Natsume Yuujinchou Shi

*This review encompasses all four "seasons" of Natsume's Book of Friends*

There is a wide variety of adjectives you can use to describe an anime series; hilarious, dramatic, romantic, horrific, and the like. Natsume's Book of Friends is best described using the words beautiful, heart-warming, and emotional. It is rare to find a series that evokes such powerful emotions in each episode without dropping the ball for four seasons, but Natsume's Book of Friends makes it seem effortless with masterful storytelling along with a strong cast of characters.

The premise of the story is supernatural: our protagonist Natsume Takashi can see "youkai" or spirits, a trait inheritedfrom ... his late grandmother Reiko, along with inheriting her "Book of Friends", which contains the names of youkai that she had defeated and bound to her by taking their name. He then sets out to return those very names while defending himself from those who would use the book for power or personal gain. Throughout the series, he meets, befriends, and also defeats many different youkai along the way.

While the premise might be supernatural, the underlying themes present are ordinary, yet powerfully represented and explored. Humans are social by nature, but when the opportunities to socialize are made impossible, feelings of loneliness and sadness become overwhelming and consuming. Natsume's peculiar ability has always alienated him from any potential friends or companions, and as a result feels hated and isolated from the human world.

While Natsume's situation is fictional, the problem is all too real. People who have trouble talking to others, or have strange habits or appearances are often shunned and isolated as well, and feelings of loneliness and depression become quite commonplace. Feelings of being left out, of not being wanted, and being misunderstood: everyone in some point in their life have experienced these emotions, and can relate to Natsume in some way, shape, or form, and even if you can't, sympathy is something you will always feel towards him. Such a gentle person put through that kind of mental strain at such a young age can only be sympathized with.

Natsume's Book of Friends depicts Natsume's life as he struggles with these issues, and how genuinely kind and helpful people come into his life and give him the encouragement and support he needs to overcome the adversaries within himself. Through his school friends, both those who know about his ability and those who don't, he is greatly encouraged to seek out the positives in his life and to look forward to a bright future instead of his dark past. Instead of only being able to confide and rely in himself, he has trustworthy and genuine friends that he can turn to for aid. His adoptive guardians are loving and extremely caring for people that are very distant relatives to Natsume, and his relationship with them grows into something very powerful and heart-warming where he only wishes happiness and safety for the couple that he could never possibly repay.

Each episode is unique story(aside from the two episode stories) that ends in a message for both Natsume and the watcher to take to heart. Each episode evokes feelings of happiness, sadness, or suspense and was entrancing to watch beginning to end. The stories are well written and the pacing, while a bit slow, makes you savor the moments even more. There was never a dull moment; from watching Natsume and Nyanko-Sensei go at it and quarrel like two best friends, to his interactions with the youkai and seeing their stories unfold; simply put, it was beautiful and pleasant to watch.

The art is marvelous to look at. The endless creativity of the people who animated this series amazes me. From each individual spirit, to the entrancing landscape and background, to the abilities and interactions of humans and youkai, everything was crisp and well animated. The music often is lighthearted or tugs at the heartstrings. The ED for season 1 is a personal favorite.

Natsume's Book of Friends has taken a common genre and turned it into nothing short of a masterpiece. With characters that will stay in your mind long after the conclusion and stories that leave deep impressions and powerful messages, the tearful and joyful moments that this series presents to the watcher is nothing short of beautiful and compelling.

What? It's over already?!

Those thoughts never left my head while watching this season. Although I'll have to admit, I was slightly disappointed in the lack of "big events" during this season. However, the anime has always kept a relaxing mood, whilst gently adding action and drama in small amounts. It'd be weird if something completely crazy and big were to happen anyways. I found myself wishing Natsume would say more things, admit more things, yet how realistic is it for him to actually do everything we as the viewers want him to do? In reality, Natsume has always acted in character, even when he ... grew and his ideals changed, he still was realistic and understandable.

Nyanko Sensei was also quite the character. His loyalty was admirable throughout the series, and although slightly boisterous he was undoubtedly intelligent. He managed to subtly enter his way into the family, assisting Natsume's effort to further develop his bonds with not only Youkai, but also humans.

When I took a day or two break from the anime, I lost interest in finishing it. However every time I watched just one episode, I was hooked right back into the anime and my eyes were glued to the television screen.

I'm definitely going to miss this anime and the characters. I do wish there was another season explaining more of the past of Nyanko Sensei and Reiko. The 52 episodes of Natsume Yuujinchou have gone by so quickly as I would have expected. I bid a farewell to this highly enjoyable anime!

Hmm..... how do you review an anime considered to be a sleeper masterpiece? How do you place a rank on the underdog? How, I ask those who are reading this review, How?

I am a man of neutralness. I find both good and bad in all animes... all except this. For all 4 seasons, 50+ episodes, I cannot find a single fault with this anime. The story is exceptional... each episode withholds a magic of uniqueness. There's literally no telling where the particular episode will lead to (unless it is an continuation). And although the characters are introduced in a random order, they contribute to the ... main plot with equal importance.

The anime also includes a lot of elements. Romance, thriller, sometimes quite scary, and comedy. And let's be honest, this anime is portraying quite a touchy subject. None of the ghost animes are as carefree and as... laid back as this. Now some may argue this carefreeness causes the anime to be quite boring. But that's just not true. It's laid back because it can afford to. Like I said, it's jumping-around-plot keeps you just interested enough to watch, and keep watching, the next episode.

The music, I think, is an element which holds the whole together. Subtle, meaningful, and simply brilliant. It sticks the anime parts together like glue holding an paper aeroplane. Even by itself, the music is great.

Now, I always include some element of badness in my reviews.... but seriously, I can't think of any. As always, I thank thee (people/morons/geniuses [delete as appropriate]) for reading my review all the way here. And I am not ashamed of breaking my policy of neutralness :>

I'm so glad i found this anime. Natsume really brought me to tears , both happy and sad. This season is probably my favorite though. It goes into deep detail about his family, his past life and his friends. Natsume begins to open up more to yokai and his human friends. This anime is honestly so uplifting. Through out the seasons , this season he finally accepts how happy he is, all the new people he met, and happily accepting that he can see yokai. I literally feel like i watched natsume grow up and toughen up into a person he truly was from the ... beginning with the help of everybody. The only sad part is there has yet to be a season 5. They have lots to cover. For example , natsume still has the book of friends, all the rest of the remaining yokai is still there , i don't think he learned enough about reiko and exactly what kind of person she was, and what about nyanko? Is he always going to stay with natsume ? I mean we all know nyanko cares for natsume but we need to remember why he started being natsumes bodyguard !!! Ugh please make a season 5

This entire series is just one sad dog. However, there is an evolution to it. The first season, was like a 3 legged puppy found in a garbage bag, barely alive and bruised. The second season, was the same dog being nursed to health. Still sad mind you. The third, the dog is nearly healthy, an all the bruises are gone. Now, it's just a three legged dog with a big smile.

The series has lost it's sadness and deep realism it had to begin with, but it's just the evolution of the show & Natsume himself.

The story, though it has less big moments ... than Keanu Reeves's Career, still packs a punch when it needs to, usually, at the beginning and near the end. The largely episodic series can sometimes be seen as forgettable but always somehow nostalgic. The show also has a very apparent lack of seriousness that one would think would add something to the show. I mean, everything is pretty much comic relief, and nothing, not even the scary yokai of the day, ever really ends up being evil. In fact, an antagonist of sorts, Matoba, though seemingly made out to be a big bad guy, is never seen killing anyone or any yokai, and rather just a guy who is shady. Personally, the show feels childish because of this, but that is one of its many charms. It's un-seriousness-excuse the non-word- gives the show a potent meaning, a meaning that resonates in my heart- a heart that only ever resonates with hardcore porn and Marsha May.

The softness and innocence of the show lifts weights off your shoulders, and this carries on to the many characters featured here. Natsume, becoming more mature as the seasons pass, is still the same good guy with the heart of gold. Now, you can take it for what it is-a rather cliche character- or bitch about how he and the show should be more realistic, more complex. You might be right, but that's not what Natsume or the show is about. Each Character, as well as most yokai introduced, have a purpose, a personality and a struggle, all of which is blended beautifully throughout, much like my last Strawberry Banana smoothie from JambaJuice. Except I don't have to pay 6.50 to watch Natsume Yuujinchou shi.

There is a bit more back story on Reiko, which is much needed, and a bit more character development for Matoba and Madara, though, not anything comparable to say, a ham sandwhich that's been left out of the fridge for 5 days.

The art and animation continue the same above average quality, and as well continue the soft colors and drawings of the show. Nothing is ever really scary-instead, everything is rather calming. The animation is fluid, and the design is likable, even if Natsume is a pretty recycled character.

The sound, though I don't like the OP or End, has a magnificently beautiful soundtrack, and each melody pairs beautifully with each scene, whether it's action, reflection, or a party.

Overall, The 4th season of Natsume Yuujinchou is largely enjoyable, and a great continuation of the show. If you liked the first three seasons, there is not one reason why you would not enjoy this season.

This season was so. freakin'. good. I did not expect this anime to go into such detail about Natsume's background-- and I loved it!

The way this anime tells his story is so awesome. It's difficult to explain without spoiling anything, but the mood this anime is able to set for Natsume's backstory without sacrificing the charm and tranquil nature of the anime is something I didn't expect to be done well, and it was. Another thing I've really been wanting out of this anime for a while is a continuous storyline that stretches for longer than an episode or two, and this season finally gave ... it to me in spades. It's been nice to dig into this story a little deeper now that it has some roots and continuity. It allows me to enjoy it a lot more.

In addition to Natsume's singular character growth, this season showed some development between Natsume and a few of the people in his life, and that was another aspect I really liked. All in all, I guess you could say this season offered a lot of grit and depth that wasn't there before. The stories are getting more serious, the consequences are more intense, and it really makes the peaceful moments stand out and feel like something special.

I think this anime really got the balance perfect this season, and I'm happy to say I wanted to keep watching the whole way through. If you're a fan of this series so far, it's only going to get better.

I highly suggest watching the other season's first.

Story 10/10: Natsume Yuujinchou’s arcs and episodes tend to be self-contained in both thematic and literal setting and this continues throughout this season. Now we are able to see Natsume's continued development as a character. He continues to attempt to better both his human life and his relations with the youkai. Natsume's struggle to reconcile with both parts of his life creates tension with some of his human counterparts. Throughout its fourth season we get to explore Natsume's unwillingness to share his emotions, and gradual attempt to overcome them. Each arc/episode hits important messages without feeling patronizing, ... with an overall focus on the bittersweetness of the past.

Animation 8/10: The animation is serviceable, there are no noticeable problems. It doesn't strike me as particularly beautiful or creative, but it's certainly good animation.

Sound 10/10: The voice actors all do a great job, from high school students to all the wacky youkai. Of particular note are the voice actors for Madara(Inoue, Kazuhiko), Natsume (Kamiya, Hiroshi), Fujiwara Touko (Itou, Miki) and Tanuma (Horie, Kazuma). The OST is also wonderfully relaxing, and while it reuses songs from earlier seasons this is used to strike an extra sense of familiarity with the audience. Additionally, both the new songs and the old are great pieces of musical score. Some standouts among them being: Furusato no Nioi, Kimi ni Fureta Hikari, and Manyen No Hoshi.

Character 9/10: The characters in this show tend to be the real star. Natsume and Madara both are relatable leads. Natsume's fellow humans feel genuine and seem to live a life without Natsume, while still being able to understand and relate to him. The Youkai value Natsume's grandmother, and through this we are able to compare and contrast Natsume and his grandmother, which offers interesting insight into both. My only complaint is Matoba might be a bit generic as of now, but with Season 5 approaching we might get more clarity on his character.

Enjoyment 10/10: This anime is perfect for both binge watchers and casual watchers alike. Due to its mostly episodic or short arc's nature it can be easy to just sit down and watch an episode or watch many at once. Either way Natsume Yuujinchou can always deliver through a sense of calmness.

Overall 10/10: A strict Average of 9.4, but since the Story and Enjoyment matter the most to me, I unorthodoxly round this to 10.

Please note, I've have also posted this on hummingbird.me. So do not notify me that someone is copying me.

Natsume's Book of Friends

A life enclosed in isolation, that's the daily standard for Natsume Takashi. He happens to be special, but according to him for the worse. His eyesight extends beyond the world people usually dwell. His extraordinary spirit, allows him to see what human in reality co-exist with. This "gift" however has for the most part brought hardships upon him. Terrorized by the so called ... youkai, he has been forced to act differently, bullied, despised, was how he often was treated. Even the kindest of people couldn't truly understand him. And the fact that he was parentless and passed along relatives didn't help the cause. Things however started to change when he moved into the household of the Fujiwara's. For the first time somebody of their own will wants to him to live with them. A book is also passed down, which belonged to his now deceased grandmother, which as him had the ability to see youkai, and because of that also generally disliked. The book contained names of youkai, which his grandmother "defeated", her way of making friends. Natsume accidently unseals the powerful Youkai Madara, which in turn enlists himself as Natsume's teacher, solely as he proclaims to receive the "Book of Friends" which it's called. This being, becomes Natsume's first friend. He also gains more friends which most, ironically are from coincidental incidents based on his ability to see youkai. Natsume is also very kind, often to a degree which puts him in dangerous situations. But at the same time it is this kindness which enables him to bond with youkai as well as humans. He often gets asked, human or youkai? I'm pretty sure he would answer with something along the lines with "There are both good and evil of both kinds."

Natsume used to hate being able to see youkai, he saw the ability not as a gift but a curse. But along the series that changes. At one point he temporarily couldn't see youkai, and even though he found it surprising, he couldn't deny the sorrow which followed. Something similar happens among the youkai which know Natsume. At first they only saw their connection as a way to pass time, later as a valued bond. Madara saves natsume countless times, always saying its for the books sake. His good willed intention start to portray to such an obvious degree, that Natsume later jokingly repeats the same sentence when he in turn saves Madara. The ability which Natsume once hated, is now invaluable. He continues, his grandmother's interactions with the youkai, but differs to a large degree, but because of this also does something his powerful grandmother never succeeded in, he makes friends.


The portraying of Natsumes days which we view is fairly unique. The medium which it is formed in, is probably one of the more suitable, and a niche which anime holds. illustrating the supernatural visually that will say in another form than drawn, usually tends to be fairly disastrous. But here it melts in well, it looks completely natural in the context where it is depicted. The general harmonic atmosphere which resonates through the series is also pleasant. It doesn't either get dreary since its contrasted continually with other elements like sorrow. But even if some parts are, it's a harmonic kind. I'm also glad that the interactions with the youkai, their stories and their relation to humans, are what they are. It would have been horrible if "youkai" Only had functioned as a concept, and not been dug into. The biggest strength of this series is probably its constant pending between happiness and sadness, while constantly holding a harmonic base.

It goes without saying that the series has it's share of problems. At some points it gets to a point where it is a bit monotone. Which may be a way of showering its feel over the series, but as for me its not a good point. It also gets a bit cliché at some points, I guess since its aimed at teenagers. But that's not a valid reason, I don't see any reason to make it generic because it's aimed at a younger audience. To be honest, it's more the reason to not make it over generic.

It is however an enjoyable series, I wont say it's fantastic, its simply nice. But I'm fairly sure this was intended. The show isn't mean to be groundbreaking but harmonic. I'm not saying there's nothing to take from it, surely there is. But the series isn't hollow to the extreme either, which is something a lot of anime have the tendency of being. The series at least, has an unique way of painting the canvas, something which also is usually absent.

However the path Natsume took, the place he reached. A place where he can look upon stars, not alone but with friends, both humans as youkai. I wont deny it's hearwarming.

Overall, I had to shed many tears with the aid of my small box of tissues while watching this series. It's also a bit-heart-wrenching, (not in a devastatingly bad way....) because of the sad memories that came back with all the flashbacks the main protagonist keeps reminiscing..but this series, and the prequels before it are very heart-lifting in a spirituous @ soulful way (I guess that's what they'd call it, maybe?) But yeah, so, if you're looking for something way off different from the charts of "normal anime" and want a bit of scare but with a lighter tone and maybe with a bit ... of warm bittersweet flavors added to it, then this one is a must try!!! It's a genuine gem among today's find!

Of all anime I have seen Natsume Yuujinchou able to give a nice prequels something that a must watch. This fourth season is the one I will give a review because it is the one that gives me a heart-stirring. Each Natsume Yuujinchou season has a progressive story and little by little revealed the mystery. The art and sound are still stunning and relaxing. The seiyuu able to portray a calm or compose vibe to the character of Natsume. I also like the eccentric relationship of nyanko-sensei and Natsume. In this season, the one you should look forward to is the involvement of nyanko-sensei. Overall, ... I did enjoy watching this season it really leaves an impact to me I definitely recommend this.

The season starts off strong with some more Matoba clan conflict. I think for the series' overarching narrative the Matoba clan are the primary antagonists. Since their introduction we've gotten glimpses at the dark side of exorcism. Natsume seems to exists as an outsider to the traditional rules of exorcists, and based on some statements about him by the mysterious clan we can assume that he has the potential to be far more powerful than any of them.

I really can't wait to see if they delve deeper into Reiko's backstory or if it's left up as a mystery until the very end, if it's ever ... explained at all. This season actually didn't have to many one-off youkai of the week episodes, with a lot of them being two-parters. It's nice to see some actual linear storytelling once in a while from such an episodic series.

At the end of the season we get back to Natsume's backstory with a mini arc about him returning to his childhood home. Seeing Natsume's tragic past contrasted with how his life has changed since the Fujiwara's took him in is I think meant to show how a single bond or a decision to help someone in need can have amazing effects on a person's life. Natsume knows he truly has something special living there, and it shows whenever he feels like something is threatening the new life he's found.

The way he doesn't resent his old life anymore also shows how much he's transformed. He doesn't hold a grudge at all against the other families that shunned him and called him a liar, and he's become able to confront his past directly and then look forward smiling.

A 9/10 near perfect performance for an excellent series.

This anime was far beyong perfection. This may sound a little over-exaggerated, but I find this anime to be a true masterpiece. I idolize Midorikawa Yuki, the mangaka of the manga, for I love not only her stories, but also her art. It is simply beautiful and I really appreciate her talent. The music of Natsume Yuujinchou was just as beautiful and fitting as the characters. Every character had their own special trait. I loved every single one, as well as the Yokai. I could really identify myself with most of them. Natsume Takashi had made me become more aware of life and understand the ... meaning of true happiness. This anime truly is heart-warming. I cried at the end of almost every episode. Not because it was sad, but simply because it was beautiful. I really recommend this anime to every viewer. You will definitely not regret watching!

Story
The series has a calm and kind atmosphere about it. Even in dangerous situations it feels mostly calm somehow. Also I find that it flows well and mostly isn't predictable which makes it very interesting to watch.

Art
Beautiful art style. Fits well with the story.

Sound
The music and sound/s are awesome. The character voices fit well.
The opening and ending are beautiful and fit the series very well.

... Character
The characters are lovely. Maybe it's unrealistic that they're all so kind and reasonable (and if they're shown unkind and later turn out kind in their core) but I love them.

Enjoyment
I love it.

Overall
There are few situations that seem unrealistic but overall it's an awesome series/season!

I love Natsume Yuujinchou to bits. And, although it seems rather pointless to write a review on an instalment in a series, I actually find it beneficial to look back on each season and see what each individual season accomplished, especially since Nartsume Yuujinchou is one of those series that doesn't have an particular end goal or big boss to defeat.

This season was great for really seeing how far Natsume has grown throughout the series. While the first season mainly consisted of stories about the youkai he encountered, the later seasons focused more and more on the people in Natsume's life and Natsume himself. ... If Zoku was Natsume's connection to his grandmother, and San was the season where Natsume learned how to become closer to people and make friends, then this season is really about Natsume finally finding his place in the world with his friends and his family.

But it's not only Natsume who we really learn more about, in this season we learn exactly why Touko and Shigeru took him. Arguably one of the more emotional moments in the series is when we learn about Tanuma's anxieties and his uncertainty in how to support Natsume. I won't say too much because Natsume Yuujinchou is really all about the characters rather than action.

The sound design is beautiful as always. All the voice actors are fitting and they deliver their lines naturally and the background music is beautiful and serene and it follows in the style of the previous seasons with a blend of classical western instruments and classical Japanese ones.

My only argument with this particular season is that the animation varies from gorgeous to downright terrible. Sometimes the animation looks like it's skipping too many frames or it just looks lazy (think of it as if someone was standing in a wind storm and their hair moved up and down awkwardly but none of their clothes were moving, it just looks strange) but there will be other moment when the animation is great, but this only serves to highlight how bad the other parts looked. It's actually kind of disheartening when you remember Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou, where there's that one episode (ep. 10) that has phenomenal animation.

The drop in animation quality doesn't take too much away from the story, it just very distracting when it happens during an intense moment.

But, in the end I did think this was yet another really good season for Natsume Yuujinchou, and it is worth watching.

Natsume’s adventure with different “demons” has return in its fourth season.

About the STORY
It’s a lot more dangerous this time as Natsume is getting more and more known in the spirit world as he gets involved more in their world. As it becomes more dangerous, the story becomes more exciting. The storyline is not so sad and gloomy anymore because Natsume is a lot happier now. And it’s nice that there are more funny moments now. There are more detailed revelations from Natsume’s sad past and some glimpse to the past of some characters. And as always, there are new very interesting and exciting stories about ... demons and spirits. Before, there’s an equal balance between sad and heart-warming when it comes to the drama but this time, it’s not so sad anymore and it’s more on being really touching. Though, it is really so sad to see some sad past of Natsume.

About the CHARACTERS
Nyanko-sensei is bigger than ever which is a given because in almost all of his airtime, he’s either eating or drinking liquors. And I think his fooling around more than doing his job as a bodyguard. He’s kind of useless oftentimes but it’s not really a bad thing because it makes Natsume more independent and able to protect himself. And he cares a lot about Natsume even though he denies it most of the times. He’s still the biggest source of comic relief in the series with all his obnoxiousness. And he really gets a lot cuter with every new season because he also gets a lot fatter. You can’t even see his paws. He’s really like a big fat ball of fur. Natsume’s major character development is very evident. You can really see he’s transition from being sad and gloomy to being happy and open to others. From the first season to the last season, Natsume wasn’t able to completely opened-up to people but now, he can finally rely and trust others, both humans and demons. He’s a lot more honest now as well. However, as he gains loved ones, it scares him because gaining some is always a weakness and strength. And as it becomes a lot more dangerous for him and his loved ones, he’s resolve to be involved and compassionate to demons and spirits is put to the test. Unlike before, it’s very obvious now that some of Natsume’s closest spirits, demons and human friends care deeply for him who really helped a lot with his maturity and growth.

About the ANIMATION
The gap between the previous season and this season is not that long so the improvements in the animation are not obviously evident but there is still maturity with it. And as always, there’s a nice song in the ending theme like all of its preceded seasons.

About the ENJOYMENT
I really love this series and that’s even more with its every new season. Its new seasons always lived up to the greatness of the last one. But like before, my only frustration with this series is that it’s always a 13-long episode. I still want more and I am hoping there are still new seasons coming because I will still patiently wait for it.

The review will be mainly of the first 4 seasons.

From the very name of the anime you already understand you are going to see something out of the ordinary. “Yuujin” is not a word very commonly used in anime, its either “nakama” for comrades or “tomodachi” for friends. However Yuujin carries with it a weight, and it tells you this show is not one of those simple “happy go lucky” ones, and boy didn’t it carry a lot of weight.

The show starts off right in the middle of action and uses the action as an exposition of its nature. This serves its purpose of engrossing ... the watcher because he gets intrigued by whats happening and wants to know more, then gradually the protagonist introduces himself and explains his upbringing. More or less by first 10 minutes we are thrown into this fantastical world where there are youkais, beautiful and hideous , and we sympathize with the protagonist’s ordeal. Just when we think this might be another run of the mill “getting away from youkais” show, at that very moment the show hits you with emotions.

The show primarily deals with the protagonist Natsume Takashi returning the names of various youkais his grandmother collected and while he returns it he has a glimpse of their interaction with Natsume Reiko, his grandmother. And each and every of these interactions deal with the themes of loneliness and companionship, and yet they never get boring or tedious to watch. Yes that is the biggest strength of the show. It deals with simple themes that resonates with a lot of people, true, but it deals with the in such a way in so many different circumstances and situations that each time it tugs your heartstrings, and sometimes can leave you in a mess of tears while at other times with a lump in your throat.

But then thats not all. Natsume Yuujinchou would not have been a great show if it just showed some flashbacks and hoped the viewer would empathize and lap it up. As one watches different seasons gradually some micro relationships develop. Natsume develops as a character, and so does the people around him. The relationship between Natsume and youkais are beautiful to watch, and it is heart warming to see him being treated the way he is in the anime with his bitter past. Also, many a times he is shown to confront his past head on and come out stronger and that servers as a constant reminder to us, the watchers, that a lot of things we did when we were kids were due to our lack of knowledge and understanding, but it is upto us to make amends to the people we did wrong.

Natsume Yuujinchou deals with a lot of themes which are a little too relevant in today’s society, the themes of never judging a book by its cover, inclusion, forgiveness, friendship, understanding and acceptance. Natsume embodies the principle of live and let live and he sticks to his principles throughout the show, and brings about a change in many people. In a world of confrontation of humans and youkai he is one of the few who tries to understand them both and tries to find a way out of a tricky situation by mutual understanding, which is all too relevant today.

All this said and done, the enigma and the fulcrum of the show is Natsume Reiko, the protagonist’s grandmother, who comes off as an asshole at first but as we get to know more and more about her story we empathize with her and realize the cause of her actions, it is really astounding how much a character who is alive only in others memories get an insane amount of development.

Natsume is an episodic show, but each episode be it the “returning of name” episode or a “fight against youkai/”evil” exorcists” episode, drives the overall characters a little bit forward in their life. Another important thing about the show is none of the humans are really “pure evil”, they each have their own agenda, and so are most of the youkais. And you cant really choose a side. In fact many a time you will be rooting for the youkais.

However the best part of the entire show is watching how Natsume increases his youkai and real life friends, and how he changes from an introvert to someone who starts to have fun. You cannot but help yourself to a smile when you see Natsume playing with his youkai friends whom he despised so much in his childhood and then run off to enjoy with his school friends which he did not have in his childhood as well.

The animation gets progressively better each season and the OSTs are kept the same, Ops and EDs are beautiful and the music really complements the show. It had to though, since these atmospheric shows depend a lot on the music.

Overall yes, I can say Natsume Yuujinchou is an experience. It will crush your heart many times, yet will fill you with a bittersweet satisfaction. It will make you want to watch more and more even when it is episodic. You will fall in love with Natsume’s cat nyanko sensei, fall in love with the antics of his school friends and the “middle” youkais and by the end you will get engrossed in the atmosphere so much that you wont be able to separate your feelings for humans from youkais, unlike the first episode where you would think Youkais are evil beings. And by the end you would want to begin again.

I can’t even begin to understand why this show doesn’t touch me that much at all. It has all the right elements from the get-go with a relationship-related theme absolutely relevant for someone like me and the consistency to carry that theme out in a multitude of storytelling approaches utilizing its format as an episodic story to its maximum advantage. Plenty of facets regarding connection are laid out in every episode. But still, despite it being my cup of tea, why do I not find it beyond the realm of “alright” and “just good”?

If I were to describe what I feel, it would be that ... Natsume Yuujinchou is quite “faint”. Whether it’s the visuals, the characters, and the story itself, they appear much like apparitions that if somehow evolve into a solid figure with promising features burn out all their luster quickly, ephemeral and languid. And no, this isn’t me being overly analytical over a simple show to relax and heal. Even during my vegetative states I did not find any nourishment sticking strongly to fuel my love for the series. Four seasons in and it’s only scratched the surface.

One thing that has bothered me a lot is Reiko’s confusing character writing. She’s painted with reverence and general positivity by a few youkai while hated (deservingly) by most others. We still don’t know yet her complete story, or at least even the reason why she made the ironically titled “Book of Friends” to soothe her loneliness as a societal oddity like Natsume. I say there’s irony in its entitlement due to how she basically cages in the freedom of the youkai mostly minding their own businesses after a duel and subjugation and calls it a “Book of Friends”. Its title only finds appropriate grounds for Natsume, which finds meaningful relationships by the bonding of struggle and the virtue to let go.

I just find Reiko to be such an enigma, but not even with enchanting mystique that mysterious, unknown characters usually radiate with. Her actions still look unjustifiable, even deplorable, when it’s already the 4th season. I think it’s been way past the time to reveal how she’s truly influenced the bedrock of the story and finally clarify where she stands, as someone integral to the movement of the story. The slacking pace is not bad per se, quite the contrary for an iyashikei piece—it’s a jewel of the crown giving shine, and therefore a strength that allures the viewer. But as Reiko, who is involved in pretty much every youkai’s life Natsume has encountered, is still tangled with contradiction and unfavorable mystery, there is a huge portion of adoration sapped from my person.

Additionally, the glue holding everything compact is still as weak as Natsume’s connection to society before the present age. As of now, the series feels rather disjointed in that the whole is comprised of faded individual parts. In other words, most episodes are not too memorable nor do the numbers hold as much proportional augmentation for the theme. No episode has yet evoked within me sweet serenity, heart-gratifying and soul-soothing moments that linger.

As a concrete example to outline the disappointment of these remarks, here’s my fleshed-out thoughts I commented under my Anilist watch activity on episode 3 and 4 of this season, brimming with positive comments.

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Episode 3 has been the most packed standalone Natsume Yuujinchou episode in my memory, with a maximally polished narrative that of course holds closeness and relevance to its grand theme of overcoming loneliness through meaningful connections achieved through kindness and understanding.

What's chronicled throughout is Natsume and Fluffball's link. Natsume found him preyed on by crows. He attempted to remedy his wounds only to be inflicted with the youkai's poison as a defense mechanism. Fluffball eventually calmed down, and became a docile little limbless Kuriboh who has established an emotional connection with Natsume, a human.

As with most other episodes of the series, this episode underlines the differences between the the human and the supernatural to paint a vivid picture for a more successful conveyance of message. To enumerate, as Natsume applies an ointment for Fluffball, he states his doubts on the effects as he's unsure if human medicine can do the trick. Despite that, he salves the wound and secures it with band aids. This single statement brings texture and depth when towards the end Natsume monologues about how his desires to be kind to everyone as a way to repay the love he has received. The lack of proper communication that lies deep within human-youkai interactions fosters misunderstanding of intents, which makes acts of kindness and trust mistranslated from one party to another.

And so, kindness does not always work; we've learned that across the four seasons with Natsume. Even the youkai Natsume helped at the beginning of the episode turned its back on him, cursed him without registering his stand. But still, Natsume continues to persevere with a pure heart.

Another noteworthy point is Nyanko-sensei telling Natsume how a lot of youkai aren't good for humans, and that opening up one's heart to them can only lead to ruin. This is a remark to Fluffball's poison which weakened Natsume and gave his hand scars. What he received for helping was this.

Our protagonist's tender heart of course wouldn't yield despite the harsh truth that more often than not, his care won't be reciprocated--even given back in a contrary form. But in the long run, there is merit to having faith in the kindness that hides deep within all of us, which we'll eventually realize later into the episode.

Fluffball is actually part of the Karu, a legendary race of youkai that migrates like birds, according to Hinoe. In the same conversation, the two usual youkai that flock around Natsume laugh at its appearance, perhaps implying the inferiority of such a little youkai. But what makes them special is that it bands together to form a dragon-like creature that helped Natsume from Amana's clutches at the end of the episode. Together, they are powerful. Hinoe says that that's how the weak survive, and doesn't that mirror humanity as a whole?

There is beauty in this episode filled with warmth, like how Fluffball left medicinal berries to counteract the poison, how the camera focuses on Natsume's wounded hand as he uses it specifically to reach for Fluffball and urge him to come closer to him, how Natsume recognized Fluffball among the hundreds to thousands of other Karu most probably through its band aids--the bonds found in pain and healing--and/or through a spiritual connection, the guilt that Fluffball has when it only wanted to help Natsume but instead, in a panic of other youkai's entrance, inflicted another wound on Natsume's face. There is so much realism that this supernatural show brings.

"The Little Ones" presents the miracles only unity through kindness can spring forth and the importance of empathy and active understanding.

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Episode 4 further focuses on distance, where separation is the essence of youkai-human relationships. "They could not be together" is most logical and reasonable, but time and time again Natsume breaks barriers, and even some other youkai have close relationships with humans as well (albeit they most likely end tragically).

What I like about Natsume Yuujinchou is that in the conflict that is very much staple between humans and youkai, what with its already-established division into separate universes, is that it also reflects human connection. Here, Yobiko, a youkai, was shocked in first knowing that humans who loved each other could still not build bridges connecting one another, that entities being of the same plane can be separated. This gap between humans struck deep for Natsume, as a friend of solitude all his life. His viewpoint as a human who can perceive and interact with otherworldly spirits makes his position most unique within the story.

Fastforward to this story piece, we learned that the letter contained a message of gratitude for Yobiko. "Thank you, for telling me the truth," it concisely says. The youkai thought Youko resented him all this time since he told her the facts of Takahiko's sudden disappearance, and so we end in this heartwarming note which gives further hope in the unity between humans and youkai.

In the same way, truth can bring humans closer together. This episode presents how empathy and understanding is not a stranger to any creature, and so will help Natsume's character to perhaps accept that the special people in his life can also accept him for all he his. It's been reasoned out that Natsume hides his youkai interactions to avoid his friends and especially his family be less worried about him, but I'm praying that he learns to share his burdens and in exchange receive more love and security, and thanks for telling the truth.

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Evidently I don’t hate this series, just sad at how it hasn’t touched even near the inner circle of the dart board, or if it did, it swerved itself away from the area, or if by some fantastical magic shaken off it for every quake a new dart brings. Compare the while-experiencing and the having-experienced and the gap between it yawns wide. Admittedly reviewing every season makes it a bigger deal than it should be, so there’s that to be considered. If the show does grow on me eventually, I’ll look back at the early seasons with a look of endearment tinged with wistfulness as I view from the place where Natsume has reached the places that he’s been.

That expressed, there is still beauty in the 4th season of Natsume Yuujinchou as a standalone season. Each and every episode we find Natsume growing and making use of the lessons he’s received from the previous seasons. Most especially, he’s solidifying the circle confirming his existence in the human world and has faced the memory of his parents he has long since buried. To add, we had an emotional flashback of Natsume’s childhood when he was still hovering between households to-and-to. That package containing resolutions of his past unfolded a covenant that vows a better propitious following seasons of Natsume Yuujinchou.