At A Glance – Natsume Yuujin-chou

Natsume Takashi is plagued, or gifted (if you’re a glass-is-half-full person), with the ability to see spirits. He inherits the Book of Friends (Yuujinchou) from his deceased grandmother, Natsume Reiko, which gives the holder control over the spirits whose names are written in the book. Takashi tries to return the names to their rightful owners with the help of a spirit cat.

The Good:
The artwork, and the seiyuu. Not to mention a terrific opening song. The light and sketchy style that Brains Base used to animate this series managed to catch my attention while going through trailers. Also, if I’m not mistaken, natsu (夏) means summer, and this particular style captures the hazy atmosphere that a hot summer day brings.
Actually, what attracted me to the seiyuu was probably the flashback to when Reiko was still alive and in high school. Her nonchalance was simply captivating, and contrasts sharply with Takashi’s exasperated attitude towards life. I wouldn’t say that the voice acting is terrific, but it is good at the very least. Nyanko needs some work though.

The Bad:
A lot of dumb expressions from one very bipolar cat. My only complaint thus far is that Nyanko-sensei, who transforms into the lithe and power Madara (is he still a cat? Looks like a wolf to me), has one too many screws loose to play the part of a powerful spirit guardian. Another potentially problematic issue would be Takashi’s listless way of life. I’m afraid that the wistful expression he usually has on may stifle future character development.

The Future:
I foresee a lot of running on Takashi’s part, with more dumb expressions from Nyanko-sensei. I don’t think future episodes will be all that different from Episode 1. We may get to know Takashi’s friends in greater detail, and I would love to see more flashbacks of Reiko (her character is simply incredibly appealing). And last but not least, some explanation ought to be offered as to why Nyanko chooses to remain as a fat cat instead of an awe-inspiring spirit wolf.

Note: I really enjoyed Episode 1, so I hope that those who do read this decide to pick it up / stick with it as well. Being shoujo (according to AniDB), I suppose we can also expect to see some romance.