Natsume Yuujinchou Shi – 07

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[HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_03.29_[2012.02.13_18.50.29] [HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_09.06_[2012.02.13_18.56.06] [HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_19.26_[2012.02.13_19.06.26]

The first of this arc’s two episodes might have been the funniest Natsume Yuujinchou yet, but the tone shifted sharply in the conclusion, delivering one of the series’ darkest and most somber efforts.

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that as a matter of personal preference, I’m not as fond of the conventionally-plotted episodes of “Natsume”, nor the ones that tend towards the colder side of the emotional spectrum.  But while this one didn’t resonate with me the way my favorites have, it was certainly interesting from a larger perspective of Natsume’s character.  Any time Shuichi Nattori is involved, there’s sure to be introspection, as his very presence forces Natsume (and the viewer) to confront the different methods these specially gifted few have at their disposal when interacting with the youkai world.  It’s no coincidence that the mangaka drew Nattori to look so much like Natsume, as he represents one of Natsume’s possible futures.

The introduction of Matoba into the series framed Nattori’s role in a different light, it seems to me.  Nattori now looks as if he treads a sort of middle path between Natsume’s compassion-driven worldview and Matoba’s cold, ruthless and cutthroat one.  There’s also the path of Reiko to consider, perhaps the one closest to Natsume’s heart – and the one that’s still the most mysterious to the audience.  Forcing Natsume to contemplate all this is the danger Tanuma finds himself in, having ended up in the world of the youkai.  One senses that in spite of his fear Tanuma is a little thrilled to be able to see youkai at long last, but for Natsume the involvement of any of his friends in that world is a nightmare come to life. 

There’s a definite villain to this piece, and it’s Omibashira.  Turns out this banquet is little more than a pretext to gather a bunch of youkai together – ostensibly to curry favor by making offerings, but in fact to be the offerings themselves.  Their role is simply to be food for Omibashira, to give him back his strength so that he can rule over the local youkai once again.  Nattori is there too, posing as a youkai and hoping to find the chance to seal Omibashira before he grows strong enough to be unstoppable.  This is fortunate for Tanuma, who stumbles across him and follows him to the mansion where the “banquet” is being held.  While it’s Tanuma’s plan that manages to get Natsume freed from his bottle, for Natsume that doesn’t dampen the stress level – as he sees Tanuma get more and more involved he goes into what can only be described as a panic attack.

Fundamentally, this episode boils down to musing on the question of whether Natsume can have his cake and eat it too – stand with one feet in the human world and one in the youkai, with friends in both, and not have the two collide in tragic ways.  When Nyanko-sensei takes on Reiko’s form to sneak into the banquet – explaining that he can only take on Reiko or Natsume’s form because they’re the only humans he’s looked closely enough at – the symbolism is so thick you can cut it with a knife.  In the end Nattori and his team combine with Natsume and Sensei to seal Omibashira and stop the bloodbath, and Nattori actually urges Natsume to try and walk the seemingly impossible path he’s chosen – the one he gave up on, and the one Reiko presumably tried to walk and failed (foreshadowing in that sentence).  Given that next week’s episode will apparently focus on Matoba’s flunky Nanase – even flashing back to her childhood – it seems safe to assume these themes are going to continue to be front and center for a while.

[HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_04.28_[2012.02.13_18.51.27] [HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_05.30_[2012.02.13_18.52.30] [HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_06.17_[2012.02.13_18.53.17]
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[HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_11.40_[2012.02.13_18.58.40] [HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_12.13_[2012.02.13_18.59.13] [HorribleSubs] Natsume Yuujinchou Shi - 07 [720p].mkv_snapshot_13.21_[2012.02.13_19.00.21]
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10 comments

  1. o
    ocanimeblog
    February 14, 2012 at 4:25 am
    Reply

    I never knew that the mangaka drew Natori to be similar to Natsume, but your explanation makes sense.

    I agree it wasn't the best two-parter like the first one this season, but it was really good to see Natori back. I'm curious how next episode is going to make one of the really minor characters (Nanase) stand out. Work your magic, Brains Base staff!

  2. K
    Karmafan
    February 16, 2012 at 2:33 am
    Reply

    How could you NOT notice they look very similar to each other except 1 wears glasses. People seeing them would think father and son….

  3. o
    ocanimeblog
    February 16, 2012 at 4:20 am
    Reply

    That's not what i said. I said that i never knew Natori's designs were meant to be similar to Natsume's, I know they look almost like twins. Jeez..

  4. A
    Anonymous
    February 14, 2012 at 9:29 pm
    Reply

    What do you mean by Nyanko-sensei can only take on Reiko or Natsume’s form because they’re the only humans he’s looked closely enough at "the symbolism is so thick you can cut it with a knife. " I knew it meant something but didn't get it, so I'm curious what you mean.

    I like that this episode makes Natsume deal with things he's been avoiding. Its one of my favorite anime ever!! I really like reading your blog right after watching it 😀

  5. admin
    February 14, 2012 at 10:39 pm
    Reply

    Madara says he only takes on Reiko or Natsume's form because they're the only humans he knows well enough to remember what they look like.

    As for the "so thick you can cut it with a knife" that's just an old expression referring to something being very palpable – like tension, for example. Here, I think it's symbolism – Natsume is confronted with two possible future paths literally walking around in front of him – Nattori and Reiko.

  6. A
    Anonymous
    February 16, 2012 at 2:39 am
    Reply

    The (symbolism) becomes so real and personified that it can be cut by a knife. Reality cross.

  7. K
    Karmafan
    February 16, 2012 at 2:37 am
    Reply

    I thought it was an excellent 2 parter. I'm glad that his friend got to see just a taste of what Natsume sees. Too bad the girl that draws circles could not have been part of the episode and see them as well.

    I would love to see some sort of an arc where Natsume gets to meet his Grandmother. Either he end up back in time or he meet her "ghost/spirit" in his timeline.

  8. admin
    February 16, 2012 at 3:29 am
    Reply

    I think everyone who loves the manga is hoping for that too, Karmafan. Reiko is a big loose end that hasn't been remotely tied up yet.

  9. K
    Karmafan
    February 16, 2012 at 5:06 am
    Reply

    Whos to say Natori isn't Natsume's father? Perhaps down the road they could reveal that his parents had to leave (flee the bad exorcists) and left Natsume with relatives to be safe and thats why Natori looks like Natsume?

    Of course that would be out of context with the theme of this show (Natsume doesn't have much family drama stuff) Might not be the case but you never know with manga and anime.

    Also why does Nyanko-sensei know what Reiko looks like?

  10. A
    Anonymous
    February 16, 2012 at 11:08 pm
    Reply

    No. Just. No. First of all, Natori is 23. Natsume is 15. Natori would have only been eight when Natsume was born. Second of all, -insert manga spoilers-.

    And yeah. Natsume has a lot of family drama, if we think about it. His parents are dead, his grandmother was a pariah (and who knows who the grandfather is), and all his life, he's been passed around and abused. He's just unfailingly kind and forgiving. Natsume just wants to get past that part of his life and live happily with the only true family he's ever known – the Fujiwaras. Like you said, Natsume Yuujinchou isn't that kind of show. I'd be severely disappointed if it turned out that way.

    Nyanko-sensei knows what Reiko looks like because he beat her at her own game. That's why his name isn't in the Book of Friends. I'm guessing he didn't spend that much time with Reiko compared to Takashi, considering his only superficial likeness to her in human form.

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