Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 is available on and right now. The 1-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Hiroshi Kamiya leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

There is a reason Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 keeps coming up in conversation. Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 treats its concept seriously enough to follow it all the way through. As with its prequel, Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 is about Takashi Natsume, a boy who has had the ability to see youkai since he was young, and his bodyguard youkai Madara, nicknamed Nyanko-sensei. Natsume attempts to return names written in his "Book of Friends" (which he inherited from his grandmother Reiko) to youkai in his village. Throughout these adventures, he meets some youkai that are friendly, some that want to steal the Book, and some that want to kill him, as Natsume learns about himself and his relationship with these mysterious beings along the way. Hiroshi Kamiya and Kazuhiko Inoue lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2009. Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 fits the bill. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single week. Watch for Hiroshi Kamiya in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.