Yato

Yato is one of the three main protagonists of Noragami. An obscure god who considers himself a God of Fortune / Happiness and War, he has been labeled a God of Calamity and Depression in the past. Yato's dream is to become a famous god, whom everyone worships. Yato appears to be an extremely handsome young man in his late teens to early twenties with a height of 174cm (5’8”). He has messy, dark violet hair and light blue eyes with small, round pupils that become narrow when he is serious or angry, resembling that of a cat's. Yato is often seen wearing a navy tracksuit that has a small golden crown on the right side, and a pair of brown leather boots. A recognizable feature of his is a faded blue scarf (nicknamed 'fluffy fluff scarf' by Yato himself) with tears along with it around his neck. Although the exact fabric is unknown, some fans believe that Yato's scarf is actually a towel that he stole from a bathhouse. In flashbacks of his time as Yaboku, he is seen with a mini ponytail wearing a blue, man's kimono. Yato can be mischievous, crude, and unpredictable in his behavior. He often has low tolerance on something he wants, usually causing those around him to become upset. Furthermore, he is rather childish and gullible at times. Yato will often indulge in fantasies of being a very successful God with more followers than any other deity; shrines full of luxury and shrine maiden at his fingertips. As his existence would end if he were to be forgotten, he has developed Athazagoraphobia. Yato is very materialistic when it comes to money, claiming to Hiyori that he will complete her job request since he intends to keep her money. Alongside this, he carries an enormous bottle full of 5yen coins- the traditional offering for shrines. He tends to spend his money on drinking, gambling, and good luck trinkets, to the point where he has even stolen money from his Shinkis. When Yato opted to use his money to make Hiyori happy at Capypaland, Yukine became so excited that his master would use his money to make someone else happy that he shed tears, causing her to pity him. Despite his aloof and often idiotic personality, Yato can be quite wise and very serious when the situation requires it. Believing his father's words, Yato thinks gods can do whatever they want, but he currently believes it is because their decision - mostly helped by others - would be the right one. He has a very low tolerance for weak-spirited people, having little motivation to help those wanting to commit suicide. This is mostly due-in-part because Shinki hasn't had the chance to experience a full life; oftentimes dying in unfortunate accidents or at the hands of another. Yato is also rather mysterious; Examples being when he meets with Nora (Mostly the reason being why he keeps her at his side) or gives incomplete answers/ acts in a questioning manner, including telling Yukine that he killed an entire clan of Shinki due to his own desires rather than to help another god at Kazuma's request. He refused to tell his true name and past even to his closest friends, fearing they would hate him; especially given he's a god easily forgotten humans. That and abandonment issues caused by his dubbing, "God of Calamity." This caused some strain on his relationship with Yukine since he feels inferior to Nora, though Yato alleviates these fears when he releases her, begging Yukine to be his guidepost and light the way for him. In the past, Yato's nature was extremely ruthless and cruel, thinking that killing was a game to satisfy his father and enjoy with his sister. However, his personality seems to have altered to a more optimistic standard through Sakura's influence on showing him the beauty of humanity and the world. He became more reluctant to murder, regretting being involved in killing jobs tasked by his father and wants to cut himself off from killing people in the present. Though, he seems less reluctant when dealing with murderous and "sinful" people, deeming it a necessary evil. Still, Yato can be a cruel and merciless person, showing great loyalty towards those he loves and cares for. He was angered when Hiyori was kidnapped, to the point where he challenged Bishamon, believing she was the one responsible. He was also devastated when Yukine sacrificed himself to save him during said fight. His father revealed that Yato is a "God of Depravity," meaning that Yato's only purpose is to bring upon great suffering to those around him, not to bring them happiness. This is strongly implied by Kofuku, who learned about her future friend from rumors that he once killed several Shinki, though according to Daikoku, this happened a long time ago when the rule was "kill or be killed". Yato's greatest wish is to simply be beside Yukine and Hiyori but understands that his Father will do whatever he can to prevent that. This shows that his true desire may not simply be in being remembered, but also to be with the ones he loves and to make them happy. According to other gods such as Tenjin, he is too forgiving, enduring to be blighted for his beloved ones if that means they will be fine. Yato cried after the death of Ebisu, who acknowledged him as a God capable of making others happy. He inspired Yato on becoming a God of Fortune. Yato later apologized sincerely to the reincarnated Ebisu despite him saying he did nothing wrong. According to Hiyori, his father's lifeline and goals are like a chain around his neck, hurting him to the point that he wanted to change for other people's sakes. Hiyori's faith in his being a God of Happiness and Yukine's promise to keep him from killing another human is what currently keeps Yato motivated in being a better god. This also makes it so Yato keeps a calm appearance when dealing with great stress. It is also said the amount of abuse he went through as a child at the hands of others and his father lead to how his defensive mechanisms play out in the present.