The November issue of Hakusensha's Lala magazine is announcing on Saturday that the fourth season of Natsume's Book of Friends will premiere in Japan next January. Natsume Yūjin-Chō Shi will follow three months after the third season, Natsume Yūjin-Chō San, reaches its climax in Japan on September 29.

The anime seasons and Yuki Midorikawa's original manga revolve around Natsume, a boy who has been able to see ghosts since he was little. Unfortunately, humans shun him, and there is not much fondness between him and ghosts 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 ghosts. As one ghost after another shows up, Natsume tries to release or help them — even while many of them seek vengeance on him.

Crunchyroll has streamed all three previous television anime seasons outside Japan. Viz Media is publishing the ninth volume of the manga in North America in October.

Update: More background information added.

Image © Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha/Natsume Yūjin-Chō Production Committee