"This is the way it should be. I can go with Hana. For so long, I could only watch from afar. But now... I... I can finally be a part of human life. A part of her life. [...] I've always felt... that humans are such sweet creatures."
— Tsuyukami, Volume 1: Chapter 2.
Chapter 02, titled The Dew God (露神, Tsuyukami), is the second chapter of the first volume and the overall second chapter of the Natsume's Book of Friends manga series, written and illustrated by Yuki Midorikawa.
In Japan, it was first published in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine LaLa DX in December 10, 2004 (LaLa DX January 2005 issue).
Now that he's decided to return the names from the Book of Friends that his grandmother Reiko Natsume collected, Takashi Natsume and his bodyguard Nyanko-sensei's lives are full of yokai coming after them. One day, one of those yokai is Tsuyukami, a god, demanding for his name to be returned, only to find that the page with his name is stuck to another paper. To return his name back, they need to search for the other yokai.
Plot[]
Since Takashi Natsume was little, he's seen weird things that other people can't see — creatures called yokai.
Takashi Natsume seeing a yokai his friends can't see.
Walking home from school with Atsushi Kitamoto and Satoru Nishimura, Natsume notices a large one-eyed yokai with small horns nearby. Kitamoto asks him what's wrong but Natsume replies it's nothing, wondering why they can't see it. After his schoolmates leaves, the yokai calls Natsume "Reiko," but before Natsume gets to explain Reiko was his grandmother and that she passed away, they attack him asking for the Book of Friends. Nyanko-sensei appears on a wall and tells the yokai to stop, as he has an agreement with Natsume to take the Book after he dies. While the yokai is distracted, Natsume punches them and run away.
Natsume's grandmother, Reiko, had strong spiritual powers and defeated a lot of yokai whose names she kept in a book — and these contracts meant her orders could not be refused. Since Natsume inherited the Book, yokai are after him to get a hold of it, Nyanko-sensei included — it's a big responsability to him and as much as it is an hassle. When he gets back to his home, another yokai with a big head demands for his name — Natsume comments that he doesn't know how they find out, but more have started to come, seeking liberation. After he returns the name, Nyanko-sensei comes home and sees him completely drained; returning a name is easy, but it completely drains him of his energy. Sensei complains about the Book becoming thinner and that maybe he should just catch Natsume off guard and eat him, and Natsume replies he can hear him and calls him a false fortune cat. Natsume thinks about how nothing good happens when one get involved with yokai.
Touko Fujiwara and Natsume at dinner.
Natsume seeing Tsuyukami for the first time.
Later, as he's playing with Nyanko-sensei with a toy, his guardian Touko Fujiwara calls him for dinner, saying her husband will be late so they'll eat without him. Natsume says it looks good, and Touko asks him if he's gotten used to his new school yet. She tells him she's happy they have a bigger family now and that he can ask them for anything. The Fujiwaras took Natsume in when he didn't have anywhere else to go, so he doesn't want to cause them any problems — which is why he keeps yokai a secret from them. Just as he's about to start eating, he notices nibbles in the food and wonder if it's a rat, before a man with a Noh mask even smaller than his glass of water says this is good and then asks Natsume for his name back. Natsume spit out his water in suprise, surprising Touko.
Natsume trying to peel off the pages.
Later in Natsume's room, the little man yokai apologizes and Natsume thinks about how he is really tiny. Nyanko-sensei actually recognizes him and calls him Tsuyukami: he's so small that he didn't realizes it was him at first. Tsuyukami recognizes Nyanko-sensei's voice and calls him "Madara." He asks what happened to him and says he looks like a joke, to which Sensei tells him to shut up. Natsume explains he was sealed in a fortune cat statue that Natsume accidentally released which is why he looks like this — and he's teaching him about yokai in exchange for the Book when he dies, to which Sensei replies he hopes he dies young. Natsume then looks for Tsuyukami's name in the Book, but once he finds it there's another paper stuck to it. Sensei says it must be rice, and comments that Reiko was a messy eater so she must've flipped through the Book during a meal. Natsume thinks disappointedly "Oh, Grandma," and then tries to peel off the pages — however that makes Tsuyukami starts to contorts himself, saying his skin is ripping. Sensei reminds him that ripping the paper will have the same effect on the yokai, just like burning it will also burn the yokai: that's why they all want their names back. Natsume then tells Tsuyukami that he's unlucky, angering Tsuyukami, and Sensei comments he'll have to return the name on the other page at the same time if he wants to give back Tsuyukami's name. In other words, they have to find the other yokai whose name is stuck on the page. Natsume thinks that it's a pain, and they decide to give up for the day and think of something tomorrow. As Natsume tries to sleep, the yokai starts drinking and making noise until Natsume threw them out his window.
The next day, Natsume sleeps in class out of exhaustion, and then after school he goes to Nanatsu forest with Nyanko-sensei, where Tsuyukami lives. As he walks, some tangerines rolls down on the ground; an old woman dropped them, and Natsume quickly give them back to her. The woman thank him, then tell him to keep them if he wants to, as she can't eat them all. She then tells him it's a nice day, to which he agrees. As they part, Natsume thinks about how he hates how inarticulate he is and that he wishes he could be less awkward, especially as the lady was a nice person. Nyanko-sensei comments that she doesn't have long left to live because she didn't smell very appetizing. Natsume asks him if he eat people and Sensei replies of course he does, which makes him think he'd better be careful.
Tsuyukami showing Hana's offerings.
They finally reach Tsuyukami, who Natsume realizes lives in a small shrine — he freaks out upon realizing he's a god because of how much he disrespected him, wondering what Reiko was doing picking fights with gods. Tsuyukami explains that he was originally a homeless spirit who took up residence in a shrine, but one day a human prayed there during a drought and it happened to rain the next day, so the villagers started worshipping the "Dew God" and leaving offerings. He was suddenly brimming with power after that and grew substantially, to the point that Sensei comments that when him and Reiko first met him, he was human-sized. Tsuyukami explains that people have stopped coming since then; he grew bigger as their faith grew, and smaller as their faith waned. Hearing this, Natsume then proposes to him one of the tangerines the old woman gave him, but Tsuyukami shows that he already has one, along with a flower. Natsume smiles and says he just met an old lady and asks him if she's the one who left those, and Tsuyukami says her name is Hana, and that she comes here to pray.
Tsuyukami's drawing of Susugi.
Natsume, Nyanko-sensei and Tsuyukami searching for Susugi.
Later, Tsuyukami explains that after Reiko beat him, he heard rumors of the next yokai whose name was taken and went to take a look, so he can draw a picture to help find them. Natsume wonder why they can't just summon the yokai with the Book, but Sensei explains that he'd need to call their name while visualizing their appearance; given Natsume don't know the yokai's name or what they look like, he can't summon them like that. Tsuyukami says he doesn't remember their name but they looked like this, then hands them the drawing of a yokai looking like a round blob with two big eyes, a big mouth and a character drawn on them — Susugi. Natsume and Nyanko-sensei both tries not to laugh at the picture as he wonders which swamp does that manatee lives in, and when Tsuyukami replies he lives in the mountains by San-no-zuka and not in water, they both burst out laughing. They thus start looking for the "manatee" in San-no-zuka, asking yokai left and right, but with no success. At school, Natsume falls asleep during class. As Nishimura and Kitamoto tries to wake him up, Kitamoto wonders if he's too tense to sleep at his relatives' place, then they saw he draw the "manatee" on his notebook and wonders what it is.
Hana praying to Tsuyukami without seeing him.
Hana telling Natsume about her meeting with Tsuyukami when she was young.
After school, Natsume wonders why can't anybody else see yokai, and that he's a little jealous of them. He says to Sensei that people can see him when he's a cat, and Sensei replies that it's because he has the ceramic cat as his vessel. When a yokai is powerful like him, they can show themselves at will; or sometimes the weather or their state of mind allows others to see. They reach Tsuyukami's shrine, then sees that Hana is here, praying right in front of Tsuyukami although she cannot sees him — and Natsume wonders once again why can't humans sees them. Hana spots Natsume, and asks him if he's paying his respects here too. That makes her glad, because she was afraid she was the only one, and that would be lonely. She's come here since she was little, and she says that she thinks she saw the Dew God, once. It was on her way to school as a teenager — likely in high school — during a nice day; she was praying as usual, and when she looked up, she saw a leg behind the shrine. She pretended not to notice, but then the man with a Noh mask said "It's so warm today." She almost blurted out "Yes, it is," but was afraid he'd be shocked when he realized a human could see him and disappear. She adds that might've just been a traveling actor as a god with a Noh mask is odd, but she still wishes she should've talked to him that day, to at least say "Yes, it is."
Nyanko-sensei warning Natsume to not let himself be vulnerable.
At night, Natsume has a dream. He can hear the sound of snow falling and thinks it's no wonder it's so cold. He wonders if Tsuyukami's out in the snow alone, and think back to his chidlhood, when he was sitting alone in a room and thinking about how cold it is, and how much he hates being alone. As he slowly wakes up, he feels warmth; but then thinks it's heavy and that he can't breathe, before he realizes that Nyanko-sensei's true form is on top of him, with his jaw open. Natsume punches him before getting away, and Nyanko-sensei, still half-asleep, explains he must've changed in his sleep, and Natsume thinks he'd better not eat him while asleep. As Natsume put away his futon, Sensei asks him if he had a bad dream, and the boy replies it was because he was on him. Sensei tells him he must've left himself vulnerable, as weakness lures in yokai and they take advantages of it; and that he better be strong if he doesn't want to get eaten. Natsume stares at him without saying anything back, and Sensei turns back into a cat as Natsume threatens him to rip his tail out if he does that again. Suddenly, Tsuyukami knock on the window, telling them he found the "manatee." He says they were effectively in the mountains of San-no-zuka, and that Natsume should take a mirror, just in case.
Susugi attacking Natsume.
Susugi's memories.
As they arrives in the mountains, they can't find Susugi but Tsuyukami is sure they're here; they ran off when Tsuyukami called out to them, but they can't be far. Natsume proposes they split up, when suddenly Nyanko-sensei freezes and says something dangerous is coming. Natsume says Susugi will get away and asks Sensei to take care of it, and Sensei says he can if he let him eat them, to which Natsume demands if he eat yokai too. Tsuyukami explains Susugi travels through shadows, and that's why he lives in the mountains, to use the trees' shadows. Natsume then hears something, and turning around he actually sees Susugi, who keeps saying "I'm here," before he teleports in the shadow right the boy. Sensei tells him to get out of of the shadows as Susugi is trying to eat him and absorb his power, and Natsume is shocked that this is the "manatee" as he looks nothing like Tsuyukami's drawing except for the character. Sensei suddenly gets hit, and Tsuyukami who's holding onto Natsume's scarf, tells him to use the mirror so that he can blind him with the sun's reflection.
Natsume returning Tsuyukami and Susugi's names at the same time.
However, he trips before he could and Susugi grabs him, giving Natsume an headache. He has a flashback from Susugi's memories, where they stood alone among people with extended hands, saying that "they're here to receive food," but no one sees them and leaves. At some point, Reiko comes in and put flowers into his extended hands, asking them if they want to duel with her. She says that if they win, they can eat her, and that she's Reiko, before asking for their name. Natsume comes back to reality as Sensei calls him, knowing Susugi's name, but he cannot speak while the yokai's holding him. So Nyanko-sensei turns into his true form and makes lighting flash from his forehead, freeing him. Natsume then calls both Susugi and Tsuyukami, and return their names all at once as Sensei turns back into a cat. Sapping his energy, Natsume faints on the spot.
After that, Natsume decides to go pay Tsuyukami a visit. On the way, Nyanko-sensei explains that Susugi is a yokai that travels along shadows to reach villages and washes people's dishes in exchange for leftovers. In this day and age, fewer people can see yokai, and so shade from the trees rarely reaches modern towns. Sensei adds there's no need for pity, however, as there's still food and other yokai in the woods, and he's sure Susugi is glad they don't have to deal with humans anymore. Natsume says he hopes so as Sensei stares at him.
Natsume saying he'll worship Tsuyukami, but Tsuyukami refusing because Natsume is his friend.
Tsuyukami fading away.
As they reach Tsuyukami's shrine, Natsume brought tangerines for him, but then he realizes he looks even smaller than before. The god suddenly starts glowing, and Tsuyukami realizes it must be because Hana's about to die. She's been sick for a while, so it was even difficult of her to come here. She was the last human to worship him, so when she'll die, Tsuyukami will fade away as well. Natsume says he'll worship him instead, and that although he can't promise to come every day, he'll bring him offerings — but Tsuyukami says he can't, because he's his friend. He says that this is the way it should be, so that he can go with Hana. He reaches his hand, so Natsume reaches back, the god's hand barely as big as his thumb.
Tsuyukami's memories of Hana through the years.
Tsuyukami thinks back to the offerings humans used to bring him, and then to the day of Hana's wedding, as he let flowers fall from a branch while Hana walks under, much like what Reiko did to Susugi. He says that for so long, he could only watch from afar; but now he can finally be part of human life, of Hana's life. Natsume then tells him that Hana heard his voice, long ago. Tsuyukami repeats this, moved, then thank Natsume. He says he's always felt that humans were such sweet creatures. During a flashback with Reiko, the girl tells him that humans won't bring him offerings forever, because they're cruel and self-serving, so he should look for a better place to live while he still can. Tsuyukami thank her, but tells her that "Once you are loved, and you loved in return, you can't ever forget." He thinks back to the humans who used to worship him, and then to Hana when she was a little child, as she kept coming through the years, giving him offerings and taking care of his shrine, up until she was a teenager. As he sees her giving him a flower, Tsuyukami thinks "There you are... You came to see me today. That's why... it's so warm today."
Natsume and Nyanko-sensei being left alone in the snow.
Tsuyukami thank Natsume and Nyanko-sensei, telling them that he loves them as his beloved friends, and then disappears. Nyanko-sensei calls him a fool, as Tsuyukami says one day, he'll understand too, leaving Natsume and Sensei alone under the falling snow. Natsume says the snow kept falling until morning, in the forest, mountains and towns. He hopes that Tsuyukami was able to see Hana, and that it's sad to think of the empty shrine, but that the snow that day didn't feel as cold.
The next day, as Natsume is about to go out Touko stops him because he has a fever. She fusses over him, asking him what he was doing in the snow and what he would like to eat. Natsume says he wanted to offer incense at someone's grave, but Touko tells him to do it another time or he'll die, and that he needs to rest in bed today. As Natsume go back to bed, Sensei calls him a weakling and that maybe now he can finish him in one bit, and they ends up fighting. When he's back to school, Kitamoto asks him if he likes manatees, confusing Natsume. Then his life goes back to normal, getting pursued by yokai again. Natsume thinks that he's still not fond of yokai, but maybe they all share the desire to understand the ones they love.
Yuki Midorikawa's afterwords illustration of Chapter 2.
"I wanted to put in a bit of a romantic element. And I felt the pressure to include subtleties since I was given a whole 50 pages. (And whether it officially became a serial depended on this episode!) I came up with this story because whenever I see a little shrine buried among the bushes, I wonder if the resident god is lonely. Or if I see a tangerine offered once in a while, I imagine that the god will keep busy with his duties as long as at least this one person is around. But I also wanted to include the point that you shouldn't try to pledge yourself to something you can't commit to. I challenged myself to make it seem like the "Scrolls of Frolicking Animals" with little birds and beasts darting/scampering around. I became painfully aware that I need more practice illustrating cute but creepy things. Still, I had a lot of fun with this episode."
In the manga, this story takes place during winter. In the anime, probably to give the show a more linear chronology, it takes place during summer, like the first chapter/episode.
In the manga, at the start of the chapter, Touko Fujiwara says her husband (Shigeru Fujiwara) will be late so they'll eat without him. In the anime, Shigeru isn't late and eat with them, and this is when he is first introduced. O nthe otherh hand, Shigeru won't make a proper appearance in the manga until much later, in Volume 5: Chapter 19.
At some point in the manga, Natsume has a dream about the coldness of the winter which makes him think about Tsuyukami who is all alone in the snow and of his childhood when he felt cold and lonely, before he wake up because of Nyanko-sensei's warmth (and weight). As the story takes place in summer in the anime, that sequence was cut.
The fruits Hana drop are tangerines in the manga while they are peaches in the anime, likely due to the change in season between the two.
Trivia[]
Whether Natsume's Book of Friends would become a serial or not depended on this chapter, which was published more than a year later (December 10, 2004) than Chapter 1 (June 10, 2003).
This is the second time Reiko Natsume features in a story and chapter, albeit very briefly.
In the manga, this is the first time Nyanko-sensei's real name, Madara, is revealed, as unlike the anime it wasn't mentioned in Chapter 1.
Although Touko Fujiwara appears in this chapter, she is only referred to as "Mrs. Fujiwara," in English, or as the "Fujiwara couple" (藤原夫妻, Fujiwara-fusai) in Japanese, and her given name won't be revealed until Volume 2: Chapter 6. She also mentions Shigeru as only "Mr. Fujiwara" in English or as "my husband" in Japanese.
Just like with Touko, although Nishimura and Kitamoto appears in this chapter they are not yet named.
In this chapter, Nyanko-sensei says that Reiko was a "messy eater," and that's how the two pages of the Book got stuck together with rice. However, that trait of Reiko is something that has never been mentioned since after that.
When Natsume realizes the two pages are stuck together with rice, he thinks disappointedly "Oh, Grandma," (ばあちゃん, Baa-chan) while referring to Reiko. This is one of only two times he's seen calling Reiko "Grandma" in the series, as usually he only ever calls her by her given name (レイコさん, Reiko-san). The second time would be at the end of Volume 6: Special 6. He's never called her "Grandma" again after that. Why he referred to her as "Grandma" in those instances in particular is not clear, but it could just be for the comedic factor.
