Takashi Natsume — memorable quote from Natsume's Book of Friends

“All the people I saw from my cage...All the things I saw from my cage, that was the whole world to me. At first, all I could sense was the hostility of the people looking at me from outside...And their feelings of fear. Piercing gazes, hurled stones, whips, sticks...Everything outside the cage was frightening, a source of pain...But eventually I began to realize something. I began to see their other emotions, not just their hostility and fear of me. They were the emotions of families, lovers, and friends who came to the sideshow...Emotions meant for each other.”

“A city far away from my homeland. There, after becoming acquainted with strangers, have I changed, perhaps? That uncontrollable impulse I harbored within me...Has it faded away now, I wonder? What exactly am I doing here in this city?”

“I don’t want to change. I want to change. We all hold in our hearts conflicting feelings, each back to back. And so, we live our days.”

“I always cursed my own life. The anxiety, anger and hatred I couldn't suppress. However, when I stopped to look at the sky... I realized just how small I am. There is an endless world spreading before me.”

“There are things I don't want to forget... Memories of time spent with friends. Memories of time spent with her alone. Memories are important. But there's something even more important... That's to continue making memories.”