What Are The Best Anime Like Natsume Yuujinchou?

Whenever you think about Japanese folklore one anime that may come to mind is Natsume Yuujinchou. While it deals a lot with the supernatural, the anime is pretty mellow but nonetheless interesting enough to be a fun watch. If you’ve been binging too much shounen anime for the past seasons then this a great show to unwind with. 

The current anime has already covered most of the manga so we’ll probably have to wait a little longer before we get another season. Till then, here are 10 recommendations if you’re looking for anime similar to Natsume Yuujichou.

10. xxxHOLiC

xxxHOLiC Trailer

Kimihiro Watanuki has the ability to see and attract spirits. While running away from a spirit he stumbles upon Yuuko’s shop. Sensing his ability, Yuuko offers to get rid of the ability for a price. Watanuki now has to work under Yuuko until he fully pays his wish’s worth. Under Yuuko he does simple everyday chores to errands that deal with the paranormal that risks his life. 

Both pretty much start off the same. Watanuki and Natsume’s journey both begin with them running away from a spirit that leads them meeting someone that promises them some sort of protection. For Watanuki, he ends up meeting Yuuko and working for her—In Natsume’s case he awakens a sleeping yokai named “Madara” who he later calls Nyanko-sensei due to his fat cat appearance. Both protagonists end up more involved with the spirits after their initial meetings. Probably something they should have thought through before agreeing to a contract.

9. Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods

Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods Trailer

Makoto Saeki’s mother passes away, granting Makoto the ability to see yokai and meet Gintarou—a fox spirit that has been protecting the Inari temple. The story follows Makoto’s everyday life as a school girl and a shrine maiden.

If you’re looking for something as laid back as Natsume Yuujinchou then Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods delivers the same kind of vibe. Both shows are about helping humans and spirits alike. Through their everyday adventures you see each protagonist understand a little more about the world and themselves. What’s the best way to look at the world if not through your yokai companion's eyes?

8. Tactics

Tactics Trailer

Since he was young, Kantarou Ichinomiya was obsessed with the idea of becoming stronger by finding the oni-eating tengu. Now that he is older and a folklorist/exorcist he lands an assignment leading him to where the oni-eating tengu is sealed away. Kantarou eventually becomes the tengu’s master naming him “Haruka”. Each episode deals with Kantarou’s job with sealing spirits and purifying areas. As the story progresses, Haruka’s memories slowly resurface and now  threaten his friendship with his master.

Both anime show how an ordinary human lives side by side with the yokai around them. They also show the power of a “name”; While Kantarou is shown to have power over a yokai after naming them, Natsume Reiko is also shown to have control of the yokai by collecting their names in her book. If you want to learn more about folklore, Tactics offers a lot of great lore and trivia regarding Japanese Mythology. 

7. Spirited Away

Spirited Away Trailer

On their way to their new home, Chihiro and her parents stumble upon a seemingly abandoned amusement park. Due to her parents eating food without payment they were unfortunately turned into pigs. Chihiro then bumps into Haku who explains to her what happens on “this” side of the world and her parents. Haku then instructs her to take a job in the bathhouse to buy her time so she can figure out a way to break her parents spell and leave the area.

While not inheritably being able to see spirits like Natsume, Chihiro still managed to get herself tangled up in all sorts of trouble with the spirits. Lucky for Chihiro her adventure doesn’t last as long as Natsume’s will. While not a series, this Ghibli classic has a lot of similarities with Natsume Yuujinchou; both show the power behind a name, they feature a main shapeshifting bodyguard and most of all they teach the viewers the importance of valuing friendships. Both Natsume and Chihiro are shown to be loners due to having to move to a new place. Also, both main characters overcome all their personal issues at some point of the show.

6. Noragami

Noragami Trailer

Yato a minor deity dreams of having millions of worshippers. His dream seems to be far as he keeps losing his regalia and he has no shrine dedicated to his name. He then meets Hiyori Iki who thinks he is a normal human and attempts to save him from a moving truck. Because of this incident, Hiyori’s soul has a tendency to leave her body; leaving her body in a sleep-like state. Blaming Yato on her predicament, she wishes to return to normal. Till Yato figures a way to return Hiyori to normal, the girl vows to follow this minor god until he fulfills his promise to her.

Despite Noragami having more action than Natsume Yuujinchou they still hold similar themes: friendships that transcend different worlds (the spirit and the human one), the importance of family, and self-discovery. Hiyori, despite having the choice later to be apart from Yato and Yukine, chooses to stay; similar to how Natsume who could have just given the book up in the first episode decided to take responsibility for his grandmother’s past actions due to wanting to understand her and yokai better. Also, if you’re the type to watch out for the voice actors—Yato and Natsume share the same Japanese voice actor: Hiroshi Kamiya.

5. The Eccentric Family

The Eccentric Family Trailer

Unknown to several human beings, Yasaburo Shimogamo is a tanuki who has been living among the residents of Kyoto and has been watching them. Being able to shapeshift makes it easier for him to blend in and observe humans and tengu without suspicion. In the past, Yasaburo’s father was eaten by a human group called the “Friday Club”. As the story progresses Yasaburo gets closer to unveiling the truth of his father’s death.

You can see traces of Natsume’s personality in The Eccentric Family’s main protagonist Yasaburo, except this time—he’s a tanuki. Similar to Nartsume they both suffer from being outcasts from their family; Natsume for being dubbed weird by his relatives and schoolmates, and Yasaburo for wanting to be more human and learn about his father’s death. A very cute story told this time in the perspective of a curious yokai.

4. Silver Spoon

Silver Spoon Trailer

Silver Spoon is the story of Yugo Hachiken who just wants a break from his parents’ high expectations of him. He enrolls in Oezo Agricultural High School all the way in Hokkaido to get away from his parents. Being an agricultural school in the countryside, Yugo initially thinks he’ll have an easy time—he was proven wrong. Now, he has to learn everything from the ground – up; from waking up at 5 in the morning to learning about vegetables and livestock. Yugo is now learning more about farming and life in his new school.

I think I’ve put too much anime that involves the supernatural, Natsume Yuujinchou is also a slice-of-life anime that teaches us the importance of self-discovery and friendship. Sometimes these life lessons will force you outside of your comfort zones. For Silver Spoon, Yugo is forced to adapt to his new school setting and realize that things in life don’t come as easy as following what’s in the textbook. While there’s a lack of supernatural involvement in this anime. All the basic life lessons served up with a glass of comedy are still in there.

3.Fukigen na Mononokean

Fukigen na Mononokean Trailer

For some odd reason Hanae Ashiya’s health began to decline once he started his high school career. He spent the first week of school stuck in the infirmary due to his condition. The culprit of this turn of events? A yokai in the form of a small furry creature that attached itself to Hanae. Feeling desperate, Hanae decides to contact an exorcist—Haruitsuka Abeno who instead of directly helping Hanae—ends up helping him view the yokai world in a different light. Now, Hanae is an assistant to Abeno as they deal with different problems of the underworld.

While more comedic in nature, Fukigen na Mononokean is another title Natsume Yuujinchou fans should try out. Both main characters struggle with yokais in the beginning of their respective animes but they do not act hostile towards them. Instead of completely shunning yokai and dubbing them as “evil”, both characters try to understand the yokai around them. 

2. Kamisama Kiss

Kamisama Kiss Trailer

Being left by her father and evicted from her home due to her father’s large debt, has put Nanami Momozono in a rough situation. Left to find a new place to stay Nanami then rescues a man named “Mikage” from a dog. She tells the man about her current predicament. Mikage then gives her directions to a house and tells her that she can live there. Upon arriving at the “house” she learns it is actually a shrine being protected by the fox spirit Tomoe. While originally acting hostile towards Nanami, Tomoe eventually becomes her familiar.

As if having everyday problems is enough, now our two protagonists have to deal with problems concerning the yokai world as well. It all starts with one fateful meeting with their respective yokai guardians. If they didn’t contract their guardians, you’d think they can go on with their life without dealing with the supernatural. Both anime feature Shinto religion themes and characters who wanted nothing to do with spirits in the beginning of the show, but now have learned to coexist and enjoy their time they have with spirits.

1. Hotarubi no Mori e

Hotarubi no Mori e Trailer

Hotaru Takegawa frequents the countryside every summer. One fateful summer she gets lost in the forest where she meets a mysterious human-like boy wearing a mask. The boy introduces himself as Gin and leads her out of the forest but warns her not to touch him otherwise he would disappear. Once they reach the end of the forest, he tells her not to venture into the forest ever again. However, every year Hotaru ends up returning to the forest and develops a good relationship with Gin.

People would probably notice the similarities with the art style and color pallet—that’s because Hotarubi no Mori e is written by the same author as Natsume Yujinchou, Yuki Midorikawa. Similar to Natsume, Hotaru also struggles to find her place on either side of the plane. She wants to be involved with Gin but because she is human, she is very limited with what she can do in the world of yokai. Both shows reveal the bitter reality of befriending spirits whose time limit in the world seem to run differently from ours.

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