Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond ( Natsume Yūjinchō ~Utsusemi ni Musubu~ ), the anime film of Yuki Midorikawa's Natsume's Book of Friends (Natsume Yūjin-Chō) manga, topped the Japanese box office rankings in terms of tickets sold in its opening weekend on September 29-30. The film opened in Japan on September 29.

The Gintama 2: Okite wa Yaburu Tame ni Koso Aru (The Law is Surely There to be Broken) film fell from #4 to #8 in its seventh weekend.

Aniplex of America will screen Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond at the Anime NYC convention on Friday, November 16 at 7:45 p.m. EST.

The film features a returning cast. In addition, Kengo Kora plays Mukuo Tsumura, a young man whom Natsume meets and befriends. Sumi Shimamoto plays Yorie Tsumura, Mukuo's mother. Ayumu Murase plays Daisuke Yūki, Natsume's schoolmate from elementary school. Viking comedy duo member Eiji Kotōge plays Monmonbō, a yōkai who has come to take its name back from Natsume. Viking comedy duo member Mizuki Nishimura plays Roppon-ude, a six-armed yōkai who aims to take Natsume's book.

Midorikawa supervised the film's original story. Animation studio Shuka returned from the television anime's fifth and sixth seasons to animate the film. Takahiro Ōmori again served as chief director, but Hideki Ito was the new director. Sadayuki Murai again handled series composition, Tatsuo Yamada returned for yōkai design, and Makoto Yoshimori again composed the music. Uru performed the film's theme song "remember."

The anime seasons and Midorikawa's original manga revolve around Natsume, a boy who has been able to see yōkai since he was little. Unfortunately, humans shun him, and there is not much fondness between him and yōkai either. One day, he inherits a Yūjin-Chō ("Book of Friends") from his grandmother. The book is actually full of contracts that his grandmother made to trap yōkai. As one yōkai after another shows up, Natsume tries to release or help them — even while many of them seek vengeance on him.

Crunchyroll is also streaming the previous six television anime seasons based on the manga, and NIS America released the first four on home video. Viz Media is releasing Midorikawa's original manga in English.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin, Cinema Today, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web