The BEST seasons of Natsume's Book of Friends

Every season of Natsume's Book of Friends ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Natsume's Book of Friends!

Natsume Takashi has the ability to see spirits, which he has long kept secret. However, once he inherits a strange book that belonged to his deceased grandmother, Reiko, he discovers the reason why spirits surround him. Containing the names of these spirits, a binding contract was formed between the spirits and the owner of the book. Now, Natsume is determined to free the spirits and dissolve the contracts. With the help of a spirit cat, his days are filled trying to return the names to these spirits.

Last Updated: 2/3/2024Network: TV TokyoStatus: Ended
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Natsume Yujin-cho Shi
star
8.61
44 votes

#1 - Natsume Yujin-cho Shi

First Aired 1/2/2012

Takashi Natsume, the timid youkai expert and master of the Book of Friends, continues his journey towards self-understanding and acceptance with the help of friends both new and old. His most important ally is still his gluttonous and sake-loving bodyguard, the arrogant but fiercely protective wolf spirit Madara—or Nyanko-sensei, as Madara is called when in his usual disguise of an unassuming, pudgy cat. Natsume, while briefly separated from Nyanko-sensei, is ambushed and kidnapped by a strange group of masked, monkey-like youkai, who have spirited him away to their forest as they desperately search for the Book of Friends. Realizing that his "servant" has been taken out from right under his nose, Nyanko-sensei enlists the help of Natsume's youkai friends and mounts a rescue operation. However, the forest of the monkey spirits holds many dangerous enemies, including the Matoba Clan, Natsume's old nemesis.

Natsume Yujin-cho Roku
star
8.59
22 votes

#2 - Natsume Yujin-cho Roku

First Aired 4/11/2017

Precious days with kinds friends. A beautiful yet fleeting story about people and spirits. Natsume Takashi had been able to see youkai ever since he was young and inherited his grandmother Reiko’s Book of Friends. He spends his days with his self-proclaimed bodyguard Nyanko-sensei and freeing the youkai that were bound to the book. Natsume continues to find ways to protect the precious days where he tries to find which path to follow through his connections with spirits and those involved with them and being helped out by friends who share the same feelings.

Natsume Yujin-cho San
star
8.56
50 votes

#3 - Natsume Yujin-cho San

First Aired 7/4/2011

Natsume Yuujinchou San follows Takashi Natsume, a boy who is able to see youkai. Natsume and his bodyguard Madara, nicknamed Nyanko-sensei, continue on their quest to release youkai from their contracts in the "Book of Friends." Natsume comes to terms with his ability to see youkai and stops thinking of it as a curse. As he spends more time with his human and youkai friends, he realizes how much he values them both and decides he doesn't have to choose between the spirit and human worlds to be happy.

Zoku Natsume Yujin-cho
star
8.44
54 votes

#4 - Zoku Natsume Yujin-cho

First Aired 1/5/2009

As with its prequel, Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou is about Takashi Natsume, a boy who has had the ability to see youkai since he was young, and his bodyguard youkai Madara, nicknamed Nyanko-sensei. Natsume attempts to return names written in his "Book of Friends" (which he inherited from his grandmother Reiko) to youkai in his village. Throughout these adventures, he meets some youkai that are friendly, some that want to steal the Book, and some that want to kill him, as Natsume learns about himself and his relationship with these mysterious beings along the way.

Natsume Yujin-cho Go
star
8.41
29 votes

#5 - Natsume Yujin-cho Go

First Aired 10/3/2016

Takashi Natsume is a boy who's been able to see youkai ever since he was a child. Ever since he inherited the "Book of Friends" from his grandmother Reiko, he and his self-proclaimed bodyguard Nyanko-sensei have spent their days returning names to the youkai who are bound by the book. As he meets the different youkai and people, he finds himself with many more things that he cares about. He wonders whether it's right to keep secrets to protect someone as little by little he works up the courage to build even more friendships.

Natsume Yujin-cho
star
8.03
78 votes

#6 - Natsume Yujin-cho

First Aired 7/7/2008

Natsume is lonely; he has an ability that separates him from others: he can see and interact with spirits. Soon, however, Natsume discovers that he’s not alone: his grandmother Reiko also had the gift. But things get hectic and possibly dangerous for Natsume when he finds out that he also inherited the 'Book of Friends', a book that contains the names of all the spirits Reiko defeated and subjugated. He finds himself hounded by his grandmother's underlings and, with the help of a 'cat' charm spirit, decides to free them from the Book's shackles, as well as protect the book from those who seek to misuse its power...