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.
