The WORST episodes of Natsume's Book of Friends
Every episode of Natsume's Book of Friends ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes 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.
#1 - The Cat and the Book of Friends
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/7/2008
Natsume discovers that the heirloom "Book of Friends" that his grandmother, Reiko, gave him possesses the names of the spirits she defeated and bound to her will. Assisted by a cat whom Natsume addresses as Nyanko-Sensei (lit. Master Little Meow), Natsume aims to return all of the names to their rightful owners.
#2 - The Dew God's Small Shrine
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/14/2008
Natsume is visited by the village's local god who is currently fading because of the lack of devotees.
#3 - Heart-Colored Ticket
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/4/2008
Natsume comes across an old ticket in Reiko's belongings and decides to go to the abandoned train station to see why she kept it. There, he meets a slow witted spirit named Santo, who was waiting for Reiko the entire time to go Kiriganuma, to see and make up with his friend, Mikuri, but the trip isn't as easy as it first seems...
#4 - The Mysterious Person at the Eight Fields
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/21/2008
Natsume is implored to help spirits who are currently being exorcised. He finds a kindred spirit in Tanuma, a boy who also senses spirits although not as powerful as Natsume.
#5 - Nyanko's Book of Boredom
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 9/15/2008
When Natsume finally has enough of Nyanko's behavior Nyanko leaves, wandering about by himself and causing trouble.
#6 - Shigure and the Girl
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 7/28/2008
Natsume's secret is found out by Sasada, the class president, during the "Trial of Courage." She asks for his help to find the spirit that lives in the abandoned school. Natsume denies the fact that he can see anything, but she won't take no for an answer. Meanwhile, the spirit, Shigure, captures the rest of their school mates, in fury of the school being torn down...
#7 - Autumn Banquet
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 9/29/2008
Tanuma finds out Nyanko-Sensei is a spirit. Tanuma and Natsume enjoy the autumn festival and previous acquaintances are seen again.
#8 - When I Was Deceived
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/21/2012
Natsume is walking home one day when he's accosted by a flying Tengu, who lifts him up into the sky! Meanwhile, Nyanko-sensei is stuck in a well, where Nanase tells him a story about how she learned to never get close to a youkai.
#9 - Distant Festival Lights
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/23/2016
Natsume and his friends go to a distant hot springs to help with the renovations. When he arrives, he meets an old friend of Tanumas, but he quickly gets caught up in local youkai trouble. Tanuma's old friend is actually a youkai, and she threatens terrible things if Natsume reveals her secret.
#10 - The Broken Mirror
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 9/6/2011
After a brief incident in the forest, Tanuma has become distant to Natsume like he is avoiding something. In the meantime, there is something breaking glass around the school.
#11 - Asagi's Koto
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 9/8/2008
Natsume is possessed by a sick koto player, whose friend wants her to be able to play one last time.
#12 - A World Unbent
Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/30/2016
Natori's family has always been exorcists... until they lost the abililty to see youkai. After generations of fearing the youkai's revenge, Natori is suddenly born with the ability to see them. His family doesnt want anything to do with his powers, though, and he's left to figure out how to live on his own. His life changes when he meets a young Matoba at an exorcist gathering, and the two of them end up hunting a powerful youkai together...
#13 - Soundless Valley
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/2016
While out on an errand for Touko-san, Natsume is caught by two hairy-ball youkai, who influence him with dark energy and make him unable to speak. He is rescued by a bird-like youkai name Hidaka, who takes him to her "nest" in an abandoned valley.
#14 - The Letter From the Exorcist
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/19/2016
Natsume receives a letter from Matoba, an exorcist whom he's had unpleasant dealings with in the past. The world of exorcists is a dangerous place lately, and Matoba wants Natsume's help. Natsume wants to refuse, but Matoba threatens to reveal Natsume's powers to his adopted family, which would spell the end of his peaceful life.
#15 - Ayakashi Purification
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/1/2008
Natsume meets a popular actor named Natori Shuuichi who can also see spirits, and has a side job as an exorcist.
#16 - What the Mirror Shows
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 9/13/2011
Tanuma is experiencing how Natsume lives every day. While Natsume and the youkai gain an understanding.
#17 - Exorcist
Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 8/16/2011
Natsume finds out who's been stealing the youkai blood: the exorcist Matoba Seiji. He investigates with the help of Natori, but is captured by Matoba's servant youkai. Matoba is willing to sacrifice any number of youkai for his own ambitions. He tells Natsume why he's gathering blood: to release the seal on a powerful youkai. Natsume learns that there are people who treat Youkai in a totally different way than he or even Natori.
#18 - What Flows
Season 6 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/7/2017
Natsume travels to an inn for a study session with the rest of his class. While he's there, a flood washes away a local shrine. The shrine is said to house three masks, but Natsume can see four...
#19 - Shadow of Linked Chains
Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/26/2016
Natsume arrives at the exorcist meeting to help smoke out the youkai that Matoba wants to find. But he quickly discovers that the situation is more complicated than it first seemed. The youkai is capable of replicating itself to possess targets, and no one but Natsume is able to see who is possessed. Natsume and Nyanko-sensei search the halls, still unsure if they even want to be there.
#20 - Natsume Captured
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/3/2012
Natsume is jumped by a group of Youkai trying to steal the Book of Friends for their master. Once captured, Natsume discovers that an old problem is back in a big way.
#21 - The Swallow at the Water Bottom
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/11/2008
Natsume gets possessed by a swallow spirit, who wishes to meet a human that helped her before. Natsume agrees to help her and the two grow attached. When Swallow finds the human, Natsume feels bad that she can't actually meet him, but when of he hears of a kimono that can turn a spirit human for a day, he strives to find it...
#22 - The Moon-Splitting Festival
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/28/2012
Every 10 years the followers of Houdzuigami and Fudzukigami have a battle to determine the fate of the land. Natsume is approached by the followers of Houdzukigami to act as their missing god. Natori has been given the job of finding the missing god or seal Fuduzkigami before he wins.
#23 - Gomochi's Benefactor
Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/24/2017
Natsume meets a youkai named Gomochi, who has come in search of Reiko. The youkai has a message for Reiko, and wants to thank her for a favor she did him long ago. In hearing his story, Natsume comes to learn more about his mysterious grandmother.
#24 - The Young Boy in the Empty House
Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/24/2009
At a house rumored to be haunted by ghosts, Natsume hears the voice of a child. Following the voice to its source, Natsume finds a child named Kai, who is trapped in a casket-like box. Kai tells Natsume that he someone is chasing him every day.
#25 - Nishimura and Kitamoto
Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/17/2017
Natsume's friends reflect on how they met him, and the difference he made in their lives. He's found a home, and he means a lot to the people who live there.