Natsume Yuujinchou
Takashi-kun, it's lunchtime!
Okay!
Would you get the letter in the living room?
Okay!
That must be it.
Jeez...
Lately all kinds of youkai are getting in, Nyanko-sensei.
Don't blame me.
It's your own fault, idiot.
You pay attention to them,
so the rumors have spread and more youkai have come to see.
Jeez, it's not worth it for me.
Give me more meat buns!
When you don't give me meat buns, I'm on strike!
Meat bun strike!
Say that once you've done enough work
that I feel like giving you a meat bun.
What?!
A froggie.
It's warm, so he must've thought it was spring.
The fool.
Let's catch it, Natsume!
Wait, wait!
Oh, jeez...
The wind is getting softer.
It's almost spring.
The Moon-Splitting Festival
Hey, that's him.
That must be Natsume-sama!
What do we do?
What else?
Let's talk to him.
I hear youkai...
But will he listen to us?
That's true.
Then let's catch him!
Hey, wait!
I'll listen to what you have to say, so calm down!
Natsume-sama, prepare yourself!
Natsume-sama!
Nyanko-sensei!
Natsume-sama, please wait.
There's something we want to ask of you.
It's been a long time.
What is it?
I'm happy you've come to see me.
And cut.
Thank you, everyone!
We're done shooting for today.
Um, Natori-san.
I'm honored I was able to work with you.
Excuse me.
There was a flower petal in your hair.
It was an honor for me as well.
Goodbye.
Did you see that mysterious smile?
I just don't know if he's a playboy or innocent!
The way he seems kind of suspicious is wonderful!
But where did that flower petal come from?
10:00 Blade-Washing Hill
Natori, thanks for coming.
It's been a long time.
I'll get right to the point: I have a job for you.
A landlord in Misumi has come to me,
saying a youkai is troubling him.
Have you heard of the Moon-Splitting Festival?
No.
It's the same kind of festival to pray for good harvests that you could find anywhere.
The villagers stage a mock battle between Houdzuki-gami, the god of the harvest moon
and Fudzuki-gami, the god of the absent moon, the two opposing gods.
The festival was held once every ten years.
Blade-Washing Hill
Come to think of it, I've heard
that it's an old festival, and no longer held.
Correct.
However, the youkai have taken a liking to it.
The two gods get together and hold combat every ten years.
This year, it's time for the festival again.
How very strange.
You're not taking it very seriously.
I told you, it's a festival for good harvests.
If Fudzuki wins, Mt. Misumi will dry up.
There's no way to tell who will win the battle.
If the battle happens, then that's just the way it is, but...
Normally, the mountain youkai all get excited for the battle,
but something's wrong this year.
Houdzuki is nowhere to be found.
My investigations reveal that some exorcist
has sealed him away somewhere as a monster.
They never stop to think...
If Houdzuki does not participate, and Fudzuki wins by default,
Misumi will become a barren land, devoid of grass, for the next ten years.
So, Natori,
I want you to find Houdzuki-sama before the festival ends.
I understand.
When is the festival?
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow...
Huh? Tomorrow?!
If you can't find him in time,
feel free to take drastic measures.
Mt. Misumi
Well, I'm here, but what do I do?
You guys go gather information from the local youkai.
I'll go to Misumigahara, where the festival is held.
We cannot leave the master alone.
Hiiragi, you protect him.
Yes.
I'm fine. Go.
I told you to go.
But...
Can you not obey my orders?
Bow down!
Fudzuki-sama!
That's Fudzuki-sama and his men!
It's Fudzuki-sama!
Fudzuki-sama!
So that's Fudzuki.
This is bad.
It's only a matter of time
until they find out that Houdzuki-gami is missing.
This is the first time I've seen them in ten years.
They're always so beautiful.
When both gods arrive at Misumigahara, the festival begins.
I don't see Houdzuki-sama.
I'm worried.
Don't worry.
I'm told he'll be here.
Was Houduzki not actually sealed?
Look at that!
Houdzuki-sama is here.
It's Houdzuki-sama!
Houdzuki-sama!
How beautiful!
So beautiful...
A coronet of peonies and a dear-horn mask...
It's Houdzuki-sama...
That's Houdzuki?
Bow down!
Hiiragi...
Yes.
I just saw a youkai that looks just like Natsume...
No, that was Natsume.
The pig-cat was there, too.
I have to ask what's going on.
Are you an exorcist?
What if I am?
We won't let you stop Houdzuki-sama!
The servants of Houdzuki-gami are here.
What are you doing here?
Stop!
No matter what tricks you may play,
our Fudzuki-sama shall win!
I heard rumors that Houdzuki-sama hasn't shown himself, yet.
You don't think he got bored of you and this mountain, and ran?
What?
Houdzuki-sama would never do that!
That's right!
He's busy with preparations, I'm sure!
We just saw his procession!
Guys!
You sure you didn't mistake him for someone else?
How insolent!
Begone!
Shut up!
Houdzuki has run away.
If he's here, show him to us.
I can't have you causing problems here.
Don't worry.
Houdzuki is here.
Houdzuki-sama! Houdzuki-sama...
Black robes, return and await the beginning of the festival.
Natsume Yuujinchou
Good...
They didn't find out.
A splendid bluff, Natsume-sama.
Natori-san?
Well, hello again.
What are you doing out here?
That's what I want to know!
What are you doing out here in that elaborate outfit?
I'm not wearing this thing because I want to!
Um, Houdzuki-sama, do you know this exorcist?
I see.
So the white hats asked you to take the place of Houdzuki-gami.
Yes.
Isn't that round thing supposed to be your bodyguard?
You idiot!
How easy do you think it is to watch
over somebody who moves around all the time!
And there's a spring here which flows with delicious sake.
I'm not letting it dry up.
It's true that it's not only the youkai
that don't want this mountain to dry up.
I want to try.
Natori-san, would you help me?
I'd love to.
I'm glad.
Honestly, I was really unsure about doing this myself.
Let me be clear about this.
I didn't come here just to undo Houdzuki's seal.
I have to protect this mountain for humans.
If I can't find Houdzuki, and Fudzuki wins,
then I must exorcise him.
Same goes for if you're put in danger.
Natori-san...
I have to ask them the details about Houdzuki-gami.
Natsume.
Hiiragi?
I feel like you've gotten softer somehow.
Will Natori ever become like that?
The festival is starting.
Come, come, Natsume-sama.
No, Houdzuki-sama...
Get on your palanquin.
Come to think of it, what do we do in this battle?
We haven't been told, either.
Sometimes it's a race,
sometimes you hunt for something.
A divination is performed each time to determine it.
That's not good.
How am I supposed to get ready?
That's right.
Thinking about it won't help.
Come, Houdzuki-sama.
Let us go.
Take care of Natori-san.
Yes.
Make sure you don't slack off, pig-cat.
Yeah.
What?
Okay, let's go.
Bow down!
Houdzuki-sama is here!
If you don't want him sealed away,
you'd better work hard.
If you're not ready for that,
then you won't be able to pull it off.
Bow down! Bow down!
It's Houdzuki-sama!
Houdzuki-sama is here!
If they find out I'm human while I'm out here...
will Natori-san and his youkai be okay?
What do you think, Sensei?
Look, there's a round piglet on Houdzuki-sama's lap.
What is that strange, white, mochi-like animal?
Houdzuki-sama must be impressive indeed
to master such a beast.
Natsume-sama, over there.
Fudzuki-sama and his black robes.
You're late, white hats!
Get over here!
Not after what just happened.
You're too dangerous for us to get near you.
What?
I thank both gods for coming to Mt. Misumi.
This battle will decide who rules the mountain.
The divination has decided the nature of this battle:
hunting.
Hunting?
The first to catch the beast
that comes out of this pot will be the winner.
Are you both ready?
It's time for the Moon-Splitting Festival to begin!
It begins.
Follow Fudzuki-sama!
We won't lose, Houdzuki-gami!
Fudzuki-sama and his group have gone on ahead!
Look!
They're as fast as the wind.
I couldn't even see what came out of the pot.
Houdzuki-sama.
Right!
Let's go!
This is hopeless.
I'm sorry.
I wasn't any help.
No, if you hadn't done this,
we would have lost when the bell sounded.
We'll find the beast somehow.
You look for Houdzuki-sama.
Right, I understand.
Is Natsume safe?
I hope he isn't doing anything stupid.
That's it.
First, let's go see where he was sealed.
Something's there.
A monster!
What's wrong, Nyanko-sensei?
Natsume?
Natori-san.
So you're chasing a beast that looks like a dragon...
Again, Natsume?
I'm sorry...
I don't know how much the white hats can do on their own.
Fudzuki-sama has the advantage now.
I suppose he does.
Did I imagine it?
Natori-san seems hesitant about sealing away Fudzuki-gami.
No.
It doesn't matter if it's my imagination.
Natori-san, it's not just the white hats.
We have Sensei and Hiiragi, too.
We have to find him, no matter what.
If we work together, not alone, we might be able to do it.
Natsume...
Get back, Natsume!
Master!
Stop!
Natsume!
Hiiragi!
Natsume-sama!
Natsume!
I almost died.
Hiiragi, are you okay?
Yes.
You're tougher than you look.
What happened to the beast?
It ran away after it knocked you off the ledge.
I see.
We need to get back there.
I'm worried about them.
But you're hurt.
I'm fine.
We need to hurry.
Calm down, Natsume.
Natori knows how to protect himself,
and the pig-cat is there as well.
First, you need to compose yourself.
Show me your arm.
This charm will protect you, a little.
It will repel the fangs of a youkai, once.
Normally I'd write it on your heart, but...
Thank you.
Then let's do you, too.
Does it work if I write it on a youkai?
Probably.
Then hurry.
Let's go.
If we follow the river back up, we should find them.
I'm sure they're coming down it, too.
Impossible...
The request itself was impossible to complete in time.
I believe that the search for Houdzuki is a pretense,
and the real request was to seal away Fudzuki.
I believe Natori was assigned the terrifying task
of sealing away a god,
in order to remove a threat that returns every ten years.
Sealing a god?
Then that makes this even more important.
We need to do everything we can!
We drifted really far.
If we don't hurry, the black robes will find it first.
The black robes?
Hiiragi!
Natsume?
The trap triggered!
Did we catch the beast?
Let us call Fudzuki-sama!
No, wait.
It's not the beast.
That's...
No!
It's Houdzuki-sama!
What? What have we done?
Wait. Something's strange.
Is that really Houdzuki-sama?
The deer horn mask...
it must be him.
No, I smell a child of man, faintly.
A child of man?
It can't be...
Is a human trying to deceive us?
The God, Enshrined
Natsume Yuujinchou
Are you really Houdzuki?
They found us!
Is this the end?
Wake up, Natsume!
We're finding Houdzuki!
That's right.
With Sensei and Natori-san, plus his youkai,
we can do this!
You can pay me back in meat buns!
Watch us next time!
Ooh, a froggie!