Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Eodis
Short review of this show because I'm confused as to why it is so highly rated. To be clear i did not dislike it and i will keep watching the next seasons but this anime is kinda flat and empty.
The ingredients are always the same : You are in a countryside-like environment i would consider graphically "fine" for 2008, it does the job but nothing crazy. Obviously a show like this doesn't have the time and budget of a Ghibli movie. You put on a sad piano music and bring in a character with a sad story who needs help. And then the "hero" and his companion do their best to help, sometimes it works; sometimes not that much.
There is almost no character development even though you can see the beginning of some connections between a few characters, it stops right away so i'm not sure if it's s…
Read at the sourceStateofOhayo
One of the most boring shows I've ever had the misfortune of seeing. It could have been a lot better but at this point it put me to sleep more than Mr. Roger's Neighborhood when I was a child. A lot of promise but it quickly becomes one-note. Repetitive, slow, boring, and die cast characters that show absolutely zero growth.
Dear God, don't get me started on the "music" and sound. The few times they tried to use sound to build tension were totally lost on me, because there never seemed to be anything really at stake. It's serialized slice of yokai with characters fitting neatly into their predetermined tropes with no room to move or grow. The voice acting was really good but the rest of the sound department was asleep at the wheel, and after hearing the OP, so was I.
The art is fine, esp…
Read at the sourceRavioliMafiosi
I tried watching this anime 'cause I loved Mushishi, and a lot of people tend to compare them in terms of quality and content... But now, after I've forced myself through 5 seasons of this, I can boldly say that's the biggest stretch I've ever heard. Let me tell you why:
[STORY 1/10]
There isn't one, and I mean it technically. A story is composed of an initial situation, a complication, a development and a final solution, but Natsume's Book of friends never goes past the first element. Throughout the series Natsume (protagonist) found himself fighting numerous youkai, encountering exorcists of different mindsets, getting the chance to know more about the spiritual world and her own grandmother's past, but every time that happened it would invariably be nullified at the end of the episode.…
Read at the sourceajbutterfly
Behold! The cure for insomnia has been found!
After weeks of sleepless nights a Kappa arrived in a Cat-bus and handed me a copy of Natsume Yuujinchou. The first two episodes I sort of enjoyed. But from the 3rd episode the series bored me so much that I was fighting to keep my eyes open. Finally, the beautiful ED lulled me into a brilliant sound sleep and I slept like a baby all through the night. I couldn't believe my insomnia could be cured! The only problem was that I was sleeping face down on my keyboard with my PC and headphones on, so I ended up with severe neck pain and high electricity bills. Be warned that you will have the same effect even if you are not an insomniac or were chock full of energy just seconds ago.
Natsume Yuujinchou is a one-dimensional monotonous series that rea…
Read at the sourceAgent_Redacted
Watching Natsume Yuujinchou felt like strolling down a road of flawlessness - no obstructions, no inconveniences. Simply a straight, smooth and simple road that leads to the beautiful horizon which awaits at the end of the road.
Natsume Yuujinchou is as repetitive as Symphogear and could be compared to Mushishi due to its indistinguishable similarities. However, just because of the fact that it has a mix between the two doesn't mean that it should be treated lowly in the same way as actual rip-offs. Natsume Yuujinchou is good in its own way and that fact will never change ( will skip the bothersome explanations because I'm too lazy ).
One thing which this show for sure lacks is romance and that's probably the only criticism I have for this anime. Like, Jesus I understand. But the amoun…
Read at the sourceagendator
"They come without asking, and then they leave just the same. But once you meet them, even if nobody ever knows it, that encounter will change your life for the better". This quote by Natsume Takashi might be the best to describe what this show feels like. Episodic experiences between him and youkai.
As the episodes passes by, we see how Takashi grows and adapts to his condition. Except that, this growth is at a snail's pace. This arises a question. How many of these experiences are meaningful to the story and to Takashi? If that sounds like my problem with the series, I got bad news. I'm assured that if this was the only issue of this show, it would be among my favorites right now.
What breaks this anime's potential is the easy prediction of the plot. Usually two options can preceed or…
Read at the sourcektulu007
Natsume Yuujinchou is a series that began as a shoujo manga by Midorikawa Yuki. In 2008 an anime adaptation by Brain's Base aired. You may remember them from such anime as Baccano, Durarara, Penguindrum, Ixion Saga DT & Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. So, their stuff has been pretty mixed from what I've seen. With Oregairu at the upper end and Ixion Saga & Penguindrum tied at the low end. How will this one place? Let's have a look.
Story:
Natsume Takashi is a lonely boy. He's been ostracised for most of his life due to his ability to see youkai. After accidentally freeing a sealed one, that happens to look like a fat cat, he discovers that his grandmother, Reiko, could also see them. Not only that, but she went around collecting their names for her “book of friends” w…
Read at the sourcetommyandolli
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 episodes follow 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 PLO…
Read at the sourceNameyay
I watched this anime basically on a whim. I read the name somewhere and just started watching it. I have to say that I wasn’t too impressed by this series by the first episode, but that certainly changed later on.
Please note that this is a review of all four seasons of Natsume Yuujinchou. However, my feelings towards this show have changed significantly over the course of watching this. So here is the rough draft of my experience:
Season One: Wow, this is totally above my expectations. Pretty good. 7/10.
Season Two: Well shit, I accidently marathoned this. I fear that I’m falling in love with this show. 8/10.
Season Three: I love this show. Please don’t let it end. 9/10.
Season Four: I LOVE THIS SHOW. SHIT IT’S ENDING NO SHIT SHIT SHIT NOOO– 9/10.
Honestly. This show is amazing. With…
Read at the sourceRize_1213
A friend introduced and urged me to watch this anime. I am always interested in stuff associated with youkai so I knew I had to give this a shot. This is probably the most light hearted anime I've watched so far, especially the ending song is just soooooo soothing. The anime have a episode by episode plot so you don't have to complete the whole series in one day. A calm and peaceful anime with a hint of humour in it. I wouldn't say it was action packed.
Read at the sourcebessimajamal
This is one of those animes which just somehow makes its way into your heart and makes such a deep imprint that you would probably never be able to forget it. Natsume Yuujinchou (I watched all 4 seasons, and reviewing them in one go as they are more like a single entity anyway) is a beautiful rare gem in the anime world that often goes unnoticed, yet each and every person I know who have watched it have been touched so deeply by it.
Story:
The highlight of this anime is the storyline, and how its delivered. It has a very laidback pace, allowing the story to gently bloom; the exact opposite of an intense high speed story. But it manages to do that with a grace that is never dull or boring, and just mesmerizes so you are pulled along gently by the story. The anime is episodic in nature, so…
Read at the sourceRelient
This is not an anime for people who are looking for something with action and cute characters. Natsume Yuujinchou is a thought provoking anime, one that encompasses many different genres (drama, slice of life, tragedy, fantasy). The story may look slow but each episode is well thought out and provides insights on the main characters of the anime. Each episode has a message or a lesson for Natsume, and viewers in my opinion; most of them are common knowledge, but they serve as a reminder to the people who watch the series.
The anime has a lot of fun and humour in it, but also tragedy and sadness at the same time. Each episode left me wanting to see more of the anime just to see how Natsume would treat a new situation. Initially, I found this anime under Kamiya, Hiroshi's name before it was…
Read at the sourceExkalibur
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 than Natsume 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.…
Read at the sourceOkazaki93
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 as lonely spirits longing for companionship, desperate to relive the memories that are so precious to them.…
Read at the sourceLindle
NOTE: Since the content in all three seasons is similar enough that they don't warrant separate reviews, they will all be covered here. The fourth will be edited in when it finishes, unless it differs heavily from the first three by the end of its run.
Natsume Yuujinchou covers a familiar kind of story. We are presented with a teenage boy, who is unusually airy and doesn't socialize much, and frequently seems to be looking intently at things that aren't there. As you may have guessed, Natsume sees dead people. Well, not exactly... he can see Youkai, a kind of spirit told of in Japanese folklore.
Many of the Youkai themselves seem to possess an unusual interest in Natsume. One day, as a pair of Youkai are chasing him, he accidentally breaks a seal containing a powerful Youkai... one that…
Read at the sourceiwantcandy2
This is my first anime review, so here goes.
Plot Summary:
Natsume is the new kid in town, and boy is he weird. He talks to the empty air more than real people, he's withdrawn, and sometimes he takes off running for no apparent reason. As it turns out, he's not crazy, just spiritual. He was born with the spiritual powers that allow him to see youkai (Japanese mythical creatures). He inherited this ability from his grandmother, who was known among the youkai as a powerful, fierce fighter. His grandmother used her abilities to defeat youkai and take their names, thus binding them in servitude. Now it's Natsume's quest to set them free.
Story:
There is only one word to describe the tone of Natsume Yuujinchou: chill. Everything is very laidback, tranquil. The pace is much more deliberate th…
Read at the sourceIceAndCream
"Natsume's Book of Friends" (Natsume Yuujinchou) is like a loaf of bread. Not spicy, not over-sweet, pretty plain...and yet very satisfying. It's a show I enjoy watching whenever life has been busy, complicated, or stressful, and I just want to clear my mind and relax. When I don't want heavy plotlines, psychological twists, or violence. When I crave something simple.
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 te…
Read at the sourcethepinkangel
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 as character development, either for Natsume, the youkai involved, or both. The youkai teach Natsume about themselves and about humanity, and Natsume ends to teac…
Read at the sourceTakai
-INTRODUCTION-
I've been looking forward to this anime ever since I saw one of the promotional images -- Natsume sitting on a tree branch with his foot slightly touching the water underneath, and an unusual looking cat by his side. I fell in love with that image alone and could not stop thinking about it. Needless to say, I watched Natsume Yuujinchou while it was still ongoing and waited eagerly for the subtitles to come out. Now that it's over, I can say for sure -- it was a short but beautiful experience, and became one of my very special personal favorites.
-STORY- 10/10
"Thank you... for not growing to hate humans."
Each episode Natsume encounters a different youkai. Sometimes, it's a youkai seeking to get his/her name back; at other times, a youkai wanting some other help from Nat…
Read at the sourceviperduo
Natsume Yuujinchou follows the supernatural/natural genre that seems to be a cross between xxxholic, ghost hound and mushishi. It has a Mushishi-like elegance to the artwork and storytelling while at the same time following an xxxholic-esque structure aka. schoolboy meets schoolghost.
It is, however, naive to think that it is merely run of the mill supernatural anime stuff for it does have an extraordinarily well-written plot that follows closely to its original roots in the manga. It's brilliance is not in a complex storyline, grandiose tales of self-discovery or even the attainment of some extraordinary superpowers but the sharp, simple, "I make this sound so ordinary" feel to it. Like a haiku, it starts, develops and ends a story neatly within a chapter and any lingering sentiment afte…
Read at the source