Shinki/Abilities

Overview

Abilities

Known Shinki

With practice, a shinki is able to use various abilities.

Vessel Transformation

All shinki are capable of transforming into a vessel form. This may include garments, weapons, or other items, as well as real or mythical animals. It is said that when a vessel takes an anachronistic form (not of the current era), it means that the god and shinki are particularly well-matched.

To summon the vessel form, a god calls the on-yomi reading of their shinki's name, followed by 器 (き) (ki, meaning "vessel, tool"). To revert the vessel back to their human form, the god calls the kun-yomi reading of their name, either with or without their clan name.

Rend

Shinki whose vessel forms are weapons are capable of exterminating ayakashi. In the anime, this technique is referred to as Rend (斬 (ざん) , Zan^?).

Borderline

Yukine draws a borderline.

All shinki are capable of using a skill called Borderline (境 (きょう) 界 (かい) 線 (せん) , Kyoukai-sen^?), which creates a barrier between the user and the target. To make a borderline, a shinki uses their index and middle fingers to draw a horizontal line between themselves and the target. However, the target can break the borderline if they are strong enough.

Restrictions

• It cannot be performed by gods, humans, or loose spirits.
• Shinki can only use this skill while in their human forms. A notable exception is divine weapons applying the principles of borderlines to avoiding damage to the Near Shore during Far Shore battles.
• Its effectiveness can be influenced by the user's mental fortitude and/or the power dynamics between the user and target.

Spells

Spells (術 (じゅつ) , Jutsu^?) are commands that shinki can use to affect humans or other shinki. To cast a spell, the user must speak the target's name. Using a revoked name will cause the spell to fail. If the target is a stray, then the user must say all of their current names before the spell can be cast - otherwise, the spell fails. Spells are also said not to work on gods. Additionally, a spell can be undone instantly by calling the target's name.

Like borderlines, the effectiveness of a spell depends on mental fortitude and the power dynamics between user and target. It is shown that the spell Bakufu can be blocked if the target draws a strong enough borderline in time.

The following is a list of known spells.

Spell	Kanji	Translation	Effects	First usage	Known users
Bakufu	縛 (ばく) 布 (ふ)	Binding Cloth	Freezes the target in place	Chapter 9 by Kazuma	Kazuma, The Stray, Yukine, Ōshi
Inko	陰 (いん) 固 (こ)	Solid Shade	Makes the target invisible to outsiders	Chapter 9 by Kazuma	Kazuma
Rakusui	落 (らく) 睡 (すい)	Sleep Fall	Puts the target to sleep	Chapter 17 by Kugaha	Kugaha, Kazuma
Rourou	朗 (ろう) 々 (ろう)	Articulate	Forces the target to tell the truth	Chapter 39 by Kazuma	Kazuma, Mikagami

Curses

Curses (呪 (しゅ) , Shu^?) are a type of enchantment that can be used for a diverse set of purposes. All currently known curses, with the exception of Arrest, are used by shinki. However, according to Kazuma, using a curse typically corrupts shinki.

Songs

"You wanna dig out my tush-crystal, Yukine?!" The contents of this article and/or its subpages contain manga spoilers.

Songs or Incantations (呪 (じゅ) 歌 (か) , Juka, meaning "song of spells," or simply 唱 (うた) , Uta, meaning "song") involve reciting an invocation, often in the form of a pre-existing poem in Japanese literature. Unlike spells, they do not require the name of a target, and cannot be blocked by a borderline. Rather, the effects of a song can be reversed by reciting a counter-song to the original. Songs also have somewhat flexible casting sequences, as they can be rearranged in order to create a new effect.

The following is a list of known songs used by shinki.

Firefighting Incantation

The Firefighting Incantation (火 (ひ) 伏 (ふ) せの呪 (じゅ) 歌 (か) , Hifuse no juka^?) can be used to douse flames. Thus far, this song has only been used on a fires that were created by an ayakashi or shinki, and it is unspecified whether it would also work on Near Shore fires. It has two known rearrangements:

• Crimson Bloom (赤 (せっ) 華 (か) , Sekka^?) is an anagram of the Firefighting Incantation which creates a series of delayed explosions.
• Cloudburst (驟 (しゅう) 雨 (う) , Shūu^?) is an alteration of a fire-suppression song which creates a rain of arrowheads.

Fire Summoning Incantation

An unnamed incantation can be used to create flames, although its effects can be directly counteracted by the Firefighting Incantation. This song is a tanka poem that is original to the series. It is possibly of Kazuma's own creation, as it contains references to his relationship with Hagusa.

Kazuma uses a song to create fire.

憎 (にく) し眼 (め) の / あさき雪 (ゆき) 退 (の) け / 角 (つの) 折 (お) らば / 葬 (はふり) 子 (こ) の死 (し) に / 燃 (も) ゆる祟 (たたり) 木 (き)
(Original Japanese text)

Nikushi me no / Asaki yuki noke / Tsuno oraba / Hafuri ko no shini / Moyuru tatari ki
(Romaji transliteration)

Let thine eyes of hate / Clear away the shallow snow / Once pride is broken / The burier shall perish / As a cursèd burning bough
(Official English translation)

Not long bound to flesh / The faint spirit of Yuki / When its pow'r is rent / The bless'd vessel perishes / A cursèd burgeoning bough
(Alternate official English translation)

Lightning Ward Incantation

The Lightning Ward Incantation (雷 (かみなり) 除 (よ) けの呪 (じゅ) 歌 (か) , Kaminariyoke no juka^?) can be used to suppress lightning. Thus far, it has only been performed on another shinki, and it is unspecified whether it would work to dispel Near Shore electricity.

Counter-Incantations

The Stray vs. Yukine

The Stray uses a song to call ayakashi to attack Yukine. This song is an actual poem which has been used in Japan for centuries. In modern day, it is most commonly seen written on pictures of the Seven Gods of Fortune's treasure ship, which is placed under pillows to invite good dreams. Here, the Stray uses it as a way to awaken ayakashi as her minions.

長 (なか) き世 (よ) の / 遠 (とお) の睡 (ねふ) りの / 皆 (みな) 目 (め) 醒 (さ) め / 波 (なみ) 乗 (の) り船 (ふね) の / 音 (おと) の良 (よ) きかな
(Original Japanese text)

Nakaki yo no / Toono nefuri no / Mina mesame / Naminori fune no / Oto no yoki kana
(Romaji transcription)

From a distant sleep / Through the long expanse of night / All open your eyes / The rich vessel 'pon the waves / How pleasing its silent sound
(Official English translation)

I, writer of names (*) / Call to those brandishing sound / Hon'rable names, wake / Soundless names have come to fruit / How pleasing these instruments
(Alternate official English translation)

Yukine improvises a counter which sends away the ayakashi. It reverses the effects of the original by using similar words but opposite commands and imagery. While the Stray's song contains aquatic imagery, Yukine's song contains references to mountains and earth. Notably, this song is original to the series rather than already existing in Japanese literature.

Yukine sends away the Stray's ayakashi.

七 (なな) 房 (ふさ) の / 遠 (とお) 野 (の) の尾 (お) 根 (ね) の / 夜 (よ) の娶 (めと) り / 清 (きよ) き眠 (ねふ) り奈 (な) / 神 (かみ) の見 (み) 目 (め) かな
(Original Japanese text)

Nanafusa no / Toono no one no / Yo no metori / Kiyoki nefuri na / Kami no mime ka na
(Romaji transcription)

From sev'n distant peaks / Over an expansive field / Nestle 'gainst the night / Close your eyes in purest sleep / Is it a god I see there?
(Official English translation)

Obstructing the names (*) / Of sounds recently addressed / Be you admonished / O vessel, brandish your sound / Will your deeds honor your god?
(Alternate official English translation)

(*) The alternate translation of these songs were constructed based on the meanings of the kanji, reasonably applicable double meanings, and Noragami-specific jargon. For example, "Any time the syllable na shows up [in Noragami], it could mean 'name'."

Trivia

• Kazuma describes a shinki's name as both a blessing and a curse, since they are used to control others through spells. Along with this, the incantation that gods recite to name shinki uses the term imina (諱 (いみな) ), which can loosely mean "avoided name". This is based on the idea that knowledge of someone's true name gives you power over them– therefore the true name should rarely be spoken, to prevent others from using the knowledge of it against them.
• Kazuma seems to place a curse on Hiyori in order to keep her away from Yato. However, it is unclear whether this is meant literally or metaphorically. Unlike all other instances, here he uses the term 呪 (のろ) い Noroi rather than 呪 (しゅ) Shu.