Natsume's Book of Friends

Natsume Yuujinchou is possibly the most powerful, thought-provoking anime I've ever seen. The amount of emotions you'll experience is nothing short of incredible, especially when you consider the anime's 13 episode length. Pity, anger, sorrow, astonishment, and absolute elation are to name a few. And some tears on the side...Manly tears, obviously. Story- 10/10 Natsume Yuujinchou is episodic, there is no defining plot line. The most common, unifying theme is Natsume's ultimate goal to return all the Youkai names that his Grandmother Reiko took and stored in the Book of Friends. The episodes range from various Youkai simply wanting their names back, to far more complex issues such aslonely spirits longing for companionship, desperate to relive the memories that are so precious to them. Each episode is wrapped up so masterfully, so beautifully, that it's nearly impossible to not spend the next few moments contemplating what you've just seen. The messages and lessons conveyed are just as pertinent as they are meaningful. At some point in everyone's life, there will be something (a problem, ability, anything) that they feel is impossible to talk about, that no one can relate. As Natsume Yuujinchou illustrates, isolation is rarely the answer, and through purposeful human (and maybe not so human) interactions, inner peace can be achieved. Art- 10/10 The art in Natsume Yuujinchou is phenomenal, depicting a gorgeous countryside town. Each aspect of the landscape is drawn with amazing attention to detail, the large plains of grass not just being lush green, but also golden, with a few shades of light red. The bodies of water are drawn to ripple realistically with the hustling and bustling of fish (and water-related Youkai). The light from the sun pours through the openings of the trees in a divine manner. The human characters are drawn with that middle of the road style of animation, where they aren't too realistic but they also aren't too cartoonish, too cartoonish being enormous eyes, no visible nose, etc. Youkai are drawn in almost every way imaginable, the sky was the limit in creating these spirits as each episode continuously provides unique designs. The artwork never falters, and remains beautiful at every attempt made, from fireworks in the night sky, to majestic, elegant Youkai. Sound- 10/10 I fell in love with the opening song upon first listen. Without thinking about it, I always found myself singing along, the tempo getting faster and faster, my excitement growing more and more. This opening is truly the perfect fit for Natsume Yuujinchou, as it is expressive of my anticipation for the upcoming episode. This was the same case with the end song, perfectly fitting, as it always sums up the current episode, allowing you to become engrossed in your own thoughts. The almost nostalgic way the music starts quietly playing right before the end of the episode, a slightly melancholic acoustic guitar chimes in, and emotions begin to overflow. A memorable end for an unforgettable anime. Characters- 10/10 Most of the Youkai encountered are, aside from the general superiority complex over humans, very different. Their personalities are what keeps the show fresh. A Youkai that first appears to be nothing but malicious may actually have a much more complicated character, though that isn't to say there are no instances of purely malevolent Youkai. Despite that superiority complex, most of the Youkai do in fact have human tendencies. Love, loneliness, and real bonds of friendship are all things that Youkai are not entirely devoid of. It becomes obvious that, despite differences in appearence, powers, and social norms, humans and Youkai aren't so different... Enjoyment- 10/10 This is an anime that is enjoyable from start to finish, and as someone who is more prone to believe in the existence of the supernatural, I was enthralled. From now on, I'll think twice about those moments where a cold chill overcomes you, or when a blast of wind hits you on a relatively calm day. Overall- 10/10 This show is a fantasy masterpiece. If you're in the mood to cry tears of happiness (manly tears, naturally) or just see a great show, then this is a must watch. "I can hear the footsteps of Winter, the cold night...But, this place is warm"

Honestly, I don't really understand why this anime has so many amazing ratings. This isn't the worst anime i've ever seen- no, but I certainly do not think it's anywhere near the best. Now, let's talk about the story. 3/10 One of the things I hated the most about this anime was the fact that it's episodic, and it doesn't work. In my opinion, this only makes it painfully predicable and underdeveloped. Honestly, you've seen the first three episodes you've seen the whole show. A youkai comes. Cool. They want Natsume's help. Oh. They get their help. There's a revelation. Ok. The majority of the episodesfollow this structure. And for the first few or so episodes, yes. It's entertaining. Heartwarming even. But I wouldn't expect that to be the whole show. CAN SOMETHING ELSE HAPPEN. CAN THE PLOT PROGRESS. CAN WE STOP THIS CYCLE. It's too simple. It got boring. And the art/animation... 4/10 The art is uninteresting. It's boring. it's simple. Which pretty much matches the story. The story and the art go together. So I guess that's a good thing. It further sets the mood of the anime. It made it more boring for me. The sooouunnnd... 4/10 I hated the soundtrack of this anime. I always skipped the opening, which I almost never do. The sound effects and all that were clear. Voices, clear. So the sound is fine. That soundtrack though. No. But it does do a good job of further setting the over all mood of the anime. Characters... 3/10 The character development in this anime really lacks. What the hell even is Natsume's personality. He barely has one. The youkai though, they have much better personalities. But just because they're better than Natsume's doesn't mean they're deep or "thought provoking" no. But they are definitely entertaining. The one character I truly did like was Madara. He's a gem, really liked him. It's like they compensated for Natsume's lack of development with Madara's. Enjoyment... 2/10 If you read what I previously wrote it's pretty obvious I did not enjoy this anime. I watched it to the end to be able to make a full conclusion about it. BUT BOY WAS THAT PAINFUL. Overalllllll... 4/10 I just think this anime wasn't for me. If you're the type of person that likes to decipher plots, enjoys suspense, twists and turns- this is really not the anime for you. Skip it. If you like more simple, heartwarming type things give this a try. This isn't the kinda anime where you're on the tip of your toes, heads spinning, mind boggling. This is the kinda anime you watch when you're in your room bored, too tired to watch something with a more developed, complex plot.

Oh my goodness, where to start. Natsume Yuujinchou is a small gem of a series, and I'm glad I followed a friend's recommendation to watch it. This small, often overlooked series is so beyond charming that I wonder how anyone could pass it up! The story is simple, because there's no overall arcing plot. The series basically consists of self-contained episodes where Natsume looks to help youkai with their problems and give them back their names. Sometimes he seeks to help out humans troubled by youkai. In any case, Natsume is always trying to help someone while "Nyanko-sensei" scolds him for his human stupidity. Each story serves ascharacter development, either for Natsume, the youkai involved, or both. The youkai teach Natsume about themselves and about humanity, and Natsume ends to teach the youkai that not all humans are so bad. Natsume learns to be more social and gains a few friends as the series goes on. For the most part, each episode has a fairly happy ending, though some are heartbreaking yet beautiful. Generally the show has a very optimistic outlook on things, but doesn't gloss over potential emotional tragedy. The art is fantastic. Everything about the style is simple and gentle, but very beautiful as a whole. The linework and soft colors work beautifully together, and the animation, when given to show off beyond walking and talking, is awesome. I welcome the simple and more realistic character designs for the humans, and the simple but not generic designs of the youkai. I LOVE the music. Like everything else in the series, it's subtle and unobtrusive, simple but very pretty. The opening and ending themes are also very fitting. As for enjoyment and overall value, let me say that I was disillusioned to anime a few years ago, and have very little patience for it now. But Natsume was so charming that I couldn't put it down once I found it. And now I'm hooked on season two! A definite recommendation.

Why this anime is so far up the Top Anime list, I will never know because this was one of the worst animes I've ever watched. I'm disappointed I wasted so much of my precious time on this shit. The only reason I gave it an over 3 rather than a 2 was because I did the math. But without further ado; Story: 1/10 Was there a story? 'Cause from what I saw it was just episode after episode of the same concept. A lot like Detective Conan, I suppose, but at least that is much more enjoyable and has a bit more depth to it thanNatsume Yuujinchou. If you're the type to like watching a shallow animes with no real goal to it, this is for you. Art: 7/10 The art was good - the only thing that kept me from giving the anime a 2. The sceneries were well done, and the characters were drawn beautifully. The soothing light colours emphasized the calm and relaxing environment the story took place in. Sound: 6/10 I usually like sad songs, but none from this anime really struck me as great. They were all just mediocre. But it fit according to the situation, so there's a plus. Character: 3/10 The characters weren't very deep. The main character is a big nono for me - I hate guys who are so sissy and shy and submissive and basically a girl in animes. Though the cat demon thing was cute, and funny (hence why I increased it to a 3). The other demons don't have too much personality, or if they did, it was similar to other characters in the anime. Enjoyment: 1/10 I only watched it because a friend of mine recommended it, but I was literally falling asleep every episode trying to finish it. You'll never understand how happy I was to finish the season and tell her that I hated it (she asked me to finish it completely before saying it sucks, so...). Overall: 3/10 Over all, it sucked balls, to be compeltely honest. If you're into anime with an actual plot line, this isn't for you. But see for yourselves... if you dare! ;)