Forum - View topicShelf Life - Natsume's Book of Faces
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crosswithyou
 Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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I have always wondered about this as well. They keep saying she died young, but apparently she had at least one child or else we wouldn't have Natsume. |
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CrownKlown
 Posts: 1762 |
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One of the popular WMG is that her husband/lover was Youkai. |
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crosswithyou
Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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Huh. That could make for an interesting story, but then again it'd mean Natsume is part youkai! Personally I don't see the story going in that direction (and wouldn't want it to), but it's still a fun side thought. |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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Guh, thanks. I'm getting sloppy. Can we blame it on Comic Con? Please? Sadly, I never did review the first 3 seasons. By the time I caught up, reviews of those wouldn't have been timely, but I'm sooooo glad I watched them. For the longest time, I was kind of hemming and hawing about "yet another yokai show" but Natsume was anything but. |
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crosswithyou
Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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Thought so, which is why I was surprised when there was a review up for season 4. I think I had mentioned several times while you were raving about Chihayafuru that you should also check out Natsume as the character development in both series are excellent. (Or was that when Erin was handling the column? IIRC she or someone at ANN wasn't as enthusiastic about Natsume.) As a huge fan of the series, I'm very glad to hear that you enjoyed it. ^^ I highly recommend the manga! |
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CrowLia
 Posts: 5528 Location: Mexico |
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Me three. I recently marathoned seasons 2, 3 and 4 and this question kept popping up every now and then; especially since one of the main arguments of the story is how Reiko was so lonely and hated both human and yokai, and how Natsume is an evolution of that since he's able to co-exist and love both human and yokai. The fact that "Natsume" is Reiko's maiden name and yet it somehow got passed down to Takashi makes me wonder even more on the subject |
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crosswithyou
Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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Huh, I hadn't thought about Reiko's maiden name being passed down and that's a good point. You then also have to wonder if either of Natsume's parents (not sure which is the child of Reiko) were able to see youkai and if any they had any similar experiences as Natsume (Takashi). Btw, I absolutely love the Fujiwaras! They are sooooo kind, and I'm glad the story of how they invited Natsume to join their family was animated near the end of the third season. I totally wibbled when I read the scene in the manga where Natsume asks to go with them while in the hospital room, and then shed a few tears when I saw it animated. I hope one day Natsume will be able to tell the Fujiwaras about the youkai. |
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Maidenoftheredhand
 Posts: 2634 |
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Well they kind of start hinting about it in Vol 14. |
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nemesiz
Posts: 6 Location: Bracknell |
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Having only watched the series, and not read the continuing Manga of Natsume Book of Friends, a couple of possible ideas on the continuation of the name or line. In Japanese society in Feudalistic times, unrelated children and prominent adults were adopted into the traditional Clans for the protection against rivals, continuation of the bloodline but also improve reputation by accepting rare talented individuals. Before the war when Imperialism re-appeared the practise had a resurgence, and while rare, the system continues today in the form we see in westernized society. A more plausible answer though is indicated and suggested in the animation, is that Reiko could be alive and head of the Exorcist Clan. If she had left her old family in disgrace "black sheep", run away or chose to marry into the new Clan all her past background would be erased. Her previous family would then classify her as "dead". |
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crosswithyou
Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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Did they? I'm flipping through the volume right now and while there's a pretty long chapter with Reiko, I didn't see any hints that could allow us to speculate. Then again I read this a year ago when it first came out so my memory is hazy.
Huh?? Sorry, but I really don't think that's the case. It wouldn't fit with the atmosphere of the story at all. While there are still many questions about Reiko, I don't think it detracts from the story if some of those questions go unanswered since the main character is Takashi and the series is about his interactions with youkai and humans, and how those interactions shapes his views. Little by little though Midorikawa sensei is definitely revealing bits and pieces about Reiko. It'll be interesting to see if she gives us the whole story in the end, but I wouldn't want the spotlight to shift entirely from Takashi to Reiko. The way Reiko's past is weaved into the chapters right now is perfect. |
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Maidenoftheredhand
Posts: 2634 |
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Yes I don't have my volume on me so please forgive me if I am forgetting something but spoiler[Natsume's relatives talk about her having a child out of wedlock and he was always afraid to ask more about her because of what they might say And then there is also a moment where Reiko is telling the youkai that some guy is giving her manjuu and telling her to not stay up in the tree. I was always under the impression this is probably Natsume's grandfather.] |
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Aylinn
 Posts: 1684 |
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I remember something like that too. I also think it safe to assume that Takashi's mother is Reiko's daughter. During the second Matoba arc, Matoba asks Takashi about his grandmother and then he asks about his mother. If I remember correctly, Takashi answers that his mother didn't have any power and was an ordinary person. That's why I think Natsume's mother is Reiko's daughter. |
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crosswithyou
Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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HMM. I'll have to go back on this later. |
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Alan45
 Village Elder Posts: 10000 Location: Virginia |
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In chapter 57 of volume 14 spoiler[Takashi tells Tanuma that Reiko had his mother out of wedlock. No information on the last name, though his father could have been a Natsume as well.]
It is indicated several times that Takashi is as strong as Reiko. To me this indicates that the bloodline has not diminished as it did with the Matobas. If a yokai is not involved, his grandfather may have been from one of the yokai hunter clans. |
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crosswithyou
Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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@Alan45
You might want to put that under a spoiler tag. Anyway, yeah, I just went through the chapter and spoiler[confirmed that Natsume is related to Reiko on his mother's side, and that Reiko had his mother without getting married.] It's been so long since I've read this and I read a lot of manga throughout the year so I totally forgot this happened! |
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