Relaxing Yokai Anime to Close Out the Summer With

Ah, it’s summer. Time to kick back, relax and watch some anime. With yokai — supernatural spirits from Japanese folklore. Because why not?

Natsume Yuujinchou

Natsume Yuujinchou might be the most relaxing anime I’ve ever watched of any genre. It was so relaxing that the first time I tried watching, I got bored and fell asleep, which I realize isn’t exactly a stellar recommendation. I decided that, out of fairness, I ought to give it another go at a later point in time, and I’m so glad that I did. It’s now one of my favorite anime. I even have Madara-sensei on my wallet!

Anglicized as Natsume’s Book of Friends, the anime tells the story of teenage boy Natsume, who inherited the ability to see yokai from his grandmother Reiko. Due to the death of his parents and the peculiarities associated with his abilities, Natsume has been passed around to various relatives for his whole life. Now living with the Fujiwaras, he accidentally releases the demon Madara — aka Nyanko-sensei — and together, the two set about returning the names of demons that Reiko captured in the titular book of friends.

One of my favorite things about the anime is how low-stakes everything is. It’s not like the fate of Japan is hanging in the balance — it’s just a teenage boy (and his demon that looks like a cat) going around helping people and yokai and fixing problems. The story focuses on the relationships they develop along the way, and while there are problems and challenges they encounter, it’s all about the journey rather than the end destination.

Kamisama Kiss

A while back I was on a kick where I kept watching anime on Crunchyroll that started with the letter “K.” For some reason, I had extraordinarily good luck finding quality anime in that category, including Kyousougiga, Karneval and, of course, Kamisama Kiss.

Also known as Kamisama Hajimemashita, the anime follows the story of Nanami, who unwittingly ends up as the earth god at a local shrine after wandering around homeless. She must work together with her new familiar Tomoe and learn to navigate her changing circumstances and responsibilities. It’s not a cakewalk by any means, and there’s a whole cast of rather odd characters waiting to help and hinder the new land god and her familiar.

As is the case with Natsume, Kamisama Kiss is refreshingly low stakes — despite dealing with gods. Nanami and Tomoe’s romance is the backdrop for it all, progressing slowly and gracefully in the background as they work together and deal with problems that arise that require a land god’s assistance. The side characters are also charming and interesting, with enough added to keep things fresh but not so much so that you need an encyclopedia to keep track of them all. Kamisama Kiss is short, sweet, and a perfect summer love story.

Mushi-shi

Mushi-shi was recommended to me in light of my love of Natsume Yuujinchou, which honestly made me hesitant to try it. I didn’t need “the original” or “the better version” when I loved the one I already had. Fortunately, time and good sense prevailed and I was persuaded to give it a try. It may be obvious, but I’m glad I did.

Mushi-shi follows the titular mushishi Ginko as he travels around Japan, helping people and dealing with mushi — spirits that are a cross between yokai and constructs of light. He researches them and spreads his knowledge of them in pursuit of answers as to what exactly mushi are and how they relate to us. The 26 episode series does have an overarching plot, but for the most part the story is episodic, following the laid-back Ginko in his travels and dealing with the effects that the mushi have on the human world and vice versa.

In terms of tone, Mushi-shi has a very somber and grown-up feel to it, though the anime contains no explicit scenes or themes. The focus of each episode is very much on the humans and their lives and stories that Ginko happens to be a part of for a brief moment, intertwined with the mushi. Ginko himself serves as the series main constant, a protagonist who is calm and sturdy, though by no means is he in control of every situation he finds himself in. He’s intelligent, compassionate, and easy to empathize with and root for. You want him to succeed in his mission because he deserves it. I won’t give anything away, but to the people saying Natsume Yuujinchou is something of a copy of Mushi-shi have missed the point of both series completely.

Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi

I’m not sure why the plot of so many anime are kickstarted by people’s grandparents, yet here we are. Originally airing in 2018, Kakuriyo piqued my interest from the first time I heard about it, though I did not end up getting the chance to sit down and watch it until long after it was finished.

Translated as Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits, the anime follows the story of a young girl, Aoi, who can see ayakashi spirits. Unfortunately, due to a bargain her now-deceased grandfather made many years ago, she ends up being kidnapped into slavery by the ayakashi Oodanna and forced to live at his inn in the hidden realm. Her choices are either marrying Oodanna — an ogre — or paying off her grandfather’s exorbitant debt. She chooses the latter and opens a restaurant at the inn.

Right from the get-go, we sympathize with Aoi, who was abandoned by her parents when she was young, has now lost her grandfather, and to top it all off, can see weird spirits that most people cannot. If you don’t feel for her before she gets kidnapped, you certainly will afterwards. Aoi is a refreshing heroine who does embody a lot of classic tropes but is also a new take on them. She’s a hard worker and intelligent, but at the same time is still very much a damsel in distress in the classic sense of the word. She is determined enough to get herself out of her situation but also knows that she has to do it her own way, playing to her strengths. The cast of spirits who live, work at, and frequent the inn are a colorful lot and it’s fun to watch her find her place among them.

Tsukumogami Kashimasu

If “why would you rent out belongings like charms and trinkets” seems like a reasonable question to you, congratulations! We’re in the same boat. However, it was apparently not uncommon to do so in the Edo era (1603 – 1868), which is lucky for our protagonists Okou and Seiji.

Translated as We Rent Tsukumogami, the series centers on the shop run by Okou and Seiji, who rent out everyday items to people like pots and futons, as well as small charms and items that have, quite literally, taken on lives of their own – the titular tsukumogami. Using the tsukumoogami they keep in the shop and working with others they encounter along the way, the siblings help solve problems both mundane and supernatural.

The historical basis of the series sent me down an interesting rabbit hole, as did the concept of tsukumogami themselves. It’s an intriguing take on the common subject of spirits and yokai, and something I’d love to see explored further. Okou and Seiji are a cute duo and the spirits that all reside at the shop have varied, interesting personalities that clash and complement each other, keeping the character interactions from being boring. Shockingly, I’ve found that the series is not particularly well known, but at only 12 episodes, it’s well worth a watch if you’re looking for a peaceful way to pass an afternoon.