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  Natsume Yuujinchou or Natsume's Book of Friends is a shoujo manga/anime that's been running since 2005/2008. It follows Natsume Takashi, an orphaned young man who can see spirits, as he attempts to help them with verious problems and return the names stolen from them by his grandmother, Reiko. Along the way, he makes friends with humans and ayakashi, he learns about family, and he begins to grow into the man he wants to be. I love this show because Natsume, though quite powerful, only resorts to violence as a last resort. He tries (and generally succeeds!) to solve his problems though listening, understanding, and kindness. Life's been hard on him, but even when hurt, he responds with compassion. All the friends he makes are adorable (especially Nyanko-sensei  ), and everything is just so chill. Chill, melancholic, and kind. It's a joy to watch, even when it makes me cry (it will make you cry too).The sixth season of the anime is airing this spring! What a wonderful excuse to begin watching it if you haven't already! The first five seasons are on crunchyroll (with the 4th and 5th listed separately for some reason), and, For manga folks, Natsume's is quite good! It's different in small ways from the anime (most notably, a secondary character who transfers away early on in the manga sticks around in the anime), and I personally feel that the music and voice acting add a lot, but they're both fine ways to experience the story. The manga's ahead right now, of course, but it should be less so in a few months. It's licensed by Viz and is available both in hard copy and digitally on kindle/comixology. I know we've got folks 'round these parts catching up on the anime; feel free to talk about it here. Likewise, if you're a manga reader, feel free to talk about it here. And of course, let's all talk about the sixth season that I'm REALLY EXCITED ABOUT!!!!!  e: updated for the sixth season! I never imagined we'd get a fifth, much less a sixth! Sometimes the world is a very cool place! Yes_Cantaloupe fucked around with this message at 20:54 on Apr 11, 2017 |
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Sep 22, 2016 04:52
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 21:48 |
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I've watched the first two episodes of the season! The first was alright, but had some weird pacing, and it felt really awkward when it shoehorned in Reiko talking about the man she met. The second was a fine return to form, and was cute as heck to boot. While watching it, I had some thoughts: Ayakashi in Natsume live long lives, but they seem to be fairly empty lives. Day-to-day, they maybe chat with a friend, play small tricks on humans, or passively enjoy the world around them. Only very rarely does anything of note happen to them, so when it does, it consumes their attention. Just from these two episodes: the pot lady stole and lost a doll, so she spends a couple generations looking for it, and our cute little bird youkai is treated with kindness and given a towel, so she obsesses over the man for half a century. Natsume is full of stuff like this - heck, it's pretty much the basis for the show, what with everyone still obsessing over Reiko. I think this also colors their perception of humans and social interactions. In this episode, the girl is just crushed when Natsume is called a liar, and I don't think this is just a Western-Japanese cultural thing; if someone an ayakashi just met called them a liar, it might become their everything for the rest of their existence. Ayakashi are so shocked when Natsume is casual about helping them wtih small favors because for them, such a decision would be life-altering. oh nuts, I had the thought halfway through the ep and wrote it down, but then the episode addressed this directly. Now I don't feel so cool and insightful. but oh my gosh she was so happy to get the new towel 
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Oct 15, 2016 08:04
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Just watched eps 3 & 4. Plot! An awful lot of plot, for Natsume. In 3, it was super cute how Natori was so flustered and excited for Natsume coming over. Matoba is a dick. I have this thought every time he appears, and the viewers are supposed to think just that, but that doesn't make it less true.
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Oct 29, 2016 07:35
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What a sweet episode. Taki eps are almost always adorable, but having a youkai fall for her? Her reaction to Reiko Nyanko-sensei was great, too.
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Nov 2, 2016 06:47
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Watching this week's ep would have been a better use of my evening that being gloomy on the discord...
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Nov 9, 2016 07:25
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We streamed the ep! It was good and cute and chill.
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Nov 9, 2016 08:46
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Every now and then watching an episode or two when I'm in the mood, I've almost finished Go. Holy crap the Shigeru & Touko ep is so goooood!!! They're so cute! I teared up every time Touko did, and a few other times besides! I'm so glad we're getting more of this wonderful show sooner rather than later!
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Feb 9, 2017 07:27
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The 6th season's starting in just a couple weeks! I encourage y'all to begin to get excited! Also, I got a cute Nyanko-sensei plush in Japan. 
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Mar 26, 2017 21:32
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6th season has begon on crunchy!!! Squark says the first ep is "epic."
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Apr 11, 2017 20:55
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Squark was right.
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Apr 24, 2017 08:01
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https://my.mixtape.moe/wifhsj.webm I like the new OP.
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Apr 24, 2017 08:31
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she's right
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May 10, 2017 09:37
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But what a good two-parter! Natsume being nice feels, Sensei not even making a show of not liking Natsume feels, love between ayakashi and humans feels, unable to see/interact with someone you really want to feels, and then that... NatsumeŚNatori OTP
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May 10, 2017 09:40
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I watched the last couple eps last night. They were both pretty cute, but probably the weakest eps so far for s6. We didn't really get much new for Natsume's friends, and while it's always nice to see Reiko, it kind of felt like she didn't do much. I think Natsume himself is such a large part of what I love about this show that any ep that doesn't feature him as much seems a bit weak to me.
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May 24, 2017 23:36
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I liked Aoi sucking up to Sensei, and I liked that it worked even more.
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Jun 1, 2017 15:29
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I watched the OVA that crunchy just put up. It was very The part where he first enters the mansion was very spooky. Good ep.
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Aug 5, 2017 09:44
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 21:48 |
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oh, and apparently there's another OVA from a month or so back, I need to watch that one
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Aug 5, 2017 09:45
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