Bishamon is the Buddhist god of fortune. Originating from India, this male god was not worshipped in Japan until the 6th century and then became one of Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods in the 15th century. The Seven Lucky Gods were a group of gods that originated from both Shinto and Buddhist deities that brought luck, wealth and happiness to the people of Japan. They would travel together on New Years to bring luck throughout the country. The Seven Lucky Gods are a combination of Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamon, Benzaiten, Hotei, Jurojin and Fukurokuju. These gods each have their own traits that are beneficial to the Japanese and kept the country running happily. Bishamon is known as a god of warriors and celebrated for bringing wealth to those who had fought in war. The origin of Bishamon is often misunderstood because, although he supports war and the bravery of soldiers, he is not a god of war. Rather he rewards those who show their bravery and help their country, bringing luck and fortune to those who have risen to meet worthy adversaries. This god is often seen standing on a demon which could be seen as crushing an invader or eliminating threats as soldiers do.

Bishamon from the Seven Lucky Gods and the Bishamon that we see in Noragami are quite different. Bishamon is portrayed as a god of war who is intent on keeping order among the gods. While she hates Yato because of a misunderstanding, she is very close to and has many Shinki. She does this to create a sort of family, something that she values very much. Bishamon is very different from the god that she is based on and the anime takes many liberties with her character, changing things as prominent as her gender. Overall, Bishamon from Noragami is a great character but should not be looked at as a realistic representation of the Buddhist god and as with all characters, should be researched to gain more knowledge to lead to a better understanding of Buddhism to become a more educated viewer.