The “Natsume’s Book of Friends” anime is confirmed to get a new anime that will release in Japan’s theatres in spring 2021. The anime is titled “Natsume’s Book of Friends: The Waking Rock and the Strange Visitor” (夏目友人帳 石起こしと怪しき来訪者).
The theatrical anime has two stories: “Ishi Okoshi” and “Ayashiki Raihōsha,” which are collected in 21st and 24th manga volume, respectively.
In “Ishi Okoshi,” Natsume meets a small yōkai called Mitsumi in a forest. Mitsumi is entrusted to wake up the divine yōkai “Iwatetsu” from its deep slumber. Mitsumi weighs on Natsume’s mind, so he sets out to help Mitsumi with his task.
In “Ayashiki Raihōsha,” a mysterious visitor appears in front of Tanuma. Nearly every day, the visitor visits Tanuma, talks to him a little, and then leaves. Natsume, who knows the visitor is a yōkai, worries for Tanuma, but Tanuma enjoys these exchanges with the yōkai. The yōkai means no harm, but Tanuma’s health slowly starts to deteriorate.
The main staff and cast are returning for the new anime project. Shuka is again the animation studio. A new visual is also posted on the manga author Yuki Midorikawa’s Twitter to celebrate the announcement.
ニコ生で発表いただきました！夏目友人帳の漫画から「石起こし」と「怪しき来訪者」のお話をアニメ化していただけることになりました！監督やスタッフ様方演者様方、関係者皆様、そして応援くださった皆様、ありがとうございます??またアニメの夏目達に会えます…嬉しい〜！！ pic.twitter.com/S4MpIX5YGh
— 緑川ゆき (@midorikawa_yk) September 18, 2020
▍Staff and Production
Original Work: Yuki Midorikawa (緑川ゆき)/ LaLa DX
Chief Director: Takahiro Ōmori (大森貴弘)
Director: Hideki Ito (伊藤秀樹)
Script: Takahiro Ōmori (大森貴弘), Sadayuki Murai (村井さだゆき)
Storyboards & Production: Hideki Ito (伊藤秀樹), Miyuki Oshiro (大城美幸)
Yokai Design & Action Animation Director: Tatsuo Yamada (山田起生)
Sub-Character Design: Hiromitsu Hagiwara (萩原弘光)
Animation Director: Eri Yamazaki (山崎絵里), Orie Tanaka (田中織枝)
Art: Yukihiro Shibutani (渋谷幸弘)
Color Design: Hiromi Miyawaki (宮脇裕美)
Editing: Kazuhiko Seki (関一彦)
Photography: Hitoshi Tamura (田村仁)
Music: Makoto Yoshimori (吉森信)
Animation: Shuka
▍Cast
■ Takashi Natsume (夏目貴志) – CV: Hiroshi Kamiya (神谷浩史)
■ Nyanko-sensei, Madara (ニャンコ先生・斑) – CV: Kazuhiko Inoue (井上和彦)
■ Kaname Tanuma (田沼要) – CV: Kazuma Horie (堀江一眞)
■ Misuzu (三篠) – CV: Takaya Kuroda (黒田崇矢)
■ Hinoe (ヒノエ) – CV: Akemi Okamura (岡村明美)
■ Chōbihige (ちょびひげ) – CV: Chō (チョー)
■ One-Eyed Middle Class Yōkai (一つ目の中級妖怪) – CV: Takashi Matsuyama (松山鷹志)
■ Ox-Faced Middle Class Yōkai (牛顔の中級妖怪) – CV: Hiroshi Shimozaki (下崎紘史)