This is the anime that had it all for me - some stunning animation sequences, a dream-like style, strong cast of characters, and lots of emotional impact. The best of any genre tends to be unlike other titles in the genre and this one is no exception - the genre being supernatural fantasy, with a touch of horror (nothing particularly bloody or gross though). For one thing, it is a shoujo anime - meaning, the target audience is female - yet the main character is a boy.
The emotional punch that this show packs comes from the themes of loneliness, alienation, and loss of loved ones. The titular character (Natsume Takashi) is an orphan who is so used to moving around so much - due to being misunderstood or no getting along with his host families - that he struggles to accept that the kindly couple who now hosts him might actually love and care about him. His worst nightmare is the couple discovering his supernatural secret and thus kicking him out of the house as others had done before. Enhancing the emotional impact is the gorgeous soundtrack. Some of my favorite pieces from the soundtrack:
Perfectly balancing out the heavy, heart wrenching stuff is the comic relief, mostly provided by Nyanko-sensei, a powerful supernatural being (youkai) who has taken the form of a "good luck cat". He reminds me of Bender from the Futurama TV show - rude, crude, and loves to drink.
The first season opening sequence gives some idea of how good the animation can be:
The first season end sequence, while not as stunning, does have one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a while. It also strong hints at Natsume's deepest desire - to be at peace with a family that has wholly accepted him.
No comments:
Post a Comment