Noragami series finale, volume 27 wrapped up most threads, but parts were rushed. The thing that bothered me most was the initial connection between Hiyori and Yato that got ignored for a good chunk of the middle and final acts suddenly gets relevant again, and it doesn’t work with such a major gap. I’m also not sure what happened with Bishamon and Kazuma, but suddenly there’s a scene with them just chatting in the immediate aftermath of a zombie apocalypse (that’s the nearest equivalent, even though that’s not quite exactly what happens), while all the other gods and shinki were trying to figure out whether or not to kill the zombies or if there’s a way to save the infected souls. That existential debate takes up a good amount of space, alongside Yato against his ‘Father’. That gets resolved, but ‘Father’s’ reason for going evil isn’t elaborated on, and it’s not really that sympathetic but it’s supposed to be. The review and maybe a little more detail in the backstory, and then a parallel to what’s currently going on, really seem like there’s some kind of excuse for the villain, except that it’s not really relatable because we mostly knew that already, and his recognizing the situation for what it was but then still choosing evil doesn’t redeem anything in the slightest.
And then there’s the body that Father was possessing before he gets basically exorcised from the human vessel he was using; that vessel survives but there’s virtually no back story for him, but suddenly he’s back in the epilogue flash forward being a little creepy to future Hiyori. And how exactly does Takemikazuchi suddenly show up with 2 kids (re-incarnated gods I think)? Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t recognize the kids’ names, and the randomness of it just doesn’t make sense.
Really, the only good ending that feels complete is Yato and Yukine’s. They both have to work through their issues if they’re going to team up and save everything. It turns out that things mostly do get saved but not in the way they figured, and seeing their learning and growth process is what makes that whole narrative work out for the better. It’s also nice that the story basically ends on the same slightly silly way that it all started out, just with the characters being a little older/wiser/etc. Not a bad ending, just some parts weren’t filled in, or maybe it’s been long enough that I just don’t remember.