Ep 2. Beautiful Shackles

Kamigami no Asobi is an anime series that follows the story of a young girl named Yui Kusanagi, who is summoned to the realm of the gods to attend a school for gods. In episode 2 of Season 1, titled "Beautiful Shackles," Yui continues to adjust to life at the school and learn more about the gods she will be interacting with.

The episode begins with Yui attending a class that is taught by the god of wisdom, Thoth. Thoth explains the concept of "love" to the class, but as he's giving his lecture, he seems to be struggling with some personal inner turmoil. Yui is concerned about him and decides to approach him after class to ask if he's okay.

Thoth, however, is not interested in engaging in conversation and quickly leaves. Yui is left feeling confused and unsure of what to do. As she ponders about this encounter, she runs into Hades, the god of the underworld. Hades, noticing her uneasiness, decides to take her to a place where she can calm down and relax.

They end up at a greenhouse where Hades grows his own plants. Yui is amazed by the beauty of the flowers and the peacefulness of the surrounding environment. She begins to open up to Hades and shares her concerns about Thoth and how he seemed troubled during class. Hades listens attentively and advises her to give Thoth some space.

While they are talking, a sudden gust of wind blows through the greenhouse, causing several pots to fall and break. One of the shards flies towards Yui and injures her left hand. Hades immediately rushes to her aid and tends to her wound. As Yui looks up at him, she notices something different about him. The normally aloof and distant god seems to be showing a gentler side to her.

As they keep talking, Yui finds out that Hades has never had a friend before and she quickly offers to be his friend. Hades seems taken aback by the gesture, but he accepts it nonetheless.

The next day, Yui is in the courtyard when she sees Thoth meditating. She approaches him to check on him and is shocked to see that he has put himself in shackles. Thoth reveals that he put the shackles on himself in order to keep his powers in check. He explains that he was once a god of destruction, but he learned to control his destructive powers and dedicated himself to knowledge and wisdom.

However, as he explains, Thoth reveals that he doesn't trust himself to always stay in control and is afraid of losing his newfound peace and tranquility. Yui tries to console him and offers to help him find a way to control his powers without the shackles.

The episode concludes with Yui reflecting on the different sides to the gods she has encountered thus far and how she is slowly learning more about them. She is excited to see what new things she will learn and experiences she will have next at the school for gods.