Before I go on I'd like to let homeboy Natsume say a few things. Since he's quite lonely and all and he's a fictional character, he's not likely to speak his mind so I'm gonna give him a chance. So, Natsume, how do you feel right now?
"Being alone is lonely."
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm curious what you're willing to do about it.
"I wanna do things I can do."
You're getting really philosophical Natsume. You're quite the poet. What else are you willing to share? Firetrucks are trucks on fire? The word word has 4 letters that form a word? Circles are circular round shapes known as circles in large circles of population? Despite their name, bulldogs are neither bull or dog? At least that's how it should be since pitbulls are neither pits or bulls.
I can't claim there's many more absurd quotes like the two I've quoted from the series in Natsume's Book of Absurd Quotes, but it is a good choice for you if you're looking for a series that showcases loneliness, solitude and isolation, which are Natsume's Book of Lonely Alone Beings most prevalent theme in the content I've watched.
Natsume's Book of People Doesn't Have A Plural And That's Why You'll Die Alone deals with a boy named Natsume who inherited his grandmother's book where she sealed the name of youkai which makes them subservient to her and he decided to give the names of these youkai back. In this process, Natsume's Book of Books Are Filled With Pages explores how Natsume and the Youkai felt isolated, were isolated and how being alone is lonely. It doesn't do a bad job in this process, actually it does do a decent job but my problem is that it withholds the same melancholic atmosphere in every episode and getting very sappy with it at times. It doesn't do a bad job presenting the feelings and circumstances through which these characters have gotten where they've gotten or a bad job in even presenting their feelings, but its overall atmosphere kills it for me. Every episode is the same with its melancholy tightly glued to it and having some generic anime humor like oh that cat likes food hahaha oh it brought a frog, which is meant to relieve some of the tension, but since I don't share that type of humor, it does not work for me. Instead Natsume's Joke of Abstract Jokes amused me.
Natsume's Book of A Furry Can't Eat A Hotdog Because It'd Be Cannibalism doesn't resonate with me because most of its atmosphere is reserved and quiet which while it works for the show's theme, it feels too constant and while it does give the show a relaxing tone, it doesn't really play with my expectations in any sort of way, up to the point when a twist happens, I don't really care, because everything feels on the same constant all the time. But also the worst part for this show is that I'm on the exact opposite side of the feelings the show is trying to evoke. I personally value solitude a lot, I enjoy being alone and away from the public. I feel very relaxed by myself while I have nobody to interact with and value it each time. So the theme can't resonate with me even if I recognize what it does try to do and appreciate that, but if it doesn't put the events in a way I observe the experiences shown to me in a more direct way, I can't really empatize. It does present you enough, but it feels more like it's presented to be acknowledged rather than observed, which is what I usually seek from a series with an episodic focus on its events over the overarching plot.
Natsume's Book of Drawings Are Done By Drawing's artstyle is fine. It doesn't look impressive and fits the purpose of the show, best described as typical and traditional. Nothing wrong with that since you have a lighthearted show about youkai and isolation and I can't argue that it works. It won't impress you visually but it shouldn't bother you either.
As for Natsume's Book of Music Is Made With Sounds has a very relaxing and calming tone to it as a result of most of what you'll hear from the series is ambiance rather than music to deleniate the tone. Since it's set in a quiet rural area that's pretty much the result. The intro and the ending are some chilled out mellow songs that sound like classic japanese melancholy. Nothing noteworthy but definitely fitting.
Natsume's Book of I'm Funny And My Jokes Always Make Everyone Laugh seemed like a very chilled-out slice-of-life that is willing to explore the melancholy of a lonely child who's felt isolated due to being judged for the things he was perceiving. It isn't something that I have high odds of enjoying or am particularly looking for, since the reason I've decided to give this series a shot was the character development experienced by the characters in the series and there are meaningful messages to be carried, but what the central theme is and how it was meant to be executed is important, how the tone carries out and what type of lessons are to be drawn from it. And now you know. If you want to explore melancholy in a lighthearted fashion, give Natsume a try. If you don't, being alone is lonely and do things you can do. If you want. I don't expect it to change its tone or themes, especially in its first season. So if you're starting this series, this is what you should expect.
