Omohide.com

Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou is the sequel to the original 13-episode series, but it’s really more of a simple continuation.  The manga is ongoing and the first series adapted the story up to a certain point, and this sequel goes on adapting more material.  However, the manga isn’t complete, so the ending of this sequel is still open ended without any solid conclusions.  Since Zoku Natsume treads much of the same ground that the original did, reading my review of the first season should give a general idea of what to expect.  Thus I will talk mostly about what’s different in this sequel in my review.

The first season was episodic, with each installment covering a different story of varying emotions.  Zoku Natsume retains this to a certain degree, except that there are now two or three two-episode arcs, and the side characters begin to play a more significant role in the series.  Some people will like this change, while others who preferred the style of the original may be disappointed.  I like the addition of Toki, a new main character who is also involved with spirits, though not to the degree that Natsume is.  However, the increased focus on Natori yielded a more ambivalent reaction from me.  While his stories were interesting, I thought that some of the other side characters, like Tanuma or Sasada, could have used some more time in the spotlight.

Because of the fact that there isn’t a continous plot thread in this series, comparing the story of this season with the last season doesn’t make as much as sense as it would in other shows.  If I were to evaluate the overall quality of the stories in both seasons, there were more episodes in the first season that moved me, and episode six of the original remains my favourite episode.  However, the fact the general atmosphere and tone of this show was new to me in season one may have caused a greater impact, and that familiarity may have lessened the overall impact of the second season, which should be expected for any kind of story.  The second season has its share of beautiful moments, but while pretty much every single episode in the first season can get those tears flowing, I think this was less so with the second season.

In return, we got something that I felt was sorely needed – more development of Natsume Reiko.  She is such an interesting character and I want to know so much more about her.  The second season allows us to see other sides to her, but we still don’t get all the answers, whicih presumably come later in the manga.

On the production side, the music used is mostly carried over from the original series, which is fine by me.  The background music was fitting there, and it’s fitting now as well.  Unfortunately we must bid farewell to the lovely ED song from the first season.  It’s replaced here with another gentle song backed by a soft piano rather than the guitar of the first season.  It’s pleasant, but can’t reach the heights of the original, unfortunately.  That really was one of a kind.

Overall, this review is basically pointless because if you’re a fan of the original, there is no reason for you to not continue on with this season.  It is in every sense a continuation of the story we came to love, and while it doesn’t quite pack the same emotional punch as consistently as the first time around, there wasn’t a single moment that I didn’t enjoy.