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Muse Asia Screens New Natsume's Book of Friends Anime Film in Singapore on February 27
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Muse Asia announced on Thursday that it will screen the Natsume Yūjin-Chō: Ishi Okoshi to Ayashiki Raihōsha (Natsume's Book of Friends: The Waking Rock and the Strange Visitor), the new anime in the Natsume's Book of Friends franchise, in Singapore with a fan screening on February 27. The film will have English and Chinese subtitles, and theatergoers will receive merchandise for the film.
The film opened in Japan on January 16. The film ranked at #7 in its opening weekend. The film has earned a cumulative total of 135,740,100 yen (about US$1.29 million) as of January 31.
The film is made up of two stories: "Ishi Okoshi" and "Ayashiki Raihōsha." 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.
Aniplex is distributing the film. The returning staff includes chief director and scriptwriter Takahiro Ōmori at anime studio Shuka, director Hideki Ito, scriptwriter Sadayuki Murai, and composer Makoto Yoshimori.
The Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond film, the previous anime in the franchise, debuted in September 2018. Odex released the film in Singapore in January 2019.
Yuki Midorikawa's Natsume's Book of Friends (Natsume Yūjin-Chō) manga debuted in Hakusensha's LaLa DX magazine in June 2003. The manga's 26th compiled book volume shipped on January 4. The manga has inspired six television anime seasons and several OVAs.
