Tonari no Yokai-san – Episode 1

What’s it about? In a small countryside town called Engamori, gods, humans and monsters live together in harmony.  Buchio the cat was reborn as a “nekomata”; meanwhile, human child Mutsumi can see things other humans can’t Thankfully, crow tengu Jiro is there to help both deal with their changing circumstances.  Despite the tranquil atmosphere of Engamori, there’s a sense of darkness lingering in the background that raises many questions about this quiet town. 

What a lovely and laid-back show.  I admire how the episode shifts perspectives around so that we can understand the lives of the residents and how they navigate their unique environment.  It’s perfectly natural to see deities walking around and for yokai to be living like human beings.  Buchio’s journey to understand his new role is a great way to introduce us to all of the major characters in the series, and so far everyone seems like they are genuinely nice people.  It’s through Buchio’s eyes that we see odd details, like when he fills out government paperwork to be legally recognized as a nekomata.  How the government would count the spiritual entities that don’t exhibit human traits? How are malice spirits handled in this world? 

Even though everyone gets along, it’s clear that Jiro and his mentor are the ones handling the darker truths about their town behind the scenes.  I have several questions about “the void”, but for now all we know is that anyone who gets sucked in is lost forever.  Based on Jiro’s conversation with his mentor, it seems to be a natural occurrence that humans will never be able to understand.  That doesn’t change the fact that it’s tragic for people to disappear in “the void,” because it sounds like they can’t fully die either.  A strong indicator to this is that Mutsumi’s father’s spirit didn’t visit the family along with her grandpa’s spirit.  Despite how cheerful Mutsumi is, she’s clearly afraid not knowing what “the void” exactly is.  Mutsumi is heartbroken at the thought her father’s spirit might be lost forever and understandably, she doesn’t know how to deal with her emotions.  

Thankfully, Jiro is a kind soul and willingly takes both Mutsumi and Buchio under his wing in order to help them cope with the changes in their lives.  In spite of the dark undertones, the animation is bright and colorful, which creates a peaceful atmosphere.  All the characters are endearing and everyone seems to have a warm relationship with each other.  It makes me feel confident the series will handle the darker themes while also examining how this community supports one another. 

Hopefully, this won’t disappear under everyone’s radar because I genuinely think it’s going to be a nice show to watch.  Check it out and let us know how you feel about it in the comments down below.