Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu 劇場版夏目友人帳～うつせみに結ぶ～

| Episodes: 1 | Score: 8.4 (29017)

Updated every at | Status: Finished Airing

Type: Movie

Producers:Aniplex

Synopsis

Takashi Natsume and his spirit companion Madara, nicknamed "Nyanko," continue returning the names of spirits from the Book of Friends given by his late grandmother Reiko Natsume. On his way back from school one day, Takashi encounters a lurking spirit named Monmonbou, who recalls memories of Takashi's grandmother after hearing his name. Takashi's natural curiosity leads him to explore a mysterious town where his grandmother used to live. Befriending her old acquaintance Yorie Tsumura and Yorie's son Mukuo, Takashi unveils more of his grandmother's past. In the meantime, Nyanko detours for food and stumbles upon a suspicious "Spirit Seed," which miraculously sprouts into a fruit tree overnight. Giving in to temptation, Nyanko consumes the fruit, splitting him into three. Seeking a solution to Nyanko's predicament, Takashi and his friends lend a hand, unexpectedly uncovering more secrets the town holds in the process. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Voice Actors

Inoue, Kazuhiko

Kamiya, Hiroshi

Fujimura, Ayumi

News

Reviews

lamaraptor
01/19/2022, 05:58 PM
A really great story that follows typical trends set by the series so far. The movie is a slow start for long time fans as it spends a good 20 minutes re-establishing the setting as though you aren't already familiar with it. With that out of the way, though it goes into a unique story that blends a lot of different elements together. At first I thought the movie was trying to do too much and it was just throwing a bunch of new plot ideas at you for no reason but it actually did a decent job of tying it all back together inthe end. There's disappointingly no information of Natsume's grandparents that we didn't already know. I just checked the status of the manga after finishing this, wondering if I'd ever get answers, and I see that it's still ongoing at least as of late 2021. There's no sadder event than finding a long-running anime series and getting all the way to the end of it only to find that the manga it's based on isn't even finished. Sigh, that's just the nature of the industry I guess. I think there's a lot more narrative value in stories that have planned out definite beginnings middles and endings, but for stories like Natsume where the focus isn't necessarily the plot but simply the emotions and drama, then an episodic series that never really progresses is probably fine. I love stories with proper endings, and hate being strung along indefinitely on mysteries with no real answers, but I can still enjoy the series for what it is in it's current form. Maybe one day the manga will stop being popular/making money, which is the only way manga series end really, and then maybe they'll see fit to continue with an anime adaptation of that ending. For now this is chronologically as far as the series will go, so expect no conclusion to the Reiko storyline if that's what you were here for. Just enjoy another story about Natsume and his dealings with youkai or ayakashi depending on who did the subtitles 8/10
ShrinePriest
02/07/2021, 09:11 AM
I'm going to go against the grain and rate this move poorly compared to other people as well as compared to how I would rate the Natsume series overall. Spoilers below. This movie would have been a lot more effective if it had been reduced to one or two ~23 minute episodes. It was only about an hour into the film when the film finally decides to tell you what the film is actually about: Mukuo and Yorie. It's not super difficult to find ways to shorten this film. For instance, a putative episode could have opened up with Natsume's mom asking him to go to Gochou (sp?),Natsume and Nyanko-sensei going, Nyanko running off and visiting the tree and getting the seed, and Natsume meeting the woman who recognizes him, says he looks familiar, and him asking her if she knew Reiko. The film spent thirty minutes on the two trips to Gochou and some side material. This could have been reduced down to say ten minutes by combining the two trips into one, and cutting the other material that just waters down and distracts from what the plot is really about. And that's the problem with the film. Beyond the film taking so long to reveal what it's even about (Mukuo and Yorie), the film never actually gives Mukuo and Yorie the screen time they deserve. Instead, the film wastes its time with so much else that their importance gets pushed into the background. The film has a strong hook: a woman loses her son and a youkai mimics him and replaces him and the woman's memory of his death. And yet, never once did I cry during this film, because the film completely squanders its story. And consider the film's subtitle: Ephemeral Bonds. This theme isn't actually present in the film. This theme doesn't apply to Natsume's friends or family. You can argue the theme applies to Nyanko because Natsume misses being able to talk to Nyanko when he's split up. But that's a weak and unexplored theme in the film. At best the theme applies to Mukuo and Yorie, but again, they get so little screen time that the theme doesn't really do any work with them. It's not a shock to discover that this movie was an anime original story not written (albeit "supervised") by the original manga author.
WdaCdaShdaDid
03/21/2020, 06:41 AM
Basically it's a regular series episode that's a bit longer, with even better drawn environments, which is awesome. The story is pretty great, although I can't help but feel teased into thinking maybe we'd learn more about Natsume's grandfather in this - not by marketing materials, but by the plot. It's still lovely without it, but it's annoying that they keep doing that. It does the usual OVA thing where it has basically the entire cast show up and they aren't that important to the story at first, but it actually uses all of them in important story ways, which is unique. It also has theusual OVA infodumps like "here's what's going on in the plot right now", but quickly moves back to the story, which is good. I think the ending was overly drawn out, but overall, good story. Later seasons of the show are already clearly getting a budget increase, and the OVA clearly got some more. I think it was mainly used on environments, though. The characters look normal, and Nyanko sensei is almost laughably worse than usual. But at least the bushes look quite pretty! The music isn't markedly different from the series. I definitely heard familiar tunes, and they were used well. It helps better create the effect that this is just a longer regular episode. The new characters are lovely, although again, they feel built to tease us about Natsume's grandfather. That aside, there's some more great Reiko stuff, the Dog's Circle is ridiculous and lovely, Natsume's friends are great, Natori in particular has a great bit here, and the mini Nyanko senseis are cute. I was honestly expecting the same disaster of the first OVAs that starred Nyanko sensei, with the repeated footage and bad story, but I didn't see any of that. This gives me hope if they do this in the future. Great film!
GreatAide
08/22/2019, 12:48 AM
I'm going to save you from reading the usual fuzz that you can read in every other review ever on Natsume Yuujinchou. I mean, it's Natsume. You already know what Natsume Yuujinchou is. That brings me to the good thing about this movie, it doesn't do anything wrong. It's good because it's Natsume, and if you're thinking about watching this movie, chances are you've already watched the last SIX SEASONS (!!!) that precede it. By this point, you probably like Natsume and know what to expect. What you expect is exactly what you'll find in this movie: the good old usual Natsume Yuujinchou. Describing it asan arc you'd see from the show is perfectly accurate. That’s quite literally what it is, it's an arc in the form of a movie. It’s Natsume. If you're figuring out that Natsume isn't your type of thing after six seasons, I'd be concerned about the fact that you stuck around for so long lol On the other hand, this movie isn't anything particularly special either, and other than presenting a new story, it certainly doesn't bring anything new to the table. There are some anime movies from other franchises that are utterly elevated from their parent series because of multiple aspects (ex: Haruhi), but I can’t say the same here. I’m not going to say this lack thereof is a detriment, it’s just the lack of something newer and special. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with that, though!
BabyGirl06301
08/21/2019, 07:06 AM
Ah, it's nice to be back in the world of Natsume Yuujinchou. Legitimately, within the first few minutes of experiencing this lovely story, I just felt instantly relaxed and calm. I missed that feeling, so I'm glad I finally got to watch this movie. Every time I review something from Natsume, I feel like all I do is gush about the same things over and over, but it really is such a great anime series that it's hard not to give it praise for the things it does really well. For example, the art style in this anime has always been really interesting to me.I didn't really find it completely appealing at first since I'm so picky, but it's honestly the only art style this anime could ever have. The colors being dull yet colorful as they are, the character designs being simple and mundane, and the landscapes being expansive and entrancing are all reasons that this sort of art style works so well for a calming and magical anime such as Natsume. The story in this film specifically was very interesting. The whole film felt like a long episode of Natsume, which was great because all the little stories we got in this film were connected. The only bit of narrative that we didn't really get this go around was a more in depth look at Natsume's past and his mindset at the time of some of his harder encounters with people. That was something I really enjoyed about the most recent seasons of Natsume, and I was hoping that this movie would really delve into it, though the story we got was still pure Natsume, and I loved that. The one thing that I will always love above all else in this anime are the characters themselves. This story of the Book of Friends is able to open such a broad pathway for us, as viewers, to experience some really lovely narratives that-- while short-lived-- make us feel a multitude of emotions, almost as if we've spent a lifetime in them. This film was no different, and maybe even better since we got to spend a little more time here than we normally get to. It's always been really difficult for me to talk about Natsume Yuujinchou because there's not a whole lot TO say as it speaks for itself. It's a series that'll make everybody feel at peace and happy, but it's still got a wealth of depth and things to teach the people that watch it. The world, the stories, the people-- it's all so unique when it comes to Natsume's Book of Friends, and it's not something you'd regret getting into at all. I'm really looking forward to spending more time in this world, should the opportunity arise, and I'm glad I've gotten to spend so much time there already. This is definitely my go-to anime for a rainy day.
Hydra_no_Mago
06/24/2019, 11:25 PM
After a long wait, here it is, the subbed version of the movie we've all been waiting for. (Spoiler-free) • Story: (6/10) So many of Natsume Yuujinchou's stories have become rather repetitive over the years, not to say it does not pack a punch still. Anyone who watches it would be more than likely to guess the outcome of the story, yet when the end arrives it still leaves a bittersweet tang in its path, reminding viewers of the fugaciousness of life, be it human or yōkai. Although it did not bring on the full-on bawling earlier seasons did (refer especially to Natsume's past), the pacingand setup of the story was fairly good. The scriptwriters definitely did their best to keep the airy feeling of the Natsume Yuujinchou universe whilst bringing to fore the latest yōkai mishap. The flashbacks, though well-timed and elicited nostalgia, felt rather burdensome to those who have remembered the unfolding of events, and lends a sag to the plot. All in all, considering it's a slice-of-life anime, the plot is quite well done. • Art: (8/10) Compared to earlier seasons, the animation has definitely become smoother and its fluidity lends a sense of realism to the show. Expressions are well crafted though they sometimes seem without much variation, and can increase the emotional impact of the story. What I was personally amazed about this time were the beautiful drawings of scenery. With most of the story taking place in Gochou, the tranquil backgrounds of sunsets over fields, of flowers blooming vividly amongst greenery, of a lovingly worn bus stop, of sunlight dappling through leaves in a forest, etc. None of it is spared from a quiet beautification, so close to reality yet so far. Of course, the cuteness of Nyanko-Sensei this time around gives fans extra delight and would especially appeal to younger audiences (and the selling of merchandise). • Sound: (7/10) Nostalgia is the keystone, with soundtracks seen in almost every season. The background music still is extremely suitable to the situation, again emphasising tranquility and otherworldliness. Certain parts the music could have been lowered in relation to the dialogue, and sadly there were hardly to no new tracks, but overall it was a job well done. Uru's ending song brought tears to my eyes, more so when you relate it to the plot. It was a good pick in continuation with Natsume Yuujinchou's bittersweet image. The voice acting this round was outstanding as usual. Kamiya's soft-spoken Natsume radiates kindness and compassion while I imagine Inoue must have had a hard time voicing the very high-pitched Nyanko-Sensei. The supporting cast too continues a good job of portraying their characters without fault, and Koura's voice becomes the magnetic lynchpin of the movie's main yōkai. • Character: (8/10) As usual, all the original characters have already been well fleshed out so this is a continuation of their story. The character development in Natsume should be particularly noted, in that he now trusts his friends (Tanuma, Taki, the yōkai troupe, etc) without hesitation, that he cares so much for his family (Touko, Shigeru, Nyanko) and that although he has been hurt immensely, he can still forgive his former schoolmate with a smile on his face. New characters are also given a spotlight of their own; Mukuo's past is a parallelism to Natsume's and Yorie confiding about her thoughts to Natsume about Reiko marks a poignant chord in the movie. • Enjoyment: (8/10) While it may not have been an all out bawl, Natsume Yuujinchou: Utsusemi no Musubu highlights once again the ephemeral bonds of relationships, teaches us that we should cherish it while we still have the chance. If or when it is lost, rather than despair, we should continue holding tight to the memories of warmth left in our hearts, only then can we do them justice. • Overall: a solid (8/10)
Figendog
06/22/2019, 11:22 AM
At last, after almost 9 months from the original release, this movie was subtitled. This movie was honestly really cute, and really gave off that Natsume vibe! So, here I am with my very first review. The story: 8 The story was well executed and easy to follow. It was fun to see how all the different aspects that don't seem connected slowly intertwine to make one whole story. Now it wasn't anything mind boggling, but it still left me feeling warm on the inside when the story was over. Art: 8 The art for this movie is better than what we saw in season 6, even with season6 having much improved art compared to the very first season. It's great watching the art for this show get better over time! It was also consistent, and it didn't feel like there were too many short cuts, or still images. Although the style can be simple, it's still well animated. Sound: 9 I have always loved the soundtrack for this show. Whether it's the nostalgia, or the fact that I will easily listen to just about anything, I have always loved this shows soundtrack. The movie was no different and the soundtrack felt just like it always did. I also loved the song Remember by Usu at the end of the movie. A must listen! Character: 7 The characters were also quite good. Natsume was, well, Natsume. And Nyanko was as silly as ever and made me laugh! But I would like to focus on the movie only characters! The red youkai was particularly interesting to me, and I honestly thought his personality was kinda cute. Mukuo was likeable, and hearing about his life made me feel for him. He was not the most interesting, but likeable nonetheless. I liked his clumsiness! Yorie was sweet, and i'm always a sucker for sweet elderly anime characters. I didn't really connect with her as much as I wanted, but she was good despite that. I loved the 3 Nyankos, the were utterly ADORABLE! It was nice seeing everyones interactions! Yuuki was also a character I found interesting, even if he didn't that big of a part. Enjoyment: 7 My overall enjoyment was a 7! Which for me, is good! It didn't connect with me as other stories from Natsume Yuujinchou did, but it was still very good! It did leave that heartwarming feeling that I wanted, but I think I expected for that feeling to be stronger. Thats not to say it was a bad movie, though. It was very good! Overall: 8 Overall, the movie is worth it to watch, especially if you are a Natsume fan like me! Hopefully my first review was helpful to some people! Thanks for reading!
PNR_13
06/22/2019, 10:09 AM
The movie is basically an arc equivalent to 3-4 episodes of the series.It starts with Natsume returning a name of a youkai from the yuujinchou which initiates a turn of events leading into the plot of the movie. The story leaves you with a fuzzy feeling like the original series does.The art though is better than the 6th season and the characters seem more clear than ever.The ED song is one of the most beautiful songs i have heard and would definitely give the AIMER EDs a run for their money. I truly enjoyed the movie and would definitely recommend to watch the movie to those whohave been following the anime.
Torridd
06/02/2019, 10:45 AM
This movie is essentially a longer Natsume Yuujinchou episode, with all the same flair albeit improved art and animation. It has a little bit of everything from the series and every character makes an appearance. If you enjoy Natsume Yuujinchou, you'll enjoy the movie too. If by some chance you haven't seen the series yet, watch it before watching this movie. I enjoyed it very much. Now, where's my 7th season? Because MAL is a butt and wants me to write a longer review, I just want to say that Nyanko-sensei is the most precious anime character to every exist. I want my very own Nyanko-sensei to holdand snuggle. Hopefully he doesn't drink all my beer though.

Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu 劇場版夏目友人帳～うつせみに結ぶ～

| Episodes: 1 | Score: 8.4 (29017)

Updated every at | Status: Finished Airing

Type: Movie

Producers:Aniplex

Synopsis

Voice Actors

Inoue, Kazuhiko

Kamiya, Hiroshi

Fujimura, Ayumi

News

Reviews

lamaraptor
01/19/2022, 05:58 PM
A really great story that follows typical trends set by the series so far. The movie is a slow start for long time fans as it spends a good 20 minutes re-establishing the setting as though you aren't already familiar with it. With that out of the way, though it goes into a unique story that blends a lot of different elements together. At first I thought the movie was trying to do too much and it was just throwing a bunch of new plot ideas at you for no reason but it actually did a decent job of tying it all back together inthe end. There's disappointingly no information of Natsume's grandparents that we didn't already know. I just checked the status of the manga after finishing this, wondering if I'd ever get answers, and I see that it's still ongoing at least as of late 2021. There's no sadder event than finding a long-running anime series and getting all the way to the end of it only to find that the manga it's based on isn't even finished. Sigh, that's just the nature of the industry I guess. I think there's a lot more narrative value in stories that have planned out definite beginnings middles and endings, but for stories like Natsume where the focus isn't necessarily the plot but simply the emotions and drama, then an episodic series that never really progresses is probably fine. I love stories with proper endings, and hate being strung along indefinitely on mysteries with no real answers, but I can still enjoy the series for what it is in it's current form. Maybe one day the manga will stop being popular/making money, which is the only way manga series end really, and then maybe they'll see fit to continue with an anime adaptation of that ending. For now this is chronologically as far as the series will go, so expect no conclusion to the Reiko storyline if that's what you were here for. Just enjoy another story about Natsume and his dealings with youkai or ayakashi depending on who did the subtitles 8/10
ShrinePriest
02/07/2021, 09:11 AM
I'm going to go against the grain and rate this move poorly compared to other people as well as compared to how I would rate the Natsume series overall. Spoilers below. This movie would have been a lot more effective if it had been reduced to one or two ~23 minute episodes. It was only about an hour into the film when the film finally decides to tell you what the film is actually about: Mukuo and Yorie. It's not super difficult to find ways to shorten this film. For instance, a putative episode could have opened up with Natsume's mom asking him to go to Gochou (sp?),Natsume and Nyanko-sensei going, Nyanko running off and visiting the tree and getting the seed, and Natsume meeting the woman who recognizes him, says he looks familiar, and him asking her if she knew Reiko. The film spent thirty minutes on the two trips to Gochou and some side material. This could have been reduced down to say ten minutes by combining the two trips into one, and cutting the other material that just waters down and distracts from what the plot is really about. And that's the problem with the film. Beyond the film taking so long to reveal what it's even about (Mukuo and Yorie), the film never actually gives Mukuo and Yorie the screen time they deserve. Instead, the film wastes its time with so much else that their importance gets pushed into the background. The film has a strong hook: a woman loses her son and a youkai mimics him and replaces him and the woman's memory of his death. And yet, never once did I cry during this film, because the film completely squanders its story. And consider the film's subtitle: Ephemeral Bonds. This theme isn't actually present in the film. This theme doesn't apply to Natsume's friends or family. You can argue the theme applies to Nyanko because Natsume misses being able to talk to Nyanko when he's split up. But that's a weak and unexplored theme in the film. At best the theme applies to Mukuo and Yorie, but again, they get so little screen time that the theme doesn't really do any work with them. It's not a shock to discover that this movie was an anime original story not written (albeit "supervised") by the original manga author.
WdaCdaShdaDid
03/21/2020, 06:41 AM
Basically it's a regular series episode that's a bit longer, with even better drawn environments, which is awesome. The story is pretty great, although I can't help but feel teased into thinking maybe we'd learn more about Natsume's grandfather in this - not by marketing materials, but by the plot. It's still lovely without it, but it's annoying that they keep doing that. It does the usual OVA thing where it has basically the entire cast show up and they aren't that important to the story at first, but it actually uses all of them in important story ways, which is unique. It also has theusual OVA infodumps like "here's what's going on in the plot right now", but quickly moves back to the story, which is good. I think the ending was overly drawn out, but overall, good story. Later seasons of the show are already clearly getting a budget increase, and the OVA clearly got some more. I think it was mainly used on environments, though. The characters look normal, and Nyanko sensei is almost laughably worse than usual. But at least the bushes look quite pretty! The music isn't markedly different from the series. I definitely heard familiar tunes, and they were used well. It helps better create the effect that this is just a longer regular episode. The new characters are lovely, although again, they feel built to tease us about Natsume's grandfather. That aside, there's some more great Reiko stuff, the Dog's Circle is ridiculous and lovely, Natsume's friends are great, Natori in particular has a great bit here, and the mini Nyanko senseis are cute. I was honestly expecting the same disaster of the first OVAs that starred Nyanko sensei, with the repeated footage and bad story, but I didn't see any of that. This gives me hope if they do this in the future. Great film!
GreatAide
08/22/2019, 12:48 AM
I'm going to save you from reading the usual fuzz that you can read in every other review ever on Natsume Yuujinchou. I mean, it's Natsume. You already know what Natsume Yuujinchou is. That brings me to the good thing about this movie, it doesn't do anything wrong. It's good because it's Natsume, and if you're thinking about watching this movie, chances are you've already watched the last SIX SEASONS (!!!) that precede it. By this point, you probably like Natsume and know what to expect. What you expect is exactly what you'll find in this movie: the good old usual Natsume Yuujinchou. Describing it asan arc you'd see from the show is perfectly accurate. That’s quite literally what it is, it's an arc in the form of a movie. It’s Natsume. If you're figuring out that Natsume isn't your type of thing after six seasons, I'd be concerned about the fact that you stuck around for so long lol On the other hand, this movie isn't anything particularly special either, and other than presenting a new story, it certainly doesn't bring anything new to the table. There are some anime movies from other franchises that are utterly elevated from their parent series because of multiple aspects (ex: Haruhi), but I can’t say the same here. I’m not going to say this lack thereof is a detriment, it’s just the lack of something newer and special. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with that, though!
BabyGirl06301
08/21/2019, 07:06 AM
Ah, it's nice to be back in the world of Natsume Yuujinchou. Legitimately, within the first few minutes of experiencing this lovely story, I just felt instantly relaxed and calm. I missed that feeling, so I'm glad I finally got to watch this movie. Every time I review something from Natsume, I feel like all I do is gush about the same things over and over, but it really is such a great anime series that it's hard not to give it praise for the things it does really well. For example, the art style in this anime has always been really interesting to me.I didn't really find it completely appealing at first since I'm so picky, but it's honestly the only art style this anime could ever have. The colors being dull yet colorful as they are, the character designs being simple and mundane, and the landscapes being expansive and entrancing are all reasons that this sort of art style works so well for a calming and magical anime such as Natsume. The story in this film specifically was very interesting. The whole film felt like a long episode of Natsume, which was great because all the little stories we got in this film were connected. The only bit of narrative that we didn't really get this go around was a more in depth look at Natsume's past and his mindset at the time of some of his harder encounters with people. That was something I really enjoyed about the most recent seasons of Natsume, and I was hoping that this movie would really delve into it, though the story we got was still pure Natsume, and I loved that. The one thing that I will always love above all else in this anime are the characters themselves. This story of the Book of Friends is able to open such a broad pathway for us, as viewers, to experience some really lovely narratives that-- while short-lived-- make us feel a multitude of emotions, almost as if we've spent a lifetime in them. This film was no different, and maybe even better since we got to spend a little more time here than we normally get to. It's always been really difficult for me to talk about Natsume Yuujinchou because there's not a whole lot TO say as it speaks for itself. It's a series that'll make everybody feel at peace and happy, but it's still got a wealth of depth and things to teach the people that watch it. The world, the stories, the people-- it's all so unique when it comes to Natsume's Book of Friends, and it's not something you'd regret getting into at all. I'm really looking forward to spending more time in this world, should the opportunity arise, and I'm glad I've gotten to spend so much time there already. This is definitely my go-to anime for a rainy day.
Hydra_no_Mago
06/24/2019, 11:25 PM
After a long wait, here it is, the subbed version of the movie we've all been waiting for. (Spoiler-free) • Story: (6/10) So many of Natsume Yuujinchou's stories have become rather repetitive over the years, not to say it does not pack a punch still. Anyone who watches it would be more than likely to guess the outcome of the story, yet when the end arrives it still leaves a bittersweet tang in its path, reminding viewers of the fugaciousness of life, be it human or yōkai. Although it did not bring on the full-on bawling earlier seasons did (refer especially to Natsume's past), the pacingand setup of the story was fairly good. The scriptwriters definitely did their best to keep the airy feeling of the Natsume Yuujinchou universe whilst bringing to fore the latest yōkai mishap. The flashbacks, though well-timed and elicited nostalgia, felt rather burdensome to those who have remembered the unfolding of events, and lends a sag to the plot. All in all, considering it's a slice-of-life anime, the plot is quite well done. • Art: (8/10) Compared to earlier seasons, the animation has definitely become smoother and its fluidity lends a sense of realism to the show. Expressions are well crafted though they sometimes seem without much variation, and can increase the emotional impact of the story. What I was personally amazed about this time were the beautiful drawings of scenery. With most of the story taking place in Gochou, the tranquil backgrounds of sunsets over fields, of flowers blooming vividly amongst greenery, of a lovingly worn bus stop, of sunlight dappling through leaves in a forest, etc. None of it is spared from a quiet beautification, so close to reality yet so far. Of course, the cuteness of Nyanko-Sensei this time around gives fans extra delight and would especially appeal to younger audiences (and the selling of merchandise). • Sound: (7/10) Nostalgia is the keystone, with soundtracks seen in almost every season. The background music still is extremely suitable to the situation, again emphasising tranquility and otherworldliness. Certain parts the music could have been lowered in relation to the dialogue, and sadly there were hardly to no new tracks, but overall it was a job well done. Uru's ending song brought tears to my eyes, more so when you relate it to the plot. It was a good pick in continuation with Natsume Yuujinchou's bittersweet image. The voice acting this round was outstanding as usual. Kamiya's soft-spoken Natsume radiates kindness and compassion while I imagine Inoue must have had a hard time voicing the very high-pitched Nyanko-Sensei. The supporting cast too continues a good job of portraying their characters without fault, and Koura's voice becomes the magnetic lynchpin of the movie's main yōkai. • Character: (8/10) As usual, all the original characters have already been well fleshed out so this is a continuation of their story. The character development in Natsume should be particularly noted, in that he now trusts his friends (Tanuma, Taki, the yōkai troupe, etc) without hesitation, that he cares so much for his family (Touko, Shigeru, Nyanko) and that although he has been hurt immensely, he can still forgive his former schoolmate with a smile on his face. New characters are also given a spotlight of their own; Mukuo's past is a parallelism to Natsume's and Yorie confiding about her thoughts to Natsume about Reiko marks a poignant chord in the movie. • Enjoyment: (8/10) While it may not have been an all out bawl, Natsume Yuujinchou: Utsusemi no Musubu highlights once again the ephemeral bonds of relationships, teaches us that we should cherish it while we still have the chance. If or when it is lost, rather than despair, we should continue holding tight to the memories of warmth left in our hearts, only then can we do them justice. • Overall: a solid (8/10)
Figendog
06/22/2019, 11:22 AM
At last, after almost 9 months from the original release, this movie was subtitled. This movie was honestly really cute, and really gave off that Natsume vibe! So, here I am with my very first review. The story: 8 The story was well executed and easy to follow. It was fun to see how all the different aspects that don't seem connected slowly intertwine to make one whole story. Now it wasn't anything mind boggling, but it still left me feeling warm on the inside when the story was over. Art: 8 The art for this movie is better than what we saw in season 6, even with season6 having much improved art compared to the very first season. It's great watching the art for this show get better over time! It was also consistent, and it didn't feel like there were too many short cuts, or still images. Although the style can be simple, it's still well animated. Sound: 9 I have always loved the soundtrack for this show. Whether it's the nostalgia, or the fact that I will easily listen to just about anything, I have always loved this shows soundtrack. The movie was no different and the soundtrack felt just like it always did. I also loved the song Remember by Usu at the end of the movie. A must listen! Character: 7 The characters were also quite good. Natsume was, well, Natsume. And Nyanko was as silly as ever and made me laugh! But I would like to focus on the movie only characters! The red youkai was particularly interesting to me, and I honestly thought his personality was kinda cute. Mukuo was likeable, and hearing about his life made me feel for him. He was not the most interesting, but likeable nonetheless. I liked his clumsiness! Yorie was sweet, and i'm always a sucker for sweet elderly anime characters. I didn't really connect with her as much as I wanted, but she was good despite that. I loved the 3 Nyankos, the were utterly ADORABLE! It was nice seeing everyones interactions! Yuuki was also a character I found interesting, even if he didn't that big of a part. Enjoyment: 7 My overall enjoyment was a 7! Which for me, is good! It didn't connect with me as other stories from Natsume Yuujinchou did, but it was still very good! It did leave that heartwarming feeling that I wanted, but I think I expected for that feeling to be stronger. Thats not to say it was a bad movie, though. It was very good! Overall: 8 Overall, the movie is worth it to watch, especially if you are a Natsume fan like me! Hopefully my first review was helpful to some people! Thanks for reading!
PNR_13
06/22/2019, 10:09 AM
The movie is basically an arc equivalent to 3-4 episodes of the series.It starts with Natsume returning a name of a youkai from the yuujinchou which initiates a turn of events leading into the plot of the movie. The story leaves you with a fuzzy feeling like the original series does.The art though is better than the 6th season and the characters seem more clear than ever.The ED song is one of the most beautiful songs i have heard and would definitely give the AIMER EDs a run for their money. I truly enjoyed the movie and would definitely recommend to watch the movie to those whohave been following the anime.
Torridd
06/02/2019, 10:45 AM
This movie is essentially a longer Natsume Yuujinchou episode, with all the same flair albeit improved art and animation. It has a little bit of everything from the series and every character makes an appearance. If you enjoy Natsume Yuujinchou, you'll enjoy the movie too. If by some chance you haven't seen the series yet, watch it before watching this movie. I enjoyed it very much. Now, where's my 7th season? Because MAL is a butt and wants me to write a longer review, I just want to say that Nyanko-sensei is the most precious anime character to every exist. I want my very own Nyanko-sensei to holdand snuggle. Hopefully he doesn't drink all my beer though.

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Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu 劇場版夏目友人帳～うつせみに結ぶ～

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Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu 劇場版 夏目友人帳 ～うつせみに結ぶ～

'Natsume Yuujinchou' Receives New Episodes for Spring 2021

North American Anime & Manga Releases for November

Winners of the Newtype Anime Awards 2019

'Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu' Announces New Cast Members

PV Collection for May 21 - 27

'Natsume Yuujinchou Movie' Announces Screening Details

TV Anime 'Natsume Yuujinchou' Gets Movie Adaptation

Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu 劇場版 夏目友人帳 ～うつせみに結ぶ～

'Natsume Yuujinchou' Receives New Episodes for Spring 2021

North American Anime & Manga Releases for November

Winners of the Newtype Anime Awards 2019

'Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu' Announces New Cast Members

PV Collection for May 21 - 27

'Natsume Yuujinchou Movie' Announces Screening Details

TV Anime 'Natsume Yuujinchou' Gets Movie Adaptation

Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu 劇場版夏目友人帳～うつせみに結ぶ～

Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu 劇場版夏目友人帳～うつせみに結ぶ～