Natsume Yuujinchou (夏目友人帳)

Posted by Scarmugging
Picture showing the main character and his bodyguard. Wonder what would be the nice title for it. Lamenting under the full moon perhaps?

Official Site : http://www.natsume-anime.jp/
Category : TV
Total Episodes : 13
Genres : Fantasy
Year Published : 2008
Release Date : 2008-07-07
End Date : 2008-09-29
Broadcaster : TV Tokyo (Mon 25:00)
Studio : Brains Base

Natsume Yuujinchou (夏目友人帳), literally translated to Natsume's Book of Friends. Of course, it's not your ordinary high school friend but your "youkai" friend.

The Book of Friends

Natsume Takashi is the grandson of Natsume Reiko, a so called exorcist.

See any difference? Hair style aside, I guess it's like the saying "like grandson like grandmother"

He was given an ability, said to be inherited by his grandma, to saw those who are unearthly which in this anime referred to as youkai or ayakashi.

See? How can we ignore something like that waving to us?

Ayakashi took form of human while youkai usually takes form of animals. This anime shows a lot of japanese typical kind of ghost or demons, most of them wearing yukata or hakama.

Takashi just like his grandmother was droven into solitude because of his ability which was strange to the people around him. It's kind of scary to live a life like him, seeing a lot of things others cannot.

Obviously, she was not alone, at least she was, under other people's perspective. She was probably talking to a youkai

In the first episode, Natsume met his bodyguard called Madara whom he refered as sensei later, after he accidentally torn up the rope that seals it. It took form of a cat as shown in the picture but his true form is kinda cool. (On top of that, its voice was heavier and sounds cool compared to its midget annoying voice, well that's my opinion)

He taught Natsume a lot of stuffs as to handle the youkai around him and revealed what the book of friends was. In exchange, he could have the Book should unfortunate befalls Natsume. (In other words, eaten!!). Well, as the story develops Madara seemed kinda soften, probably because he was exposed to humans and took liking to Natsume.

The names inside the book is the name of those who had been defeated (or befriended? at first, Reiko was looked kinda bad, but I personally think she was very kind and well aware of the youkai's situation) by Reiko and can be deliberately summoned by her. As time passes, and that Reiko is no longer around, youkai and ayakashi she defeated began to seek their name back, and there was where Natsume Takashi come in, to release all the names before it falls to the hands of those with wicked mind. The story usually revolves around a problem which ended in a release of a name (sometimes more).

The first name release. The paper on which the name is written was bitten. The name was blown out and stroke the youkai. Somehow they got enlightenment. Pretty neat, huh?

The plot is nicely done (Usually it arises the conflict between human and youkai, why they hate the humans), overall the anime is pretty, the characters are well made too.