The art of Natsume Yuujinchou is probably the least impressive aspect, which is not to say it isn't impressive. It's simple, soft, and fluid, and there isn't much to pick on about it. The character designs are simple but hardly archetypical, and the individuality of each is accentuated even further by their differentiability.
Character(s):
You would assume the character development of this series is limited to Natsume, as it is episodic in nature and most characters either don't reappear later or are purely fill-in supporting characters that are meant to be stereotypical, average high school students or adult figures. Wrong. In nearly every single episode, 1-2 characters are introduced, and while most of them never reappear (save for the last episode), each and every one is fleshed out in a realistic, concise, and complete manner. Because of this, they are all given the potential to reappear (if, in fact, they don't cease to exist within the episode they are introduced) and likely do in later seasons (though this is purely speculation, since I've only seen season 1). In addition, Natsume himself evolves throughout the series and is a character that I've grown so fond of that he's become one of my favorite characters.
Sound, Story (I know that seems like an odd combination, but when I sat down to write I couldn't think of a better way to compliment the individual categories than to intertwine them, as they are in the show):
I've tried listening to the OST while simultaneously attempting to read a rather monotonous novel for school, but my mind couldn't help but wander onto simpler, more captivating things. Some tracks caused me to subconsciously contemplate my relationships with others, while some caused silly conversations from the day to resurface in my mind. Overall, even though some songs utilized during more action based scenes contained an almost humorous amount of yokai shouting and other traditional Japanese noisemakings, the OST is absolutely beautiful, and definitely the type that I could listen to stand-alone, without a visual aid to enjoy it.
Additionally--
The ending song always filled me with a sense of bittersweet sadness, like a fleeting beauty, reminding me that nothing in this life lasts, that it's only here for a short time, whether we choose to accept that or not, and the only way we can enjoy it to the fullest is to form relationships with others and show everyone kindness. The show as a whole emphasized this through each episodic arc, as well as through Natsume as he grew to love where he was in life and the people who filled him with happiness. The delicate balance of comedy and harsh, yet beautifully executed reality, was fully fledged. Never for a moment did I feel the creators rushed through an episode's emotional aspects in order to further a plot. The main concern was always to make the viewer feel something--sadness, happiness, hope, despair, nostalgia, whatever it may be--and make their own conclusions of it.
In conclusion, this show made me really feel something that not many anime do--it wasn't an acute sense, a "fangirl" feeling, that lasted for a few seconds of intense irruption--it was a lasting sense of warmth and connection with the characters and their struggles, and always left me feeling satisfied and full of emotions that were sometimes difficult to explain, but always present and welcomed.
I highly recommend Natsume Yuujinchou to anyone who may be on the fence about watching it.
