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Natsume's Book of Friends Watch Order
14 entries · · community-maintained
Also known as Natsume Yuujinchou × Kumamoto-ken: Hitoyoshi Kuma de no Yasashii Jikan
The Natsume's Book of Friends watch order spans six blocks of episodes plus six OVAs and two films, arranged so every gentle side story lands in the right place. Start with episodes 1-13, then episodes 14-26, followed by the 3D Nyanko-sensei special before continuing through episodes 27-39 and 40-52. Two OVAs, the first-errand special (Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no Otsukai) and Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni, come next, ahead of episodes 52-63. More shorts, Hitoyosakazuki and Yuugi no Utage, precede episodes 64-74, with the Suzunaru no Kirikabu and Mugen no Kakera OVAs after that. The order closes with the film Utsusemi ni Musubu. Following this sequence keeps Natsume and Nyanko-sensei's episodic encounters in chronological order and places each OVA beside the season it accompanies. If you only want the core seasons, the episode blocks stand alone, but this is the complete order including all movies and OVAs for the full run.
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Watch the TV seasons in order: Seasons 1-4 (2008-2012, episodes 1-52), Season 5 (2016) and Season 6 (2017), then the film Ephemeral Bond (2018).
Checked October 2026
Chronological order
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Season 1: Natsume Yuujinchou
#1 · 1 entry
- 1Episodes 1-13
Start here. Season 1 (13 episodes, 2008): Natsume, who can see yokai, inherits his grandmother's Book of Friends.
0/13
Season 2: Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou
#2 · 1 entry
- 2Episodes 14-26
Season 2 (episodes 14-26, 2009): continues directly from Season 1.
0/13
Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou Special
#3 · 1 entry
- 3Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou SpecialOptional
Optional. 3D Nyanko-sensei Theater: five short 3D clips from the Season 2 home video; no story.
Special
Season 3: Natsume Yūjin-chō San
#4 · 1 entry
- 4Episodes 27-39
Season 3 (episodes 27-39, 2011).
0/13
Season 4: Natsume Yūjin-chō Shi
#5 · 1 entry
- 5Episodes 40-52
Season 4 (episodes 40-52, 2012): the last of the first four seasons; Season 5 followed in 2016.
0/13
Natsume Yuujinchou: Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no Otsukai
#6 · 1 entry
- 6Natsume Yuujinchou: Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no OtsukaiOptional
Optional. OAD 'Nyanko-sensei and the First Errand' (2013): Nyanko-sensei wanders off on a walk.
OVA
Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni OVA
#7 · 1 entry
- 7Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni OVAOptional
Optional. OVA 'Someday, When the Snow Falls' (2014): Natsume helps a snow yokai find something she lost.
OVA
Season 5: Natsume Yūjin-Chō Go
#8 · 1 entry
- 8Episodes 52-63
Season 5 (11 episodes, 2016).
0/12
Natsume Yuujinchou: Hitoyosakazuki OVA
#9 · 1 entry
- 9Natsume Yuujinchou: Hitoyosakazuki OVAOptional
Optional. OVA 'One-Night's Cup' (2017): a yokai couple who brew sake and knew Natsume's grandmother.
Episode 1
Natsume Yuujinchou: Yuugi no Utage OVA
#10 · 1 entry
- 10Natsume Yuujinchou: Yuugi no Utage OVAOptional
Optional. OVA 'Banquet of Play' (2017): Natsume is pulled into a yokai's gathering in an old house.
Episode 2
Season 6: Natsume Yūjin-chō Roku
#11 · 1 entry
- 11Episodes 64-74
Season 6 (episodes 64-74, 2017).
0/11
Natsume Yuujinchou: Suzunaru no Kirikabu OVA
#12 · 1 entry
- 12Natsume Yuujinchou: Suzunaru no Kirikabu OVAOptional
Optional. OVA 'The Stump of the Suzunaru Tree' (2017): Natsume helps an old man home; he is not what he seems.
Episode 1
Natsume Yuujinchou: Mugen no Kakera OVA
#13 · 1 entry
- 13Natsume Yuujinchou: Mugen no Kakera OVAOptional
Optional. OVA 'A Fragment of Fantasy' (2017): a girl returns a ring to a white owl in the woods.
Episode 2
Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu
#14 · 1 entry
- 14Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu
Ephemeral Bond (film, 2018): an original story set after Season 6. Natsume meets a classmate's mother and a strange yokai.
Movie
More on where to start
Checked October 2026
The OVAs and OADs are standalone side episodes; watch them after the season they came out with, or skip them. The 3D Nyanko-sensei shorts are optional extras.
What to skip
- Watch first
- Start with Episodes 1-13 (Season 1: Natsume Yuujinchou).
- What to skip
- 7 entries are optional: Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou Special, Natsume Yuujinchou: Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no Otsukai, Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni OVA, Natsume Yuujinchou: Hitoyosakazuki OVA, Natsume Yuujinchou: Yuugi no Utage OVA, Natsume Yuujinchou: Suzunaru no Kirikabu OVA, and 1 more. The story still tracks without them.
- Filler notes
- Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni OVA. Optional.
- Natsume Yuujinchou: Hitoyosakazuki OVA. Optional.
- Natsume Yuujinchou: Mugen no Kakera OVA. Optional.
The correct order to watch Natsume's Book of Friends, as one listShowHide
Watch Natsume's Book of Friends in this order. 14 entries, chronological.
- Season 1: Natsume Yuujinchou: Episodes 1-13
- Season 2: Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: Episodes 14-26
- Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou Special (special) — optional
- Season 3: Natsume Yūjin-chō San: Episodes 27-39
- Season 4: Natsume Yūjin-chō Shi: Episodes 40-52
- Natsume Yuujinchou: Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no Otsukai (OVA) — optional
- Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni OVA (OVA) — optional
- Season 5: Natsume Yūjin-Chō Go: Episodes 52-63
- Natsume Yuujinchou: Hitoyosakazuki OVA — optional
- Natsume Yuujinchou: Yuugi no Utage OVA — optional
- Season 6: Natsume Yūjin-chō Roku: Episodes 64-74
- Natsume Yuujinchou: Suzunaru no Kirikabu OVA — optional
- Natsume Yuujinchou: Mugen no Kakera OVA — optional
- Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu (movie)
How this order works
AnimeChrono watch orders put every season, movie, OVA, ONA and special for a franchise in chronological story order, the order the events happen. When an OVA or movie takes place partway through a season, the episode range is split so it sits where it belongs. Entries you can skip are marked optional, and each order says where to start. Release order, sorted by air date, is a secondary view once every entry has a date. The orders began as a hand-curated set, and episode counts and air dates come from AniList. Fans maintain the orders from there. Any signed-in user can edit one. Edits from trusted contributors go live right away and the rest are reviewed first. Every change is versioned and can be reverted, and each order shows when it was last updated and last checked.
Something wrong or missing?
This order is maintained by the community. Report a problem, or sign in to fix it yourself.
Natsume's Book of Friends watch order FAQ
What order should I watch Natsume's Book of Friends in?
Watch the TV seasons in order: Seasons 1-4 (2008-2012, episodes 1-52), Season 5 (2016) and Season 6 (2017), then the film Ephemeral Bond (2018). The OVAs and OADs are standalone side episodes; watch them after the season they came out with, or skip them. The 3D Nyanko-sensei shorts are optional extras.
Where should I start Natsume's Book of Friends?
Season 1, episode 1 (July 2008). The show is mostly episodic, but the seasons build on each other, so watch them in order.
Are the Natsume OVAs needed?
No. Each OVA (2013-2017) is a self-contained story. They are nice extras between seasons, not required.
What is the chronological order of Natsume's Book of Friends?
Start with Episodes 1-13 (Season 1: Natsume Yuujinchou), then continue with Episodes 14-26 (Season 2: Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou), Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou Special, Episodes 27-39 (Season 3: Natsume Yūjin-chō San), Episodes 40-52 (Season 4: Natsume Yūjin-chō Shi), and Natsume Yuujinchou: Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no Otsukai, followed by 8 more entries. The full Natsume's Book of Friends watch order on this page has 14 entries across 14 series, listed in chronological viewing order.
What is the release order of Natsume's Book of Friends?
In the order they aired, start with Episodes 1-13 (Season 1: Natsume Yuujinchou), then Episodes 14-26 (Season 2: Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou), Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou Special, Episodes 27-39 (Season 3: Natsume Yūjin-chō San), Episodes 40-52 (Season 4: Natsume Yūjin-chō Shi), and Natsume Yuujinchou: Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no Otsukai, followed by 8 more entries. Release order follows air dates and is not the recommended chronological order.
How many episodes is Natsume's Book of Friends?
Natsume's Book of Friends has 75 TV episodes in this order, plus 4 special episodes, 1 movie, 2 OVAs, and 1 special.
Where do the Natsume's Book of Friends movies fit in the watch order?
Natsume Yuujinchou Movie: Utsusemi ni Musubu comes right after Natsume Yuujinchou: Mugen no Kakera OVA.
Can I skip anything in Natsume's Book of Friends?
Yes. 7 entries are marked optional: Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou: 3D Nyanko-sensei Gekijou Special, Natsume Yuujinchou: Nyanko-sensei to Hajimete no Otsukai, Itsuka Yuki no Hi ni OVA, Natsume Yuujinchou: Hitoyosakazuki OVA, Natsume Yuujinchou: Yuugi no Utage OVA, and Natsume Yuujinchou: Suzunaru no Kirikabu OVA, and 1 more. Everything else is part of the main story.
Is Natsume's Book of Friends finished?
Yes. Natsume's Book of Friends has finished airing, and this order covers everything released so far in chronological viewing order.
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