English Dub Review: Natsume’s Book of Friends “To The Ephemeral Ones”

Overview (spoilers below):

Natsume has caught a cold after an adventure in the mountains. All of his friends, both human and yokai, do their best to cheer him up. As he lies in bed, he begins to realize how much the people around him care about him and how valuable the bonds he has built are.

Our statement:

Another season of Natsume’s Book of Friends has officially come to an end. It’s surprisingly shorter than previous seasons, with only eleven episodes instead of thirteen. However, given the show’s repetitive narrative structures, it was probably better not to stretch the concept too much like the others. So how can this season end another quiet season? By focusing more on the supporting characters, of course.

In the later episodes, shifting the focus to characters other than Natsume was refreshing enough to get around the season’s narrative flaws and familiar formulas. It’s easy to say that the season finale is no different, as it revolves around Natsume’s mid-level yokai friends getting a special medicine for his cold after accidentally infecting him. As they repair the lanterns for a yokai to get this medicine, we see Natsume reminiscing about when he got sick as a child, followed by his brief confrontation with the teenage Reiko, who tells him he should be on his own. Of course, Natsume has already come to terms with being able to rely on his friends for help, even if their efforts may be in vain.

It was rare for the mid-rank yokais to be back in the spotlight over the course of the series, as they barely played a role in this or even previous seasons. Thankfully, “To The Ephemeral Ones” was the perfect time to reintroduce them before the end of season five, even if they don’t get as much screen time as the human characters. More importantly, it’s another sweet reminder that Natsume’s friends are willing to support or help him with his problems, especially his everyday cold. It doesn’t exactly end season five on a profound note, but at least it’s far from disappointing due to the humorous antics of the mid-rank yokais.