Natsume Yuujinchou
San
Living through these meaningless days, I let out a sign
I've lost sight of my true self
Even if I strain my ears I can't hear your voice
So I keep walking trying to catch up
The things I couldn't tell you form into a chrysalis over time
Spreading wings, they take flight
The one, the one precious thing I'll never forget
Someday, that warm emotion
I'll do what little I can
Little by little, to get through to you
Look at that.
Yatsuhara looks like a sea of light.
Forget that,
let's just go home so you can gimme those dumplings, Natsume!
You do nothing but eat, Master.
What's that?
I like it!
It smells great.
I really like it!
We're under attack by some kind of white pig!
What did you say, you punks? I'll eat you!
Stop it, Master.
Oh, it's Natsume and the Pig Cat!
Pig cat! Pig cat!
I mean, Mr. Madara.
Oh, did you bring us snacks?
How nice.
Not for you!
If you guys make too much noise, that priest will purify you again.
Actually, we haven't heard him chant any sutras for the past few days.
I wonder if he's dead?
He's dead! He's dead!
Did something happen to Tanuma's dad?
Ukihara Village
Tanuma is one of the few people who knows I can see demons,
and a close friend of mine.
Hey, Natsume, Nishimura.
Got gym next?
Yeah.
We've got a marathon.
Oh, Tanuma.
No, it's nothing.
See you.
Yeah, see you.
He says that sometimes he can feel a demon's presence,
or see them vaguely, like shadows.
So, you left without asking him anything?
I didn't know how to ask him.
Why's that?
He knows you can see demons.
I just thought that if his dad were sick or something,
I shouldn't talk about it with other people.
What are you on about?
Well...
I don't really know if it's appropriate
for me to intrude on someone else's family.
Like I'd know!
Yeah, that's right.
When I was young,
I never had any friends who I could talk about family with.
So I don't know how to act at times like these.
I'm back.
Well, I guess nobody's here.
My name...
Natsume of the Book of Friends...
You want your name back?
Sorry, but I'm heading to school.
Can we do it later?
Tanuma!
What, you're worried about my dad?
They said they haven't heard any sutras lately.
He's helping out with a ceremony at the main temple,
so he's gone for the month.
It's like a business trip. He does that sometimes.
I see. I'm glad to hear that.
You were worried?
Thanks.
No, it's nothing.
So, you're alone now?
That must be hard.
Not really.
It's nice and quiet.
Is something wrong?
No, it's nothing.
I'll be going.
See you tomorrow.
See you.
You again?
Return my name.
I guess it'll be okay here.
That which shields me, reveal thy name.
Natsume!
What are you standing around for?
I don't have her name?
A spirit?
You were going to give back another name?!
Yeah.
You fool!
If you keep giving their names back,
the Book of Friends is going to be empty by the time I get it!
Oh, the beef bowl blues!
This is a problem.
Just when we were happy over the priest's absence, something like this has to happen?
When will peace come to Yatsuhara?
It's the white pig again!
Oh, Mr. Madara.
What's got you wimps all riled up?
Well, you see, he seems to have revived.
He?
Do you remember that one spirit
who came and started spreading a miasma everywhere?
Yeah, I guess I do, kinda.
Weaker spirits fell sick just from coming in contact with it.
It was a big problem.
A problem. A problem.
From what I've heard, Natsume Reiko stole his name,
and then he went to the mountain and fell asleep.
Reiko did?
That girl's always so cruel.
We saw his miasma again.
Actually, you see, he's...
I'm sorry about yesterday,
Natsume of the Book of Friends.
Is your name not in the Book of Friends?
Yes.
I didn't mean my name.
I meant my brother's name.
Brother?
My brother is from Ukihara village.
Ukihara village?
Ukihara village is a legendary village that humans can't see.
Why would somebody from there come here?
I don't know,
but he said that he had been on a journey for many years
looking for a way to return to his home.
In Ukihara village,
beautiful flowers bloom all year round,
and the voices of the birds never cease.
It normally has no contact with this world,
but sometimes during festivals, a bridge connects the two.
My brother and I were tempted by a festival dance,
and we came to this world accidentally.
My brother and I went on a journey to find the entrance to Ukihara village.
We traveled for years, and years...
Eventually my brother fell sick,
and began to give off a miasma.
I was hurt by it and heavily weakened.
My brother saw this
and left me in a holy tree on a certain mountain,
and then went off somewhere by himself.
After that, I recovered due to the spiritual energy of the holy tree,
and followed the rumors about my brother to this place.
I've heard from the local spirits that my brother had his name stolen by you, Natsume,
and has since vanished.
So you came to me because I have the Book of Friends.
But it was my grandmother who took his name, not me.
I don't know what he looks like,
so I can't even call him.
I see.
Then, since I know his face,
I could call him, right?
I guess...
Then...
give me the Book of Friends!
Stop!
Lord Natsume.
Misuzu!
I felt the presence of a spirit here.
You saved me.
I just happened to pass by.
Several of the weaker spirits have been eaten in this riverbed,
so I was looking for the culprit.
Oh, if it isn't Misuzu!
Madara, it's not you, is it?
The one who's been eating the weaker spirits in my territory.
What?
Don't you dare accuse me like that!
I'm a gourmet,
so I wouldn't settle for eating wimps!
Could those two be...
So, it's the one who hides in that mountain?
He's the brother of the spirit you met.
He appeared near Tanuma's house, didn't he?
Since the priest is gone,
he's started to wander around the temple grounds.
Tanuma...
Where? Where is it?
I will take... Natsume...
Natsume?
Hey!
Are you looking for something?
I'll make you regret it if you do anything to Natsume!
Rust?
Happara Temple Complex Map
An old map of the temple?
Tanuma went home early?
Yeah. He was here this morning,
but he left early because he said he had a bad headache.
A headache...
No way...
He must've been affected by that demon's miasma.
What a wimp.
I'm worried about him. Let's hurry!
Roger!
He's not home? Is he at the hospital?
Natsume, I can feel a spirit around here.
This is...
Uh... is this a map of the temple?
It's small now, but it used to be much bigger.
They held a festival and a shrine dance at this temple every year.
A shrine dance?
Sometimes a shrine dance
would open the door to the other world.
Temple of Music and Dance
I see, the building for the shrine dance was right here.
That's at the end of Yatsuhara.
Huh?
Tanuma?
What's wrong?
No... nothing, really.
Your dad's gone right now, right?
It's gotta be tough to be sick when you're alone.
Sorry, I didn't want to stay home.
Don't worry about it.
Natsume was really worried when he heard you collapsed.
This way?
Hey, Master Nyanko?
Hey!
He's been hit by the miasma.
Let him sleep it off over there.
Are you all right, Master?
Don't treat me like those wimps!
Let's hurry.
This feels bad.
He's close, Natsume.
Yeah.
Wait!
Natsume?
Natsume... Reiko?
Reiko?
No, I'm...
I see.
Reiko is gone.
I know that my blood is hurting the spirits around me.
I'm sorry for that.
But the entrance to Ukihara Village
responds to the blood of its villagers.
So that's why you hurt yourself...
But it seems that I don't need to do that anymore.
What's wrong?
Are you giving up already?
A demon who calls herself your sister is looking for you.
No, that's impossible.
My sister died ages ago.
It was my fault.
The sound of the shrine dance tempted me to take her out of the village,
and she died soon after in this unknown land.
After that, I wandered alone.
After I'd given up on returning to my village,
I met Reiko.
That's when you got your ass kicked?
It was a meaningless battle,
but I lost and gave her my name.
But Reiko died without ever calling my name.
So I went to the mountain, found a cave, and slept.
A long time must have passed.
When I awoke,
the old, abandoned temple had been rebuilt.
Tanuma and his father moved in.
For a while, I couldn't get close,
but I haven't felt the priest's presence for the last few days,
so I decided to go see.
And you found the old map there?
I came here because I heard a rumor
that the door once opened here.
That was probably at the remains of this building.
Must've been a fire.
If the building was still here, it might work, but as it is...
Then, that other demon...
It was probably a demon named Sagume, who was banished from Ukihara Village.
She probably thinks that if she follows me,
she'll be able to return to the village someday.
I see.
So that's why she was after the Book of Friends.
She was going to use you to open the door to the village.
Was she the one eating those weak spirits that Misuzu was talking about?
We should give you your name back before she comes after the Book of Friends again.
In Reiko's place...
That which shields me, reveal thy name.
I return this to you, Kanawa.
Please take it.
Banished simply for breaking a flower stem...
how unfair!
The blood of a criminal will not open the door.
I hate them.
I don't need the Book of Friends, kid.
I'll take his blood instead!
The trees that grew on the remains of the building
are responding to his blood!
The door will open!
I can go home!
I wanted to show this sight to Reiko.
His body is rusted.
What a bother.
You're not even going to greet me? I was here first.
You can see me?
You're the one the other demons were talking about.
Aren't you scared of me?
I'm strong.
So your village is that great, huh?
Yes, it's a very beautiful place.
But you've given up?
On going home?
With my body like this, I wouldn't last long even if I did return.
Now I simply wander, looking for a place to waste away.
Hey, want to have a match with me?
Rock, paper, scissors!
That hurt.
Rock, paper, scissors!
That hurt.
Rock, paper, scissors!
That hurt.
Great! I win.
Now, you're my servant.
Write your name here, please.
Listen, when you find it, tell me, okay?
The entrance to your village, that is.
I want to see it too.
If there's a beautiful world like that.
Then, will you come with me?
If you dislike people so much,
then come with me to Ukihara village.
Will you come with me, Natsume,
grandson of Reiko?
No, Kanawa. This place is what's important to me.
I see.
You seem to have good human friends, too.
Natsume!
Tanuma? Where were you?
I heard you collapsed, so I was worried.
Sorry. Actually, there was this weird demon in my house.
He's gone now.
You got rid of it?
No, he went back to his village.
He wasn't dangerous?
He wasn't an evil spirit.
I see. I'm glad.
I wasn't sure whether to tell you or not.
I thought I'd be involving you.
But I should've told you earlier.
Tanuma...
Lining up the sparks of warmth I've lost one by one
Coming to the rainbow-colored pieces of you
I crack a smile
Not even knowing how to make memories
Even when we took things too fast
We were only going with the flow
No matter where I go, even after this darkness
How many times must I say goodbye?
Shining with the flame of a young heart
Those faraway pieces of you
Next time on
False Friend
Natsume Yuujinchou
There are some things you don't want other people to know.
You're Natsume, right?
The one who lied about seeing monsters.
How did you-
Bratty kid.
Maybe I'll eat him.
I remembered you when I met him.