Natsume's Book of Friends , Vol. 15

by Yuki Midorikawa | Graphic Novels |
ISBN: 1421559676 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 1/3/2014
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, January 3, 2014
I've been enjoying this series about a lonely teenager who can see spirits since I first stumbled across it, and have been picking up more volumes as I find them. I picked up this one at Barnes and Noble.

This tends to be a gentle series, with touches of humor, creepiness, and poignancy, and I like it very much. It's mostly episodic, too, meaning that one can dip into it at any point without too much confusion - though following along does add some interest as we get to know the characters and their changing relationships to each other. This volume picks up after Volume 14.

Later: I really loved this volume, mainly because the first story focuses on handsome actor/exorcist Natori, who's become something of a friend and mentor to Natsume - though Natsume doesn't approve of exorcising spirits, and hasn't revealed his possession of the Book of Friends either. In general they get along well, and Natori admires Natsume's gifts even when the boy argues with him about methods. Here, we meet an old mentor of Natori's, who's having trouble because he can no longer communicate with his own bound spirits - and some of them seem to be getting very angry and dangerous... As often happens, the motives behind all this are poignant, with misunderstandings rather than malice being involved. And there are some charming scenes between the different generations.

The next story features an adorable tiny mushroom-like yokai who's been wanting to apprentice with a great and powerful yokai who once paid it some attention - but all the other yokai tell it that it's too small and feeble to be worth training. Cue Natsume and some touching (and funny) moments.

And there's a wonderful bonus story about Toko and Shigeru, Natsume's foster parents, showing how they came to adopt him in the first place. They're marvelous characters, with their own poignant back-story - they are a devoted couple, but were unable to have the children they wanted. In other volumes we've seen hints that they're more aware of what's going on with Natsume than he thinks, and we've also seen him begin to unbend in their company as he grows used to a place where he's safe and loved. Whether he'll be able to reveal his yokai-seeing skills to them is unclear, but I'm sure that if he does they'll be sympathetic!

[There's an anime adaptation; I've watched several episodes and found it just as charming as the manga. Recommended! And the TV Tropes page is quite entertaining.]

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Released 4 yrs ago (5/15/2019 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm putting this book in the Manga and Graphic Novel bookbox (bookbox journal here). Hope someone enjoys it!

*** Released for the 2019 TV Series release challenge. ***

Journal Entry 3 by HI77 at Fort Myers, Florida USA on Sunday, July 14, 2019
A easily shut up life,

gets pulled to threads
by the creatures of an afterworld.

Journal Entry 4 by HI77 at Fort Myers, Florida USA on Monday, November 23, 2020

Released 3 yrs ago (11/17/2020 UTC) at Fort Myers, Florida USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This lucky little book is off on a new journey! :)

There was a school in Alaska that wanted this for their library. So I think that it will be finding a very happy home there! ;)

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