Alternative TitlesEnglish: The Natsume Book of Friends Synonyms: Natsume Yuujin-chou, The Natsume Book of Friends, Natsume's Book of Friends Japanese: 夏目友人帳
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 13
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 7, 2008 to Sep 29, 2008
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
PG - Children
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.431 (scored by 8230 users)
Ranked: #962
Popularity: #226
Members: 16,498
Favorites: 536 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
fantasy supernatural |
Recommendations Submitted by Users
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natsume yuujinchou is a watered-down cross between xxxholic and mushishi
Although not similar in the aspect of Japanese Youkai, Mushishi still has good Japanese environments and the obvious feature of spirits that can only seen by certain people. Not many blatant parallels can be made between the two, though there's a high chance that anyone who likes Natsume Yuujin-Chou will like Mushishi.
Though the two have their differences, both are about a main character who can see something others can't, and strives to help them. Also, both stories have a certain almost laid-back atmosphere to them. Natsume Yuujinchou, however, has more of a plot than Mushishi, as well as supporting characters that stay for more than one episode.
They both have a similar theme.
Both deal with things that can only be seem by few people. Both have the main character helping someone in which only they could provide assistance. Each episode is about a different spirit/mushi.
Both of the main characters can see spirits. Both series are episodic, they can be watched in almost any order. Both have a lot of drama packed into these short stories.
If you liked Mushishi I believe you'll most definitely enjoy Natsume Yuujinchou. :) I could see similarities right off the bat, in how they both deal with spirits or other supernatural creatures. Both main characters have a sense of compassion when interacting with these entities, and often will try to find the least violent method of solution. Also, both series are episodic, yet it's a style that suits them well. The day-to-day solving of problems has a relaxing sort of mood in both series, and I think they complement each other nicely.
Spirits are all around us, but only some have the gift to see them. Both series are somewhat episodic, revolving around human interactions with spirits, as well as with each other.
Both anime have a calming atmosphere and tells the story of someone with a special ability as they learn to live with the supernatural.
Deals with the supernatural and very episodic. Has the same calm, bittersweet atmosphere at the end.
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Both main characters are the only one's in the story that can see spirits. They also share the same sense of loneliness that comes with it. There's a few episodes in both Natsume Yuujinchou & xxxHolic that go into true detail about their feelings of being alone. It's drama unlike i've ever seen before, and i love that part about each of these shows, so much. If you've seen one of these shows, then i highly recommend you check out the other.
both main characters can see spirits / demons and then in a way help them ^^ oh and both of them have charters that act silly so its funny is some ways
there are some episodes in xxxholic that really remind me of Natsume Yuujinchou
natsume yuujinchou is a watered-down cross between xxxholic and mushishi
Both are about ayakashi and yokai, share a bit of story and they both have a Zashiki-Warashi in it. xxxHolic is pretty dark, while Natsume Yuujinchou is lighter and uses more colours.
Same basic idea - a guy that can see the supernatural. Natsume Yuujinchou is little more touching and lighter, while xxxHolic is a bit funnier.
The character of Watanuki (xxxHolic) is very similar to Natsume (Natsume Yuujinchou). Even though the stories of the two series are different except for the boy-who-can-see-spirits thing, the "feel" is the same. Also, Nyan-ko sensei is kinda like a cross between kuro-Mokona and the Kudakitsune.
Both series start out very similarly, both of the main characters are being chased by spirits which only they can see. Both are fairly episodic though xxxHOLiC definitely links more episodes together.
Well, as already many ppl said:
both series have main character really similar: Watanuki Kimihiro & Natsume Takashi. They are good guys, with a special ability: they are able to see spirits/ghosts/demons.. They also share the 'loneliness' side, b'cuz of their capacity they are usual to be alone.. Maybe watanuki's personality is a bit more 'funny-comic' than that natsume, but anyway they are both real good ppl with a "golden heart" that help others.
About the story, well both stories are really similar b'cuz of the *oriental japanese tradition* in them, about the traditions to believe in something like typical japanese spirits and about all the atmosphere!
The way how both stories are showed, is simply awesome: delicated, sweet and loveable.
About Natsume, the anime it is really full of amazing colors, and also graphic design is exelent^^
Well, from Holic's side, it's an anime from CLAMP so char design is obviously great.
What else i have to say? they are both awesome. Holic is more known than Natsume, so i suggest you: don't lose that gem that NY is! believe me, watch it ;3 they both worth it!^^
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Both have the same slow pace, and the protagonists can see those kind of "ghosts" or fantastic creatures.
Stories where humans and the supernatural mingle together.
Kamichu is a very lighthearted look of this delicate and strange relationship, somewhat reminiscing My Neighbor Totoro by Studio Ghibli.
Natsume Yuujinchou takes a deeper and a quite more painful look into this relationship, introducing us to a string of beautiful stories between humans and youkai that are touching and often times sad.
Both are set in the summer, a time of the year that fits both series perfectly.
It has the same heartwarming and yet melancholy tone. The main characters can both see gods and supernatural beings and possess of supernatural powers, without being flashy about them. Friendship, getting along, solving problems and helping both people and creatures seem to be an important theme in both.
The Japanese gods and creatures are also the same.
Other recs I can think of are Spirited Away and XXXHolic
A slice of life where there is interaction with shintoist figures. Kamichu has more gods than anything while Natsume Yuujinchou has youkai.
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They both involve a person who can see things that others can't see. They both try to solve problems with the best of their abilities. They both have non-human sidekicks.
Both deal with the complicated realtionships bewtween humans and spirits. Both also have humor.
friendly main characters who happen to be teenagers...have some sort of super natural power and uses it to help supernatural beings...somewhat similiar feel in the graphics but set in different periods
Both animes deal with supernatural powers (youkai) and in both animes the main characters are young men who have power over those youkai. Natsume Yuujinchou leaves a way more positive feeling, though.
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similiar style of heart-warming supernatural story with similiar facinating ghosts characters. Touching scenes & stories..
If you liked this anime you will definitely like Spirited Away, the main character in both animes can see spirits and they have to deal with them through it.
Natsume Yuujinchou...
Natsume Yuujinchou revolves around a phycic teenage boy named Takashi Natsume, who is hounded by spirits on a regular basis.
Recently, Takashi's grandmother Reiko passed away, leaving him the mysterious 'Natsume book of friends'.
Reiko, in her youth, was quite a myschevious girl, who would challange spirits in the codition that if she won, she would seal their name in her notebook, rendering them a servant to her.
Upon inheriting this book, Natsume is faced with more spirits, those wanting thier names returned, and those out to steal the book in order to gain servants.
Spirited Away...
Spirited away revolves around a young girl named Chihiro, who, with her parent, walk into what they belive is an abandoned themepark. This is a trap.
After her parents are turned into pigs, the residents of this loccation finally appear, only to be revealed a series of bizzare spirits.
Chihiro is rescued by a mysterious young boy who knows nothing about his past, he advise's to keep her head down in order not to gain attention.
We soon discover that a which is dictating this spirit wold and stealing the name and identity of others, who have no choice but to serve her.
Natsume YuuJinchou has quite the oppsosite storyline to Spirited away, yet inspite of this, their are great similarities...
Spirited Away - A sweet little girl gets stranded in the spirit world, being the only human
Natsume Yuujinchou - A pleasant teenage orphaned boy, see spirits in his everyday life
Spirited Away - Thoses in the spirit world have their names taken from them, i.e. losing their identity and freedom
Natsume Yuujinchou - Many spirits have had their names stolen from them and sealed in the book of friends, i.e. losing their freedom
Both stories feature sweet, lovable main characters, who have a shapeshifting spirt acting as bodygaurd.
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Both have a relaxing atmosphere, which is very calming, though it does get serious and there is some action.
However Natsume is more orientated towards the supernatural, and Erin is focused more on fantasy. Natsume also seems to be aimed at an older audience. Both are good watches to unwind though.
The two shows are not directly similar at all. But they're both very peaceful and soothing. They're also the type that appeals to the 'child' inside you
they both have their calm atmospheric look...their art is little bit alike..both the main characters have supernatural powers...one can see spirits and one can talk to animals...
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Both animes follow the relation between a human and a supernatural being.
They're also both soft paced and leave a good felling afterwards.
Both great to relax, smile and take a break from heavier animes.
Spice and Wolf and Natsume Yuujinchou are rather episodic anime that focus on the development of the two main character's relationships. While the relationship between Natsume and Nyanko is not romantic it is similiar the the relationship between Horo and Lawerance in that it is between two beings who would ordinarily not get along, Natsume a human and Nyanko a youkai, Lawerance a human and Horo a wolf diety.
The main characters in both encounter a supernatural being which they become very close with. Both stories are easygoing and relatively peaceful to watch. Each show beautifully incorporates music at the right times to set the mood of the story.
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They're both about the interaction between 'ayakashi'/'youkai' and humans.
Both deal with the realtionship between spirits and humans obviously. That isn't enough to make them similar on anything but the surface, but there is a similiar tension between them.
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The main characters can see spirits and other strange creatures ^^ And they try to get rid of them or help them.
Both the main character in Mokke and Natsume Yuujinchou are able to see youkai, which ordinary people can't, which makes them special. Both series also show the main character trying to deal with them in different ways. Natsume give them back their names, while the main character in Mokke tries to protect her sister from being posessed. Both series have a nice feel and where mokke perhaps is a bit moreslice of life, they are both good anime series and if you liked Mokke, then you'll perhaps like this, since it s a bit similar.
both deal with youkai in a slice-of-life genre
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Both main characters are the only one's in the story that can see spirits. They also share the same sense of loneliness that comes with it. There's a few episodes in both Natsume Yuujinchou & xxxHolic that go into true detail about their feelings of being alone. It's drama unlike i've ever seen before, and i love that part about each of these shows, so much. If you've seen one of these shows, then i highly recommend you check out the other.
natsume yuujinchou is a watered-down cross between xxxholic and mushishi
Both have similar main characters with little supernatural adventures each episode. Both are fairly episodic though xxxHOLiC definitely links more episodes together.
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Both anime deals with exterminating ayakashi. In both anime protagonist have an demon follower (Nyanko - Natsume Yuujinchou / Mokkun - Shounen Onmyouji) both are very similar to each other.
The main difference is that Shounen Onmyouji occours in the past and Natsume Yuujinchou nowadays and the fact that there isnt any romance in Natsume Yuujinchou which is very important in Shounen Onmyouji.
Basically the same story in different time period.
Both deal with exterminating demons or spirits. In both anime the protagonists have a demon follower (Nyanko - Natsume Yuujinchou / Mokkun - Shounen Onmyouji) which are very similar to each other.
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both involve youkai's, and have a similar feeling, except natsume yuujinchou is not as lighthearted as oinari sama.
Both has a male main character who finds a spiritual creature (in wagaya a fox and in Natsume a cat) that end up protecting them.. they also share that both creature know a person related to the male main character, who is also had a spiritual power..
So they are pretty much the same..
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Very similar relaxing slice of life shows with episodic structure, nice comedy, great music and beautiful stories, they both give you the same warm feeling.
Thoughtful stories aimed at the heart examining small happiness and sorrows in our lives. A tad too "lighthearted" for some, but any story that can warm people's hearts and sometimes bring tears are notable series worth checking out. Absolutely beautiful music and scenery rendered gently makes for a perfect escape for the tired.
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At first it doesn't seem similiar at all.
But there is some things that connect these series and I probably only noticed because I watched them one after another (I watched Natsume immediately after Kuroshitsuji).
Both have a contract with a demon who promises to eat them after all is done (or in Natsume's case when there is an opening.)
In both cases the main lead is about the only one who knows about it.
Furthermore the male leads seem similiar in personality, appearing adult, serious and short-tempered.
Well, honestly stories are a lot differents, but yeah, there are some little things that made those 2 so different series becoming 'similar'.
Both main characters have a "contract" with a demon that will gonna 'eat' them whenever the contract will be done.
But it's not only this, i noticed a similitude in personalities of characters~
In fact, Natsume and Madara have a strange relationship that remember the one between Sebastian and Ciel. Because Madara and Sebastian have the part of the 'bad characters' but they care about their contractor for real, so afterall we could say there's a bit of "love" from them xD;
Also another thing about personalities, that made those chara even more similar is that: Natsume & Ciel are both mature for the age they have. They really are mature guys and take hard decisions sometimes, like adults do.
About their main stories, well a shared thing is that both series have a 'paranormal' side. i mean, Natsume has spirits and whatever is linked to them of course, and Kuroshitsuji has shinigami/angels/demons thing.
Well, anyway, don't hope to find in Kuroshitsuji a similar anime to Natsume (or viceversa) 'cuz, i repeat: stories are really differents.
Relationships, main chatacters, personalities, "paranormal" side: those are the things that both series share, in my opinion^^
By the way, Natsume is highly recommended!
Have a nice watch :3
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natsume is more relaxed, whilst ghost hunt is more complex and less supernatural/mystical. however same humour, and both amazingly enjoyable watches.
Both of these anime deal with the interaction of the human and spirit world, through the eyes of those who stand between.
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Both series have a relaxes, slow pace to them, while telling a story that involves a lot of action. They have a similar brand of humor, and tell a story of a young, lonely, powerful boy
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Both contain philosophical themes and stories with spirits tied into both. They each have deeper meanings. Natsume Yuuijinchou deals with a teenage kid who has an abnormal ability to see these spirits with a rambunctious fat cat supporting him along his excursions. It is also a more calm tempo style that lets you take everything in within an easy pace and less emphasis on horror.
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you will feel kind of the same vibe from watching it.
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Both series deal with seeing/helping spirits.. Natsume Yuujinchou is a bit more serious while Hanada Shounen-shi focuses more on comedy.
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Both main characters are aiding something, both anime have that nice comforting feeling
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The reason I started to compare Bakemonogatari and Natsume Yuujinchou actually is that the male main characters are both voiced by Kamiya Hiroshi. Then I started to notice that the themes and the atmosphere is quite similar. And even if the animation is different they share high production values.
These shows are about high-school boys who get mixed up with supernatural creatures and phenomenon. The main characters take notice of things that normal humans cannot see and try to help out, even if it is dangerous. The arcs of the different stories are not very long but characters frequently show up again. There is an unique mixture of peacefull daily life and violent supernatural occurences. Bakemonogatari has more graphic violence, Natsume on the other hand always tells touching stories...
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The protagonist in these both find a book that was used to seal demons. The monsters are based on Japanese ghost stories.
In Natsume Yuujinchou, the main plot was to release captured demons. In Ghost Stories the protagonist accidentally releases all the demons sealed in the book, and needs to find and reseal all of them instead. Both the mascot characters that help the protagonist is a demon in the shape of a cat.
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The similarities in these two shows stems from the similar settings and the slow pace that both stories use to tell the tales of the protagonists. A high school student in Natsume Yuujinchou and a middle school student and an adult in Asatte no Houkou.
The narratives for both stories are slow and reflective, there are supernatural and mystical events in both shows, and the overall melancholy tone of both stories makes them comparable. Yuujinchou however is more episodic than Asatte, and the plot is superior to the lighter Asatte no Houkou. But if you liked one you'll probably like the other.
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In both are many traditional Japanese ghosts and myths. They have a really good animation too. :)
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they appear to be completely different, but the feeling and relaxing atmosphere of both of them are similar. slice of life with a tad of drama, and supernatural elements :D
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both this anime series have demons involved and also both of the main characters have supernatural powers,the anime Natsume Yuujinchou i recommend it to those anime fans who like mystery action
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Although they seem like completely different genres etc, they both have the same relaxed and calming quality to it. natsume yuujinchou is more supernatural, and though aria has its supernatural moments (the mysterious cats), it is more relaxing slice-of-life. however, after watching an episode, they both give you a nice warm feeling.
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Both about a kid that inherits his relatives past ghost hunting ability's and powers. Kekkaishi is more so about hunting and exercising demons where as Natsume Yuujinchou is about returning the demon's names and allowing them to pass on.
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relaxing atmospheres, yet natsume has more action and supernatural element as well. yet both seem to show how beautiful world it is and ends each episode with a nice calming feeling
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supernatural/fantasy genres. both excellent watches. natsume is more relaxing and more on the supernatural side, whilst shigofumi has action and is dark
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Both have nearly identical episodic formulae: establish a problem and resolve it emotionally. The "weekly dish" in NYC is a monster, in IGLOO it's an experimental weapon. While in the former the plot focuses on the actual weekly variation, the latter uses the Weapon of the Week merely as a backdrop for the story and focuses instead on characters.
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Both have a animal-like sidekick and are mostly about capturing things like animals and ghosts.
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A human is unique in their ability to speak with spirits. Similar atmosphere and pacing. A person who enjoys one should enjoy the other.
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Both deal with the complexities of relationships and life. They have similar art and contain bittersweet and touching moments.
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