My first impressions for this show after watching the first two episodes I felt that the season would focus on motifs of Natsume growing up with unique capabilities and what life was like for him during these difficult times. It turns out that I wasnt too far off on my hypothesis Woot.Very much like the previous season this new addition has been quite reflective in regards to Natsumes past mostly in relation to the obstacles that he faced as a child. We get to experience more concrete glimpses into the core facets via contemplative thoughts that our protagonist has about the person he used to be and the person that hes become. This breathtakingly puts into perspective the character growth that hes undergone over the span of the past 72episodes. Every single aspect about Natsumes Book of Friends is a stunning masterpiece and a subtle ode to Japanese culture and spiritual beliefs. Its presented in glorious animation infused with the aesthetics of tradition and history. From the mannerisms and etiquette to the way that everyone interacts with anothersupernatural or otherwiseto the common dilemmas involving dysfunctional and complicated familial bonds friendships steeped in misunderstanding and the simple emotions of loneliness thats blossomed from a deep lossall of these come together in a marvellous fluid way to create a story thats highly engaging and compassionate. Visually the anime is just as lovely if not more as its predecessors. The natural surroundings of the forests neighbourhoods and mountainous regions are depicted with great detail while retaining an air of ordinary beauty. The characters are all natural and easy to differentiate from one to the next. Whenever it calls for it the suspense laced with ethereal affects conjures just the right amount of tension without feeling heavy forced or insufficient. The soundtrack continues to be wholeheartedly magical with melodies composed of piano shamisen and wood instruments that work together to instil warmhearted emotions and empathetic responses. Its tasteful sophisticated and so easy to listen to making it the absolute perfect accompaniment to the classic aura of Japanese culture. Regardless of all of these things to love and appreciate the best parts of the season were the themes of friendship and family the bonds that tie people together which is inherent in every new instalment to the serial. Its a show that really peels away all of the layers that make humans such complex creatures and reveals us for the simpletons that we are: individuals who fight our own realm of loneliness people who just want to love and be loved and accepted whether its romantic familial etc. In conclusion Natsumes Book of Friends was one of the best shows out there for the Spring 2017 Anime lineup and it will always be a masterpiece for me. Its the kind of genuine feelgood series to pick up when you need it the most. I highly recommend this to all fans of anime especially if youre new to the medium. It can be enjoyed by anyone who loves a beautiful story. 10 maple leaves outta 10