Natsume Yuujin-chou 10 ~Asagi’s Koto~

Hell no! Not gender-bending in Natsume Yuujin-chou!!!!

Natsume was hanging out with his friends when he saw an umbrella that was flying through the air. They couldn’t see it even though it landed right in front of them, which would mean that it was a youkai. They left and Natsume peeked in to see an ayakashi with a bandaged face. The man didn’t like humans, but since he can be seen by Natsume, he wanted to his body. But he got distracted and Natsume was able to knock him off. When he stood up, a voice from a water canteen on the man apologized. The voice was named Asagi.

Nyanko has heard of Asagi. She is a youkai known for her koto playing in the forest of Isozuki. The guy confirmed it and said that she fell ill and left the forest. So in order for her to recover, he wants Natsume to lend them his body. Nyanko saved him, claiming to be the one to eat Natsume when he threatened him of biting off his ears and nose.

This is really creepy. Apart from the red background, having someone look at me while I sleep is one of the creepiest things that I can think of. Although, if it was Rollo, it would be creepier.

When Natsume woke up the next morning, Nyanko was shocked to see Natsume’s hair and eyes were blue, but it quickly changed back to his usual hair and eye color. Without another thought, he went to school and mesmerized a lot of the boys when she would start acting lady-like showing off pink sparkles (they’re really big this season, huh?)

In class, the man admitted that he placed Asagi inside Natsume while he slept. Asagi apologized to him because it was all her fault. After school, he asked Nyanko-chan how to get her out of his body, but he just told her that it would only be accomplished when she is satisfied.

Provincials!!!

They were met by the bandaged guy. Natsume asked for his name, but of course he refused So Natsume called him Bulleye (this is based on the subs. I couldn’t catch the Japoanese name to save my life). The bandaged guy was going to take insult to it but Asagi like the name for it so he agreed to it. When Nastume asked if she (meaning she inside him) would be able to play the koto, she would be able to leave. Janame assured that he will.

But the koto was not just any koto, it has to be especially made with the carp-like youkai called senbiki. So Janame and Natsume went fishing for it. Natsume was already exhausted but Janame was still zealously looking for it in the pond.

Thanks be to Nyanko-chan! I almost developed hives.

Again, Asagi apologized to Natsume for causing him so much trouble. Nastume asked her if she was his boyfriend or something. Asagi assured him that he isn’t and that he is just an umbrella holder.

She told him that when she lived in Isozuki Forest, a lot of youkais with no place to go were welcomed there by a god named Mibu. And Janame was there as an umbrella holder and all-around bodyguard charged to protect everyone. She always thought that she was going to be there forever, but she suddenly fell ill and isn’t able to play again. Natsume mistook it that she was banished because she was unable to play anymore but she told him that she ran away because she didn’t want to be somewhere she is useless.

I actually had one of these dreams a couple of years ago. I woke up feeling if all my body parts were still intact.

Janame excitedly announced that he was able to catch a senbiki, which is to be used as strings for the koto. When Nastume asked if it mean that they will be able to play, Janame corrected him that it was only one of the materials needed and now they needed to find a tree stump with bamboo shoots growing on it. Natsume was exhausted and was carried by Janame home where his aunt fussed about him because he was wet. Natsume started thinking how long it will be before he left the place where he lived in now.

That night, Natsume dreamt about the Asagi and how her body started turning to dirt and fell away. He woke up in a start and Janame was there to tell him that Asagi is no longer able to play because of her illness and that it cannot be healed so he thanked Natsume because his body slows down the progress. Asagi’s dream is play just one more timefor Mibu when the passage between the two worlds are open because of the full moon, which was the next night.

When Natsume asked Janame why he would go that far for Asagi, he just said that he is just an umbrella holder.

The next day after school, Natsume and Janame still searched for the tree stump. When a voice asked Natsume where one can be found, the voice replied. He caught himself talking to a strange youkai, but the youkai already whispered that he will have Natsume’s guts.

Actually, this is what I actually envision in the mirror and why I had to move it to inside my closet.

While Janame was fashioning the materials into a koto, Natsume was starting to get weak. Natsume asked her if she liked playing the koto and she told him that if she had another chance to do it, she would play. He was waken up by Janame (who was really called Akagane) and they ran off to another part of the forest telling Asagi that she will now be able to play the koto for Mibu.

But the youkai that Natsume talked to about the tree stump came after him, wanting to eat his insides. Janame (Akagane) jumped into rescue him, but dropped the Koto. It was caught by Natsume.and was knocked unconscious. Janame woke him up saying that Natsume was able to save it. Janame told her to play. Asagi requested that he listens to the music too because she wanted her precious friend to hear the music too.

Natsume narrates that he played the koto and the song was nothing he has ever heard before feeling Asagi leaves his body. Natsume asked Janame where he was going, he told him that he will be on his way him. Asagi sleeps inside the canteen. Natsume asks Nyanko, who has been his absentee protector for the story, if there was a place where he wanted to be in forever. Nyanko tells him that he didn’t need things like that and Natsume declares that neither did he.

It was a very sweet story… Selfless love and all that stuff which will probably disable you from surviving in this day and age. But this is one of those things that I love about the show. It keeps featuring the purer things in life. It’s another unrequited love story, which really breaks my heart, but I really loved the Tsubame story better so this will trail to a third, after the Hotaru one.

The first gender-bending Natsume in this episode garnered a violent reaction off me. Hell no! Now this anime, but the next few times, it was actually really funny. I actually know someone who will be enjoying the brief Natsume and Tanuma moments.

I can’t believe this series is about to end! :’(

Next time:

Nyanko and Natsume fight. Natsume getsa new kitty or did Nyanko turn into a kitty??? Despite the filler-like title, I have a feeling this opens a premise to the ending.