Review of Natsume's Book of Friends

Short review of this show because I'm confused as to why it is so highly rated. To be clear i did not dislike it and i will keep watching the next seasons but this anime is kinda flat and empty. The ingredients are always the same : You are in a countryside-like environment i would consider graphically "fine" for 2008, it does the job but nothing crazy. Obviously a show like this doesn't have the time and budget of a Ghibli movie. You put on a sad piano music and bring in a character with a sad story who needs help. And then the "hero" andhis companion do their best to help, sometimes it works; sometimes not that much.

There is almost no character development even though you can see the beginning of some connections between a few characters, it stops right away so i'm not sure if it's something that is kept for the seasons after this one but it's lacking.

The main story is kinda a secondary thing as well. Hopefully something in next seasons too.

My guess is it's overrated because it has this "poetic" vibe but it's just meh.