Natsume Yuujinchou

-INTRODUCTION-

I've been looking forward to this anime ever since I saw one of the promotional images -- Natsume sitting on a tree branch with his foot slightly touching the water underneath, and an unusual looking cat by his side. I fell in love with that image alone and could not stop thinking about it. Needless to say, I watched Natsume Yuujinchou while it was still ongoing and waited eagerly for the subtitles to come out. Now that it's over, I can say for sure -- it was a short but beautiful experience, and became one of my very special personal favorites.

-STORY- 10/10

"Thank you... for not ... growing to hate humans."

Each episode Natsume encounters a different youkai. Sometimes, it's a youkai seeking to get his/her name back; at other times, a youkai wanting some other help from Natsume, which he can never refuse.

As much as those stories revolve around youkai, Natsume Yuujinchou is ultimately about humans. It focuses on the bonds between humans, as well as the bonds between humans and youkai.

Each story is very well thought out and carries a deep message that Natsume derives from his encounters. Reasons why Natsume cannot let go of his bond with youkai, reasons why youkai fall in love with humans; Natsume Yuujinchou is a collection of beautiful bittersweet pieces of a not very ordinary every day life. Each piece left me with a somewhat sad but warm feeling and made me go back to re-watch and think upon it again and again.

-CHARACTERS- 10/10

Natsume Yuujinchou is full of unique personalities. Natsume does not help youkai just because he has nothing better to do. His bond with the beings of the other world is very deep and is explored in great detail. From a boy who was forced to shut himself off from nearly all humans, Natsume grows to trust humans again and shares his experiences with others. Seemingly eager for nothing more than obtaining the Book of Friends, Madara is also not that simple of a character. With time, he becomes attached to Natsume and, despite his own constant contradictions, appears to worry more about his companion than the actual book.

Youkai are also very interesting. Although most of them appear only in their assigned episode, each one is very memorable, and their personalities and inner troubles are so well thought out that it's hard to believe that they were really present for only twenty minutes.

-ART/ANIMATION- 10/10

The artwork is beautiful. It may seem rather simple, but it couldn't be more perfect for this anime. In fact, the simplicity of it is what makes it truly stunning for me. It greatly enhances the story and the atmosphere with its warm colors and memorable designs. Also, every time a scene of Natsume returning youkai's name is shown, I fall in love with this anime all over again; it almost makes me feel his breath as he blows out the letters from the page.

-SOUND- 10/10

After the very first episode, I fell in love with both opening and ending songs. Like the artwork, the soundtrack is beautiful in its simplicity and fits Natsume Yuujinchou's atmosphere perfectly. It's the kind of music that probably would not feel the same or as special outside of the actual anime, but combined with the rest of the aspects, it becomes a wonderful soundtrack.

---

What more can I say? I fell completely in love with this anime. If you want something relaxing and heartwarming, Natsume Yuujinchou is for you.

Natsume Yuujinchou is possibly the most powerful, thought-provoking anime I've ever seen. The amount of emotions you'll experience is nothing short of incredible, especially when you consider the anime's 13 episode length.

Pity, anger, sorrow, astonishment, and absolute elation are to name a few.

And some tears on the side...Manly tears, obviously.

Story- 10/10

Natsume Yuujinchou is episodic, there is no defining plot line. The most common, unifying theme is Natsume's ultimate goal to return all the Youkai names that his Grandmother Reiko took and stored in the Book of Friends. The episodes range from various Youkai simply wanting their names back, to far more complex issues such as ... lonely spirits longing for companionship, desperate to relive the memories that are so precious to them.

Each episode is wrapped up so masterfully, so beautifully, that it's nearly impossible to not spend the next few moments contemplating what you've just seen. The messages and lessons conveyed are just as pertinent as they are meaningful. At some point in everyone's life, there will be something (a problem, ability, anything) that they feel is impossible to talk about, that no one can relate. As Natsume Yuujinchou illustrates, isolation is rarely the answer, and through purposeful human (and maybe not so human) interactions, inner peace can be achieved.

Art- 10/10

The art in Natsume Yuujinchou is phenomenal, depicting a gorgeous countryside town. Each aspect of the landscape is drawn with amazing attention to detail, the large plains of grass not just being lush green, but also golden, with a few shades of light red. The bodies of water are drawn to ripple realistically with the hustling and bustling of fish (and water-related Youkai). The light from the sun pours through the openings of the trees in a divine manner. The human characters are drawn with that middle of the road style of animation, where they aren't too realistic but they also aren't too cartoonish, too cartoonish being enormous eyes, no visible nose, etc. Youkai are drawn in almost every way imaginable, the sky was the limit in creating these spirits as each episode continuously provides unique designs. The artwork never falters, and remains beautiful at every attempt made, from fireworks in the night sky, to majestic, elegant Youkai.

Sound- 10/10

I fell in love with the opening song upon first listen. Without thinking about it, I always found myself singing along, the tempo getting faster and faster, my excitement growing more and more. This opening is truly the perfect fit for Natsume Yuujinchou, as it is expressive of my anticipation for the upcoming episode. This was the same case with the end song, perfectly fitting, as it always sums up the current episode, allowing you to become engrossed in your own thoughts. The almost nostalgic way the music starts quietly playing right before the end of the episode, a slightly melancholic acoustic guitar chimes in, and emotions begin to overflow. A memorable end for an unforgettable anime.

Characters- 10/10

Most of the Youkai encountered are, aside from the general superiority complex over humans, very different. Their personalities are what keeps the show fresh. A Youkai that first appears to be nothing but malicious may actually have a much more complicated character, though that isn't to say there are no instances of purely malevolent Youkai.

Despite that superiority complex, most of the Youkai do in fact have human tendencies. Love, loneliness, and real bonds of friendship are all things that Youkai are not entirely devoid of. It becomes obvious that, despite differences in appearence, powers, and social norms, humans and Youkai aren't so different...

Enjoyment- 10/10

This is an anime that is enjoyable from start to finish, and as someone who is more prone to believe in the existence of the supernatural, I was enthralled. From now on, I'll think twice about those moments where a cold chill overcomes you, or when a blast of wind hits you on a relatively calm day.

Overall- 10/10

This show is a fantasy masterpiece. If you're in the mood to cry tears of happiness (manly tears, naturally) or just see a great show, then this is a must watch.

"I can hear the footsteps of Winter, the cold night...But, this place is warm"

Honestly, I don't really understand why this anime has so many amazing ratings. This isn't the worst anime i've ever seen- no, but I certainly do not think it's anywhere near the best.

Now, let's talk about the story.
3/10
One of the things I hated the most about this anime was the fact that it's episodic, and it doesn't work. In my opinion, this only makes it painfully predicable and underdeveloped. Honestly, you've seen the first three episodes you've seen the whole show. A youkai comes. Cool. They want Natsume's help. Oh. They get their help. There's a revelation. Ok. The majority of the episodes ... follow this structure. And for the first few or so episodes, yes. It's entertaining. Heartwarming even. But I wouldn't expect that to be the whole show. CAN SOMETHING ELSE HAPPEN. CAN THE PLOT PROGRESS. CAN WE STOP THIS CYCLE. It's too simple. It got boring.

And the art/animation...
4/10
The art is uninteresting. It's boring. it's simple. Which pretty much matches the story. The story and the art go together. So I guess that's a good thing. It further sets the mood of the anime. It made it more boring for me.

The sooouunnnd...
4/10
I hated the soundtrack of this anime. I always skipped the opening, which I almost never do. The sound effects and all that were clear. Voices, clear. So the sound is fine. That soundtrack though. No. But it does do a good job of further setting the over all mood of the anime.

Characters...
3/10
The character development in this anime really lacks. What the hell even is Natsume's personality. He barely has one. The youkai though, they have much better personalities. But just because they're better than Natsume's doesn't mean they're deep or "thought provoking" no. But they are definitely entertaining. The one character I truly did like was Madara. He's a gem, really liked him. It's like they compensated for Natsume's lack of development with Madara's.

Enjoyment...
2/10
If you read what I previously wrote it's pretty obvious I did not enjoy this anime. I watched it to the end to be able to make a full conclusion about it. BUT BOY WAS THAT PAINFUL.

Overalllllll...
4/10
I just think this anime wasn't for me. If you're the type of person that likes to decipher plots, enjoys suspense, twists and turns- this is really not the anime for you. Skip it. If you like more simple, heartwarming type things give this a try. This isn't the kinda anime where you're on the tip of your toes, heads spinning, mind boggling. This is the kinda anime you watch when you're in your room bored, too tired to watch something with a more developed, complex plot.

Oh my goodness, where to start.

Natsume Yuujinchou is a small gem of a series, and I'm glad I followed a friend's recommendation to watch it. This small, often overlooked series is so beyond charming that I wonder how anyone could pass it up!

The story is simple, because there's no overall arcing plot. The series basically consists of self-contained episodes where Natsume looks to help youkai with their problems and give them back their names. Sometimes he seeks to help out humans troubled by youkai. In any case, Natsume is always trying to help someone while "Nyanko-sensei" scolds him for his human stupidity.
Each story serves as ... character development, either for Natsume, the youkai involved, or both. The youkai teach Natsume about themselves and about humanity, and Natsume ends to teach the youkai that not all humans are so bad. Natsume learns to be more social and gains a few friends as the series goes on. For the most part, each episode has a fairly happy ending, though some are heartbreaking yet beautiful. Generally the show has a very optimistic outlook on things, but doesn't gloss over potential emotional tragedy.

The art is fantastic. Everything about the style is simple and gentle, but very beautiful as a whole. The linework and soft colors work beautifully together, and the animation, when given to show off beyond walking and talking, is awesome. I welcome the simple and more realistic character designs for the humans, and the simple but not generic designs of the youkai.

I LOVE the music. Like everything else in the series, it's subtle and unobtrusive, simple but very pretty. The opening and ending themes are also very fitting.

As for enjoyment and overall value, let me say that I was disillusioned to anime a few years ago, and have very little patience for it now. But Natsume was so charming that I couldn't put it down once I found it. And now I'm hooked on season two! A definite recommendation.

It might seem that I'm jumping the gun a bit here when I'm writing a review so early into this anime. But in all honesty, I've been meaning to write a review of Natsume Yuujinchou for quite a while now. Despite seeing a slightly familiar format here e.g., A boy who can see and communicate with spirits (think Bleach), the anime is actually rather refreshing in it's nature. The plot line is pretty easy to follow: Natsume inherits a book from his grandmother (whom could also see spirits). The book contains the names of all the spirits that said grandmother ... defeated. The spirits, in turn, want their names returned - so they go to Natsume for help. This is the basic rundown of the plot - needless to say, that there is more to it than that. But you'll have to watch it for yourselves.

This anime is geared towards a more spiritual side of things, which gives it that refreshing feeling, and keeps things interesting. Artistically, this is wonderful. The art is almost mellow in places, and it reminds me a lot of Mushishi in style. The colours are lovely and clean, but appear almost soft in their appearance. It's also very nicely detailed. A real pleasure to watch.

The anime itself almost seems to be setting a nice, gentle pace for itself. Not being familiar with the manga in any way, I can only hope that it carries on for a few more episodes before delving deeper into the underlying plotline. This anime is almost addicting in it's nature. It's actually quite rare to see an anime where everything just seems to fit, well, perfectly. It's definitely fair to say that this is slowly turning into a real gem. All I can say is that Natsume Yuujinchou has a lot of potential.

Natsume Yuujinchou follows the supernatural/natural genre that seems to be a cross between xxxholic, ghost hound and mushishi. It has a Mushishi-like elegance to the artwork and storytelling while at the same time following an xxxholic-esque structure aka. schoolboy meets schoolghost.

It is, however, naive to think that it is merely run of the mill supernatural anime stuff for it does have an extraordinarily well-written plot that follows closely to its original roots in the manga. It's brilliance is not in a complex storyline, grandiose tales of self-discovery or even the attainment of some extraordinary superpowers but the sharp, simple, "I make this sound so ordinary" ... feel to it. Like a haiku, it starts, develops and ends a story neatly within a chapter and any lingering sentiment after will only reflect the strength of its character developments within that short a period of time.

The protagonist too, is not extremely perculiar. He is Watanuki without the drama, changing and adapting without a lot of fuss. Taking his self-discovery all within stride, without any dramatic fireworks or outbursts either. You might think this may sound boring for an anime but you might want to give it a shot before you turn it out your front door. If the characters don't charm you, the storytelling might...

Natsume Yuujinchou is a series that began as a shoujo manga by Midorikawa Yuki. In 2008 an anime adaptation by Brain's Base aired. You may remember them from such anime as Baccano, Durarara, Penguindrum, Ixion Saga DT & Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. So, their stuff has been pretty mixed from what I've seen. With Oregairu at the upper end and Ixion Saga & Penguindrum tied at the low end. How will this one place? Let's have a look.

Story:

Natsume Takashi is a lonely boy. He's been ostracised for most of his life due to his ability to see youkai. After accidentally freeing ... a sealed one, that happens to look like a fat cat, he discovers that his grandmother, Reiko, could also see them. Not only that, but she went around collecting their names for her “book of friends” which she could use to summon and control them. Being able to think of no ways to use such a thing, Natsume decides to go about returning the names. The narrative from there follows him as he encounters youkai and goes about thinning the book of friends.

The biggest issue with the series is just that it's tedious. It shouldn't be since it has al of thirteen episodes, but it manages. The dialogue has a tendency to repeat itself a lot. The events from the episodes are painfully predictable and the series just never reaches a point where things get interesting. The result is that it feels like a slog to get through. There's also a moment where they try to bring real world fact into the series, but they get the fact wrong. Basically, it uses the urban legend that birds will abandon their babies if a human handles them. Which I'm sure was invented by some arsehole who didn't want to bother helping a distressed baby bird but didn't want to look bad in front of their kids. Or maybe it's a fabrication that stems from wanting to protect the chicks from good-hearted people who are trying to help, but aren't helping.

The best part of the series are the few flashbacks we get of his grandmother when she was young. She has personality and seems to be enjoying herself. Can I watch a series about her instead? I don't think it would be brilliant, but it would probably be better than this.

Characters:

Herein lies the core flaw with the series. Natsume is one of the most boring characters I've seen in quite a while. See, his whole schtick is that he's a generic nice guy who's melancholy because he's special. That's pretty much the end all and be all that passes for his personality. He's about as compelling as an empty plastic crate. Well, less compelling. At least you could put something in the crate. Which is a big part of why the narrative itself is such a slog. We have this thoroughly uninteresting protagonist and it's impossible to feel any tension or investment in him. Seriously, can we watch the grandma's story instead? She has more personality by far and she's only in roughly five minutes of flashbacks. The supporting characters really aren't much better. They're flat tropes.

Art:

The artwork is, by far, the best element of the series. The backgrounds are nicely drawn and detailed. The youkai designs are pretty creative. The animation does flow well. The character designs are... okay. The biggest issue with the art is Natsume himself. The two expressions he generally has are just a blank look and dull surprise.

Sound:

Our protagonist is voiced by Kamiya Hiroshi. He also voiced a boring character in Hachimitsu to Clover. But he's also given strong performances voicing characters like Levi and Otonashi Yuzuru. The problem with his performance in this, and indeed most of the performances, is just that there's nothing to work with. You really can't take a boringly written character and make them complex through the sheer power of acting. The music isn't good, but it does suit the series. It is just as boring as the narrative and the protagonist. You can't claim that Yoshimori Makoto isn't good at composing music that matches the tone.

Ho-yay:

There's a little bit. Natsume has a couple of friends who bicker like a married couple. There's also a female youkai in the series who's outright stated to have had a thing for Natsume's grandmother. I'd kind of like to see the back story behind that one, actually. Seriously, why isn't this series about Reiko?

Final Thoughts:

Natsume Yuujinchou is by no means a bad series. It's also by no means a good one. Ultimately, it's a boring series with very little that really stands out in either a positive or negative way. My final rating on it is a 5/10. Next week is Valentine's and you know what that means, we're going to look at a romance series. This year it's Love Stage.

Why this anime is so far up the Top Anime list, I will never know because this was one of the worst animes I've ever watched. I'm disappointed I wasted so much of my precious time on this shit. The only reason I gave it an over 3 rather than a 2 was because I did the math.
But without further ado;

Story: 1/10
Was there a story? 'Cause from what I saw it was just episode after episode of the same concept. A lot like Detective Conan, I suppose, but at least that is much more enjoyable and has a bit more depth to it than ... Natsume Yuujinchou. If you're the type to like watching a shallow animes with no real goal to it, this is for you.

Art: 7/10
The art was good - the only thing that kept me from giving the anime a 2. The sceneries were well done, and the characters were drawn beautifully. The soothing light colours emphasized the calm and relaxing environment the story took place in.

Sound: 6/10
I usually like sad songs, but none from this anime really struck me as great. They were all just mediocre. But it fit according to the situation, so there's a plus.

Character: 3/10
The characters weren't very deep. The main character is a big nono for me - I hate guys who are so sissy and shy and submissive and basically a girl in animes. Though the cat demon thing was cute, and funny (hence why I increased it to a 3). The other demons don't have too much personality, or if they did, it was similar to other characters in the anime.

Enjoyment: 1/10
I only watched it because a friend of mine recommended it, but I was literally falling asleep every episode trying to finish it. You'll never understand how happy I was to finish the season and tell her that I hated it (she asked me to finish it completely before saying it sucks, so...).

Overall: 3/10
Over all, it sucked balls, to be compeltely honest. If you're into anime with an actual plot line, this isn't for you. But see for yourselves... if you dare! ;)

When I first looked at this anime, I didn't think much about it. Now it's one of my favorites this season:

Natsume Yuujinchou is, in a nutshell, about a boy (Natsume Takashi) that can see spirits (demons, gods etc). Because of this, Natsume has been seen by his family as a "freak" and was never accepted in his relatives' house after his parents died.
The story takes place in a small village where another one of his relatives' house, where he found a book left behind by his late grandmother that can control any spirits that have their name in it...

Natsume is a pretty episodic anime that ... packed with slice. The story is generally laid back while it still has a mysterious notion within each episode. A genuine slice of life anime. For people who doesn't understand that, slice of life pretty much means "The main character going about his daily life", there's not going to be massive plot twists, epic action or anything of that sort.

The animation of generally acceptable. Not particularly colorful like your shounen anime, but the dim coloring blends pretty well with the backgrounds. Out of the 4 episodes i've watched, there hasn't been any big changes in the animation, so i believe there won't be any degrading in the animation throughout the series

This is probably the only setback to Natsume, the music. The OP and ED are a bit too laid back. Good for background music, but has no ipod/mp3 worthiness whatsoever in my opinion.

There are not much reoccurring characters in Natsume.
we have Natsume, who is a lazy but kindhearted boy and Nyako, a demon cat who just bums around but occassionally helps Natsume.
A major difference between this anime and other demon-themed anime is that demons in Natsume is usually good demons. While they do go berserk at times, these demons are generally friendly. A nice change compare to all those demon hunting anime.

Personally, I'm quite a fan of slice of life anime so this one is quite a treat. The nice demons were also something rare so pretty happy about that. If you want to find something else like Natsume, try Mushishi.

i found the anime Natsume Yuujinchou very interesting the story which focuses on Natsume reiko a guy who can see spirits i like it because i know some anime characters just like hime Natsume,s partner is cute too cat then changes into a fox is awesome ,this anime is different from anime series which the demons or spirit are being exorcise or dispelled instead the demons in this anime only wants their name to be returned to them

This is my first anime review, so here goes.

Plot Summary:
Natsume is the new kid in town, and boy is he weird. He talks to the empty air more than real people, he's withdrawn, and sometimes he takes off running for no apparent reason. As it turns out, he's not crazy, just spiritual. He was born with the spiritual powers that allow him to see youkai (Japanese mythical creatures). He inherited this ability from his grandmother, who was known among the youkai as a powerful, fierce fighter. His grandmother used her abilities to defeat youkai and take their names, thus binding them in servitude. Now it's ... Natsume's quest to set them free.

Story:
There is only one word to describe the tone of Natsume Yuujinchou: chill. Everything is very laidback, tranquil. The pace is much more deliberate than most anime, taking its time to fully stretch out a story over an episode. Yes, the pacing is slow, but it's the good kind of slow, where things take their time to develop. If you like fast-paced, nail-biting adventures, you're not going to find it here. However, if you don't mind waiting around for a story to blossom, then Natsume Yuujinchou usually delivers, with every vignette well thought-out and explored.

Unfortunately, that's all there is: vignettes. Natsume Yuujinchou is episodic in nature, meaning that there is no overarching plot. While this isn't horrible, it's kind of frustrating to see interesting youkai introduced, only to stick around for one episode and then dissipate after their story is done.

Art:
The animation is pretty cheap. Not bad, just cheap. Don't expect any more movement then is necessary. Also, I think the original author had a mask fetish, because many of the characters have their faces partially covered, meaning facial expressions are often a non-issue. The monster designs are for the most part simple but good looking. However, the action isn't always as crisp and fluid as it could be.

Sound:
Once again, the show differs from a lot of contemporary anime by being very subdued for the most part. All of the acting is good, it's just very toned-down. It tends to make most of the performances forgettable. Also, the background music is fairly bland, and the themes that do stand out sound suspiciously close to stuff you'd hear in Azumangah Daioh. I will say this, though: the opening and closing themes rock. Well, not in the literal sense. They are both quieter, softer pieces, but they fit the series very well.

Character:
Probably the most frustrating part of the show. The characters are usually very interesting, but so many of them are one-shots that it feels like a waste. This is partially remedied in the second season, where characters start coming back, but for this season, don't expect to see too much development outside of Natsume and Nyanko-sensei. However, both of these main characters are well-developed, and they are explored fairly well, which makes up for the other characters not getting screen-time. Although I will say this about Natsume: you could get that kid to do anything for you, if you mentioned you felt lonely. He is such a sucker for the lonely card.

Enjoyment:
This is not a party anime. It's not big or loud enough to watch with a lot of friends, but it is a nice, relaxing, thoughtful piece to watch on your own.

Overall:
This anime is definitely unique. If you don't like over-the-top, flashy anime like Gurren Lagan, then you might prefer Natsume Yuujinchou's approach to story-telling. Also, as a final note, the second season is better because it builds off what is established in this season. Anyways, if you're searching for an anime to watch after a stressful day, this is a great choice.

NOTE: Since the content in all three seasons is similar enough that they don't warrant separate reviews, they will all be covered here. The fourth will be edited in when it finishes, unless it differs heavily from the first three by the end of its run.

Natsume Yuujinchou covers a familiar kind of story. We are presented with a teenage boy, who is unusually airy and doesn't socialize much, and frequently seems to be looking intently at things that aren't there. As you may have guessed, Natsume sees dead people. Well, not exactly... he can see Youkai, a kind of spirit told of in Japanese folklore.

Many ... of the Youkai themselves seem to possess an unusual interest in Natsume. One day, as a pair of Youkai are chasing him, he accidentally breaks a seal containing a powerful Youkai... one that knows why Natsume is being chased. You see, his grandmother Reiko had the same gift as him, and used to go around beating up Youkai and making them give away their names to her (which allowed her to command them), which she collected in a book, the titular Yuujinchou (Book of Friends). And now that Reiko is dead, Natsume has to attempt to return the names, but without losing the book in the process. And his new Youkai friend Madara has agreed to help protect him, as long as he is entitled to the book upon Natsume's natural passing.

What is really impressive about Natsume Yuujinchou is that, from that plot summary there, you will mostly likely think of many other series from various different mediums that follow a similar blueprint. And yet Natsume is significantly better than them. Natsume, as a series, takes on this theme with a brilliant level of poignancy. Rather than being a generic shonen action series as it so easily could have been (many of the bare bones of the series show parallels to Bleach, for example), Natsume is more concerned with telling the stories of each of these Youkai. While there is the occasional flash of action, this is never really the point. It's extremely refreshing to see a premise so frequently used for nothing more than cheap kicks done so beautifully. It even strikes something of a contrast with excellent series such as Mushishi and Mononoke, in that while these are focused on the abnormality of the creatures the series is based around, Yuujinchou is far more down to earth and human-feeling.

Plotwise, this series is episodic, with the episodes focusing on individual youkai, with the stories not generally intertwining or crossing more than one episode (though there are exceptions). Almost all of the episodes are excellent, though there's two or three I didn't really care for. The second season in particular ups the quality of these, with the last four standing out as being firmly the best out of both seasons. There's not really anything in the way of an overarching plot or any clear goal, but it's all tied together through the furthering of Natsume's character and the additional insights into Reiko which we see through the Youkai's memories, both of which are excellent features of the series.

The characterisation in this series is truly unique. Every character is very down-to-earth and believable, and yet not quite your everyday average Joe either. They all have distinctive personalities, and yet feel totally natural. The character designs are much the same way: simple-looking, but effective and distinctive. The only characters who are consistently in every episode are Natsume himself, and his Youkai bodyguard Madara A.K.A Nyanko-sensei. Madara is mostly comic relief, but effectively so. In his true form he's much easier to take seriously, which is often used to good effect. Natsume, on the other hand, is definitely the pinnacle of the aforementioned style. He doesn't really have a clear, character-defining moment or trait, which initially makes him seem like an uninteresting character. However, the more you get to know him, the better a character he seems. He is slowly but surely characterised through musings and realizations gathered through his experiences with all the Youkai he meets, painting a subtle yet excellent portrait of his character. In the third season, this reaches it's peak, as he slowly comes to not only accept, but value his unique circumstances and all the friends he's made because of it.

In terms of production, the animation is superb. Oddly, though, it's quite restrained about it. Aside from some really beautiful, picturesque background art, it doesn't attempt to beat you over the head with its visuals, letting them stay in the background but subtly lending a lot to the series. In the second season especially, though, it dishes out quite a few animation bumps in some of the series more excellent moments, when it really needs to be rendered better. With this, combined with an excellent character art style, Natsume Yuujinchou just plain looks beautiful all-round. Musically, the OST does much the same as the art: it is distinct, amazing, perfectly fitting, but not overbearing. The music is invariably perfectly matched to the tone of the scene rather than being used to create the tone. The voice acting is all-round excellent, but my only problem with it is, strangely enough, Natsume himself. Hiroshi Kamiya was, in my opinion, a poor choice of casting. He does, however, put in an excellent performance which is hardly surprising given how good of an actor he is, but his voice seems terribly unfit to the role, and far more suited to more average and highly strung protagonists like those he usually plays, as opposed to the awkward, airy Natsume. Still, it's hardly distracting.

If I have any real complaint about Natsume Yuujinchou, it's that almost every episode's plot is built from a random contrivance. Generally, Natsume encounters something vital to the plot of the episode by sheer coincidence that is not directly tied to the plot at all. It's not terribly distracting, but it's done repeatedly and always seems far too convenient.

Nonetheless, Natsume Yuujinchou is an excellent series. It's a calming, relaxing show that simply does its job well. The second and third seasons are better than the first, with the second having better standalone episodes, along with better art and directing than the other two, and the third contributing more to the overall story and Natsume's development. Which season is the best is really a question of style vs. substance.

Final Words: Something I would solidly recommend to anyone looking for a calming, soothing anime.

Story/Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Animation/Art: 10/10
Music: 10/10
Acting: 8/10

Season One Overall: 8/10
Season Two Overall: 9/10
Season Three Overall: 9/10

For Fans Of: Mushi-shi, XxXHoLic

No spoilers.

The first season of Natsume Yuujinchou is a very good introduction to the universe of the Book of Friends (a book by Natsume's grandma). You get to know all the characters and circumstances at the right speed and this is very interesting for the proportions of the slice-of-life shows, which usually have very great difficulty introducing the show at the right speed. There is even a possibility that this anime will become my favorite slice-of-life anime.

Story: 8
Each episode has a different story with different background stories, which is very rare because it is very difficult to always represent very good background stories and to ... set the right plot. But possible with the Youkai and the Book of Friends. Great, lots of variety. Never got bored.

Character: 8
There are two main characters. Takashi Natsume and Madara. Natsume is a very quiet guy that you just can't dislike. He communicates with the supporting characters and Madara just almost perfectly. Love his voice. Madara is a cat / dragon / sensei. I explain it using Naruto: Character traits of Jiraiya, voice of Kakashi and name is Madara.
Supporting characters are very different and new ones are introduced every episode. So there are very many, some wholesome, some weird, some sad, some funny. You are well introduced to each character and each character has a unique quality, although some are ghosts or demons or even humans. Very good.

Sound: 8
I really like the soundtrack. They are very quiet Osts with sometimes only piano. The Ost does not stand out completely but is a very good encore. Sounds similar to the soundtrack of Hotarubi no Mori e in case someone has seen it to be able to imagine.
Opening is fine but love the ending with that perfect smooth transition with the piano.

Animation: 7.5
The animation is generally solid. But as soon as either Madara becomes a dragon or Natsume takes a paper in his mouth, the animation is sensational. Artstyle is good. No bad CG noticed. Average camera work. Sometimes stills but that's not too bad.

Enjoyment: 9.5
I had a great time watching this. Not boring even though it's slice-of-life. Properly timed drama and comedy. A good mood because it feels like a relaxed vacation.

Overall: 8.2
Gonna watch all the seasons as soon as possible.

I tried watching this anime 'cause I loved Mushishi, and a lot of people tend to compare them in terms of quality and content... But now, after I've forced myself through 5 seasons of this, I can boldly say that's the biggest stretch I've ever heard. Let me tell you why:

[STORY 1/10]
There isn't one, and I mean it technically. A story is composed of an initial situation, a complication, a development and a final solution, but Natsume's Book of friends never goes past the first element. Throughout the series Natsume (protagonist) found himself fighting numerous youkai, encountering exorcists of different mindsets, getting the chance to ... know more about the spiritual world and her own grandmother's past, but every time that happened it would invariably be nullified at the end of the episode. By the beginning of the following one he would've already forgotten about the exorcist circles he learned to draw and use, he wouldn't use his connections to learn about his supposedly huge power and prefered going back to punching monsters instead, miserably failing every time (even though his entire personality is "I'm kind and I want to protect others"). The "power of friendship" is the only thing he ever has going for him, meaning he stays just as weak and pathetic for the whole series, waiting for Sensei and the other youkai to save him. The only reason he's not dead is the godly power of the main character.
Also, after 5 seasons I still don't know why Natsume Reiko stole the names of the Youkai (S1 ep1), what's her relationship with Sensei (S1 ep1/2) and why he was sealed (S1 ep 1/2), which is funny cause it should be the foundation of the whole plot.

I could go on and on with examples, but you get the point: twists and developments are forcefully removed from the plot in order to keep everything exactly as it is in the beginning. Natsume is overly kind and helps everyone, Sensei is funny and tsundere, everybody else loves the MC cause he's been kind to them, and that's it.

CONCLUSION: Great if you're a child, you can't follow the complexity of the average story, or you need a laxative.

[EPISODES 2/10]
Since there's no general story, I've created an "EPISODES" section to be as fair as possible with my review, although I'm not sure it's for the best. Every episode is a short story in itself, and while at the beginning it was mildly captivating (5-6/10) it rapidly grew old, repeating the same structure (random initial situation / a youkai appears / he proves to be more human and kind than you'd think / he asks Natsume for a favor and he can't refuse cause he's too kind / random teasing from Sensei / everything is solved with the magical power of "I'm the MC, stfu" / happy ending), the same settings, the same story message (be kind!1!11!), the same scene direction.

CONCLUSION: Even taken episode by episode this anime is as original as my dad's forgetful storytelling.

[CHARACTERS 3/10]
I'm not rating lower only 'cause I'm considering "5" as average and "3" as "below average", but I would easily give it a 1/10. As for the story the anime offers plain characters, completely sterothypical, easily predictable, and tragically static. Everything they do and say is stricly determined by two factors: the "How-much-do-you-love-the-MC" factor and the "one-liner-personality" factor. Now Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V that throughout 6 seasons and voilà, masterpiece complete.

CONCLUSION: Pringle's ingredients are less forgettable.

[SOUND 5/10]
I barely ever noticed there was a soundtrack playing, so I'd give it a "not good nor bad" 5.

CONCLUSION: The answer is blowing in the wind

[ART 5/10]
Maybe it was good back in 2008, but at this review's date it's forgettable both in the artistic depiction and in the animation. Nothing particular about dialogues either.

CONCLUSION: Like watching that weird old T-shirt you used to wear.

[ENJOYMENT 1/10]
There's actually no point in watching this except wasting your time: there's no profound message to be learned, no story development, no artistic value... Nothing at all.

CONCLUSION: Great if you want to experience the insubstantiality of Being.


AVERAGE RATING: 2.7

[OVERALL OPINION:] This is an anime for people who like to watch something without having to think too much about what's going on. Is it well done? Not really. Is it good within its own limits? Sure, why not. Although it's almost as far away from my tastes as possible, the fact that I was able to rush through 5 seasons should be a good testimony of how easy and chill this anime is. So, to wrap things up: definetely not a masterpiece, but great to wither away in your bed after a day of work.

I watched this anime basically on a whim. I read the name somewhere and just started watching it. I have to say that I wasn’t too impressed by this series by the first episode, but that certainly changed later on.

Please note that this is a review of all four seasons of Natsume Yuujinchou. However, my feelings towards this show have changed significantly over the course of watching this. So here is the rough draft of my experience:

Season One: Wow, this is totally above my expectations. Pretty good. 7/10.
Season Two: Well shit, I accidently marathoned this. I fear that I’m falling in love with this show. ... 8/10.
Season Three: I love this show. Please don’t let it end. 9/10.
Season Four: I LOVE THIS SHOW. SHIT IT’S ENDING NO SHIT SHIT SHIT NOOO– 9/10.

Honestly. This show is amazing. With brilliant bittersweet episodic plotlines, likable and well-developed characters and just an extraordinary overall feeling of atmosphere, this show excels in almost everything it tries to do. This show is one of the most heartwarming anime that I have ever seen, and as it kept going, it only got better and better. A must-watch for everybody, unless you have a brick for a heart or can’t stomach anything without explosions.


STORY

Natsume Yuujinchou doesn’t have an ‘overarching plot’ or anything, and mostly relies on various episodic stories to keep itself going. Most episodes follow the following structure:

1. A youkai gets introduced.
2. The youkai either has a problem or causes a problem.
3. Natsume solves this problem and learns something about himself in the process.

As you can see, Natsume’s Book of Friends is a very simple show. But its beauty lies in how much it managed to do with such a simplistic concept. Every story is heartwarming and unique in its own way, and even if the episodes follow the same general formula, it never seems to get old. The episodes in season one and season two mainly focused on various one-off characters, while the third and fourth season began to focus more on Natsume himself. Regardless of what story they’re telling, they manage to make it beautiful. Every episode I left with a small smile on my face, even if I sometimes had a knot in my stomach from the emotional moments. This anime just contains so much heart: it’s very clear that the people behind the show had a certain passion for it and it shines brilliantly.

It also helps that the entire atmosphere for this show is brilliant. The world, in and off itself, isn’t really anything special. But it has this feeling to it that’s very hard to pin down and describe: a feeling that is almost bittersweet, but not quite. Heartwarming, yet, at the same time, it also carries this air of melancholy. It’s a very calm show, and the perfect thing to watch when you are anxious or depressed.

If I really had to nitpick I’d say that the first episode was bad. And yeah, it is. But in the grand scheme of things, I don’t feel like it really matters all that much.

All in all the story, despite (or maybe because of) its simplicity managed to create a beauty that is very rare to find among any form of media.


CHARACTERS

The characters, just like the rest of the show, only get better and better as the seasons go on. One of this anime’s strongest points, in my opinion, is Natsume’s character development.

Natsume Takashi is the main character of this show. At a young age he lost both his parents and has since been passed down his relatives, none of whom wanted to keep him because of his ability to see youkai. Those relatives ranged from distant to downright abusive. Finally, about a month before the show starts, the Fujiwaras took him in and he finally got a stable life.

At the beginning of the show, we see him as a lonely and somewhat depressed teenager. He has an air of sadness and maturity to him, which isn’t surprising, considering his childhood has been very tough. And this shows. He is mature beyond his age, has some obvious trust issues and is very quiet. He is also very nice and genuinely cares about everything and everyone around him. He is not a saint however; he sometimes gets angry and frustrated. He has emotions like all of us and they can be hurt, but, at the beginning of the show, he is sure to suppress them and not let it show.
As the anime progresses we see him grow from a self-conscious boy into one who is much more secure about himself and has more trust in the world around him. His development is so subtle that you don’t even notice it until you start comparing scenes from the first few episodes to scenes in the later ones. It’s brilliantly done.

Apart from that he, like the show, grows on you without you even noticing it. I initially didn’t think that I cared much about him; I never noticed any sense of particular attachment. However, during an arc in season two, some youkai hurt him and I just found myself immensely furious. I wanted that thing dead, and right now. I think I might have actually started yelling at my screen. That’s when I realized that I actually cared about him to the point of having my protective urges roused, something that almost never happens to me.

As the seasons progressed, I only found myself getting more and more attached to him, until I came to the point that I was probably sadder than him when he got into a bad situation. I think that this might just be the strongest I’ve ever felt about a character.

Another main character that I wanted to note was Nyanko-sensei/Madara. Even though he is largely played for comic relief, he is also a really good character in himself. His interactions with Natsume are especially precious. Even though they argue most of the time and Nyanko-sensei will deny that he cares for Takashi, it is very clear that he does. The way they show this is great, with small gestures meaning a lot and moments of silence often speaking louder than words. If I had the time, I could point out the many scenes I believe illustrate this the best, but it’s best if you just go and watch yourself.

Other than him, the other reoccurring important side characters are noteworthy too. Although their development is littler than that of Natsume, it’s still pretty amazing what they managed to do with relatively little screen time. The differences between the characters are so noticeable when watching the episodes from season one and four back to back, yet so unnoticeable when you’re actually watching the show chronologically, the youkai characters maybe excepted. Even so, I once again have to applaud this anime for their subtlety.

Even the episodic characters are good. Even though they only get one arc to establish themselves, they are still good enough that you actually care what happens to them. Their stories are often heart wrenching and you can’t help but want the best for them, even if they aren’t particularly memorable.
The characters of Natsume Yuujinchou shine in their quietest moments, and the subtlety of their development makes them all the more believable. Like the rest of the show, you will find yourself unknowingly getting attached to them and not regretting a single thing.


ANIMATION/SOUND

The animation and sound are the only parts where the show isn’t doing exceptionally well. The first season in particular fell short on both of these things, with bad animation and a terrible opening. The animation in the fight scenes (as short and limited as they were) was especially cringe worthy. The camera-angles were also off. I first blamed this on bad directing, but after watching the rest of the show, I know that I was wrong. I don’t know what it is, though, but the choices they make are just really weird. Hiding your main character behind an umbrella while he is talking for more than a minute is very distracting, guys.

As the second season began, however, there was a very noticeable increase in animation budget, leading to a drastic change in animation quality. While it still wasn’t the best, it didn’t need to be. It managed to accentuate the tone of the show rather nicely, and the backgrounds in particular were great (they already were in the first season, for the record). I also liked the design for several of the youkai, even if I did notice a rather lack of distinction later on in the series (all ‘good’ spirits began to look a lot like humans).

Like I already mentioned, I dislike the opening for the first season. I just can’t stand it. I think it somehow sounds like a bad cover of a good song, and it bothers me. The second opening, however, is great. I love the visuals for it, and the song is very catchy. It was a joy to listen to. I thought the third opening was kind of meh again, but the fourth was pretty good. The ending to season one was slightly better than its opening, but I still didn’t like it. I love all the other endings equally, though. And the art style they use in them is great.

The background music is simple, using very few instruments (a lot of which are commonly used in traditional Japanese music) and manages to set the tone for this show perfectly. At first, I wasn’t too fond of it on its own, but it grew on me, like the rest of the show.

In short, even though the animation and the soundtrack aren’t the greatest things ever, they still hold up pretty well and complement the show rather nicely.


CONCLUSION

Natsume’s Book of Friends is a show that has grown very close to my heart. Before watching this, I never understood how people could want a show to go on forever. I have always wanted my shows to end, and I was always happy when I reached those endings. But with Natsume Yuujinchou, I actually found myself stalling, restricting myself to watching only so many episodes a day so that I could enjoy this as long as I could. That is the single biggest complement that I can give a show.

This anime is brilliant in almost every way; the characters are well-developed, the plotlines are heartwarming and the music and animation create the brilliant atmosphere that makes this show what it is. I honestly have no idea how anyone can dislike this anime, unless you just really dislike shows without action or are just plain heartless. Not to say that you're a bad person if you didn't like this but just... how?

It’s flaws are minor, and its pros are huge. Honestly, there is no reason for anyone to skip this masterpiece, so go forth and watch it. Now.

This is one of those animes which just somehow makes its way into your heart and makes such a deep imprint that you would probably never be able to forget it. Natsume Yuujinchou (I watched all 4 seasons, and reviewing them in one go as they are more like a single entity anyway) is a beautiful rare gem in the anime world that often goes unnoticed, yet each and every person I know who have watched it have been touched so deeply by it.

Story:
The highlight of this anime is the storyline, and how its delivered. It has a very laidback pace, allowing the story ... to gently bloom; the exact opposite of an intense high speed story. But it manages to do that with a grace that is never dull or boring, and just mesmerizes so you are pulled along gently by the story. The anime is episodic in nature, so every episode has a different story, but the 2nd season onwards do build upon previous stories and characters, so there is a sense of continuity.The main theme is about the conflict between the supernatural world of the youkais and humans, and Natsume's struggle to find his place in between these conflicting worlds. The theme of self discovery and companionship, as well as kindness and acceptance are the main focus of the anime, and well written and developed.

Art: I love the gentle vignette style of the art, with soft colours and landscapes, rather than details and sharp contrasts, this seems to suit the characters and the story better anyway. It reminds me a bit of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's art style (Totoro especially).

Sound: Absolutely LOVED all the openings and endings for all 4 seasons, they all fit the story so well, and the atmosphere and mood of the anime. The seiyuus were also brilliant, especially Nyanko sensei (Kazuhiko Inoue, who is also the voice behind loads of famous roles like Kakashi from Naruto)

Character:
I fell utterly in love with Natsume within the first season, and fell deeper with every episode since then. The character development for Natsume and Nyanko-sensei especially were done very well, and I love how the 2nd season onwards had more regular characters who stayed on for more of the series (the first season usually had characters come on just for one ep). Even with characters who didn't stay long, they still managed to give a solid impression and a fully fleshed character setting. Every character was realistic and relatable, and managed to engage my emotions well. Natsume will always have a special place in my heart

A friend introduced and urged me to watch this anime. I am always interested in stuff associated with youkai so I knew I had to give this a shot. This is probably the most light hearted anime I've watched so far, especially the ending song is just soooooo soothing. The anime have a episode by episode plot so you don't have to complete the whole series in one day. A calm and peaceful anime with a hint of humour in it. I wouldn't say it was action packed.

Watching Natsume Yuujinchou felt like strolling down a road of flawlessness - no obstructions, no inconveniences. Simply a straight, smooth and simple road that leads to the beautiful horizon which awaits at the end of the road.

Natsume Yuujinchou is as repetitive as Symphogear and could be compared to Mushishi due to its indistinguishable similarities. However, just because of the fact that it has a mix between the two doesn't mean that it should be treated lowly in the same way as actual rip-offs. Natsume Yuujinchou is good in its own way and that fact will never change ( will skip the bothersome explanations because ... I'm too lazy ).

One thing which this show for sure lacks is romance and that's probably the only criticism I have for this anime. Like, Jesus I understand. But the amount of chemistry in this show is a little too uncomfortable. You either go full romance or none at all. Not some teasy-ass lowkey like a soft yuri bait.

..Skipping to the overall. I'd say that Natsume Yuujinchou was the longest try not to cry challenge I've ever watched. Every episode a new story unfolds, and its never tiresome to find out what the story has to offer as I always look forward to each and every episode.

This was no doubt a masterpiece. Many questions are still left and unanswered and I am not planning to continue with the manga. However, the experience and emotions I acquired from this anime will always have a place inside my heart forevermore.

If you're looking for a tranquil and lengthy anime where you could simply unwind and perhaps cry occasionally somewhere within about 26.4 hours of your life then Natsume Yuujinchou is perfect for you. If you're looking for romance, however, you may be slightly disappointed. Regardless, everything else that this show offers pretty much covers up for it so it's not really a big deal.

This is not an anime for people who are looking for something with action and cute characters. Natsume Yuujinchou is a thought provoking anime, one that encompasses many different genres (drama, slice of life, tragedy, fantasy). The story may look slow but each episode is well thought out and provides insights on the main characters of the anime. Each episode has a message or a lesson for Natsume, and viewers in my opinion; most of them are common knowledge, but they serve as a reminder to the people who watch the series.

The anime has a lot of fun and humour in it, but also ... tragedy and sadness at the same time. Each episode left me wanting to see more of the anime just to see how Natsume would treat a new situation. Initially, I found this anime under Kamiya, Hiroshi's name before it was aired and the synopsis was kind of promising. And as each episode was aired, I found out that I really could not wait for the next episode; It was a long wait for the four seasons to finish but well worth it. Now I wish there was more for me to enjoy.

This anime is full of bittersweet moments that should generally leave a person feeling angry or upset but it is not the case here. Oddly enough, where Natsume should have ended up hating people, he ends up loving them more. The strength of his character is something that is awe worthy.

Story and Plot - 10/10

Most people who watch this anime will not see a plot in the start of the anime, but there is one. This anime follows the day to day life of Natsume, Takashi and his youkai "guardian" Madara(who Natsume affectionately calls Nyanko-sensei). Natsume is not your ordinary teenage boy like in other anime; he has the ability to see youkai and this has earned him a hard childhood. Orphaned at a young age, he was passed around his extended family due to his strange nature. As a child no one believed him about the things that only he could see and everyone either thought that he wanted attention or was insane. Due to this, Natsume slowly closed himself off from other people and dealt with his pain silently.

One day, he accidently meets a youkai named Madara who mistakes Natsume for his deceased grandmother, who also could see youkai. Madara tells Natsume about a book that his grandmother kept called The Book of Friends, which contains the names of all the youkai she "defeated". This is where the story of Natsume Yuujinchou begins, as Natsume is determined to return all the names while Madara tries to stop him since he wants the book for himself. As Natsume returns the names of the youkai, he slowly learns more about his deceased grandmother and the differences in their lives.

The overall story comes together in the four seasons of the anime. Each episode, though may seem stand alone, actually bring forth the main plot of the story which is Natsume's understanding of the world around him and his place in it. Through his many adventures, he changes his views and learns to trust other people. For the first time, Natsume makes true friends who he feels he can depend on and will not shun him due to his weird nature.

Art and Character Design - 10/10

Simple art to follow a simple anime; some people say that the art is nothing big or that it's not beautiful like other anime. Natsume Yuujinchou is not a flashy anime with a flashy story, the story is very simple and thus the art flows with it. I personally feel the art is amazing, simple and unique yet with a lot of detail.

Soundtrack - 10/10

Again, simple and yet beautiful music to compliment the anime. The soundtrack is as amazing as the anime, from the opening to the ending.

Character Development - 10/10

Best part of the anime is not the story but rather the characters. The main characters are Natsume, Takashi and Madara but Natsume, Reiko can also be seen as somewhat of a main character. There is a lot of character development for most of the characters in the series but mostly centered on Natsume, Takashi and Madara. Natsume, Reiko's character is used as an eye opener for Natsume, Takashi; where Reiko isolated herself from the rest of the world, Takashi learns to open up slowly to his friends and leave his loneliness behind. Also, each of the youkai that Natsume encounters helps Natsume understand his youkai friends, gaining more respect and understanding towards youkai in general. The youkai in the anime are shown to have the same human tendencies and are not so different from humans in reality.

Natsume, Takashi: I guess some people may see him as a sissy or something along those lines, but can you really call him a sissy? It takes one to know one really. In society today, people who are compassionate and understanding are viewed as a sissy and this is why society does not progress much. I feel Natsume's personality is very rare to come across amongst people and quite refreshing. Regardless of the amount of torment he has gone through, Natsume still holds a lot of respect for people and shows no hatred towards anyone. He is kind and gentle but cautious at the same time with people due to his childhood experience.

Madara or Nyanko-sensie: A powerful youkai with a lot of influence, Madara at first shows that his sole purpose of being with Natsume is to use him in order to get the Book of Friends. But slowly you see that Madara does in fact care about Natsume and a bond is formed between the two. Madara appears to understand Natsume more than most of the other characters and surprising shows a more gentler side towards Natsume in contrast to his regular boastful, selfish and kind of mean personality.

Viewer Enjoyment - 10/10

This is the first anime where I could not wait for the next season to air. The re-watch value of this anime for me is very high as I have already re-watched all four seasons twice already, going on third. This anime is amongst the few that I have re-watched so many times. Don't feel ashamed if you watch this anime and find yourself in tears. Unique in its own way, Natsume Yuujinchou is a story about a journey, a journey of understanding.

Overall Rating - 100/10 can I?

"Natsume's Book of Friends" (Natsume Yuujinchou) is like a loaf of bread. Not spicy, not over-sweet, pretty plain...and yet very satisfying. It's a show I enjoy watching whenever life has been busy, complicated, or stressful, and I just want to clear my mind and relax. When I don't want heavy plotlines, psychological twists, or violence. When I crave something simple.

But simple doesn't mean childish. This show might be rated PG, but it's still something that even adults can enjoy. I normally don't like slice-of-life dramas, but there's something fresh and unconventional about this. If you've read the original ... manga, or any of the other mangas by Yuki Midorikawa, you'll recognize the "gentle" air it has.

Synopsis:
Natsume Takeshi has the unfortunate ability to see spirits. The spirits tend to look like humans or human/animal creatures. As a little boy, he told others about them, but was often mocked and called a liar. Now he's in high school, living in the countryside with just his guardians. He keeps his ability a secret, and doesn't make close friends with anyone. One day he finds a strange home-made book with weird scribbles. It turns out that it belonged to his grandmother, Natsume Reiko. Reiko could also see spirits. And being a bit of a bully, she kept their names in this book, the Book of Friends. Whoever owns the book is the master of the spirits whose names are in it. And now Natsume owns the book. Wishing to right his grandma's wrongs, he decides to release the spirits enslaved by the book. And one spirit who takes the form of a cat, decides to become Natsume's bodyguard.

That's how things get set up. Most episodes are self-contained, with Natsume assisting spirits (or trying to survive evil ones) with the cat, Nyanko-Sensei (aka "Sensei") tagging along. We meet a few new characters along the way, and learn about Natsume's personality and past. His disheartening experiences with other people in the past make him a loner much of the time. And because he appreciates his guardians, he doesn't want them to worry about him, whether it's over his abilities, or over a fever. It's a bit heartbreaking to see him trying desperately to keep secrets from them, all for the sake of "their own good."

Sensei provides most of the comic relief. The cat form is one he uses to conserve energy (he really looks like a giant white wolf). But as a ridiculously fat white-and-orange cat, visible to humans, he trots around town as his own boss. He is a huge glutton and has a great fondness for sake. He has bad a reputation at the local "spirit tavern." He is under the impression that he is Natsume's master, and that he has the right to someday eat him and take possession of the Book of Friends. But despite his constant threats toward Natsume, you get the idea that he actually has a soft spot for him.

Aside from those two, we don't get to know other characters that much. There isn't a huge human cast in the first place (it's the middle of the countryside, for goodness sake), and we mostly only discover the backgrounds of the spirits that need assistance from Natsume. The fact that we don't get very involved with other characters, emphasizes Natsume's loneliness. But it also makes me identify a lot with him, because we're not getting intimate with anyone else. His somewhat bland and down-to-earth personality, his naivety and ability to enjoy the simple life, make him feel realistic instead of idealized. He's not an angsty hero teen who wants to save the world. He just wants to live and let live.

The art style is worth a note. The art in the original manga is rather unconventional. It's very light and sketchy, almost doodle-like. It's not a style that can be easily copied into an anime. And while it's not exactly copied, the anime art still keeps the "light" feel. The faces do look the same, for the most part. The color palatte is also very plain, more on the neutral side, and colors seem a bit washed-out, and naturalistic. It bolsters the "fresh" vibe this anime gives, avoiding strong contrasts and bright, un-natural colors (there are no pink or blue-haired people!).

The setting in the countryside, the bright summer sunshine, the buzzing cicadas.... It really puts you right into the lazy summer setting. The first 13 episodes of the series take place in summer. The second 13 (in "Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou") take place in winter, the season of the dying year.

The sound and music perfectly convey the mood. The ending music (for both) is particularly wistful.

All the events in the anime are from the manga, though not always presented in the same order. Because the stories are very episodic, it's easy to do. The whole spirit of the manga is conveyed well, so if you enjoyed the manga, you should enjoy the anime, and vice versa.

***Some people have called the series a "shounen ai" (BL) series. It is NOT unless you REALLY read things into it. To emotionally protect himself, Natsume keeps his spirit-vision a secret. But he eventually discovers Natori, a young, but slightly older man who can also see spirits. They are both rather excited, since they've finally found someone they don't have to keep their ability a secret from. Though Natsume is still not ready to be close friends with him yet, Natori expresses interest in being his mentor. Natori's day job is an actor, so he has a bit of a flamboyant air. But that's as far as things go.***

There's essentially no objectionable content. There's some mild language, and a small amount of peril and violence.

So when you need to relax, and clean out your mind with something fresh, give "Natsume" a try.