The 2015 fall anime season holds a lot more of interest than the summer did: we’ve got second seasons of Noragami (titled Aragoto), Haikyuu, and Seraph of the End (titled Nagoya-Kessenhen) to watch, as well as Young Black Jack , One Punch Man, the new Lupin series that premiered in Italy, and some interesting newcomers like Owarimonogatari and Concrete Revolutio. Of course, there’s always a fair amount of dreck in any season, but fall anime season 2015 doesn’t look half so dire as the summer did.

So what to watch this fall anime season? In order to get through as much of the fall anime 2015 season as I can, I’ll start giving impressions based on whatever has aired at the time of my review. So this review of Noragami: Aragoto is based on my watch of the first two episodes of the second season, “Bearing a Posthumous Name” and “One of Her Memories.” I’ve purposely not read the manga, so my opinion is based solely on the merits of the anime. And the Noragami anime was one of my favorites when it aired. So how does season 2, which adapts the Bishomon arc of the manga, measure up so far?

Rest easy: it’s still good.

Everything we’ve learned about Noragami’s supernatural world from season 1 is coming back in new and interesting ways.

In the first season of Noragami, we were introduced to a world where Phantoms gang up on spirits and humans alike, feeding on the vulnerable and corrupting the weak. We learned that Phantoms are not merely sources of corruption, but symptoms of it, and that even gods are not immune from the blight of corruption. We learned just how deep the bond between master and Regalia goes and how profoundly it affects both parties when the relationship is warped for any reason. We learned about Nora, the little creep with every god’s name written across her arms and a sweet cold face that hides incalculable promise of betrayal.

All of these facts resurface again in new ways. This time, Yukine and Yato have learned enough from last season that they’re actually communicating with one another fully and affectionately. This time, it’s Bishamon who’s in danger from the connection between Regalia and master. This time, Nora strikes again, though we have yet to fully understand how she’s meddling in Bishamon’s life and why she would choose to do so. The new episodes feel cohesive.

The animation style and fluidity is still good, especially in the battle scenes.

From the eerie cold glint of Yato’s eyes in the first scene of the new season to the battle in the first episode against a Phantom in the shape of a plush toy, the animation quality remains high. I’m hesitant to praise any show’s animation now, especially after the sad news behind Gangsta’s abrupt decline in quality , but the “rend” sequences that end Phantom battles look just as slick and flashy as they did in season 1.

The characters retain all the charm and beauty of their season 1 designs as well, with eyes bright and hair a-flowing. The new designs for characters like Bishamon’s mysterious doctor and the good-hearted botanist Regalia fit right in.

As for the new opening and closing themes, what can I say aside from they look cool as hell and get me hyped for the upcoming episode? They do their job and do it well.

The characters have progressed from season 1 to season 2.

Last season, Yato and Yukine’s failures to communicate almost cost them both their lives. This season, Yato treats Yukine as a person, not a tool. He takes the time to explain things to him and praises him for getting them done well. And this season, Yukine talks to his master instead of sulking or running away. When Yato is stung by Yukine’s fears about Hiyori, Yukine doesn’t hide. He talks to Yato instead. Their relationship this season is marked by mutual affection and care, though the ribbing and grousing remains the same.

Similarly, Yukine’s aching need for human connections becomes a plot point once more, when he makes a friend aside from Hiyori and Yato. Though it’s far too early to tell what will become of it, the results of Yukine’s new friendship seem all wound up in the greater plot occurring between Bishamon, her doctor, and sinister Nora. As for Hiyori, she is as brave and bright as she ever was, though she may not fully understand what will happen once Yato “fixes” her soul-slippage issue.

The character growth on Yukine and Yato’s ends mean that we can’t rely on the same dynamics from season 1. The shift in their dynamics should produce different results, meaning that our plot will head in unexpected ways. And that’s exactly what we want from a story in any medium.

In short, should you watch Noragami: Aragoto?

Absolutely yes. The second season of Noragami is right on track to offer more of what made the first season so damned good. Barring anything unexpected like the sudden dissolution of the studio making it, Noragami looks like it’s on course for another season full of good humor, awesome supernatural battles, and deep emotional resonance.

You can watch Noragami streaming on the Funimation website here .