Synopsis
Source: Natsume's Book of Friends ©Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha / "Natsume's Book of Friends" Production Committee
Natsume Takashi lost his mother soon after he was born and his father when he was young, and lived a life moving from one relative's house to another. Takashi can see "ghosts" that other people can't see, and his invisible relatives call him a "creepy kid" or a "liar" and shun him. Fujiwara Shigeru, the head of the Fujiwara family where Takashi is currently staying, saw Takashi at the funeral of a distant relative and took him in, moving to the rural town where the Fujiwara family is located. The place was once where his late maternal grandmother, Reiko, lived, and he is chased by a youkai who mistakes him for Reiko. He takes refuge in a shrine and cuts the barrier. Sealed there is Nyanko-sensei. "You're Natsume Reiko, aren't you?" Nyanko-sensei says, and Takashi realizes that he has been chased by youkai who mistook him for Reiko. When Nyanko-sensei asks him, "Do you know the Book of Friends?" he remembers that it was among his grandmother's belongings.
"Ever since I was little, I've seen strange things from time to time."
Source: Natsume's Book of Friends ©Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha / "Natsume's Book of Friends" Production Committee
"Ever since I was little, I've seen strange things from time to time. They were probably things called spirits." This is the narration that begins "Natsume's Book of Friends." Takashi Natsume, who has had strong supernatural powers since he was a child and can see supernatural spirits, is called a liar because of his words and actions, and people find him creepy, so he starts moving from one relative's house to another.
What is the Book of Friends?
Source: Natsume's Book of Friends ©Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha / "Natsume's Book of Friends" Production Committee
The main focus of this story is the "Book of Friends." It was created by Takashi's grandmother, Natsume Reiko, who was born with strong supernatural powers. She challenged any supernatural being she met to a duel and had the defeated ones write their names down in the book. It is like a modern-day "contract," and it is said that if the holder of the Book of Friends calls your name, you cannot defy them. The book itself is very delicate, and if the letters are damaged, the supernatural being whose name is written in it will also be damaged. Furthermore, among exorcists, making a contract with a supernatural being's "real name" is considered taboo, as it means that they cannot defy even simple words.
Meeting with Nyanko-sensei
Source: Natsume's Book of Friends ©Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha / "Natsume's Book of Friends" Production Committee
After being chased by demons, he takes refuge in a shrine and cuts the barrier of the shrine. He laughs when a maneki-neko appears from inside the shrine, but it turns out to be the maneki-neko that was sealing the great demon Madara in a vessel. That's how he met Nyanko-sensei.
Takashi's relationship with Nyanko Sensei
Source: Natsume's Book of Friends ©Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha / "Natsume's Book of Friends" Production Committee
Simply put, he is a "bodyguard." He was originally after the "Book of Friends." However, as a favor to the man who broke the barrier, he offered to be a "bodyguard." At that time, he officially became a bodyguard under the promise that "If I lose my life on the way, I will give you the Book of Friends."
"Thou who protects me, show me thy name."
Source: Natsume's Book of Friends ©Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha/"Natsume's Book of Friends" Production Committee
He tells the teacher that he wants to do what his grandmother Reiko left undone and return her name. When returning a name to a youkai for the first time, Madara tells him to "imagine the other person's appearance and contemplate it," to which he responds, "The next thing you need is saliva and breath. You're related by blood, so you can do it. Tear up the contract, put it in your mouth, clap your hands together, concentrate, and exhale." He does exactly as he is told, and succeeds in "returning the name." From there, he begins returning names to many youkai. Also, by returning names, he is able to touch upon his grandmother Reiko's memories of that youkai.
Summary
What did you think? By returning the name, you can get in touch with Reiko, a grandmother who most people don't remember. And all of the spirits have different feelings about Reiko, some like her and some dislike her. But Takashi has a strong desire to do this as something that Reiko left undone. In the anime, various demons appear, and I think you'll be able to feel warm and fuzzy and even cry over the episodes with those demons. I hope you'll watch it for that aspect as well.
