| Natsume's Book of Friends | |
|---|---|
![]() Cover of Natsume's Book of Friends volume 1 as published by Hakusensha |
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| 夏目友人帳 (Natsume Yūjinchō) |
|
| Genre | Drama, Supernatural |
| Manga | |
| Author | Yuki Midorikawa |
| Publisher | |
| English publisher | |
| Demographic | shōjo |
| Magazine | LaLa DX, LaLa |
| Original run | 2005 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 9 |
| TV anime | |
| Natsume Yūjinchō | |
| Director | Takahiro Omori |
| Studio | Brain's Base |
| Licensor | |
| Network | |
| English network | Crunchyroll |
| Original run | July 7, 2008 – September 29, 2008 |
| Episodes | 13 |
| TV anime | |
| Zoku Natsume Yūjinchō | |
| Director | Takahiro Omori |
| Studio | Brain's Base |
| Network | |
| Original run | January 5, 2009 – March 30, 2009 |
| Episodes | 13 |
Natsume's Book of Friends (夏目友人帳 Natsume Yūjinchō) is an ongoing fantasy manga series by Yuki Midorikawa. It began serialization by Hakusensha in the shōjo manga magazine LaLa DX in 2005, before switching to LaLa in 2008. Chapters have been collected in nine bound volumes as of January 2010. The series is about Natsume, an orphaned teenage boy who can see spirits, who inherits from his grandmother the notebook she used to bind spirits under her control. Natsume's Book of Friends was a finalist for the first Manga Taishō award in 2008.[1]
Natsume's Book of Friends has been adapted as a series of drama CDs, as well as an anime television series produced by Brain's Base, which was broadcast on TV Tokyo in two seasons in 2008 and 2009. The manga is licensed for English-language release in North America by Viz Media, which released the first volume in January 2010.
Contents |
For as long as he can remember, Takashi has been cursed by the ability to see spirits, a power inherited from his grandmother Reiko. Upon her death, Reiko bequeaths to her grandson her Book of Friends, a book containing the names of spirits Reiko had bullied into servitude. The Book of Friends is a highly prized item in the spirit world, and spirits hound Takashi constantly. Whereas Reiko formed the contracts, however, Takashi spends his time dissolving the contracts and releasing the various spirits that come to him for help. But that doesn't mean there aren't malicious spirits trying to kill him. Which is where Madara (called Nyanko-sensei by Natsume) comes in; Madara serves as Natsume's bodyguard and spiritual advisor of sorts, even though he is motivated by his own desire to possess the Book of Friends. He later on begins to become more attached to Takashi.
Midorikawa created Natusme's Book of Friends as an episodic serial for a manga magazine published every two months, so that each chapter was a story that could be read on its own.[4] As the result of earlier writing a ghost story that an editor made her revise to include more romance than she initially wanted,[5] Midorikawa specifically created Natsume's Book of Friends as supernatural story with less romance,[6] containing supernatural elements that stir readers' imaginations the way stories about yokai and local gods stirred hers grewing up in a rural area.[7] For the basic story, she wanted to write about a boy and his non-human teacher,[8] and include the incongruous element of a the boy's grandmother in a school uniform.[9]
This was the first series Midorikawa wrote in which the protagonist was also the central character.[10] Midorikawa claimed that as a character Natsume is almost as bad as herself at expressing his thoughts,[11] which caused her to use use more interior monologue than she was comfortable with for a male character.[12]
Natsume's Book of Friends is written and illustrated by Yuki Midorikawa and published in Japan by Hakusensha. It began serialization in 2005 in the bimonthly shōjo (aimed at teenage girls) manga magazine LaLa DX; in 2008, serialization switched to the monthly sister magazine LaLa.[13] The untitled chapters have been collected in nine tankōbon volumes as of January 2010.
The series is licensed in English in North America by Viz Media, with the first volume published in January 2010.[14] It is also licensed in French by Delcourt,[15] in South Korea by Haksan,[16] in Taiwan by Tong Li,[17] and in Thailand by Bongkoch Publishing.[18]
| No. | Japan | North America | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | ISBN | Release date | ISBN | |
| 1 | October 5, 2005[19] | ISBN 978-4-592-17158-4 | January 6, 2010[14] | ISBN 978-1-4215-3243-1 |
| 2 | August 5, 2006[20] | ISBN 978-4-592-17159-1 | April 6, 2010[21] | ISBN 978-1-4215-3244-8 |
| 3 | February 5, 2007[22] | ISBN 978-4-592-18446-1 | — | — |
| 4 | August 5, 2007[23] | ISBN 978-4-592-18447-8 | — | — |
| 5 | March 5, 2008[24] | ISBN 978-4-592-18448-5 | — | — |
| 6 | July 5, 2008[25] | ISBN 978-4-592-18449-2 | — | — |
| 7 | January 5, 2009[26] | ISBN 978-4-592-18667-0 | — | — |
| 8 | July 3, 2009[27] | ISBN 978-4-592-18668-7 | — | — |
| 9 | January 4, 2010[28] | ISBN 978-4-592-18669-4 | — | — |
In addition, a fan book was published on January 5, 2009 (ISBN 978-4-592-18696-0)[29] and a notebook reproduction of Natsume's book of friends is scheduled to be published July 3, 2009 (ISBN 978-4-592-18690-8).[30]
Natsume's Book of Friends has been adapted as a series of three drama CDs, which were distributed as extras with issues of LaLa.
Natsume's Book of Friends has been adapted as an anime television series produced by Brain's Base, directed by Takahiro Omori.[31] It was broadcast on the TV Tokyo network in two seasons of 13 episodes each, the first from July 7 to September 29, 2008[32] and the second, called Zoku Natsume Yūjinchō (続 夏目友人帳, "Natsume's Book of Friends Continued"), from January 5 to March 30, 2009.[33] For the first season, the opening theme was "Issei no Sei" (一斉の声, lit. "Simultaneous Voice") by Shūhei Kita, and the ending theme was "Natsu Yūzora" (夏夕空, lit. "Summer Evening Sky") by Kousuke Atari.[34] For the second season, the opening theme was "Ano Hi Time Machine" (あの日タイムマシン, lit. "That Day's Time Machine") by Long Short Party and the ending theme was "Aishiteru" (愛してる, lit. "I Love You") by Kourin.[35] Both seasons were released on five DVDs each.[36]
Separate soundtrack albums for the two seasons were released in Japan by Sony Music on September 24, 2008 and March 18, 2009, respectively.[37][38] The series opening and closing theme songs were also released by Sony Music.[39][40][41][42] As singles, "Issei no Sei" reached a peak rank of 48th on the Oricon singles chart,[43] "Natsu Yūzora" reached 27th,[44] and "Ano Hi Time Machine" reached 38th.[45] "Aishiteru" was not released as a single, but instead included on an album by Kourin.[42]
The series is licensed in English by Crunchyroll, which streams it online; episodes of the second season were available online on the day of broadcast.[46] It is also licensed in Chinese by Muse Communication.
| # | Title | Original airdate[32] |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "The Cat and the Book of
Friends" "Neko to Yūjinchō" (猫と友人帳) |
July 7, 2008 |
| Natsume discovers that the heirloom "Book of Friends" that his grandmother, Reiko, gave him possesses the names of the spirits she defeated and bound to her will. Assisted by a spirit in the form of a Maneki Neko (lucky cat figure), whom he calls Nyanko-Sensei (lit. "Master Little Meow"), Natsume decides to return all the names to their original owners. | ||
| 02 | "The Dew-God's Small
Shrine" "Tsuyukami no Hokora" (露神の祠) |
July 14, 2008 |
| Natsume is visited by the village's local god who is currently fading because of the lack of devotees. | ||
| 03 | "The Mysterious Person at the
Eight Fields" "Yatsuhara no Kaijin" (八ツ原の怪人) |
July 21, 2008 |
| Natsume is implored to help spirits who are currently being exorcised. He finds a kindred spirit in Tanuma, a boy who also senses spirits although he is not as powerful as Natsume. | ||
| 04 | "Shigure and the
Girl" "Shigure to Shōjo" (時雨と少女) |
July 28, 2008 |
| Natsume's secret is found out by Sasada, the class president, during a "trial of courage." She asks for his help to find the spirit that lives in the abandoned school. Natsume denies the fact that he can see anything, but she won't take no for an answer. Meanwhile, the spirit, Shigure, captures the rest of their school mates, in fury of the school being torn down. | ||
| 05 | "Heart-Colored
Ticket" "Kokoro-iro no Kippu" (心色の切符) |
August 4, 2008 |
| Natsume finds an old ticket in Reiko's belongings and decides to go to the abandoned train station to see why she kept it. There, he meets a slow-witted spirit named Santo, who was waiting for Reiko the entire time to go to Kiriganuma, and there to see and make up with his friend, Mikuri. But the trip isn't as easy as it first seems. | ||
| 06 | "Swallow at the Lake
Bottom" "Kotei no Tsubame" (湖底のつばめ) |
August 11, 2008 |
| Natsume is possessed by a swallow spirit, who wishes to meet a human who once helped her. Natsume agrees to help her and the two grow attached. When Swallow finds the human, Natsume feels bad that she can't actually meet him, but when of he hears of a kimono that can turn a spirit into a human for a day, he looks for it. | ||
| 07 | "The Little Fox's
Hat" "Kogitsune no Bōshi" (子狐のぼうし) |
August 18, 2008 |
| Natsume goes to a hot spring for a school trip, with an errand from Shigeru to pick up teacups from a near by pottery. While there he meets and helps a little fox spirit, who quickly grows attached to him. | ||
| 08 | "Fleeting
Light" "Hakanai Hikari" (儚い光) |
August 25, 2008 |
| Natsume meets a spirit who used to be friends with a man who could also see spirits, but one day lost this ability. | ||
| 09 | "Ayakashi
Exorcism" "Ayakashi-barai" (あやかし祓い) |
September 1, 2008 |
| Natsume meets a popular actor named Natori Shuuichi who can also see spirits, and has a side job as an exorcist. | ||
| 10 | "Asagi's Koto" "Asagi no Koto" (アサギの琴) |
September 8, 2008 |
| Natsume is possessed by a sick koto player, whose friend wants her to be able to play one last time. | ||
| 11 | "Nyanko's Book of
Boredom" "Nyanko Tsurezure-chō" (ニャンコ徒然帳) |
September 15, 2008 |
| When Natsume finally has enough of Nyanko's behavior Nyanko leaves, wandering about by himself and causing trouble. | ||
| 12 | "Five-Day
Mark" "Itsuka-jirushi" (五日印) |
September 22, 2008 |
| Natsume is cursed by an evil spirit which is sealed to a tree. Not wanting to trouble his adoptive family, he decided to run away from home. | ||
| 13 | "Autumn
Banquet" "Aki no Yaen" (秋の夜宴) |
September 29, 2008 |
| Tanuma finds out that Nyanko-Sensei is a spirit. Tanuma and Natsume enjoy the autumn festival and previous acquaintances are seen again. | ||
| # | Title | Original airdate[33] |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "Stolen Book of
Friends" "Ubawareta Yūjinchō" (奪われた友人帳) |
January 5, 2009 |
| While outside during school Natsume is hit with a ball while reading. He goes to retrieve the ball and ends up breaking a Youkai's seal (much like he had with Nyanko-sensei). Later that night Natsume and Nyanko-sensei discover a look-a-like of Nyanko, only to have him steal the Book Of Friends! | ||
| 02 | "Melting into
Spring" "Haru ni Tokeru" (春に溶ける) |
January 12, 2009 |
| While fooling around in the snow, Natsume and Nyanko-sensei run into Gen, a forest guardian who lives inside a statue. Gen tries to take over Natsume's body, but instead takes over a snow rabbit that Natsume had made. Gen pleads Natsume to help him find an evil spirit who destroyed Sui, his guardian partner, and Natsume agrees. But it seems Gen isn't telling everything he knows... | ||
| 03 | "Youkai Exorcism Amid the
Steaming Springs" "Yōkai Taiji Yukemuri-kō" (妖怪退治 湯けむり行) |
January 19, 2009 |
| Natori invites Natsume on a Hot Spring trip. But noises from the closet and a kimono-clad figure dangled from the ceiling make Natsume uneasy. Not wanting to trouble Natori because of his kind gesture to enjoy the Hot Spring with him, Natsume investigates the Hot Spring himself. During the night Natsume meets with the Youkai, where she comments that he is too soft, and attacks! | ||
| 04 | "A Chick
Hatches" "Hina, Kaeru" (雛、孵る) |
January 26, 2009 |
| Natsume takes care of an abandoned egg from a nest, not considering it could be a Youkai. After it hatches, it turns out it is a rare baby spirit called Tatsumi, who thinks that Natsume is its parent. Natsume can't help but get attached to the little spirit even as Tatsumi grows tired and sick. But as Natsume takes care of Tatsumi, a mysterious spirit comes and wants to take away Tatsumi for his master... who wants to eat him! | ||
| 05 | "Tree of
Promise" "Yakusoku no Ki" (約束の樹) |
February 2nd, 2009 |
| Natsume encounters a spirit who was enslaved by his grandmother Reiko 50 years ago by writing his name on a torn page from the Book of Friends, and tying it to a tree in a forest. Can Natsume help locate the torn page? What was Reiko's intention of tying it to a tree? | ||
| 06 | "The Maiden's
Circle" "Shōjo no Jin" (少女の陣) |
February 9th, 2009 |
| There is a new girl in school, Taki Tooru. With her appearance at the school,strange circles appear at the ground. Much like UFO circles. As Natsume tries to find out more about the circles and Taki, he is visited by another Youkai. Only this time the Youkai isn't looking for his name, but for a snack. | ||
| 07 | "What Must Not Be
Called" "Yonde wa Naranu" (呼んではならぬ) |
February 16, 2009 |
| Natsume is dragged off into the cave of the evil spirit that is after Taki. He temporarily loses the ability to see youkai after being poisoned by the spirit. Will he be able to stop the youkai from eating Taki without his sight? | ||
| 08 | "Emotions
Undying" "Fushi no Omoi" (不死の想い) |
February 23, 2009 |
| Natsume, Kitamoto and Nishimura take a trip to an old inn to spend some time doing their homework. Surrounding the inn there is a lake; in which is believed to live a mermaid. | ||
| 09 | "The Man Amidst the Rows of
Cherry Trees" "Sakura Namiki no Kare" (桜並木の彼) |
March 2, 2009 |
| From the day where a picture of a row of cherry trees in a desolate winter was obtained, every time Natsume wakes up, his rooms is covered in petals. Trying to solve the root of this activity, Natsume and Nyanko Sensei try and return the picture to Miya, a shadow figure who accompanies the picture. But why can't they return it to Miya...? | ||
| 10 | "Temporary
Home" "Kariie" (仮家) |
March 9, 2009 |
| Strange things start happening at Natsume's home, like Toukou's plants get destroyed, and a strange Youkai starts wandering around his house. Natsume then learns more about Reiko and her life in this town. He also learns how to get rid of the Youkai who's wandering around the house. | ||
| 11 | "Assembly of
Conjurers" "Jujutsushi no Kai" (呪術師の会) |
March 16, 2009 |
| While out with Tōko-san, Natsume spots a hurt youkai. Quickly he chases after it but as he goes to help it, it is eaten by a much bigger youkai. Natori and Hiiragi appear right after the youkai escapes and they invite Natsume to the Assembly of Conjurers. Here Natsume can not distinguish between human and youkai and is hopeful of finding people who understand him. Though this may be what Natsume has always wanted; he is too soft-heartened to realize everyone's intent. | ||
| 12 | "The Young Boy in the Empty
House" "Haioku no Shōnen" (廃屋の少年) |
March 23, 2009 |
| Natsume encounters a young boy named Kai sealed in a coffin in an abandoned house. Natsume sets Kai free and finds out that Kai is being stalked by a youkai. After a time, Natsume becomes the target of this youkai and stops the youkai's stalking with Nyanko-sensei's help. In the end Natori who turns out to be the stalker and who sealed Kai in the coffin, tells Natsume that Kai is a Youkai. | ||
| 13 | "Humans and
Youkai" "Hito to Ayakashi" (人と妖) |
March 30, 2009 |
| Natori tells Natsume of a well near the mansion that holds a group of Oni. They are calling out to any Youkai. He also learns that Kai came down from the mountains to free the Oni. While looking for Kai, Natsume sets off one of Natori's traps in the mansion. Kai saves Natsume and heads off to kill Natori.Natsume follows him,to save Natori from getting killed. After he encounters him, he is forced to make an important decision. Which ones are more important to him? Humans or Youkai? | ||
Natsume's Book of Friends was one of twelve finalists for the first Manga Taishō award in 2008.[1]
Since the fifth volume of the series, the individual volumes have made the best-seller list for manga in Japan. Volume 5 was ranked at number 8 on the charts for the week of March 4–10, 2008;[47] Volume 6 was number 5 for the week of July 8–14, 2008;[48] Volume 7 has done the best so far of the volumes, staying on the chart for two consecutive weeks (number 2 for the week of January 6–12, 2009 then falling to number 16 for the following week).[49][50]
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