Natsume Yuujinchou Shi

Takashi Natsume, the timid youkai expert and master of the Book of Friends, continues his journey towards self-understanding and acceptance with the help of friends both new and old. His most important ally is still his gluttonous and sake-loving bodyguard, the arrogant but fiercely protective wolf spirit Madara—or Nyanko-sensei, as Madara is called when in his usual disguise of an unassuming, pudgy cat.

Natsume, while briefly separated from Nyanko-sensei, is ambushed and kidnapped by a strange group of masked, monkey-like youkai, who have spirited him away to their forest as they desperately search for the Book of Friends. Realizing that his "servant" has been taken out from right under his nose, Nyanko-sensei enlists the help of Natsume's youkai friends and mounts a rescue operation. However, the forest of the monkey spirits holds many dangerous enemies, including the Matoba Clan, Natsume's old nemesis.

Stretching from the formidable hideout of the Matoba to Natsume's own childhood home, Natsume Yuujinchou Shi is a sweeping but familiar return to a world of danger and friendship, where Natsume will finally confront the demons of his own past.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Natsume, Takashi Main

Kamiya, Hiroshi Japanese

Madara Main

Inoue, Kazuhiko Japanese

Natsume, Reiko Supporting

Kobayashi, Sanae Japanese

Tanuma, Kaname Supporting

Horie, Kazuma Japanese

Natori, Shuuichi Supporting

Ishida, Akira Japanese

Matoba, Seiji Supporting

Suwabe, Junichi Japanese

Taki, Tooru Supporting

Satou, Rina Japanese

Hinoe Supporting

Okamura, Akemi Japanese

Fujiwara, Touko Supporting

Itou, Miki Japanese

Hiiragi Supporting

Yukino, Satsuki Japanese

Sasaki, Reiko Producer

Sugawara, Hirofumi Producer

Kyoutani, Tomomi Producer

Yokoyama, Shuko Producer

Reviews

Jan 16, 2022

lamaraptor

Recommended

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.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Mar 4, 2019

BabyGirl06301

Recommended

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.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Jan 1, 2024

KrenZane

Mixed Feelings

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.

~~

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.

~~

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.

~~

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.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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