For so long I can’t even begin to truly understand why this show doesn’t touch me that much at all. It has all the right elements from the get-go with a relationship-related theme absolutely relevant for someone like me and the consistency to carry that theme out in a multitude of storytelling approaches utilizing its format as an episodic story to its maximum advantage. Plenty of facets regarding connection are laid out in every episode. But still, despite it being my cup of tea, why do I not find it beyond the realm of “alright” and “just good”?
If I were to describe what I feel, it would be that Natsume Yuujinchou is quite “faint”. Whether it’s the visuals, the characters, and the story itself, they appear much like apparitions that if somehow evolve into a solid figure with promising features burn out all their luster quickly, ephemeral and languid. And no, this isn’t me being overly analytical over a simple show to relax and heal. Even during my vegetative states I did not find any nourishment sticking strongly to fuel my love for the series. Four seasons in and it’s only scratched the surface.
One thing that has bothered me a lot is Reiko’s confusing character writing. She’s painted with reverence and general positivity by a few youkai while hated (deservingly) by most others. We still don’t know yet her complete story, or at least even the reason why she made the ironically titled “Book of Friends” to soothe her loneliness as a societal oddity like Natsume. I say there’s irony in its entitlement due to how she basically cages in the freedom of the youkai mostly minding their own businesses after a duel and subjugation and calls it a “Book of Friends”. Its title only finds appropriate grounds for Natsume, which finds meaningful relationships by the bonding of struggle and the virtue to let go.
I just find Reiko to be such an enigma, but not even with enchanting mystique that mysterious, unknown characters usually radiate with. Her actions still look unjustifiable, even deplorable, when it’s already the 4th season. I think it’s been way past the time to reveal how she’s truly influenced the bedrock of the story and finally clarify where she stands, as someone integral to the movement of the story. The slacking pace is not bad per se, quite the contrary for an iyashikei piece—it’s a jewel of the crown giving shine, and therefore a strength that allures the viewer. But as Reiko, who is involved in pretty much every youkai’s life Natsume has encountered, is still tangled with contradiction and unfavorable mystery, there is a huge portion of adoration sapped from my person.
Additionally, the glue holding everything compact is still as weak as Natsume’s connection to society before the present age. As of now, the series feels rather disjointed in that the whole is comprised of faded individual parts. In other words, most episodes are not too memorable nor do the numbers hold as much proportional augmentation for the theme. No episode has yet evoked within me sweet serenity, heart-gratifying and soul-soothing moments that linger.
As a concrete example to outline the disappointment of these remarks, here’s my fleshed-out thoughts I commented under my Anilist watch activity on episode 3 and 4 of this season, brimming with positive comments.
Episode 3
What's chronicled throughout is Natsume and Fluffball's link. Natsume found him preyed on by crows. He attempted to remedy his wounds only to be inflicted with the youkai's poison as a defense mechanism. Fluffball eventually calmed down, and became a docile little limbless Kuriboh who has established an emotional connection with Natsume, a human.
As with most other episodes of the series, this episode underlines the differences between the the human and the supernatural to paint a vivid picture for a more successful conveyance of message. To enumerate, as Natsume applies an ointment for Fluffball, he states his doubts on the effects as he's unsure if human medicine can do the trick. Despite that, he salves the wound and secures it with band aids. This single statement brings texture and depth when towards the end Natsume monologues about how his desires to be kind to everyone as a way to repay the love he has received. The lack of proper communication that lies deep within human-youkai interactions fosters misunderstanding of intents, which makes acts of kindness and trust mistranslated from one party to another.
And so, kindness does not always work; we've learned that across the four seasons with Natsume. Even the youkai Natsume helped at the beginning of the episode turned its back on him, cursed him without registering his stand. But still, Natsume continues to persevere with a pure heart.
Another noteworthy point is Nyanko-sensei telling Natsume how a lot of youkai aren't good for humans, and that opening up one's heart to them can only lead to ruin. This is a remark to Fluffball's poison which weakened Natsume and gave his hand scars. What he received for helping was this.
Our protagonist's tender heart of course wouldn't yield despite the harsh truth that more often than not, his care won't be reciprocated--even given back in a contrary form. But in the long run, there is merit to having faith in the kindness that hides deep within all of us, which we'll eventually realize later into the episode.
Fluffball is actually part of the Karu, a legendary race of youkai that migrates like birds, according to Hinoe. In the same conversation, the two usual youkai that flock around Natsume laugh at its appearance, perhaps implying the inferiority of such a little youkai. But what makes them special is that it bands together to form a dragon-like creature that helped Natsume from Amana's clutches at the end of the episode. Together, they are powerful. Hinoe says that that's how the weak survive, and doesn't that mirror humanity as a whole?
There is beauty in this episode filled with warmth, like how Fluffball left medicinal berries to counteract the poison, how the camera focuses on Natsume's wounded hand as he uses it specifically to reach for Fluffball and urge him to come closer to him, how Natsume recognized Fluffball among the hundreds to thousands of other Karu most probably through its band aids--the bonds found in pain and healing--and/or through a spiritual connection, the guilt that Fluffball has when it only wanted to help Natsume but instead, in a panic of other youkai's entrance, inflicted another wound on Natsume's face. There is so much realism that this supernatural show brings.
"The Little Ones" presents the miracles only unity through kindness can spring forth and the importance of empathy and active understanding.
Episode 4
What I like about Natsume Yuujinchou is that in the conflict that is very much staple between humans and youkai, what with its already-established division into separate universes, is that it also reflects human connection. Here, Yobiko, a youkai, was shocked in first knowing that humans who loved each other could still not build bridges connecting one another, that entities being of the same plane can be separated. This gap between humans struck deep for Natsume, as a friend of solitude all his life. His viewpoint as a human who can perceive and interact with otherworldly spirits makes his position most unique within the story.
Fastforward to this story piece, we learned that the letter contained a message of gratitude for Yobiko. "Thank you, for telling me the truth," it concisely says. The youkai thought Youko resented him all this time since he told her the facts of Takahiko's sudden disappearance, and so we end in this heartwarming note which gives further hope in the unity between humans and youkai.
In the same way, truth can bring humans closer together. This episode presents how empathy and understanding is not a stranger to any creature, and so will help Natsume's character to perhaps accept that the special people in his life can also accept him for all he his. It's been reasoned out that Natsume hides his youkai interactions to avoid his friends and especially his family be less worried about him, but I'm praying that he learns to share his burdens and in exchange receive more love and security, and thanks for telling the truth.
Evidently I don’t hate this series, just sad at how it hasn’t touched even near the inner circle of the dart board, or if it did, it swerved itself away from the area, or if by some fantastical magic shaken off it for every quake a new dart brings. Compare the while-experiencing and the having-experienced and the gap between it yawns wide. Admittedly reviewing every season makes it a bigger deal than it should be, so there’s that to be considered. If the show does grow on me eventually, I’ll look back at the early seasons with a look of endearment tinged with wistfulness as I view from the place where Natsume has reached the places that he’s been.
That expressed, there is still beauty in the 4th season of Natsume Yuujinchou as a standalone season. Each and every episode we find Natsume growing and making use of the lessons he’s received from the previous seasons. Most especially, he’s solidifying the circle confirming his existence in the human world and has faced the memory of his parents he has long since buried. To add, we had an emotional flashback of Natsume’s childhood when he was still hovering between households to-and-to. That package containing resolutions of his past unfolded a covenant that vows a better following seasons of Natsume Yuujinchou.
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