Natsume Yuujin-chou ep.09

September 7, 2008 | 6 Comments

In an entirely unrelated note, I think I just read some spoilers to the latest Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. It sounds fantastic if it's true but sometimes I wonder I would have had a more mind-blowing experience with films/tv series if I'm not such a spoiler whore. Oh well, I can't help it. Plus, knowing Casino Royale ending (or other stories') certainly didn't ruin the film for me. Anyway, this episode is pretty good. I completely forget that this is the one where Natori Shuuichi makes his appearance. The guy is a rather major character in the series and has a recurring appearance time and time again. I know that other characters seem to have a lot of appearances in this series but the truth is, their roles are not as big as that of Shuuichi's. The anime has also elongated the appearances of several characters even though they have limited appearances in the manga. Overall, this is another good episode for the series and for some reason it makes me wish that I have a fat cat like Nyanko-sensei. I wonder why of all things Madara chooses this form as a disguise.

While taking Nyanko out for a walk so the fat cat can get some exercise, Natsume bumps into a popular actor called Natori Shuuichi. Natsume's attention is immediately drawn to the lizard tatoo that can be seen on the guy's neck. Later on that day, Natsume encounters a female youkai whose hand's bandages are unraveling so Natsume asks her if she'd like him to wrap it all back but she asks him not to bother her. That night, Natsume for some reason is being chased around by a shikigami-like (paper doll) youkai out of his house. The shikigami eventually manages to wrap itself around Natsume but Natsume manages to set himself free. Much to his shock, he ends up meeting Shuuichi again and Shuuichi can actually see the youkai in question. As it turns out, Shuuichi simply wanted to test Natsume if he can see youkai and much to his delight, Natsume has a strong ability as well, declaring that they are allies. The next day, Natsume becomes bothered by the fact that Shuuichi knows his identity and is not impressed when the guy decides to come to school and follow him around. That day, Shuuichi explains that he wants Natsume to become his assistant in his exorcism job.

Natsume refuses the offer but before he left, he notices that the tattoo on Shuuichi's neck starts to move around his face. Shuuichi is surprised that Natsume can even see his 'birthmark'. He explained that when he was young, he noticed it on his left ankle but the next day he thought it disappeared only to appear on his left arm. Soon he figured out that it's a spirit and tried to exorcise it but strangely it doesn't affect his health. Their conversation is interrupted when a youkai with long hair is unhappy with the way Natsume addresses her 'master' so she strangles Natsume using said hair. Much to Shuuichi's surprise, Nyanko appears and orders the guy not to mess around with his prey. Nyanko then uses his power to untangle Natsume from the long-haired youkai. When the waitress scolds Natsume for bringing his 'cat', Natsume uses the opportunity to grab Nyanko and runs out of the coffee house. Later on, Shuuichi figures out that Nyanko is Natsume's underling, causing the cat to be pissed off and punch the actor. The youkai who works for Shuuichi is unhappy to see this and have a fight with Nyanko after calling him "Porky cat". Nyanko retaliates by calling the woman "frizzly-haired hag".

Later on, Shuuichi introduces the "frizzly-haired hag" as Urihime and the long haired youkai as Sasago. Both of them work for him. Shuuichi then explains his current job: a warehouse that has been sealed off because it's believed that there is curse on it. After a pawnbroker came to see the place, the guy has had bad dreams and various misfortune happening to him. Later on, before they part ways, Natsume hears a voice asking him for Book of Friends. Shuuichi uses some kind of spear to stop the large youkai from pounching on Natsume. Natsume becomes angry to see this and asks Shuuichi if this is the kind of exorcism that he performs. Despite his anger, Natsume thanks Shuuichi for saving his life. Shuuichi warns him that he could be in danger if he continues this kind of naive outlook on the spirit. Natsume realizes that he finally meets someone who is like him but they can't even reconcile their opinion on spirits. Nyanko points out that when Shuuichi touched him, he can sense hatred for youkai from the guy. Nyanko believes that Shuuichi must have had awful experiences with youkai. That evening, Natsume finds a long rope scattered around the street so he decides to tug it.

The youkai that he encounted earlier (the one with bandaged hand), ordered him to stop. As it turns out, the girl is actually the youkai in the warehouse mentioned by Shuuichi. Natsume asks the girl if he can tighten her bandages and the girl agrees. She explains that she used to dwell in the mountain but an exorcist put a rope on her and ordered her to protect the house and the warehouse. Recently someone opened the warehouse so if she doesn't fulfill her duty, eventually the rope will tighten and her head will fall off. She tries to escape but as her bloody hands proved, it was futile. One day a boy came and kindly bandaged her hands. Ironically, that boy has finally come back to this town as an exorcist. She'll be more than glad to die in his hand. She just laments the fact that she couldn't even thank him for the bandages. The next day, Natsume realizes that Shuuichi doesn't remember that the spirit he's about to exorcise is the one that he bandaged as a kid. Natsume tries to warn the spirit but he gets restrained by Sasago. Eventually the spirits come and willing walk into the exorcism seal that Shuuichi has placed on the ground. In his attempt to stop her, Natsume breaks Sasago's bond.

Natsume then runs into the seal, trying to save the youkai with the mask but at this point, Shuuichi can no longer control the power. Because of this, he asks Natsume to run away but it's too late since Natsume is already overpowered by the seal. Much to everyone's surprise, Nyanko then appears as Madar and breaks the seal, saving everyone. Through a flashback, Natsume sees how Shuuichi first met the youkai with the mask. As he bandaged her hands, he told her that people thinks he brings misfortune to her mother because he can see strange things. In response, the youkai told him that children don't bring misfortune and that he's just a kind kid. It's because she met him that she was happy. In the aftermath, Shuuichi remembers the youkai and realizes that the effect had destroyed the seal on her neck. He also apologizes to Natsume for involving him like this. Shuuichi just thinks that Natsume reminds him of his old self and wanted to give some advice. Or rather, he just wants to talk to Natsume. In the aftermath, Natsume and Shuuichi part ways and although they don't agree about each other's method, Shuuichi thinks that they don't have to agree on everything. As for the spirit, even though she's free, she decides to work for Shuuichi under the name "Hiiragi".

Impression

I have to agree with Shuuichi in some ways. I don't think Natsume should go out of his way harming youkai. However, if those youkai try to harm him, then there's no other way for him but to retaliate and protect himself. At the same time, I wonder if Shuuichi really hates the youkai as Nyanko implies. Speaking of Nyanko, this episode confirms that Madara is *extremely* powerful that he can actually break a seal/barrier that has bet set by an exorcist. Judging from his large frame, it should be an indication that he's quite powerful but I didn't expect him to be this powerful. It makes one wonder why he decides to stick around Natsume when he can easily eat the guy. Especially since Natsume just brings problem for Madara by getting involved in dangerous situations. Despite this, time and time again Madara always save Natsume's neck. Because of this, I believe that what Nyanko said about Hiiragi also applies to his situation as well. Slowly, he really feels that Natsume is his friend and therefore, he doesn't mind sticking around and helping Natsume whenever the later needs help. I think it also helps that Natsume is not afraid of Madara because I don't think Madara will respect him as much if the reverse is true.

© memento 2003