Oh, how we've waited to see....you.....again!?
Summary:
Tanuma learns that the numerous yokai are attending a banquet, and meets back up with Madara before following them there. Disguised as a spirit, Tanuma is able to trick the Onizaru into freeing Natsume, before the two flee with the help of Natori in disguise. Madara meets with this group afterwards, taking the form of Reiko, as the group discovers that the mansion they are in will be harder to leave than they thought. Furthermore, they realize that the lower spirits have actually been lured to the banquet in order to be eaten by Omibashara. With only two options, to seal Omibashara before he regains strength or to find an exit, the group splits into two teams.
Madara and Tanuma come across the aftermath of one of Omibashara’s meals, and upon seeing it, Tanuma realizes why Natsume avoids speaking about his abilities to his friends and family. Tanuma senses a presence afterwards, but is attacked after following it. A stone given by Natori is able to protect him, but when Natsume finds an unconscious Tanuma, he starts to worry greatly about the trouble he has caused for him. With only one option left, Natsume agrees to help Natori seal Omibashara. This is successful, and with the help of Madara, the group is able to escape the mansion. After healing from the poison instilled in him, Tamuna wakes to the chance to ask Natsume for his true feelings. As Tanuma wonders if he had actually caused Natsume trouble by becoming involved, Natsume is only able to wonder himself if he would be able to take the path that Natori and Reiko had not. Natsume promises to meet Tanuma at school the next day, and returning home with Madara that night, the words Natori had spoken to him earlier resonate through his mind.
Just in case you forgot that the author was a woman...
Reaction:
Oh man! As soon as I heard that voice, I knew it was Natori! (Ishida Akira‘s voice is definitely one that has reached iconic levels, whether acting in the recent Mawaru Penguindrum or the classic Evangelion.) While this episode seemed to reuse a lot of elements from previous episodes, such as the “being trapped in a mansion” theme and Madara’s Reiko form, there was a lot offered in the form of character development for both Natsume and Tanuma. Definitely not something that’s never been done before, but I have to make a xxxHolic comparison here. Tanuma is clearly the Doumeki of this series, and Natsume’s worrying feelings are extremely close to those of the now heroic Watanuki. This of course isn’t a bad thing, as those themes of understanding and deep friendship were some of the strongest in xxxHolic, so Natsume’s ability to remind me of such things can only be seen as a strength.
Something could also be said about Madara’s suggestion that he can only seem to shapeshift into forms resembling Reiko or Natsume. Clearly there must have been a deeper relationship with the former than he seems to ever suggest, as there is a certain closeness he has with Natsume in the present. I can only beg that the series will expand on this in the future…even if we have to wait for the fourth or fifth season 
. The next episode seems to give some kind of hope for this though, as it seems like we’ll be dwelling into the past of Nanase of the Matoba clan. I assume that, like with Natori, we will be lead to gain some empathy for the differing philosophies of the exorcists in the series.
This post was written by...
Totali – who has written 25 posts on Sea Slugs! Anime Blog.
Subculture author gone freelance, I am a strong supporter of Love Power™! and community. I adore slice of life, dramas, and lovcoms all day! When I'm not writing about anime, I'm probably playing Street Fighter, studying language, or painting a pretty picture.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
in the manga, it is said that Reiko was a single mother. No one knew who the father of her daughter was @_@
Woah-ho-ho! I feel like this is opening pandora’s box or something! Reasoning for Natsume’s strong spiritual power maybe? Or are we looking into this too much?? Either way, this is the first I’ve heard of this, and it starts making me overly curious!
In one of the recent chapters (not even scan yet) one of Natsume’s relatives on his fathers side wanted to sell Natsume’s family home. He went back for one last look around and reminiscent for a bit.
Such a great two-parter! I realized it was Natori under that mask after he had said a few lines, and got extra-excited for the episode. :> Everything with Natsume and Tanuma was great too, and it was nice to see Nyanko-Reiko again. I’m dying to learn more about Reiko! She’s too cool.
I think Natsume Yuujinchou is an interesting series to compare to xxxHolic–they have similar premises, and there’s a similar feel regarding plot progression. And though the main characters have very different personalities, they both still have that deep concern for their friends.
How do you feel about a Madara/Natsume pairing? Sorry, but I did just go there. Because, I think I read a yaoi doujin with them and now I can’t see any other viable pairing for Natsume. And, yes. I know that’s not what the manga-ka intended when she decided to write/illustrate a manga devoid of romantic pairings. I know… But if you look at her other work, she even breeches the strange world of manga-incest-fetish-pairings (between twins). So, would it be so incredibly taboo for a malexmale relationship AND a humanxspirit relationship?
Maybe I’m a little warped, but I think it just became my favorite, most un-conventional pairing ever. If you’re like me, and you’ve been in the anime/manga loop for years and years and years…. Then you get kind of tired of the same old, same old. School girl/magical girl drama…. Gooey romance…. Bleh. Welcome to the N.H.K., Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, Usagi Drop…. At least those bring some spice to life. The furthest I think I can venture into shoujou anime is Kamisama Hajimemashita, Black Bird, Special A, and Sore de mo Machi wa Mawatteiru (or anything like Ouran High School Host Club)… But yeah… I feel like I’m running out of good stuff to watch. Can anyone help me out?
As a heterosexual male, I have a really hard time answering this! Not that I find it wrong or anything (We all watch anime right? I’ve seen weirder stuff.) As you’ve mentioned yourself, I don’t think Natsume is really a show that intends on pushing any of these types of pairings. But still, I guess it’s no different than hoping for a Natsume x Taki or Hinoe (for some reason).
As far as anime burn out, that’s a feeling I know all too well. And actually, it’s only been recently that I’ve started to watch anime on a regular basis again. After so much, one definitely starts to feel jaded. Still, some of the anime you listed have been on my favorites list for quite some time. It would be hard to make any solid suggestions without really knowing your taste, especially since it varies from mine or anybody else’s, but maybe you could start by researching shows that are related to the ones you like? When you’re in the hobby this far, turning it into a science isn’t too uncommon. I guess the most I could help would be to give some suggestions of what I would watch, but that would be too difficult, so I’ll leave my list based on ratings here instead: http://myanimelist.net/animelist/Totali&status=2&show=0&order=4
I dunno how much that will help you, but if it can help you enjoy the hobby any more, I’ll be glad.
there was a lot offered in the form of character development for both Natsume and Tanuma
So good, if rather upsetting, how they conveyed Natsume’s guilt and panic re: what happened to Tanuma. Clearly, even this far in the series as a whole, Natsume’s decision to continue trying to find a middle ground between the human and youkai worlds is not an easy one, as we see when he considers uprooting himdelf and moving again, a theme that was further highlighted in th recent flashback episode from that other female character’s POV. The next episode defo looks interesting, hopefully we might see a chibi Reiko too.. *crosses fingers*