I translated this drama cd which is called Natsume Zakkichou: Disappeared food stall into English some months back. It's long so putting it under the spoiler. Note: My english isn't perfect, so there might be mistakes.
Ever since I was little, I could see weird things. Those things that other people couldn’t see were most likely yokai.
Nyanko: So you finally came back, Natsume.
Natsume: Nyanko-sensei, did you come to pick me up?
Nyanko-sensei is a self-proclaimed bodyguard. Normally, he is a powerful yokai though…
Nyanko: Buy me a strawberry daifuku!
While calling himself a bodyguard, he has adapted with a maneki cat and lives mainly with me as my home cat.
Nyanko: Today I am in the mood for strawberries, strawberries!
Natsume: What kind of mood is that…
Nyanko: “What kind of mood” you ask, 1 (ichi), 2, 3, 4, 5 (go), ichigo!*
*a pun about numbers in Japanese
Natsume: What are you talking about!
Natsume: Ah, what! A paper doll?
Nyanko: Hm, that Natori brat probably fled it here.
Natori-san is also someone who “can see yokai” and his main occupation is being a famous actor. He is also doing exorcism work in the background.
Natsume: There’s something written on it.. It says “Come here urgently”
Nyanko: Hm, it’s about him. He is most likely again chasing after something boring. Ignore him.
Natsume: But if he sent a paper doll here..it surely has to be something..ah, sensei?
Nyanko: Nope~ I have an important duty of continuing my nap on top of warm zabuton- Hey! Don’t go so suddenly! What!
Natsume: I tried following the paper doll but where’s Natori-san? What would he do on a river beach like this..
Nyanko: I-i-it’s cold, Natsume! Oh, there’s a nice food stall over there. It has “Udon” written on it~ Ignore someone like him, let’s eat and then go back.
Natsume: Udon..?
Natori: Heyyyyyy!!
Nyanko: Wow, so bright!
Natori: Ah, so you two were here earlier than me~
Nyanko: He is oddly lively.
Natsume: Natori-san, did something happen?
Natori: Ah, nothing..I just thought about eating udon together with you.
Natsume: U…udon?
Natori: Udon.
Natsume: In that stall?
Natori: In that stall.
Natsume: You sent me a paper doll and wrote “urgent” on it all for that. I thought something had happened and I was worried!
Natori: Ah, sorry sorry. Ah, that food stall over there sells very delicious food, it has been closed often recently but as I heard it's open now, I did it without noticing.
Natsume: "Without noticing"..I thought something had happened.
Natori: Would it have been better if something did happen?
Natsume: Uh no...but more like, it'd be good if it was someone else than me all the time too.
Natori: How cold~ But you’re my friend! Also....if it's with you, i wouldn't mind being caught in headlines-
Natsume: I REFUSE.
Nyanko: Hey, let's go in already.
Natsume: Ah, sensei! Hey!
Stall vendor: Welcome.
Natsume: Ah, it’s the first time for me, being in a bicycle towed stall like this.
Natori: Back in the day, there was an old man who managed this stall by himself.
Nyanko: Is there yakiudon? Yakiudon? Also hot sake.
Natori: Yakiudon won’t cut it~ This is a kamaudon stall. See, there’s the menu. What about ebiten?
Nyanko: Ebiten~!
Natori: You eat it with a fresh onsen tamago and mix it with the dashi.*
*I was a bit unsure about this part, but he talks about the way how to eat the dish.
Nyanko: Onsen tamago! I’ll choose that! You two, choose quickly.
Natori: Natsume, what will you choose?
Natsume: Ah, um ... .what should I choose..It’s hard to choose..
Nyanko: Choose already.
Natsume: Let’s see..um, uh…
Nyanko: CHOOSE ALREADY!!
Natsume: Ah, this one with nebaneba toppings looks good.
Natori: Ah, that one has wakame leaves, okra and grated yam on top of it…
Nyanko: Three ebiten udon! Hm, it’s because you two are slow.
Stall vendor: Uh, if it’s wrong, it can be changed.
Natsume: Ah, then with the nebaneba toppings.
Stall vendor: Alright. What about you?
Natori: I’m fine with no change in the order.
Stall vendor: Alright.
Nyanko: It looks so good~
Natsume: Don’t peek that much. If you fall over, you will become tempura too.
Natori: That doesn’t seem that delicious..
Nyanko: What did you say? My tail is seen as one of the tastiest goods!
Natsume: I won’t be fooled.
Natori: You are getting along so well as always~
Natsume: Ah, by the way, why were you recommending a stall from here?
Natori: Ah, back in the day, I was often around this area because of the film shooting. The wind here is strong, so I was cold while waiting. I often came here and warmed myself up.
Natsume: Film shooting..You’re really a celebrity.
Natori: Despite this, I do my work properly though.
Stall vendor: Here’s the one with the nebaneba toppings.
Natsume: Ah, it looks good!
Nyanko: Hm? Mine is not ready yet?
Natsume: Don’t be hasty and just wait properly.
Natori: It’s good to eat it while it’s hot and before it gets flat, so go ahead.
Natsume: Ah, but….
Nyanko: I can’t wait! Give me a taste!
Natsume: Ah, sensei!
Nyanko: Hmm! It’s good! This taste is too good for something made by a human. What if it’s made by a yokai?
Natsume: Hey, sensei! There’s no way it’s like that. Itadakimasu! It’s good!
Nyanko: Hm? What is it?
Natori: Are you alright?
Nyanko: I will look up. Hm? This is a jellyfish bone..?
Natori: What did you say!? A jellyfish bone? There’s no way that’s-
Nyanko: Alright, I’ll pull it out~!
Natsume: Ah, you’re right..but do jellyfish have bones..?
Natori: Natsume…jellyfish bones are probably something that only we can see. So that means..
Madara: This udon stall has a yokai that pretends to be a human.
Natsume: That’s…! Why are you saying that..! Sensei, go back!
Stall vendor: That appearance..! It’s…Madara!
Madara: See? He can see this form. There’s no doubt. Natori brat, did you know about this?
Natori: If I did, I wouldn’t have called you here! I'm even surprised..that he is a yokai..! This is very…unfortunate.
Natori: Natsume, I'm sorry when you came all the way here. Please drink this purifying water and lay down. If there’s something else within you, it can purify you.
Natsume: Natori-san..!
Natori: Don’t worry, I will exorcize him now.
Natsume: Exorcize him….that’s!!
Stall vendor: P-please wait! I’m!
Natsume: Hey, Natori-san! Please wait! I’m fine! Exorcizing him for no reason, it’s too arbitrary!
Natori: Arbitrary? But he harmed you.
Natsume: “Harmed me”...He didn’t do anything to me!
Natori: Even something like a small jellyfish bone, can be life-threatening if left alone!
Natsume: It’s not inside me anymore, I drank the purifying water too! It’s alright..!
Natori: No. Even if you were fine, would you be sure that everyone who ate this after you would be fine too? No, there might be even people who already ate it..I can’t leave it like this!
Natsume: But..!
Natori: The old man was very proud of this store. If he couldn’t reproduce the taste perfectly, he would’ve closed this business with grace. I can’t be quiet and let a yokai ruin this store.
Natsume: Natori-san..!
Natori: Natsume, if it was fine with you, could you help me out? Please let this yokai go without suffering. Use this paper. It’s for sealing the yokai.
Natsume: That's ... .but…but…
Natsume: He is trying to do something! Natori-san, I can’t seal something without a reason after all! I can’t seal it with paper like this…!
Natori: Natsume?
Natsume: Are you alright?
Natori: Natsume…you really are something..
Nyanko: Geez..his favoring of yokai is really troublesome.
Natsume: Why is a yokai like you having an udon stall?
Stall vendor: …I couldn’t forget it. About the old man…About the udon he made.. Yes…that was also a day with a cold wind like today..
Natsume: ..That form…! There’s scales..!
Stall vendor: I’m Sawaragi. I’m a low-class yokai who sleeps in this river and calling fish. I don’t have any more power or companions though.
Natsume: Sawaragi..
Sawaragi: There was some construction work around here and the sun couldn’t shine to the river anymore. No matter how much I called them, the fish didn’t come out. My friends moved elsewhere, and right when I was about to move elsewhere too, that old man appeared. He pulled this old house that emitted dense white steam, there was a good smell and I noticed he was giving food. As I was watching him, I really wanted to eat that food too, so I disguised myself as a human and went to eat it with the money I found from the riverbed. But as I sat here, I had no idea what to do. Then the old man gave me udon without saying anything. Without a word, secretly… I must have looked like I was very hungry. As I finished eating and left the money, the old man laughed and told me to come again. I only noticed it later, but at that time, I had nowhere near enough money. Yet, he still laughed so happily…
Natsume: Now that I think of it, when I and sensei are eating, Touko-san is always laughing happily too..
Sawaragi: That was the first time I had ever eaten something that delicious. Since then, I found money from the riverbed, saved it and quietly ate here.
Nyanko: The humans do have good food after all.
Sawaragi: But after some time, the old man stopped coming here for some reason. At first he was here every day, then there was a one day absence, then three days’…and then, he left this stall here and disappeared. Suddenly no one came here anymore and the stall started slowly decaying. I was thinking about what to do, and then I remembered. That one day I was imitating the old man with a draining casket and string I found from the riverbed and he told me “You aren’t good~” while laughing…That’s why I thought that if I opened a stall like this, that he would come again and say the same thing again…
Natsume: Did you learn how to make udon?
Sawaragi: Yes. But no matter how much I tried my best in making the dashi, I couldn’t make it the same.
Nyanko: So that’s why you used something like a jellyfish bone in the dashi.
Sawaragi: I thought the taste was similar ... .even when I knew that it’d be a bad thing to do something like this..but I couldn’t forget that kind taste…
Natori: I’m sorry, but the old man is already..no matter how much you wait…
Sawaragi: When I knew how many people remembered the old man, I felt relieved. To be honest, disguising myself as a human is very tiring..I thought I should be resting soon too…If you are here, I feel like I can leave this place with no worry.
Natsume: The stall…it’s disappearing with the wind…!
Sawaragi: Thank you, Natsume. I have heard about it. That there is a human who is kind towards yokai..Isn’t it you?
Natsume: Sawaragi..
Sawaragi: I wonder if I was able to prepare the same taste as the old man..?
Natsume: He disappeared..
Nyanko: That guy, he was working too hard while disguising as a human. He had no friends anymore either, so he must have felt very beaten up.
Natsume: Hey, sensei.
Nyanko: Hm?
Natsume: If we didn’t notice that he was a yokai, would Sawaragi have been here and learned to make the same taste as the old man did..?
Nyanko: I wonder~
Natori: Natsume, I’m sorry for doing weird things like that.
Natsume: It’s fine.
Natori: I did hear that the old man had passed away, but I had absolutely no idea that a yokai was working here. I really only wanted to eat the udon here with you.
Natsume: I know that.
Natori: But that was good. If it was me, I would have probably only exorcized him and nothing else. You really are kind.
Natsume: That’s…
Natori: The udon that the old man prepared was really delicious.. I really wanted to have you eat it.
Natsume: It was delicious…the udon I ate just now too.
Natori: Is that so?
Natsume: It was the best.
Natori: I see. Oh, it’s this time already! I’m sorry Natsume, I actually have a film shooting after this.
Natsume: It’s fine.
Natori: I will find another good store. This time, let’s eat together.
Natsume: Yeah.
Nyanko: Hey, what will you do about my heightened desire for ebiten!
Natsume: Take care, Natori-san.
Natori: Thank you, Natsume!
Nyanko: Hey! Don’t sparkle! Ebiten! Ebiten! I want to eat ebiten! EBITEN!!!!
The small part with Natori and Natsume practising reading lines which I translated into English. The clip is from the game ”Natsume Yuujinchou: Hazuki no shirushi”
Natsume Yuujinchou really said you are deserving of love without having to earn it...and that opening up to people is scary but worth the risk because of it...and that it's okay to let the people who love you care for you...and that kindness is the most important thing of all...
[Image description: 9 stills from the anime “Natsume’s Book of Friends” featuring the character Matoba Seiji with tumblr text posts edited in.
Image 1: Matoba turns to look at his prisoner Natsume, who has just regained consciousness. Text post by WordFather reads "good morning babygirl are you ready for todays horrors"
Image 2: Matoba smiles blithely with his umbrella over his shoulder after eluding another attack from the youkai who wants his eye. Text post by bombing reads "the multiple failed assassination attempts made against me have helped build both character and self esteem"
Image 3: Teen Matoba smiles slightly after saying the clan won't fall on his watch. Text post by wizard-email reads "YOU might be crushed under the weight of your own hubris. im ok tho"
Image 4: Teen Matoba holds up a talisman he's going to use to try to expel the youkai haunting Natori. Text post by markadoo reads "person: thank you, that was very thoughtful of you. me, humble, always deflecting compliments: actually, I wasn’t thinking of you at all. the benefit you derived was entirely incidental. I rarely think about you at all."
Image 5: Matoba brushes his bangs off his eyepatch. Text post by NeoMetalPussy reads "my number one skill is being sooo cute and my number two skill is the ancient curse"
Image 6: Expressionless, Matoba stares off into space after Natori has asked if he's ever thought about quitting. Text post by LeOfWines reads "there’s nothing wrong with me plus i don’t have any wants or needs plus i don’t feel or think at all"
Image 7: Matoba smirks at Natsume after a conversation in which he did not correct Natsume's misconceptions about him draining youkai blood and then implied that he would cause Natsume bodily harm if he tried to escape. Text post by LGBTLunaVerse reads "Obsessed with characters who portray themselves as worse than they are. Who are lying to everyone including themselves about it. People generally assume if someone’s lying about themselves they’re trying to look better but sometimes they’re trying to look worse. They attribute agency to where they had none, add intent to accidents, try to convince everyone that this is something they did instead of something that happened to them."
Image 8: Matoba sits silently on a bench in a garden staring into space. Text post by kosmogrl reads "born to be an idgafer forced to be a yearner"
Image 9: Smiling teen Matoba tells Natori he's fine after Natori offers to listen to his problems. Text post by WaltzingBi reads "*me, literally sick with want* whatever"
/end ID]
*slaps roof of cursed clan leader* this bad boy can fit so much fuckin repression in it
Not a summary, just something I think interesting.
Spoilers under cut.
Ban said his eyesight has temporarily deteriorated due to some ayakashi problem. So he wanted Tanuma's help.
Natsume retorted that Ban had stolen something from Tanuma at the auction—
But Tanuma wanted to know why Ban was looking for "him," since he had no idea which box contained the Disaster.
Ban pointed out that if one wanted to know the aura of the box's seal, they should indeed consult Natsume, who excels in this area.
However, he didn't care what was inside the box at all.
What he wanted was Tanuma's ability to identify antiques.
He wanted the genuine artifact, not a replica, but the unique box itself.
Natsume refused Ban's request, and asked Tanuma to leave with him.
However, after Natsume turned away, Tanuma asked Ban, "...If I accept your request, what you said about 'the location of the painting', is it ture?"
Ban nodded.
Tanuma gave him a serious look before catching up with Natsume.
"The successor of a famous temple and a boy with supernatural powers" LOL
Natsume wore a completely sour face when facing Ban and Matoba LOL
I had considered the possibility of Natori appearing before, thinking the chance was around 20-30%, but it turned out that this was the one who won.
"Please continue. The Matoba clan is in charge. The reason they're making so much noise is simply because they can't take action, so they say things that cause confusion. Don't be afraid, complete your mission."(Matoba is using a commanding tone here.)
In contrast to Matoba, Natora comforted Nire from behind, saying that he was now his eyes and would protect him no matter what happened, and that there was only a little bit left in the ceremony, so please persevere.
After the ceremony, Natsume and Tanuma were exhausted...
Sensei: "Okay, let's eat."
"Why would you come to a rural place like this, Natori-san!!"
"I've said it many times, this should be my line. As an exorcist, it's perfectly normal for me to be here. Why would an ordinary student specifically come to a border region like this!!"
Tanuma greeted Natori, explaining that he had been asked to come as a representative of his family temple, and that Natsume had followed out of concern.
Natsume immediately shouted, "Tanuma! That's not it!! It's because I'm interested!!"
Nyanko-sensei added, "I thought it was a festival!"
Natori was so speechless that even his drawing remained a draft LOL
"...it's strange. During the 'Hako-sama passing Event,' four boxes were clearly being passed around, but among these boxes..."
"──there wasn't a 'real box'."
Ban disappeared.
+
I think that although the head of the Kugi clan appears serious, he's actually quite suspicious...
However, it seems the ritual of passing the box is just an appetizer; the main focus is the village's strange occurrences (the primary reason Natori came to investigate) and the location of Hako-sama.
Furthermore, if Tanuma wasn't deliberately lying, and the four boxes aren't real, then Ban did indeed get his answer. Will he really tell Tanuma the help he promised in finding the portrait?
After all, it seems the portrait is currently the main plot device...
At the end of this chapter, Natsume, Tanuma, and Natori were talking, but Sensei wasn't around. I guess the next chapter might start with Sensei sneaking off to find food and discovering something LOL
A scene from the Natsuyuu game where Matoba and Natsume do fireworks together (translated by me)
Sensei: Guh! Geez…why don’t the tools of humans fit my hand…guh! Ah, I was able to keep it. Natsume, give me fire.
Natsume: I put up a candle so take the fire from there.
Sensei: Ooh! There’s more force to it than I thought!
Natsume: Be careful though? It’s bad to hold it towards people
Sensei: Shift, shift….uh, the fire disappeared
Natsume: (Haha. Sensei seems to be unexpectedly having fun)
Sensei: Natsume! Give me one more!
Sensei: Mumumu…
Natsume: Ah!
Sensei: You already dropped it? You suck.
*sensei drops it too*
Sensei: Oh?
Natsume: Ahaha. There’s no difference with you though.
Sensei: Okay, Natsume. Let’s start with ”One, two, go”! The one whose fire disappears quicker loses.
Natsume: Haha, nice. I will start? One, two, go!
Sensei: Mumumu…
Natsume:…
Natsume: (Wah, the force of the fire…it might already fall..)
Matoba: …Fufu, it fell immediately.
Natsume: ..Eh?
Matoba: Good evening. As expected, you’re good friends with neko-san as always.
Natsume: Matoba-san..?! G-Good evening..
Sensei: Why are you here?
Matoba: Please don’t be so alerted. It’s just a coincidence. I was passing by and heard sounds so i came to peep.
Natsume: (A coincidence…is it again the exorcism work…)
Matoba: Can I join in?
Natsume: Eh…I-I don’t mind though
Matoba: Well then, I will do it gladly.
Natsume: …Ah….
Matoba: Fufu, oh, sorry. it seems like you haven’t done fireworks much before, Natsume-kun.
Natsume: Uh….that’s…yeah…
Matoba: …Can i take one?
Natsume: …Here
Matoba: When you light the fire, you hold the sparklers slightly like this. Then after that….you just lower it quietly..
Natsume: (…It’s quiet. Only the sound of the firework is echoing)
Matoba: ……
Natsume: (Matoba-san…he is looking at the fireworks strictly..)
Matoba: …
Natsume: (…I wonder what he is thinking. Even when looking at his expression for long like this, I can’t figure out what he is thinking about…..That eyepatch. )
(Flashback to the anime episodes)
The Matoba family has broken the promise with a youkai who eats the right eye in the past. Since then, every boss from many generations, has lived with their right eye being targeted by that youkai. I’ve seen him being attacked by that youkai once.
Matoba: You see, Natsume-kun. I hate foolish things.
…I wondered for who those words were for…there has been time when Matoba-san has tried to show me under his eyepatch once. I ended up not seeing it after all, and even now, I haven’t still seen it.
Matoba: I still have an eyeball there, but there’s an ugly scar in my face. It’s only for this time. Want to look?
Natsume: (Matoba-san’s right eye that is riddled with mysteries…I wonder what is there)
Matoba: …Is there something on my face?
Natsume: Eh?!
Matoba: Aa, you’re interested what is under this? Want to see?
Natsume: Ah, no, uh…
*the fire disappears*
Natsume: Ah!
Sensei: What is it now, staring at that creepy face like that. If you want to see something, gaze at this pretty face of me instead! How is it! It’s fine to stare at it to your heart’s content!
Here’s a full translation of a scene from the Natsuyuu game, where Natori and Natsume run from Natori’s fangirls and meet with Matoba in the end.
Natsume: Haa...haa...if we are here, it should be alright…
Sensei: Natori. Can't you do anything about your sparkling?
Natori: Fufu, it seems like I can't hide this sparkle.
Natsume: Anyway, you're so popular as always...do you get many fan letters like that?
Natori: Ah, that's true. Sometimes I get them directly too, but my agency gets them even more.
Natsume: E-even more..
Natori: Yes, I look up every single of them.
Natsume: All of them?
Natori: Of course...Letters are a way for people to show their feelings to others. I think they're important gifts. Putting your feelings into words and writing them on a paper...they're made preciously like that..That's why, they're very important to me.
Natsume: Putting your feelings into a shape…
Matoba: Oh, us all being here like this. What are you doing?
Natsume: Eh..
Matoba: Meeting here like this, what a coincidence.
Natsume: M-Matoba-san?
Natori: ...I should ask that from you, what are you doing here?
Matoba: Even without making a scary expression like that, I just happened to be nearby and heard you talking. You seemed to be talking about letters so I got interested.
Sensei: You were eavesdropping? What a bad hobby.
Matoba: I have also sent a letter once, so. It was an uncharacteristically long letter, in the end, it wasn't received by the person I sent it to.
Natori: ....
Natsume: That's...wasn't it that letter that was meant for me? I'm sorry...I don't know where that latter went.
Matoba: Fufu, it's fine. It was probably not meant to be read at that moment.
Natsume: ...
Matoba: Well then, I will go back to work. See you.
Sensei: Fun. He is as annoying man as always.
Natsume: The letter that Matoba-san sent that time. Matoba-san's feelings were put into words and made into a shape..I wonder what was written into it
Natori: Natsume! Well then, I shall return to work soon. Be careful and return to home before it becomes dark?
Refusing natsume of such thing even after shredding matobas letter to natsume natori can’t help himself when natsume was thinking about matobas feelings with the letter natori had to snap him out of it he’s so fjdjdjskssksk
natori standing there like it wasn’t himsnsnskskssmsmsmsm
I know I and others have already talked about it before but I love every instance of Tanuma carrying Nyanko-sensei for what it means for them and Natsume as both separate relationships and all 3 together.
Natsume Yuujinchou /Natsume's Book of Friends / Le Pacte des Yokai Chapter 118
Like, Nyanko-sensei was on Natsume's shoulder in the previous page and goes back to his arms in the next page. Just the moment Tanuma might have been on his own, before Natsume even voiced it Nyanko-sensei knew to go with Tanuma. Tanuma isn't showing a hint of surprise so either he expected this because of the situation in general or because Nyanko-sensei went into his arms (I'm partial for it being 50/50 tbh). But since Tanuma goes with them Nyanko-sensei is back with Natsume. Tanuma also takes on the role of calming sensei which tends to be his job while Natsume can go on to detect stuff (which I find hilarious considering Tanuma's pretty much already solved the case). While Nyanko-sensei job is to protect Tanuma.
Just... The trust, the worry, the unspoken conversations this implies is 👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
The three of them work so well together. So far I don't think we have any other character who works so well off both Nyanko-sensei and Natsume together and separately as Tanuma. The closest might be Hiiragi and Hinoe.
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