Introduction 220https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2020/11/BookofFriends.jpg I went into this expecting a relaxing series that I could just play an episode or two of whenever Im feeling down and not once was I able to stop myself from clicking on the next episode until I found myself done with a season holding myself back from starting the next szn Everything from the characters to the sound and animation to the story itself had me captured and I couldnt let it go and I ended up binging about 85 episodes of it in about a week where half the days I was coming home late from uni or work and other days I had assignments Story To start off I had seen so many ppl claim that the story and episodes were repetitive and boring and oh boy where they wrong. Each episode from start to finish had an almost completely unique exploration of the Youkais with captivating stories touching moments and different personalities and attitudes and with every episode theres a bigger feel of attachment to the main cast especially obviously Natsume and Nyanko Even with the slightly repetitive drive behind a lot of the episodes you leave it with a new sense of accomplishment and more refreshing look at a lot of cast. Alongside that it helps in creating the peaceful world that feels like the perfect escape from reality and gives you that nice warm hug to your heart The consistent recalls to past interactions and characters are the perfect reminder that this is in fact still the very same world that weve been in from the very beginning of the series and Ill come back to this a lot. Some episodes will have you jumping around in joy while others will have you emotionally drained and with each new episode you get a fresh start and that is the beauty of this anime. 220https://externalpreview.redd.it/jowBoMfkW2JHL9vlB7U1EjfWZJXxGbWXYycqHfogY4s.jpg?width=640crop=smartauto=webps=93c99161c36dcbb893ffdafa712951e5f6de9168 10/10 Visuals and Sound To start this off there has not been a single opening or ending that I skipped for all 80+ episodes. With almost all he endings having the similarity of feeling like a slow lullaby to end the day that we just experienced in that episode whether it was a happy episode or a sad one. Then to greet the next episode the next day and the next adventure we had almost all openings being an uplifting and cheerful song that would have you smiling and awaiting the next story to unfold. All the openings and endings up to season 6 https://www..com/watch?v=6BdmcIEMgBwlist=PL3qxtv84jjUtwAFKq0CYxqT6VyHdondB3 Not to mention the OST being one of my favourites in all of anime the beautiful piano that would consistently play throughout the episode and that would clearly set the tone for each scene and just one you could never not notice while watching the series. To match that beautiful soundtrack was the amazing quality of the animation that was a perfect mix of pleasing to the eyes and matched the aesthetic of the anime. 10/10 Characters Next probably my favourite part of this anime The Characters I want to preface this by saying that already by the 3rd season I was starting to consider this cast as the best in anime for me First of all the main character and star of the show Takashi Natsume 220https://i.pin.com/originals/6b/ed/33/6bed33b2c9a324e03978418d65863b09.gif Where do I even begin the beauty of natsumes character is one that you could know all about it but you wouldnt actually get to appreciate it until actually watching the series The awkward strange weirdo loner is what Natsume was for almost all his life to others and caused him to get abused bullied and thrown around like trash for a majority of his life and has had every reason to turn his back on both humans and youkai and despite all that the kindnatured soft spoken and polite kid never gave up on either. From early we see how he has always tried to keep a distance from other people as a coping mechanism from all the suffering he endured as a child but as the story goes on we see him slowly being able to open up and realising that there are a equally kind people around him. The development of going from a closed up independent introvert to slowly being able to depend on others whether it be Nyanko Natori Tanuma Taki the Fujiwaras his school friends or even the dogs circle and the other Youkai is one that made every episode feel like a refreshing new adventure as with each episode there was a new closeness between Natsume and the others and in turn us and the cast Him also being able to and continously does go back and revisits earlier youkai and people that he has dealt with during the beginning while he was more closed up and pretty much depressed and then seeing the surroundings in a newer positive light enhanced the fact that everything is still connected in the exact same world I would go on about almost any of the characters but the thread is getting a bit too long already so quickly about the Fujiwaras 220https://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/anime/3/84887.jpg If there was ever any debate about the best parental figures in anime then it was over with the introduction of Touko and Shigeru Them being a big reason to why the story is even in the state that it is and natsume being able to a kind hearted saviour can not be understated. At first we were told that they were just the current family that Natsume is freeloading at gives the impression that they were just like any of the others who would get scared and/or tired of him and/or straight up hate him but throughout we are shown how that is not the case will never be the case. Their kindness to adopting him out of free choice as we see in one of the episodes and their continuous understanding when it comes to dealing with the child that has been abandoned all his life and just the sweetness of whenever they or Natsume acknowledge that from now on they are in fact family is one of my favourite things in this anime by far. Even for the rest of the cast every episode that even includes anyone continues to build this feeling of found family not just for the actual family but for all of the cast. As we see how not only they help Natsume but also how hes unknowingly helped them in some kind of way. 10/10 cast And overall the easiest 100 for an anime Ive ever given