Natsume Yuujin-chou, Episode #13 (END) - ‘Curtain call’
Well, friends, we have finally arrived at the end. It feels like just yesterday that I picked this series up, so it is hard to believe that some months have already passed me by. Time has flown; and true to the adage, dare I say — it has been a lot of fun. This will mark the completion of my first full series at THAT. Modest as it may be, I’d like to thank the NYC fans for their comments and continual support. I am definitely looking forward to the fall season’s pickings, and hope to blog two new series that will engage our readership’s interest even more. You can expect some very different shows; among my choices are Tytania, Shikabane, possibly Chaos;Head (if I can vanquish the rabid Impz and claim it for myself), or Ef. At any rate, on with it!
Episode 13, as the title of this post implies, is basically a curtain call for the significant (intelligible and anthropomorphic…?) characters in the series, many of which appear in the OP. It’s a great feeling to finally recognize all of the characters in the opening sequence, isn’t it! As far as plot is concerned, this episode is about as devoid of direction as it could possibly be. It is more like a reflective montage of character appearances that coincide at the local akimatsuri (Japanese fall festival). Thus, #13 falls somewhere between the dreaded recap and the usual short story format, but it is nonetheless festive because for a few precious hours, the gap between the human and youkai worlds is metaphorically bridged. Takashi, finding himself surrounded by familiar faces (both youkai and human), is finally able to savor the peace and satisfaction of belonging…
If I could have left Takashi with one piece of advice, it would have been to stay out of wooded areas. You may have noticed that the worst youkai always come from the forest when he’s taking a shortcut or somesuch. After his run-in with Master Belch the previous episode’s giant blob of evil, I can’t even watch him walk through the woods without a flutter of apprehension. (If he can’t stay out of the woods, he should at least keep Nyanko close by or work on that right hook.) Naturally, at this point in the ep, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was one more evil awaiting Takashi in the darkness.
But, no. No more evil demons stalking Takashi in the darkness, and no Alice-a’tumbling-down-the-rabbit-hole business; just a fat cat slipping down a hill on a collision course with a unlucky passerby and the eventual promise of fall festivities are all that await. It’s strange how a gentle series like NYC can be far from peaceful, but if you look back on all the trouble that Takashi has had to go through (not counting returning names in the middle of the night), he’s had hardly a moment’s rest. Am I the only one feeling some relief?
The sequence above is a bit of an anomaly; it’s the first time Nyanko speaks to another human besides Takashi. Basically he starts mouthing off at Kaname after cannonballing into him and knocking himself out, but what I find interesting here is that he does so under the assumption that Takashi had already told Kaname about his true identity… Is this a plot hole covered in the manga, or does it allude to something else?
Maybe all of Takashi-kun’s trouble’s aren’t over yet. As long as he lives, breathes and talks to spirits, Sasada will continue to stalk him. Unfortunately for her, luck never seems to be on her side, at least when Kaname is around. Run away!
Clearly, it just wouldn’t be a proper curtain call if everyone’s favorite androgynous furry didn’t make his appearance. As usual, he’s getting picked on and getting in trouble T_T Youkai are reputed to be attracted to lively congregations of people such as fall festivals, so it naturally follows that Madara, the fox-boy, and many other unmentionables (I don’t want to spoil them yet) will be drawn in like moths to a flame. All of Takashi’s favorite ‘people’ in the same place…!
Not quite the savior he was hoping for but a savior nonetheless, Shuuichi pops out of nowhere and comes to the rescue. I’m surprised that Red & Blue got off easily as they did, considering the utterly spiteful force they were up against. Then again, I’m also surprised that Shuuichi took the time to save a youkai. Does this portend a change of heart? Or does he have a thing for furries too? More than those, however, there are bigger questions to be asked:
What exactly is ShuuIchi-the-(youkai)killer doing at a place (i.e. the festival) where hundreds of ayakashi have gathered? What is this darkly lit room full of strangely-dressed figures, some human and some perhaps not? Was the previous scene just a farce? Are they planning a mass-exorcism? There is also the business of Hiiragi shadowing the fox — why did he order her to do that? These are some of the questions that popped to mind over the few seconds it took for this scene to play out, which ultimately (if neither disappointingly nor thankfully, then at least misleadingly) proves to be Shuuichi’s final appearance in the episode. NYC stays true to its mostly-benign plot designs.
Hiiragi decides to help him recover a lost item, rather than simply tailing him. At that point (when Shuuichi first ordered her to follow him), there was still a possibility for mayhem, still a chance for something to run awry and destroy the delicate mood that is gradually building as the magic hours near. But when she finally agrees to help him, one can safely assume that there just isn’t enough time left for the episode to consolidate its plot-tatters into a sinister side story. You can count on a lighthearted remainder and a succinct denouement.
Sasada goes to extreme measures to get Takashi to return. She ties the cat up. That’s right, she takes Nyanko hostage as insurance that Takashi will stick around when he sees her next. She *ties* the cat up. Nyanko could have transformed to escape, obviously, but Tamiko-chan (another cameo appearance) cuts him loose before the need arises. Why she decides to drag him up a hill, I have no clue. At least they are even now. But man, that is one naughty little girl!
Hinoe is here to join in the fun as well, to watch Takashi and enjoy herself. Takashi is too busy searching for his fat cat to give his boneheaded friends the time of day so they get blown off and don’t receive a second of screentime beyond what they are due. The merchant gives them the “I’ve been here all damn day and I’ll rip you a new one if you screw with me” look after the dark-haired (no, I don’t care to remember his name) one complains about not having received his kaitenyaki, which had been craftily pilfered by Hinoe. The search for buta-neko continues.
I was going to hop back some seconds to point out that Touko-san was home worrying about Takashi (and include a relevant still), but I found this image of a book too interesting to pass up. Marketing ploy? Oddly unsolicited and meticulous detail? A real book? Can anyone translate the title?
This was another screen capture that I found far too visually appealing to leave out. Such a lovely contrast of reds and blues. The lanterns almost make you feel like you are there…
The fox-youkai is really the star of the show in this episode. He finally locates his aniki and the medicine that he had lost (which will enable him to transform into a human for a single night), and then returns hand-in-hand with Takashi to the festival. Only then does Takashi actually participate in the festival (note that he forgets about searching for Madara around this time), perhaps because he feels a certain sense of satisfaction in knowing that youkai and humans alike have gathered together to celebrate, or that he can be of some use to the little fox.
So, at the end of it all, my entry on the final episode turned out to be more of a massive image dump than a set of literary reflections. I’ll admit that there isn’t much to be said here, although there is without a doubt much to be experienced. For one thing, it leaves behind such a subtle set of impressions than attempting to discuss it in words is a more or less futile effort. It should simply be watched.
As the culmination of an episodic series, #13 affects an emotional response by perusing the character relationships that were explored in previous episodes, as well as establishing a few new relationships in order to tighten the social network (of both human and ayakashi) accumulating in Takashi’s hometown. Character by character, word by word, piece by piece, a generalized, composite impression of peace and festivity is established (at least for a single night) and NYC takes a final bow.
I’ll reserve my overall assessments of the series for a review editorial, which I plan to post shortly, so please look forward to it! Also, fans of NYC be on the lookout for season two!
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As per previous discussions on it, do you think there was anything more behind the philosophical symmetry? I had only read episode two, though now - still on twelve - I don’t remember if the element was as strong for the rest of the episodes.
The book you pointed out may point towards that symmetry, or perhaps irony, which aren’t dissimilar. If it represents the human world (globes are pretty significant symbols), as maybe the book of friends does the spirit world, then there’s a kind of symmetry. Dunno, though.
I don’t know why, but when I was watching the raw, the whole fox, Nastume and other guy who can see spirits seemed like happy family. >.> Shounen-ai vibes, but then again, we do have a fox which we don’t know the gender of so it could explain a lot about the atmosphere. Though it was cute to watch it.
The shouta creep this episode gave me ill tidings, for some reason when he went into the secret society, I’m thinking either mass killing or kidnapping our little fox.
Poor Nyako-sensei, getting thrown around all ep, but he seemed mellow out when he joined the happy family watching the fireworks.
The title means “knowledge of construction” as in construction of buildings and cities.
Nyanko getting owned all over was seriously funny. Lovely way to end it too, now for next season.
Ooh a secret society. I’m really looking forward to that in Season 2. And more Nyanko sensei lulz!
And I was also getting some shounen-ai vibes from Tanuma and Natsume. Did you see the translator’s note at the end about Natsume Gay-shinchou? Haha. So funny. But then again the only human girl in Natsume’s life is Sasada, and she annoys me so bad. So I’d definitely go for Tanuma/Natsume over Sasada/Natsume any day!
@ JHL
So you got the vibes aswell, were you like me and had the inkling feeling that they were going to kiss or have flowers when they look at each at any moment. I actually rather have Tanuma and Nastume rather than Sasada cos she seemed very clingy/desperate, especially with kidnapping the cat just to get Nastume to come back and visit her.
@lelangir: Although we could discuss specific instances ad infinitum, my general impression throughout the series was that the purpose of these symmetrical elements was to create a kind of polarity through which different relationships could be explored. There was a short run of episodes (the ones that centered on female youkai with masks) that dealt almost exclusively with intimate relationships, and I noticed that with each progressive episode, the circumstances of these personal dynamics shifted slightly. By the last episode, many of the characters have changed in a significant way. Madara has accepted that he likes and cares for humans (Takashi in particular); Takashi has reconciled himself with both humans and youkai; Shuuichi has (apparently) released some of his hatred for youkai; Touko has broken through some personal barriers and is no longer afraid to express her feelings to Takashi; the list continues. As far as symmetry is concerned, none of these personal transformations could have occurred if some sort of exchange had not taken place. NYC has a great deal of veneration for the natural balance and harmony of the universe, so each character-to-character exchange necessitated an equivalent ‘trade’; if one character offered something of him or herself, the recipient had no choice but to return the gesture in some fashion, thereby maintaining the symmetrical flow of sentiments. Takashi was criticized repeatedly for being too soft and too kind, but in the end, it was his kindness and defenselessness that protected him from the forces that would have devoured him, rather than his strength. If I understand symmetry to be a central tenet of the series, then for Takashi to be reciprocated so generously was an inevitable outcome because he was giving and giving every step of the way. As an afterthought, I also suspect that the director has a certain affinity for symmetry that may have influenced how each of the episodes were constructed (you can take a look at the neatly centered ’shots’ and the general form of the short story plots.)
@Cherubium: Haha yes they did look like quite the happy family; very cute together. I guess it was time for Madara to take a back seat since he had an entire episode to himself not much earlier. I don’t know why I didn’t, but I was going to point out how quickly Takashi blew off his two pals now when he was hanging out with Kaname! An interesting point is how he found a better friend in Kaname than Shuuichi, despite Shuuichi’s being able to identify with Takashi’s extrasensory abilities better. Kaname, as a friend/love interest, is kind of like the ultimate compromise in terms of shared characteristics.
@bakaneko: Thank you VERY much! I guess that tells us something else about Touko’s husband. Is it a real book?
@Panther: I thought so too, the ending was quite nice. I kept expecting something evil to pop out of the bushes, but it was probably for the best that it ended on a gentle note.
@JHL: Sasada is a HUGE pest, so I’ve got to agree, I’d rather see Takashi and Kaname together than him and Sasada. The part where Nyanko screams “nooooooooo” had me laughing my ass off (because it was my sentiment exactly.)
Tamaya!!! <— useless comment. Looking forward to the review.
I thought Nyanko-sensei got plenty of screentime this episode, even though he wasn’t the central character, but a consistently more-or-less innocent bystander. It was hilarious how every character had a different insulting name for what they thought was just Takashi’s cat.
I thought this episode was fun! But exactly what is the demon killer doing?? I was like “wtf? he’s got demon friends?” I paused at the scene for like 20 seconds to see if any of them were demons and I just don’t know. Some of them had the white cloth in front of their face (does that signify a demon?) and I just really don’t know. Either way, I can’t wait for season 2!
This was a good calming episode but it certainly didn’t feel like a finale, more like a halfway point. Some new questions were brought forward particularly with Natori. They finally picked up the “Tanuma is sensitive to spirits” plot thread again, but didn’t do to much with it. Here’s hoping for another season and more Reiko flashbacks.
I was a bit disappointed with the last episode. I mean, it was cute but, I was hoping something big would happen….or at least something which will make viewers look forward to the next season…..
Yay, thanks for all the ep reviews. I definitely loved this series; it was feel-good and gentle without being boring.
I actually wouldn’t blame Tanuma and Natsume for being clingy eventually since they’ve both probably been lonely as heck and need a heavy refuel of sympathy… But that’s my angsteriffic tendencies talking. This series never seems to dwell on such things, so it’s not likely. Just saying wouldn’t blame ‘em and I wouldn’t even consider it to be gay. ^_^;;
About Mr. Fabulous and the Secret Society… I’m figuring it has to do with when he wanted to recruit Natsume earlier. Maybe wanted to test him and see if he was worthy to join the group. It might be a gathering of exorcists, in which everyone searches for the spiritually-sensitive to increase their forces. So that could indeed allude to something big brewing on the horizon. I just hope maybe he’s presented them with a change of heart due to Natsume’s influence… and that he didn’t in fact just have mercy on the little Kitsune with an undercurrent of “Yes, run along little boy, enjoy tonight for you shall soon meet your end anyway.” Though I don’t think that’s TOO likely but… Who knoooows!? @_@
I look forward SO MUCH to the next season! ^_^
http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E5%BB%BA%E7%AF%89%E7%9F%A5%E8%AD%98-2008%E5%B9%B4-03%E6%9C%88%E5%8F%B7-%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C/dp/B0013FAXSU/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223379178&sr=8-17
Here ya go, the March 2008 issue of Knowledge of Construction (建築の知識). =)
I really don’t see what Natsume’s problem with Sasada is. He was bitching about how he was all alone because everyone thought he was creepy for talking about things they couldn’t see… then along comes Sasada, who actually appreciates his ability. His human friends are limited to: his 2 classmates (whose names I’ve never bothered to remember) whom he doesn’t seem close to, Tanuma, whom he never hangs out with, and Natori, who was only around for 1 episode. With Sasada, he actually has a chance to get close to someone (and a female at that!) without worrying that she’ll think he’s weird. Yet he… consciously avoids her as much as possible? Come on, does the guy not have hormones?? He’s well past the age where girls still have cooties. Granted, she’s a little… enthusiastic, but that’s mainly because she’s interested in youkai and because he wouldn’t give her the time of day otherwise. Perhaps he just likes wallowing in self-pity because of his image that no one likes him, and to hang out with her would break that?
Though in actuality, the reason is because in the manga she moved away after the Shigure incident and she’s not supposed to be in the story anymore at all. Having the main character start something with a canonically non-existent character would cause them headaches in later episodes, so I guess she’s stuck being “the girl with cooties.” But I’ll be damned if they couldn’t have done a better job with her role.
Still though, looking forward to the next season and more reviews from you, Maipeisu!
Great series, indeed. I pulled a relief after knowing that there is a second season… (LOL Hoping it lasts forever)
Anyway, it ended pretty good showcasting all the characters in the last episode. ^.^