English Dub Review: Natsume’s Book of Friends “Soundless Valley”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Natsume confronts two hairy yokai who cast a voice-sealing spell on him.  Then, a large bird-like yokai swoops in and takes Natsume to a once lively valley to hide.  Without a voice, Natsume is left to wonder how he’ll be able to solve this dilemma.

Our Take:
Everyone’s been saying that silence is golden.  However, that doesn’t appear to be the case for poor Natsume.  This week’s episode has the protagonist facing a problematic scenario where he’s left without a voice thanks to the imp yokai’s dark magic.  Fortunately, his life is saved by Hidaka, a yellow bird yokai with a pink robe who takes him to a deserted valley.  First off, this episode wasted no time in starting the confrontation immediately.  Usually, the episodes begin in a tranquil and sometimes humorous manner before we even confront a spiritual scenario.  But “Soundless Valley” marks a rare occasion where Natsume is put in a situation instantly.  So, at the very least, it provided something to shake up the show’s episodic structure a bit, even if it’s just the beginning section.
This is also another episode where watching with subtitles is recommended.  Since Natsume only speaks in grunts throughout most of the episode, he uses writing to communicate with Hidaka, Madara, and even the Fujiwaras.  While Natsume’s inner voice translates his Japanese writing for us during specific scenes, there are also times when he doesn’t.  Without the subtitles, you might be lost as to what’s occurring.  Thankfully, it did little to detract from the episode’s familiar structure involving a character losing their voice.  Finally, I would also point out that Hidaka is one of the cutest and likable yokai in the series because of his innocent yet endearing personality and distinct vocal range.  In short, despite its familiarity, “Soundless Valley” offers enough humor and tranquility to prove that silence is mostly golden.