Natsume Yuujinchou Shi [First Impressions]

Hello minna-san! Here’s my first impression on Natsume Yuujinchou Shi. Hope you enjoy!

Natsume Yuujinchou Shi

If any of you have seen my Top 10 of 2011 post then you’ll realize I love the Natsume Yuujinchou series dearly and I do have to give credit to the DDD guys who introduced me to this wonderful show. Due to the fact that I marathoned all 3 seasons last year recently, I was surprised Shi came out so early since the time gap between Zoku and San was 2 years. Yet don’t get me wrong, having it come out sooner is definitely better than later and at least it’ll help improve winters image from being completely disappointing. Feeling nostalgic isn’t the correct word to use (especially in my situation) but you can’t help but feel that way when you see the main cast of characters coming back in the first episode and given the proper air time each needs for us to affiliate ourselves with them (like what Nisemonogatari did). I do enjoy how Natsume Yuujinchou continues to show us Natsume’s daily life as a student and also that very life which always ends up in a troubling situation for our young, male lead. It might seem repetitive with the way I’m explaining it but the different encounters Natsume comes across makes every episode unqiue and individually special from the rest.

It’s great to see more of Matoba considering he was the one we all wanted to see interact with Natsume more with due to how he perceives youkai and Natsume’s perception. Personally Matoba’s ways are bad because he acts just like the ‘bad’ youkai’s do – closes off his heart to others and generalizes that all youkai are bad, just like how youkai do that to humans without seeing the positivity it can create. Maybe I’m cheating here a bit because I’ve seen the 2nd episode. It might seem like I’m talking heaps of characters other than other stuff but Natsume are very focused on character interactions and development. It’s this which makes the show so entertaining to see and different to your typical slice-of-life. Digging deeper into the character interactions, a great example we come to all love seeing is mainly Natsume’s and Nyanko sensei’s relationship which always brings a smile to your face whatever the situation they’re in. Though what some of us might’ve pondered on is how it’d be for Natsume if he was attacked at school by youkai (which is brilliantly delivered in the first episode).

It’s these little things which make Natsume’s everyday life different and unique from each other while at the same time progress story-wise. Nishimura’s presence in the episode gives light on the subject of why Natsume doesn’t choose to tell the Fujiwara’s about his ability to see youkai due to the fact that they would be overly worried and wouldn’t most likely not smile anymore with the knowledge he could be in dangerous situations. Because of this, can you imagine the positivity in that household disappearing? Even if we can, we don’t want it and that’s how Natsume feels and is scared of the most. With that being said, Natsume ends up in predicament being spotted by Matoba in the Matoba household so things are starting to get interesting (and yes I’m talking from the perspective that I haven’t seen the 2nd episode even though I have).

Should you watch it? I want to stress out the fact that you will regret not picking this show up even if there’s already 3 seasons of it. My personal anecdote on this matter made me regret not picking this show up from when it started because of great it is. What you find to love in Natsume Yuujinchou can vary from person to person because of how much it can offer within each and every episode being different while connected at the same time. I won’t sugar-coat the show but I will say you should give it a try before knocking it off, if you do that I won’t pressure you any further.

Till next time minna-san!

~Pic Spam~

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/ One Commentleave a comment /

• nyaochi says:

  January 28, 2012

  ハロー皆さん！

  I love this show to.

  How a pretty cat, にゃんこ先生！

  I want it.

  Reply