The second season of Natsume Yuujinchou is much like the previous season, however there were some changes comapred to the previous ones, most of them making me feel about sad. First of all it was the amount you got to know Reiko. In the previous season you got to see memories of the owner of the name whenever Takashi returned them, but this season the audience did only get stories about Reiko told. I found it a bit sad, as I really enjoyed seeing fragments, learning about Reiko. On top of that there was much less of Reiko in general this season.
Another change was the arcs. Previously there were no stories longer than one episode, but this season there were two arcs, if I remember correctly. I don't know if it's because of that, but the spirits and demons in this season just didn't feel like they got stuck. While I properly remember both Asagi and Akagane, kogitsune (the fox child), Tsuyukami (the Dew God) and many others from the first season, those who actually stayed in my mind were Gen and Sui, Kai, Miya and Yasaka, and the evil spirit who lured Takashi to give her name back.
While some characters didn't reappear (for instance I thought Mizusu would appear again, as well as the fox) this season, the audience got much more of Shuuichi Natori and Hiidari. I was surprised to see Hinoe, who first appeared in the first season during an episode when Mizusu was testing Takashi.
This season another character who can see spirits, who goes to same school as Takashi - Tooru Taki appeared too, together with some people that has seen spirits or demons at least ones. Tooru is from a family of onmyouji, and she can only see spirits if they step in a certain circle, which she draws.
We also learned more about Touko and Shigure Fujiwara, who has take Takashi in, this season.We also learn more about the relationship between them and their newest family member, and we even get to see it slowly change to a more family-like relationship. Takashi keeps growing as a person and get more experiences in this season, and just as the previous season it's about relationships between humans and between the spiritual and humans, and the hardships and fears Takashi has of people knowing about his powers.
This season was indeed a good one, and at par with the last season. The beginning was actually making me disappointed in what I was seeing but before I knew it I was feeling it was the same Natsume Yuujinchou I was watching earlier. The soundtrack is the same as the last season, and while the ending is similar to the music in the previous season, I don't feel the opening song fits the series as well. It's a good song, but I just don't feel it was fit for the series.
Once again, this season is also children friendly, but I do still advice younger children watch it with their parents or older siblings.
So, what do I give this season? It should be obvious! As it wasn't as good as the first season in the beginning of the season, it was still good, so I give it 5.5 stars. If it just hadn't been for the first episode making me disappointed, the rating had been just as good, as I don't rate series by their openings and endings.
I wonder if the third season coming out this season will be at par with these first two. Let's see this with excitement.
