A brand new, doubtlessly recurring character who could be human? That makes for an uncommon episode of Natsume’s Buddies Ebook. Over the previous six seasons, as Natsume has shrunk his Ebook of Buddies, he has additionally grown his social circle exponentially. Whereas the meat of “Tookanya” is concerning the titular sport between people and yokai, the a part of the episode I am going to positively be referring again to sooner or later issues Yorishima, the misanthropic human who feuds with Natori and has clear ties to the yokai. world. This episode might have been a one-off, but it surely set the stage for future episodes within the delicate fashion that has turn out to be synonymous with for me Natsume’s Buddies Ebook as an entire.
Have you ever seen that when the characters on this present say “ayakashi,” the subtitles translate this phrase to “yokai?” It is an attention-grabbing quirk, the way in which the loanword “yokai” has turn out to be commonplace language for supernatural beings, however “ayakashi” is extra obscure. Simply as we’ve got ghosts, spirits and spirits in English, several types of apparitions have completely different names in Japanese. It is a reminder of that Natsume’s Buddies Ebook reveals many varieties of yokai. This week, the yokai in query have an uncommon origin: scarecrows given life, albeit unintentionally, by means of forbidden magic. Sound acquainted? If not, Natsume hits the viewer over the top with it just a few occasions: his grandmother Reiko had no concept when creating the Ebook of Buddies that her sport tied yokai to everlasting servitude. She was simply having enjoyable. But the harm has already been accomplished and the scarecrows are there. Within the established sport of yokai versus man, ten scarecrows goal a mansion surrounded by rice paddies – the exact same sort these scarecrows as soon as protected. However as a substitute of scaring birds, these barely acutely aware scarecrows attempt to scare away the human proprietor of the home.
Natsume’s fastidiously honed intuition for the supernatural led him to analyze, however his outdated pal, the actor and exorcist Natori, was already there by invitation. Natori is rarely one to dismiss Natsume’s appreciable energy in relation to non secular points, and Natsume quickly joins the investigation. When the pair comply with the scarecrows’ path into the mountains, the place they appear to retreat amongst night time terrors, they encounter Yorishima – a lot to Yorishima’s chagrin. I by no means absolutely trusted the sleek Natori, so I believe Yorishima’s conclusions are spot on. He would not like Natori, and he suspects that Natsume may be very sturdy, to not point out well-known in some way. After these few observations, there is no such thing as a purpose to not consider that he’s a dependable narrator. Since Natori notes that Yorishima is far older than he seems, the episode appears to strongly point out that Yorishima knew Reiko, and subsequently Natsume seems acquainted to him. How nicely did he know Reiko? Are we watching Natsume’s grandfather within the flesh?
This episode served as a automobile to introduce us to the enigmatic Yorishima, however aside from that, it was enterprise as traditional. For the reason that scarecrows have been solely attempting to scare the resident as a part of a sport, there was nothing just like the stakes of life and demise. Additionally, there weren’t the same old comforting emotions I usually get from this present. The scarecrows have been stooges (actually) with none human-like qualities, except for their uncommon try and discover a dwelling. They weren’t like final week’s coffin guardian yokai, who worshiped their goddess with apparent love, nor the chicken statue from the primary episode turned mini-Sensei, who longed to be reunited together with his human proprietor. Natsume’s Buddies Ebook is most impactful when it options supernatural occasions that remind us of our humanity. I am wanting ahead to subsequent week’s library intrigue, which is able to star a number of returning characters that I care about greater than these stooges.
Judgement:
Natsume’s Buddies Ebook Season 7 is at present streaming
Crispy roll.
Lauren writes about mannequin kits on Gunpla 101. She spends her days instructing her two little Newtypes to convey peace to the house colonies.
