Natsume's Book of Friends watch order
Takashi Natsume has always seen yokai. When he inherits his grandmother Reiko's Book of Friends, a ledger of yokai names she bound, he starts handing the names back, with the lucky-cat-shaped spirit Nyanko-sensei as his reluctant bodyguard. A gentle, mostly episodic series from Yuki Midorikawa's manga, made by Brain's Base for seasons 1–4 and Shuka since season 5.
First time? Watch Season 1 through Season 7 in order, adding each season's two special episodes after Season 5 and Season 6, and the films Ephemeral Bond and The Waking Rock and the Strange Visitor after Season 6. The 2013 and 2014 OVAs are optional side stories.
Story order
Natsume's story runs in release order, so this is release order minus the 3D chibi shorts. The two OVAs after Season 4 are optional side stories, and the Season 5 and 6 specials are really those seasons' last two episodes.
- Natsume's Book of Friends (Season 1)
Natsume moves in with the Fujiwaras, frees Nyanko-sensei and starts returning names from the Book of Friends. Mostly one-yokai-per-episode stories that introduce his school friends and the local spirits.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 (Zoku)
Aired straight after Season 1 and carries on in the same way, with more of the regular yokai and friends. 'Zoku' just means 'continued'.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 3 (San)
Brain's Base returns two and a half years after Season 2. Same characters, same format, and the story carries straight on.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 4 (Shi)
Aired straight after Season 3 and continues it. The last season by Brain's Base.
- Nyanko-sensei and the First Errand (optional)
A 23-minute original side story first given away on DVD with LaLa magazine for the manga's tenth anniversary: Nyanko-sensei, separated from Natsume, has to see two small children safely past hungry forest yokai. Optional; fits after Season 4.
- Natsume's Book of Friends OVA: On a Certain Snowy Day (optional)
A 23-minute winter side story (Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni): a small snowman-like yokai asks Natsume to help it find 'something warm and sparkly'. Optional; fits after Season 4.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 5 (Go)
The series returns after four years with a new studio, Shuka, and the same voice cast. Same tone and same story; nothing restarts.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 5 specials
'One Night Sake Cup' and 'Party of Fun and Games', two full-length episodes released on the Season 5 discs. They work as episodes 12 and 13 of the season, so watch them right after it.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 6 (Roku)
Aired right after the Season 5 specials and continues in the same vein.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 6 specials
Two disc-only episodes that round off Season 6 as episodes 12 and 13: a dying tree spirit who asks Natsume for water, and a schoolgirl haunted by a white owl from her dreams.
- Natsume's Book of Friends the Movie: Ephemeral Bond
A 104-minute original story supervised by the manga author. Natsume meets a mother and son in a town his grandmother once visited, while Nyanko-sensei eats a strange fruit and splits into three. Self-contained, and placed after Season 6.
- Natsume's Book of Friends: The Waking Rock and the Strange Visitor
Two TV-length episodes from the manga, shown together in cinemas (51 minutes): a timid yokai ordered to wake a sleeping god, and a yokai in human form whose visits leave Tanuma unwell. Some streaming services list it as two OVA episodes.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 7 (Shichi)
The first TV season in seven years, again by Shuka. It carries on where things left off, with the regular cast returning.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 7: The Outstretched Hand
A bonus 13th episode released on the last Season 7 disc in April 2025. Crunchyroll added it, subbed and dubbed, in November 2025. Watch it after Season 7.
Release order
Everything in the order it came out, including the 3D shorts on the Season 2 discs.
- Natsume's Book of Friends (Season 1)
Natsume moves in with the Fujiwaras, frees Nyanko-sensei and starts returning names from the Book of Friends. Mostly one-yokai-per-episode stories that introduce his school friends and the local spirits.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 2 (Zoku)
Aired straight after Season 1 and carries on in the same way, with more of the regular yokai and friends. 'Zoku' just means 'continued'.
- 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou (optional)
Five one-minute 3D chibi shorts of Nyanko-sensei from the Season 2 DVD and Blu-ray volumes. No story; skip unless you're a completist.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 3 (San)
Brain's Base returns two and a half years after Season 2. Same characters, same format, and the story carries straight on.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 4 (Shi)
Aired straight after Season 3 and continues it. The last season by Brain's Base.
- Nyanko-sensei and the First Errand (optional)
A 23-minute original side story first given away on DVD with LaLa magazine for the manga's tenth anniversary: Nyanko-sensei, separated from Natsume, has to see two small children safely past hungry forest yokai. Optional; fits after Season 4.
- Natsume's Book of Friends OVA: On a Certain Snowy Day (optional)
A 23-minute winter side story (Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni): a small snowman-like yokai asks Natsume to help it find 'something warm and sparkly'. Optional; fits after Season 4.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 5 (Go)
The series returns after four years with a new studio, Shuka, and the same voice cast. Same tone and same story; nothing restarts.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 5 specials
'One Night Sake Cup' and 'Party of Fun and Games', two full-length episodes released on the Season 5 discs. They work as episodes 12 and 13 of the season, so watch them right after it.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 6 (Roku)
Aired right after the Season 5 specials and continues in the same vein.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 6 specials
Two disc-only episodes that round off Season 6 as episodes 12 and 13: a dying tree spirit who asks Natsume for water, and a schoolgirl haunted by a white owl from her dreams.
- Natsume's Book of Friends the Movie: Ephemeral Bond
A 104-minute original story supervised by the manga author. Natsume meets a mother and son in a town his grandmother once visited, while Nyanko-sensei eats a strange fruit and splits into three. Self-contained, and placed after Season 6.
- Natsume's Book of Friends: The Waking Rock and the Strange Visitor
Two TV-length episodes from the manga, shown together in cinemas (51 minutes): a timid yokai ordered to wake a sleeping god, and a yokai in human form whose visits leave Tanuma unwell. Some streaming services list it as two OVA episodes.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 7 (Shichi)
The first TV season in seven years, again by Shuka. It carries on where things left off, with the regular cast returning.
- Natsume's Book of Friends Season 7: The Outstretched Hand
A bonus 13th episode released on the last Season 7 disc in April 2025. Crunchyroll added it, subbed and dubbed, in November 2025. Watch it after Season 7.
Explained
Is it episodic? Can I skip a season?
Mostly episodic: most episodes are a single yokai encounter, with the odd two-parter. But recurring characters like Natori, Matoba, Tanuma and Taki build up across seasons, and Natsume himself slowly opens up to the people around him, so it's worth watching every season in order. There are no recaps and no filler arcs.
What do San, Shi, Go, Roku and Shichi mean?
They're just the Japanese numbers three to seven. Season 2 is called Zoku ('continued'). Streaming services usually list them as Season 1 to Season 7.
Do I need the OVAs, specials and films?
The Season 5 and Season 6 specials are effectively the last two episodes of those seasons, so watch them. The two films are self-contained stories you can enjoy any time after Season 6. 'Nyanko-sensei and the First Errand', 'On a Certain Snowy Day' and the 3D shorts are optional extras that later episodes don't depend on.
Is there an English dub?
Yes. The original home-video release of Seasons 1–4 was subtitled only, but Crunchyroll recorded a new English dub for all seven seasons between 2022 and 2024, with Adam Gibbs as Natsume, and dubbed the Season 7 bonus episode too.
Will there be a Season 8?
Nothing has been announced as of October 2026. Yuki Midorikawa's manga is still running, and the anime adapts its chapters out of order, so there's plenty of material left.