English Dub Review: Natsume’s Book of Friends “The Little Fox’s Hat”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Natsume goes to a hot spring for a school trip, with an errand from Shigeru to pick up teacups from a nearby potter. While there, he meets and helps a little fox spirit, who quickly grows attached to him.

Our Take:

Helping a child is one thing, but assisting one that’s actually a yokai is something that’s on another level in itself. That’s what happens to Natsume when he encounters a young fox spirit during his field trip. This particular ghost is known as a “Kitsune”. A kitsune is a fox with paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser and can shapeshift into human form. Some are tricksters, as told in some folktales, while others are portrayed as faithful companions and guardians.

Fortunately, this kitsune is along the lines of the latter, with him being a young orphaned child who lost his mother. Identified as Kogitsune, the child spends his days talking to his mother’s grave and learning to be helpful, so he doesn’t get beat up by the bullying yokai. After being saved by Natsume, Kogitsune is inspired to be his friend and be as helpful as him.

The episode’s second half focuses mainly on Kogitsune and his journey to find Natsume. After feeding fish to the large spirit, he’s gifted with an elixir that can make him human so that he can locate Natsume. Kogitsune eventually finds him being happy around his foster parents, which leads him to realize that he’s the only one who feels lonely. Luckily for the young fox child, Natsume agrees to be his friend after discovering Kogitsune’s bravery in venturing into the real world alone.

“The Little Fox’s Hat” is another splendid chapter in Natsume’s Book of Friends that’s also fitting as an original animated short film. The animation still looks fantastic regarding its serene backgrounds. More importantly, the plot involving Kogitsune is a compellingly sentimental depiction of a lonely orphan striving to find happiness in friendship, mainly for its finale. If the ending doesn’t make you shed a tear, there’s a good chance you have no soul.