chapter 32 during the fight between Yato and Ebisu.
- Boundary
- This is the basic skill of a shinki. In episode 5 of the anime, Yato implied that Nora could use Boundary, although her Boundary was not as strong as Yukine’s. She can only use this skill in her human form. This skill however is yet to be seen in the manga, and is never shown in the anime.
- Restraint
- In the manga Nora is yet to use this skill, but in the anime she used it in episode 6 to stop Kinki from biting Yato. She can only use this skill in her human form.
- Controlling phantoms
- She is one of the few entities that are able to control masked phantoms. She used wolf-like masked phantoms to attack Hiyori in chapter 9 of the manga, and episode 10 in the anime. In chapter 27 of the manga, she also used these masked phantoms to kidnap Yato. She uses this skill in her human form.
- Zan / Rend
- This ability is only attainable as Yato’s weapon Hiki. When Yato uses Zan, she is able to cut anything and everything. This skill is only used in the manga and is shown in the anime as flashbacks, albeit never named. In the anime, it is known that she can also do the same as Rabō’s weapon Reiki, although the skill was never named. It is however unknown whether she is able to perform Yato’s other skill, Zetsu / Sunder.
- Memory Fragmentation
- Nora is seen to have the ability to take people's memories and morph it into the form of a small jewel-like fragment. This ability is only shown in the anime in episode 10. She uses this ability in her human form.
Relationship
As a detestable Stray, Nora’s relationship with many of the characters is filled with distrust and malice.
- Yato: A master Nora toys with. As one of her long-time users, she is fond towards Yato and often seeks for the chance for Yato to use her again. Whenever Yato leaves Nora, she often disturbs him and his emotions, taunting him so that he returned to her. She feels happy whenever Yato returns into using her while disregarding his feelings.
- Rabō (anime only): One of Nora’s masters. As they have a common goal, which is to force Yato to return to his old life, she gives all the information Rabō needs so they can drag Yato back into the world of killing.
- "Father": Her true master. Nora has told Yato many times that she only listens to Father’s orders.
- Kugaha: A fellow comrade. Kugaha is a Stray like Nora, and she often helps him achieve his evil plans.
- Yukine: An enemy. As Yukine is close to Yato, Nora used to taunt Yukine into hurting Yato. After Yukine underwent the purification, Nora seems to be no longer interested in him.
- Hiyori: A formidable enemy. As Hiyori is close to Yato, Nora tries to attack her using masked phantoms. Even after her attempts failed, Nora doesn’t give up on breaking the bonds between Hiyori and Yato because to her, Hiyori is a “bad influence” to Yato.
History
Nora had a long time relationship with Yato, having met shortly after Yato was created. Father introduced them, but it was unclear where she actually originated from. In chapter 47, Sakura takes notice of the name 'Mizuchi' on her back. This implies that before becoming Yato's shinki, she worked for "Father" (See below). Nevertheless, her and Yato had been slaying people and shinki together. Her name when she became Yato’s shinki was Hiiro/Hiki.
Just as it was revealed that Nora was involved with Father (父様,totosama), it was also noted that Yato was also related to this entity. Up until now her history as a human remained unknown.
Prior to the start of the series, Nora had been working for other gods because Yato hadn’t been summoning her.
Chronology
Manga
Chapter 2
When Yato visited Hiyori in the hospital to check on her health, he mentioned that he was practically butt-naked due to not having a weapon as Nora was busy.
Chapter 7
Nora appeared in the last page of the chapter when Yato was trying to cleanse the blight mark caused by Yukine’s misdeeds at Tenjin’s shrine.
Chapter 8
Nora complained that Yato had never summoned her although she had been watching him, and felt lonely because of it. She told Yato not to use Yukine as he was emotionally unstable and uncontrollable, and to throw him away and use her instead. Yato did not answer.
In the event where Yukine was chased by Yato and Hiyori and accidentally dropped a donation box that he stole from a convenience store, Nora appeared again and casually complimented Yukine’s pretty eyes. Yato called Sekki and asked why she appeared and called her Nora, before she told Yato to call her by her given name. Hiyori and Yukine were surprised when Nora told them that it was normal for a god to carry many shinki with him/her. She then told Yato to use her so she could protect him from Bishamon, and that she also helped him kill Bishamon’s shinki. Nora then taunted Yato to use her more as he did in the past, slaying many things together. Yato pointed Sekki at her angrily before running away.
When Yato failed to exterminate a giant moth-shaped phantom, Nora reappeared and held out her hand to tempt Yato to use her. However Yato refused, telling her to go away as he was honing Sekki. Nora was dumbfounded with Yato’s reply.
Chapter 9
On New Year’s Eve, after Hiyori met Tenjin and discussed about Strays in general, Nora appeared in front of Hiyori with a hateful look. When Hiyori greeted her, Nora told Hiyori not to greet her casually as a lowly Phantom, and sneered as she sent a few wolf-like masked phantoms to attack Hiyori. She told the wolves to aim for Hiyori’s cord, and when asked why, Nora stated that Hiyori was not suitable for Yato. Luckily, Hiyori survived the attack.
Chapter 12
After a mission to exterminate a phantom that caused a baby to cry at night, Hiyori noticed a mask similar to those worn by the wolf-like phantoms she met on New Year’s Eve and told Yato about it. Yato was surprised to learn that Nora had attacked Hiyori using the masked phantoms.
Chapter 13
Nora met Bishamon’s shinki Kugaha, and Kugaha told her that he had met Yato and Yukine. After a little chitchat about how beautiful Sekki was and about Kazuma leaving the grounds without Bishamon’s permission, Nora told Kugaha that Kazuma actually went to help with Yato’s purification.
Later on, Yato met Nora and asked for her motives for using masked phantoms, to which Nora replied that she merely wanted to cause trouble.
Chapter 14
Nora was seen patting her pack of wolf-like masked phantoms after Bishamon’s shinki Suzuha was killed, as she listened to Kugaha’s plot to reincarnate Bishamon.
Chapter 15
Nora appeared as Yato grumbled about Hiyori’s vicious attack due to his constant complains through Twitter, telling him to just sever his bonds with them. She said that Yato was supposed to be more relaxed and didn’t need to worry about pointless things. Yato said that he didn’t intend to do anything she wanted, but Nora countered by saying that Yato, as a lesser-known or more like a nameless deity, wouldn’t be able to exist since he couldn’t even remain in anyone’s memories. She told Yato to follow “Father’s” orders, to which Yato didn’t answer.
Chapter 17
Nora met Kugaha and talked about Kazuma’s exile, although Kugaha wasn’t satisfied until Bishamon actually died and reborn so that he could become her lead shinki. Nora then told Kugaha the things he wanted to know, specifically Yato’s weakness.
Anime
Episode 1: A Housecat, A Stray God and A Tail When Yato visited Hiyori in the hospital to check on her health, he mentioned that he was practically butt-naked due to not having a weapon because Nora was busy.
Episode 3: Bidden Calamity Nora made her first appearance at the end of the episode as she watched Yato and Yukine sleep in front of Tenjin’s old shrine.
Episode 4: Where Happiness Lies Nora appeared in front of Yukine while he was waiting for Yato and Hiyori near a lake as they returned from Kofuku’s house. She complimented that Yukine had pretty eyes, and Yato called her Nora as he asked what she was doing. Nora told Yato to call her name instead, and that she was waiting for him to use her again. Yukine and Hiyori were surprised to learn that Yato actually had another shinki aside of Yukine.
Episode 5: Borderline When Hiyori asked about Yato’s relationship with Nora, Yato had to admit that Nora was a friend of his benefit. This revelation caused Hiyori to become angry.
Episode 6: Scary Person Nora appeared behind the trees in the forest where Yato fought Bishamonten, and used Restraint to bind Kinki from attacking Yato.
Episode 7: Uncertainty, Destiny Nora was mentioned by Hiyori as she asked about Strays to Tenjin, although Tenjin didn’t answer her question. Later, she appeared in front of Yato while he was cleansing the blight on his nape. She told Yato that she was lonely because he hardly called her name anymore, and that Yukine was emotionally unstable so he should get rid of the boy. She then told Yato to use her as she was more useful than Yukine, although Yato didn’t reply.
She later met Yukine and told him that even though he had pretty eyes he was empty and useless; comparing him with hawthorn fruits. When Yato asked what she was doing, Nora replied that he should use her more; as she could kill everything nice and neat, and extended her hand to reach out to him. Yato called Sekki instead and left with Hiyori, leaving Nora alone.
When Yato couldn’t cut the giant moth-like phantom using Sekki, Nora extended her hand to reach to Yato again, but Yato told her to go away as he was honing Sekki. Nora was dumbfounded and was greeted by a man, said man was Rabō. Rabō commented that it was a pity since Nora - whom he called Hiiro - and Yato used to spend a long time together.
Episode 8: Over the Line As Yukine dragged a metal baseball bat in front of Hiyori’s school windows, he remembered Nora’s words and became agitated as he smashed them down.
Episode 9: Name Nora was sitting on a Torii moments after Yukine’s successful purification, saying that he should be eaten by his phantom instead. She told Rabō that it was a good choice to wake him up, and when Rabō asked whether Yato was really that Yato the god of calamity, Nora told him to see for himself.
Episode 10: Regarded with Hate Nora watched Hiyori going to the New Year’s festival from the top of a building with Rabō and decided to use her for an evil plot. She then imposed as Yato so Hiyori could chase “him”. When Hiyori greeted her Nora said that Hiyori, as a mere phantom, should not talk to her casually and that Hiyori was the cause for Yukine’s successful purification, and sent a pack of wolf-like masked phantoms to attack Hiyori. She told the wolves to attack her Cord although not to accidentally bite it off. When Hiyori asked why she was attacked, Nora told Hiyori that she disliked her. Hiyori escaped from the phantoms’ attack when the sun rose, but Nora approached her and told that the god of calamity Rabō had awakened, and that he wanted to kill Yato. She also told Hiyori that she caused Yato to become weak, and told Hiyori to stop existing.
Episode 11: Abandoned God
During their free time, Rabō and Nora killed many citizens. When a witness tried to escape, Rabō called her name Reiki, and Nora transformed into a sword and killed the witness.
Nora appeared in front of Yato and Yukine when they returned after buying some art supplies, and Yato instantly knew that she was the reason for Hiyori’s lost memories. She admitted that she did steal Hiyori’s memories, and showed them a crystal orb with Hiyori’s memories about Yato in it, saying that no matter what he did he would always be forgotten and was hurt many times because of it. She told him to remember his true self before Yukine snapped Yato back into reality. Yato asked what was she plotting, and Nora showed her new name “Furu”, before she transformed into Reiki, a sword with decorative red hilt and sheath in Rabō’s hands, and attacked Yato and Yukine.
After a vicious fight that caused Sekki to be injured, Rabō summoned Nora’s human name Furuhime, and said that Yato was no longer the god of calamity he knew. Nora told Yato to defeat Rabō should he wanted Hiyori’s memories back, and vanished. While everyone talked about Rabō, Rabō and Nora were spending their time killing people at a railway terminal. Nora told an impatient Rabō that Yato would surely come to them.
Episode 12: Scrap of a Memory
Nora and Rabō were waiting for Yato’s arrival at Rabō’s former shrine when Yato and Yukine arrived with Hiyori. When Nora saw Hiyori, she said that Hiyori was an eyesore before she was summoned by Rabō to start the fight. After trapping Yato and Sekki in a water sphere, Rabō told Reiki that Yato was yet to return. When Rabō raised his sword to kill Hiyori, Reiki sneered at her before Sekki blocked it, changing her expressions from amused to unimpressed. She told Rabō to throw the crystal orb containing Hiyori’s memories and while Yato desperately chased to save it, she slashed the orb and shattered it into pieces, successfully reawakened the fierce god Yato.
When Hiyori managed to remember Yato, Reiki was shocked that Hiyori was able to break her spell. And after Rabō’s defeat, Nora commented on her failure and decided to go home and talk about it with Father.
Trivia
- It is once assumed that the title Noragami referred to her status as a Stray; although it actually referred to Yato and his stray-like life as a lesser-known god.