Is anybody else getting strong Natsume Yuujinchou vibes from episode one of This Monster Wants to Eat Me?
This Monster Wants to Eat Me Episode 1 Review
I don’t know if it was due to Hinako’s gentle voice or the use of poetic soliloquy, but Hinako and Shiori’s relationship and initial reactions gave me the strongest Natsume and Nyanko Sensei vibes while watching.
So I don’t know if the story’s premise is truly this straightforward, but it seems like a yokai was targeting Hinako due to her “delicious smelling” body and blood, and it accidentally took out the entire Yaotose family while trying to get to Hinako.
Because of this incident, Hinako is depressed, still in mourning, and wishes to die.
Possibly one of the yokai who targeted her family an unspecified amount of time summers ago – the Iso-onna, followed Hinako from the place the incident took place – which seemed to be a beach for summer vacation while she was still in middle school.
Since the mermaid Shiori not only warned Hinako about the danger of leaning over the bridge due to the yokai following her (while also remarking that she “finally found” Hinako) it seems like Shiori may have actually been there when Hinako’s family died, and had been following her around ever since in an effort to protect her.
Judging by the strong Nyanko-sensei and Natsume vibes (a yokai bodyguard and spiritually strong person), I would wager that Shiori was the one who saved Hinako from perishing with her family, and came to land to ensure the high school girl’s happiness.
It’s also nice that Hinako has at least one true friend in Miko, who seems to worry about her day and night. Given Hinako seems to zone out a lot due to her (telepathic?) connection to the sea and Shiori after what seems like a near-death experience, it’s good that Miko seems to have taken notice of Hinako “spacing out” so much.
That was probably what that classroom conversation was about between Miko and the other girls while Hinako started thinking about the sea.
Aside from Natsume Yuujinchou, the sea and mermaid theme also reminds me of Nagi no Asukara (A Lull in the Sea) – does anybody else remember that show? I remember it was one of my favorites when it premiered in 2013.
Anyway, I think I’ll leave this one here – but tell me your thoughts: do you also get Natsume vibes from Hinako and Shiori? And do you think Shiori actually intends to eat Hinako, or is just saying that because she wants her to be happy and live a long life?
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☆ In Asian Spaces ☆ Jeremiah 29:11 ☆
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