English Dub Review: Natsume’s Book of Friends “The House Where a Promise Remains”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Natsume, Natori, and Matoba work to complete the ritual to welcome a powerful god.

Our Take:

With the new season drawing to a close, it’s no surprise that Natsume’s Book of Friends was willing to deliver another two-parter before all is said and done.  This comes in the form of Natsume and Natori assisting Matoba in completing the “Three Pillars” ceremony, only to be interrupted by a vengeful Yokai.  This conclusion to this latest two-parter has this seemingly straightforward exorcist ritual going off the rails as Natsume and the others encounter the female cyclops Yokai, who’s determined to ruin it.  This female yokai is also hellbent on eliminating the Miharu clan, even though that group is already long gone.  However, that didn’t stop her from attempting to interrupt the ceremony so that the yokai would destroy the mansion.  It’s also revealed that the cyclops yokai’s desire to remove the Miharus was her fulfilling a wish made by one of the clan members who spared her life, Miharu Masakiyo.

It’s not every day I see a two-parter episode of Natsume’s Book of Friends that provides some stakes despite the show’s tranquil tone.  While it plays off the same way as the other yokai misadventures narrative-wise, it still carries the endearment and warmth that warrants its given stakes.  “That Which Blocks the Ceremony” and “The House Where a Promise Remains” are no exception, as they deliver a misunderstood yokai looking to fulfill the debt of the exorcist who spared her.  But from the looks of its flashback, Masakiyo’s desire for the clan’s extermination was due to him being upset over keeping his exorcist identity from his lover.  These episodes may not be on par with the fourth season’s two-part finale regarding the emotional depth, but they still prove that the show’s double-length episodes have enough mileage to reinvigorate its tranquil concept and stakes.