Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 5

Writer	Yuki Midorikawa
Illustrator	Yuki Midorikawa
Published in English	2010
Publisher	Viz Media
Demographic	Shōjo
Age rating	Teen

Struggling in Relations and with Yokai

Chapters 16–19 and a special episode of the series were collected into Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 5 in 2008 which was translated into English in 2011. Yuki Midorikawa provided both the story and the artwork. The manga is in mystery, supernatural fantasy, and slice of life genres.

The book starts with a comics where an event from her childhood haunts an old woman while a  mermaid is key to the ambigious outcome of the past incident. After encoutering a quiet and secretive girl, Takashi gets involved in an attempt to reverse a curse in chapter 17 which ends on a cliffhanger. Conclusion to this quest is left for the next episode. Chapter 19 presents an ominous presence at the protagonist’s home. In the special episode Tanuma spends time with Takashi.

In addition to the themes like loneliness which regularly occur in the series, this volume also touches on regret when a character called Chizu recalls her past. A credible explanation is given to why a mermaid Sasafune has become disillusioned and unfriendly towards people. The circumstances a girl Taki has faced resonate with Takashi who considers empathically what her isolation could be like. The perceptiveness about the feelings of the characters is an essential strength of the story. The first appearance of Mr. Fujiwara finally takes place in chapter 19. Takashi is too concerned about displeasing him and they need to work on improving their relationship. The series often focuses on the tremendous difference in lifespan between people and yokai, even so, this volume adds a new perspective, putting forward an idea that immortality would mean suffering for a human.

The comics are rather puzzling and this is exactly the quality that will get the reader hooked. One tale has two chapters devoted to it, something not seen in any of the previous volumes. Its plot is enigmatic. Endangered by a fatal curse, the characters have to fight against the cruel intentions of a hostile creature. However, they struggle a lot as Takashi partly loses his abilities. In another episode, a menacing presence appears at the protagonist’s home and soon starts to have negative impact on its inhabitants. Consequently, Takashi needs to undertake the challenging task to drive away the evil yokai.

Delicacy is characteristic for the drawing style of Yuki Midorikawa and she has created refined art throughout the book. There are various visually great scenes depicting water, a reflection of a pond on a ceiling particularly stands out. The drawings convey different moods: at certain moments the creatures and the lighting look chilling while other times the visuals are charming.

Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 5 shows more of Takashi’s family life, giving the reader some new details. Puzzling plot is guaranteed and one ominous yokai is so challenging to cope with that the tale involving them is two chapters long. Moreover, the art works perfectly with the writing. All in all, this book is highly recommended for the shōjo manga readers.

Characters

Themes

Plot

Artwork

Content advisory

Erotic content: NONE

Takashi’s chest is exposed as he observes the words he sees on his body in the reflection. Aunt Tôko thinks he is “lost in admiration”.

Violence: SLIGHT

A rope is tied around Takashi’s neck, a risk of choking is evident. A yokai takes a girl violenty between her hands. An axe is thrown at Takashi but hits the tree very close to him. A yokai has a characters in their mouth and is about to eat him.

Profanity: NONE

Scary content: MODERATE

Names appear on characters’ bodies as a sign of a curse. The yokai endangering a girl and the creature haunting the protagonist’s house both look creepy. There are numerous scenes where characters are in peril.

Alcohol, drugs, and smoking: NONE

Nyanko Sensei mentions his ‘drinking buddies’.