Simple but Deep: Natsume Yuujinchou Season 1

Synopsis

This the story of Takashi Natsume, a 15-year-old boy with the ability to see youkai. Having this ability since he was young he has gone through the struggle of not only being chased by these largely dangerous beings but also having to face the difficulties it has upon his normal life.

One day upon releasing a strong spirit named Madara whom is trapped in the form of a cat statue, Natsume discovers an heirloom left behind by his grandmother. She too had the ability to see spirits and had written down the names of all youkai whom she had defeated in a book. It is because of this book that youkai have been chasing him for as long as they have. Now having it in his possession, he returns the names of different spirits and along the way learn of their stories and how they knew his grandmother.

The Good

The first thing to note about the series is how well it does in terms of emotional exploration and presentation of individual stories and their impact. There is almost no supernatural work like this series and that is one of the main aspects that makes it so refreshing. It is heartfelt, deep but still has its moments of comedy and action for the most part. Another point that help ties everything together is the artwork and animation. At many points of the series it seems as if the animation comes off like a moving painting.

What really helps the series did as well as it did however were the characters. Not only were they all unique in their own way but the way each episode explores the stories of each characters who make their appearance gives a nice touch to the series. The fact that Natsume is not the usual type of character that is able to see the supernatural is another refreshing point for the series given how the viewer is shown on how his experience with both humans and youkai have shaped him.

The fact that the series takes a more in depth look at Natsume’s internal questioning of his being a part of two worlds is the true unique point of the series. There have been so many action based or comedy based supernatural works that having a slice of life work that doesn’t pint supernatural creatures as completely bad is highly refreshing.

The Bad

As a slice of life work, the series may not appeal to everyone given that the tone of it doesn’t shift all that much unless you count the climactic moments of the episodes. Then there is the factor that a lot of the episodes tend to be somewhat repetitive to consider. If you think about it, outside of Natsume helping return different youkai’s names and him going through his issues, there isn’t much to see in terms of plot.

There are moments when the series take on a more dramatic and dark turn of events but outside of this, there isn’t much in terms of excitement. It’s clear that the entirety of the series is mostly based on character exploration and emotional pulling; and while not bad as a whole, again it may not appeal to a whole lot of audiences.

Conclusion

As a slice of life work involving the supernatural world, the series does highly well in terms of art, characters, individual stories and overall development. However, in terms of tone and plot line, there isn’t much to consider and may be perceived as rather repetitive at certain points. Still it doesn’t change the fact that the series a truly heartfelt work that gives much in terms of emotional exploration with lovely art and unique characters. It may not be for everyone but it is a truly unique work to enjoy and has more to give.

Rating: 8/10