English Dub Review: Natsume’s Book of Friends “The Man Amidst the Rows of Cherry Trees”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
From the day where a picture of a row of cherry trees in a desolate winter was obtained, every time Natsume wakes up, his room is covered in petals. Trying to solve the root of this mystery, Natsume and Nyanko Sensei try to return the picture to Miya, a shadow figure who accompanies the picture. But why can’t they return it to Miya?

Our Take:
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But in this case, a picture is worth your life. This week’s episode sees Natsume encountering another supernatural entity in the form of a photograph belonging to a yokai. It may look like a harmless picture of some gorgeous cherry trees, but it is actually another curse Natsume must overcome.
The episode features another yokai named Miya, who has a strong connection to a portrait of a slew of cherry trees. When Natsume buys the picture from the craft fair, he discovers that the painting belongs to Miya, who’s been carrying it around all her life before losing it. The portrait is special to Miya because she believes that her human friend, Yosaka, is inside it. Originally planning to take it back, Miya then decides to help Natsume break the portrait’s curse weakening him. By painting cherry blossoms in the picture, Miya is reunited with Yosaka inside the painting, and the curse is lifted.
It’s also another episode featuring Natsume having something in common with the yokai. In this case, he shares the same worries as Miya regarding their true selves. She made a friend out of Yosaka, who has a strong fondness for cherry blossoms and comes from a wealthy family. However, Miya only visits Yosaka during the spring when the cherry trees bloom, fearing that Yosaka will discover her ghostly self. Miya’s fear is similar to Natsume’s, with him still worried about telling his friends and family about himself due to his fear of being mocked.
“The Man Amidst the Rows of Cherry Trees” offers some other similar elements from the previous episodes, such as a supernatural curse and a yokai befriending a human. However, those elements worked for me in those episodes because of the show’s tranquil tone and wholesome storytelling. This episode is no exception, as it delivered a heartfelt yet familiar depiction of the yokai longing to reunite with her human friend. I won’t be surprised if the following episodes continue to follow suit with their familiarity. But as long as the heart is in the right place regarding the plots, I’ll continue to enjoy Natsume getting cursed repeatedly throughout the series.