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Wrapped up in lush, verdant fields and the nostalgic warmth of the countryside, Natsume Yuujinchou returns with its heartwarming sentimentality that we've all grown to love.

Season 7 continues to be a wistful and heartfelt musing on compassion and connections. An episodic compendium of warmth that takes its audience on a snug, mystical, and down to earth trip. This season somehow manages to concentrate and refine all of the series' best parts. And for that reason, I am very confident to say that this is Natsuyuu's best season to date.

The audiovisual remains as great as ever. As Natsume's daily life is adorned with simple, yet beautifully ... picturesque backdrops, soothing, mystical, and tranquil music would ensue. Simple, yet remains very effective and beautful. The artwork and music go hand in hand to perfectly depict the unique and special mood this series has. An ethereal and nostalgic feel that perfectly complements the stories it wants to tell.

Stories of supernatural are dime a dozen, so what makes Natsuyuu so special? I'd like to say that this show's truly unique and special atmosphere is a big reason. An atmosphere that permeates and haunts the very same stories that drives the show. Feelings of regret, nostalgia, poignancy, and tranquility all intertwine and feed off of each other to beautifully depict the stories, feelings, and messages the show wants to convey. Stories that seem simple on the surface take on a whole different vibe and meaning when coated with the show's unique feel. Stories that aim to tell widely different tales that tell widely different life messages. Natsuyuu's thoughtfulness combined with its unique atmosphere is what truly elevates it.

I'd also like to praise its eagerness to be relatable to anyone who tries to engage with it. It has a little bit of everything for everyone, while staying consistent to its overarching premise. Different tales and messages all beautifully conveyed through the lens of a troubled and ever so relatable young man. Natsume is not only the perfect vehicle that moves this show forward, he also serves as a mirror to the audience. Initially, it's shown that Natsume is a very lonely person. To him, it's as if he's the only person in the world, burdened with having to see and entangle with the supernatural. We then see how he handles that loneliness and change as a person throughout the series. And while Natsume's journey doesn't stop here, this season truly feels like the culmination of all the things he's unknowingly achieved and done for himself throughout the seasons. Natsume's journey of self discovery compels us to contemplate and reflect on our own journey in life. From being a lonely, depressive person, to eventually having a group of people that love and cherish you for who you are. From being so deeply hurt and untrusting, to eventually having the heart to confide in others with your issues, and even your life. For those who share the same feelings of loneliness, this series wants you to know that it does get better. You might not think so, and Natsume didn't either,

But it will get better. it should. you'll grieve, you'll feel empty, and it won't be easy, but the sun will rise for you too. and life will continue. and it will.

Mellow, tranquil, and heartfelt, Natsume Yuujinchou remains as one of the best of its kind, A slice of life and iyashikei masterpiece with a lot of stories to tell, and a lot more heart to give.

Drawing sucks.

Making art sucks. If I were to describe it, the words "annoying" and "tiresome" come to mind. You can sketch, line, color, and shade all day, all night, for weeks, months, even years, and somehow, you're never truly satisfied. Alone, you mindlessly create, oblivious to the fact that it might not even turn out well. And in the process, your wrists, hands, back, and head all end up hurting. And on top of that? It might not even get the applause and reaction you expect.

So why do we make art?

Look Back is a heartfelt contemplation on the reason we create art. A deeply ... felt musing on the creative process. The film initially depicts art as difficult and lonely. To create art is a huge time sink, a time sink that doesn't seem to ever have a payoff. Every single day that Fujino picks up her pen, she treks into an endless cycle of trying to be "better". Despite the fact that she draws nonstop—to the point of compromising her relationships—her art remains inferior. In her eyes, her work is still not enough. Perhaps it really is useless to try to improve. Maybe it's pointless to create art in a world where there is someone out there far more skilled than you.
Despite the cold start, Look Back is so much more than it seems.

Making art is difficult and lonely, but at the same time inevitable, and beautiful. Art's biggest wonder is its ability to act as a bridge for connecting with others who share the same interests, and feelings as you. Small, but special connections that affect us for a lifetime. Fujino and Kyomoto's simple, yet heartfelt relationship might be one of, if not the most impactful and poetic I've experienced in a long time.

Both the visuals and soundtracks in this film evoke a keen sense of nostalgia and melancholy. Slow, mellow, and sweet piano would play as the two artists' daily life are drawn and depicted with rough, yet purposeful, and beautiful line-art. This film adapts Fujimoto's style extremely well. Sprawling with highly detailed backgrounds and colorful sceneries, the warm feeling of youth and nostalgia that never wanted to leave would come to a halt in the second half. At this point of the film, the colors would become more muted, and the story escalates faster than before. If the first half wanted to depict dreams, sunshine, and rainbows, the second half aimed to ground you back to reality.

Art is not immune to its artist's feelings. Much like the inevitable joy and happiness we get from art, regrets are also inevitable. Unlike in art, there is no eraser or undo button to return to the past when it comes to people. We sometimes make mistakes that cannot be undone. Nevertheless, we should learn to grieve and move past it. We should learn to regret.
Much like the inevitable happiness we get from art, regret is also inevitable. One should learn to regret, so one can continue to live.

Why do we make art?

A question with an answer that differs for each person. Perhaps it's a question none of us are qualified to answer. Art is many things. An emotional reprieve, a deeply personal expression, a form of escapism. But for this film? Look Back proudly exclaims that art actually has one simple answer: Art is about making connections, both between the artist and their works, as well as between the human, and the other humans they connected with. Art is about human connections. Connections that are seemingly insignificant and small, but have the potential to permanently alter us. Poignant, yet heartfelt connections that will continue to haunt and impact us and our art, for the rest of our lives.

Look Back aspires you to never give up on your dreams, no matter how bleak and futile it seems. A reminder to carry on with your life with all the guilt, regret, and happiness you've accumulated, and to express them through your own art and passion. A profound reminder for those who still continue to dream.

Don't look back in anger!

"Eating is an act of optimism, to keep on living, you need to eat."

A quote that sounds so simple, yet confidently profound. A quote that wonderfully describes Dungeon Meshi.
Don't be fooled, although it starts off as your ordinary, run of the mill comedy it soon turns into something a lot more. The story matures into a deeper, more contemplative journey, and eating the monsters stops being just a running gag.

If there's one thing that separates this work from other works, it would be the astounding attention to detail. There's not much to say in terms of narrative as it is very straightforward, but the author's ... ability to craft such well detailed world and characters, whilst avoiding plot contrivances and holes more than makes up for it. Everything, from little details to larger, seemingly more significant ones like how the dungeon itself operates, is so carefully thought out and masterfully put together.

The artwork perfectly complements the author's knack for detail. The humanoid character designs are all very varied yet still grounded. From Tall-men to halflings, to elves, and gnomes, all have and keep distinct traits that make them different. The same also goes for the monsters. Sometimes putting its own spin to it, it mostly takes inspiration from the usual myths and legends. Dungeon Meshi's art doesn't try to step outside the norms, yet it's still very effective due to how strong and thoughtful the artwork is.

This knack for detail also extends to the world. The worldbuilding in Dungeon Meshi is nothing short of incredible. The dungeon feels alive and breathing. And instead of filling you in on its mysteries with lengthy, convoluted exposition dump, it instead uses well thought out dialogue and story beats to show its reader about the world and how it actually works.

And now the highlight; the characters! This series lives and dies by its colorful cast of characters. All of them feel eccentric, flawed, weird, and human. No matter how unserious and lighthearted the story gets at times, the story never fails to remind its reader that the characters are all still just people at the end of the day. When faced with insurmountable odds they get mad, cry, and feel hopeless. Yet at times they're still able to laugh, smile, and have fun despite how absurd the world is. The characters are fun and over the top, yet still so grounded in realism.

Whilst seemingly used as a running gag, Dungeon Meshi uses "eating" as the central theme of the narrative. A very simple theme on the surface but takes on a whole different meaning when pieced together.
To a lot of people, eating is just a thing we do to get by, and Dungeon Meshi begs to differ. Eating is a lot more important than that. Self care is a lot more important than that. We have to be able to take care of ourselves before we can live and accomplish what we want. To live, we must first take care of ourselves; or perhaps taking care of ourselves is life itself.

Quaint, funny, endearing, and thoughtful, Dungeon Meshi perfects the balance of grounded character conflict and fun, lighthearted comedy. It might not have the most complex narrative, but its compelling characters, brilliantly crafted world, the simple, yet effective story, and the incredible attention to detail all feed off of each other to create a beautiful manga that is able to follows its vision all the way through.

Dungeon Meshi is one of the best works to come out in the last decade, and it merits every flower that it's received.