Natsume, Takashi

Seiyuu / Dub

Bösherz, Konrad· Japanese

Fujimura, Ayumi· Japanese

Kamiya, Hiroshi· Japanese

Gibbs, Adam· English

Guillory, Paige· English

Guzmán, Aldo· Spanish

Summary

Natsume Takashi is the central protagonist of the series, sharing the unique ability of his late grandmother, Natsume Reiko, to perceive ayakashi, or spirits. He has inherited the Book of Friends, a volume containing the names of youkai bound to Reiko’s service through defeat. Because Natsume bears a striking resemblance to his grandmother, he is frequently mistaken for her and targeted by spirits who harbor deep hatred for Reiko yet crave the power contained within the book. Determined to escape the harassment, Natsume decides to dismantle the book by returning each name to its rightful owner. He is accompanied by the youkai Madara, known as Nyanko-sensei, who agrees to serve as Natsume’s bodyguard until his death, at which point Natsume will hand over the book. Having been orphaned young, Natsume was shuffled between various relatives. His sensitivity to ayakashi isolated him from others during his childhood; those who witnessed his interactions labeled him a liar or attention seeker, while his attempts to flee spirits led them to deem him insane. Seeking a normal life, Natsume became reclusive until he was taken in by the Fujiwaras, his father’s middle-aged relatives. Unlike his previous guardians, the Fujiwaras offer him genuine affection, which he returns. To protect them from trouble, Natsume keeps his encounters with ayakashi a secret. Possessing formidable spiritual power, Natsume is capable of physically harming youkai. He forms bonds with both youkai and exorcists, though many seek to exploit his abilities. His personality varies slightly between adaptations; in the anime, he is portrayed as more cheerful and good-natured, whereas the manga depicts him as somewhat more dismal and short-tempered, particularly with Nyanko-sensei. To return a name from the Book of Friends, Natsume must visualize the specific ayakashi to locate its entry. The book opens to the relevant page, and he removes the name, placing it in his mouth while exhaling. This process mirrors the spell Reiko used, which relied on her saliva and breath, allowing Natsume to break the contracts due to his genetic link and physical resemblance to her. However, releasing each name drains nearly all of Natsume’s energy.