General Discussion

@Defiance [color=#0099ff][i]Glad I could help![/i][/color] [img]https://41.media.tumblr.com/4be90b617ee0b29a3a021e5edbc14af8/tumblr_o537q169Y71vq17reo3_100.jpg[/img] (( LOL! xD No problem! I'm trying to practice RPing as him so I can set up an ask blog/rp blog somewhere. Ehhh when I get the chance/time. ^^; There are some very interesting felines out there than can be used for something like this. That devart pic's pretty cool, but it seems a little too far from Noragami's canonverse if you're aiming for that. Word of advice from a fellow character designer [s]and what I learned from an ol' layout prof[/s]...try to not follow what those fan artists are doing, since it's mainly their own, but most likely branched from another source. Sure they work as art inspirations, but not really as an [i]idea[/i] inspiration, y'know? Like if you want ideas from people, and I'm quoting my layout prof with this, get ideas from yourself from legit facts/real/history because they're main direct sources. So that you can come up with something purely unique from what you've researched, whereas if you get it from friends/fan artists it's a [i]secondary [/i]resource. Like for research papers and essays: You'd want to cite legit sources from profs/books, not from other students... Sorry I went on a rant there, but I was hoping to share something I've learned from too :) If you like we can look into Feudal Japan's mythical creatures/cats since that's what something Noragami has (and it's beautiful :,)) Check this one out! This [url=http://www.ancient.eu/uploads/images/960.jpg]cat mosiac[/url] from Pompeii shows really cool combinations of spots! Here's an illustration of a [url=https://hyakumonogatari.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/mizuki_shigeru_nekomata.png]Nekomata[/url] and it's a cool cat with split tails yoooo. Whoa I didn't even know they had those. You can read more about it [url=https://hyakumonogatari.com/2012/04/21/nekomata-the-split-tailed-cat/]in here[/url]. Imagine that regalia's a phantom of sorts and a Nekomata is its demon form? Heh. I don't know xux There's also something called a [url=http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/baku.html]Baku[/url] and that's one crazy lookin' spirit... [url=https://www.dramafever.com/st/news/images/sKokei_Dragon-and-Tiger.jpg]Tigers[/url] are also legit in Feudal Japan. Here's a [url=http://www.onmarkproductions.com/assets/images/autogen/a_mujina-tanuki-mami-kitsune-Y-600pxl-kinmouzui-18C-English-subtitles.jpg]great illustration[/url] thats got more animals to choose from for that sort of era (I'd totally use this source too to get researching). :D Anyway, it's funny, I gave you sources of some mythical felines, when really they'd be fitting for Far Shore denisens, not really Near Shore ^^; heh Whooops. I'd recommend the tiger then hehhehh. Just cause, if we're talkin' canonverse Kuraha's no mythical cat... GAHH! I might've rambled on the research aspect, but making OCs from what you can find from ye ol' history is so much fun to just snag some refs for!! xD And noooo problem! :,D Anything for fellow Noragami fans!

@LordYato

I totally get what you mean ^^ in one hand I try to keep the main idea of the whole anime, but I like to add my own things to make it a little more original too... -.- it's a real mystery how I keep up with all of my stories and additions since I don't write them down...

I have a bad/neutral habit of mixing different things into my anime stoies. Like my naruto one that I've been working on for almost 9 years now has the same systems/ranks/ninja clothing/jutsu styles, etc, but there's also technology like TVs, cell phones, and all that fancy stuff. I just have it so that they still have a similar lifestyle as the naruto anime, but the rich can afford to drive cars and have the nice tvs. I don't know if it's good or bad that I do that, but I don't post my stories anywhere, so it's all my own entertainment.

With noragami I plan on keeping it 100% original at first as much as I can, then once I get comfortable then I add my own things to it while still maintaining the main idea... does that sounds horrible? I feel like I'm cheating saying it that way ^^' but it makes it more entertaining to me and it makes me feel like it's a little more original since I hate copying people

I don't know too much about the far shore yet, but I'm HUGELY interested in it for sure... like how to regalias come to the near shore as little orb things before their given a name? What do they do in the far shore? ;o; I cause myself so much pain asking so many questions

With my feline, his name is Arashi (Which means storm?) and he's not at all the fluffy lovable type. His body is angular from his bones, and his personality isn't all lovey/huggy either. He's a large feline like a tiger and may have faintly colored markings. Maybe more of a cheetah's body but not so long? My drawing didn't do justice

And is there really only like 25 episodes??? I'll be finished in no time ;.;

@Defiance (( Keeping personal work for yourself is great! like keeping your own inspiring personal sketchbook :,) That's not a bad habit if you consider them as Alternate Universes. :o That's what fanfiction's all about! AUs. Heck I took Hetalia's minor characters and made them a nice apocalyptic story. That's totally coolio. xux So long as the intentions are there for an AU you're good. [color=#0099ff][i]More about the Far Shore? Well, I can't tell ya much without spoilin' you my whole story. But I can tell you one thing: the Far Shore carries spirits, phantoms, gods and regalias. Its a pretty supernatural place if you think about it. You can call it the Spirit World. As for regalias bein' orbs? Well I'm not so sure about that. Maybe they were orbs before, but us gods usually catch them when they're human spirits. That's how Kofuku found Daikoku**. She told me once that he was hovering outside a family's home... Yukine was something special when I found him. His soul was so pure that he stuck around untainted. I think when a regalia wanders around for too long they show their human forms. And as for other regalias...[size=2]*memory flashes to Nora*[/size] Well...they're another story.[/i][/color] [img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/38632766ad833131ee69939581252898/tumblr_o5cga7T9qT1vq17reo7_100.jpg[/img] (( Note on Kofuku's story was from the manga :D When She found her beloved shinki he was definitely hovering over a family house, which explains why he's sort of a fatherly type. (It's not really surprising nor a big spoiler since it's been shown in what you've already seen in the eps you've watched xD) Also I think it was unusual why out of all regalias in Noragami in both seasons, only Yukine was so far shown as an orb before his naming. You'll see. :L I have a theory that regalias who don't feel so attach to a sense of their humanity before they were named are essentially wandering orbs before. So pure and true spirits, ready to be harvested by the heavens. Only when they start seeing/feeling human aspects of themselves they form to the human soul they were before. Arashi's a lovely name!! Coolio ^^ I'm guessing you're leaning on tigers? If you're going with a more skeletal look, I'd definitely recommend cheetahs. They've got great bone structure and you can see their rumps sharper than a tiger's stockier body shapes. He'd make an interesting backstory. LOL!! Well take your time xD No rush. It's eight hours a season i think...or maybe i'm counting the second season as well 6_9 ehhh

@LordYato

Ahh! That's all so great, thanks!! I actually just finished season 1. I can't get enough ^^'

So much to learn, it's so exciting. Haha I'd say you heard my wish loud and clear, and answered it perfectly :)
I love all the little pics you used in all your RPs too. I hope you don't mind I sent you a friend request. You're super cool ^^

Yeah he may be cheetah-like with custom markings. I'm thinking he had a rough life. Maybe neglected, or parent-less, for his bony form, and his loyalty comes from a deep desire to belong and be accepted

I have another one too. She's a young girl who died a hero saving a young boys life from a dangerous river. She got him out but wasn't able to get out herself. In life she was different from everyone else. She wasn't like the typical preppy girls who got all the guys attention, but she had a pure heart and showed only kindness and purity, but in her life no one payed attention to her because they only wanted the preppy pretty girls who go to parties and get wild. So she longs to be truly loved for who she is. Her name is Kiyoshi which actually means pure

My character, who isn't named yet -.-' knows this and sees her as a true sacred treasure because of heroic actions and fears using her because he doesn't want to risk losing her like yato risked Yukine against rabo

@Defiance

(( You're pretty cool too! :D I like your username. It's like being friends with Defiance. :U
Coolio! Friend requests are always welcome >u< Plus it's always super when the Yato god gains another follower ;D pffff If you like I can add you in our Hub's ping list. I update fans on anything new in Norigami or any club activity in the works (like started RPs and manga updates).
Bahhh thanks ;u; I'm still fresh into Yato RPing but I'm glad I'm doing him enough justice.

OMg! I like where you're going with the Arashi's bg, having a tough life and all. Hmmm. Now I'm wondering if there's a reason he's cheetah-like. Perhaps you mean he has some hint African blood in him? Imagine that? *gasp* An escaped slave from the west perhaps? This is Japan and the ocean can be a bridge to the Americans too. If you include Black Slavery into this, Arashi might've been named during that era, add some modern years on his relationship to your god then you have a bond already there like Bisha to her Kazuma...
*brainfarts* And I just realize that if Arashi was a black slave from the past, then that could totally explain his bone get-up on top of his cheetah form?? Tribal art yoooo. O-O
Holy sheep I think we might just strike some diversity here for Noragami! Ouo

If she died drowning, maybe she'd be a koi fish...XD Nahh just kidding. OH! One note on designing forms of regalias too. They tend to be shaped to be useful for their masters. Sorta like Yato influencing the shape of his named regalias to blades. The better the blade, the more pure the soul was.
Kiyoshi can be a weapon that's inspired by...fishing? Or anything of water sort? Spear, javeline, harpoon gun? Lollll etc...It totally depends on your god OC who'd name them according to his will and how good they are. I was just suggesting any water weapons to sorta link it to her death, but you don't have to xD It was just a thought. Besides, I doubt Yukine died from a blade...or Daikoku died from a fan PFFFFFF :,D

Eyyy sweet! Glad you finished the first season! Good luck with the second season. Ngeheheh eue

@LordYato

Sure, the hub sounds pretty cool!

That's epic! I really like that idea actually. I saw your post after I already gotten into bead so I only got to read it on mobile and I had plenty of time to think about the idea as I was falling asleep. That really would put so much into his character. I love it!

I was wondering how they got their weapon form too. I thought it was based on their personality ^^'

@LordYato So I spent all day drawing my new OC. I found a base with the perfect form for him, so I referenced that [i]a lot[/i] cause it even had an outfit that matched his pretty close (credit for the pose/base=rinmaru games), and re-drew it for his clothing, face, and hair as my own original. I spent like almost 2 hours hunting down the perfect name for him and his regalias, and at the end of it all I came up with Hayato for him -.-' hay-[i]yato[/i]... I swear I didn't even notice it when I found the name. ughhh I feel like I'm copying everything. But anyway in my constant struggle keeping it all original... I came up with him. Name may [i]definitely[/i] be temporary til I find one not so similar to the main character. [img]http://i.imgur.com/X489Hj8.png[/img]

@Defiance

(( Eyyyy Sorry I took a while to reply. ^^ Been busy this past couple o days setting up another artsy stuff outside FR. OTL

Gorgeous colours you gave him! I definitely like the style you're getting at.
Though I am certainly not a big fan of the name (you're right) hahaha xD I'd even ask, maybe try a different eye colour as well... There are plenty of eye colours in the wheel to try ^^ With the brown hair and blue eyes he kinda reminds me of a Kazuma...Yato mix?
Aside from Yato's inspired hair tuft and name, the blue yes are dead set on being too similar/alike to him. If you're going for an OC then you might want to differentiate the blade thing too, like the name and eyes...Yato deals with blades as well so it's not entirely a unique thing for your character to have one, unless it is a Japanese sword of another form? Rabo for example uses a blade like Yato, but its true to its Japanese origin and his feudal Japan design is too different and distinct from Yato even though they are both Calamity Gods.
This Hayato we have so far, has similar lean body type, similar eye colour and sort-of-hair, plus blade and half name...I believe his apparel palette is one of the only things that really stood out to me as unique to be honest? ^^; I know this guy is still a work in progress, but y'know what I mean...?

I am not saying your art is terrible - in fact, it looks really well polished and well done! :DD You got the Noragami style right, just the character's too similar in my opinion to the ones already existing. One thing incredible about noragami is the fact that each character looks different, even their shadows/silhouette (like if you colourfill them all in black and just look at there silhouettes they all have something unique about them and you can tell who's who :D ).

What I learned from my own class was, if you want to add an additional character in an existing universe, they would still look different and apart from the current characters within that universe, EXCEPT for the style of the character's design. The new character's design and shape looks similar to the rest to fit in the universe' current environment. :D
Like draw your OC in a similar Noragami style (You got that down in this one, and it looks great!) But errr he just gotta look a lot more different than Yato ^^; really...

One inspiration I can give you is the famous character designer, Nico Marlet's work! Check out his line up of vikings, and everytime he adds a new viking in HowToTrainYourDragon he makes sure he draws them like the other vikings but with very distinct qualities in each. :D

@LordYato I totally get what you mean 100% :) with my naruto story I originally created my main character to look almost exactly like orochimaru, and over time he gained a totally different personality and now looks like this [img]http://i.imgur.com/lACUxH0.png[/img] (picture I found online that looks exactly like him since I've yet to draw him right after 9 years...) Looks nothing like orochimaru now, and all of my other main OCs look totally different from each other too. So I totally get what you mean. I just get inspired by existing things and work to make my own based on them. As for the eyes, when I imagined him in my mind he had brown hair just like his and blue eyes. I tried all the other colors I could think of including purple, but blue sticks with him. Just not the bright blue that Yato has, but a pale blue. The art style I experimented with gave it too much a contrasting gradient. His face isn't shaped the same either. I actually drew a blindfold earlier because I didn't like how I did his eyes ^^' I felt they were too big and too bright, and I'm too lazy to redraw them cause eyes take forever for me. [i]And I made the sword completely removable incase I wanted to change it XD which I'm so proud of[/i] [img]http://i.imgur.com/HW6qOnY.png[/img] I didn't notice not many of them actually use swords, and I actually made a custom sword so it wouldn't be like Yatos, haha, but I guess I should think of something else for that too. Swords are just the most well known weapon to me though. For now that's what he has cause I felt like he needed [i]something[/i] for the pic, but it may definitely change after it's used to build his character better. I'm having a hard time imagining him in my story anyway. With my naruto story my main character was actually just a background character that was the sensai to my main character. Over time the original main character ceased to exist completely and the background character became number one. So my main character was used to shape the other character to be who he is now. Yeah when I found the name I thought it sounded so cool, but as soon as I realized the yato part I was like "ehhh... that's gotta change..." Do you have any good weapon ideas though? Cause I got nothing... ^^' I do want at least one sword, or close ranged weapon cause I love ninja themed stuff... I just didn't want to copy Yato with a katana I'm actually leaning on not having the tuft of hair though cause he looks better with out it. So that's no problem. Thanks for the critique on it! I really do appreciate it :) Summary: Eyes - blue, but lighter and less bright Sword - will be changed to a more japanese theme, or get replaced altogether Tuft - gone Name - Still to be determined

@Defiance

(( WHOA!!! If you actually make him blind...that could definitely work ;O; Or it adds to his distinguishing traits in the canonverse...Maybe he's a blind god that can see all, like Heimdall from Norse mythology. An inspiration but also your own unique thing!
If anything I'd choose a blue closest to silver (like what Sonic from OnePunchMan has xD)
Mmmm Like this? This teal? Or dark like this?
Sonic in OPM has something like {{ this }} and you can barely see it since it's so close to pale silver.

Sword, I know Bishamon's Yugiha is like the Goujian but so much larger with runes like this.
The sword I'm reminded of that you have seem to curve like a Muslim leader's rare sword the Ali Ibn Abi Talib sword which can look like this or this. Though it's not necessarily from Feudal Japan, but your god can justify with an adventurous background, like how one of his regalia can be a cheetah xD Since your god seems to be really fond of outside places than the land of the Rising Sun, that could add to his character. Maybe he likes foreign weapons but he still takes care of his original country.

More sword inspirations:
Indo-Persian Sabre (19th century Indopersia)
ALSO THE Kukri omg. I know Bishamon is currently using the sword on the very top of this picture dafndsjnfsafsasfsdf. OH or waiit....must also be an inspired sword from the Ram Dao. Though there's a big difference between the two xD

If you're curious what Bisha's wearing in the manga at the moment, here. It looks more like her new shinki's from Ancient Nepal now that I think of it. Which is so awesome *O* #drooling
Seems like Noragami's taking inspirations from foreign countries based on their regalias possible past origins. ;DD
Imagine if one of your character's regalias are like so? Are they from India? Nepal? China? If so you can look up bladed weapons from there.

Here's one...another one...another list of more sword names you can look up too.
And another one.
Here's another cool site. But remember, if you're picking a sword inspired from another country/century, you can justify it with the regalia's background/origin story. xD It could add to their apparel choices as well...

Also it's interesting to look up parts of a sword/katana and even extra research on their bladed tips ;) It'll help layer your writing/story telling to many levels. (WHOA! Even their hilts are named so fancy *drools* and it's interesting that it varies in different regions and periods of their history)
Anyway so I gave you enough sword sites varying from Japan/other countries xD I think you can look more up yourself at this point ;D Have fun with it and jot its name down...translate the google page if y'have to...(I Know that kukri website's in another language but Google Chrome can translate it for you)