Natsume's Book of Friends Volume 1

Natsume's Book of Friends

Volume 1

Art and Story by Yuki Midorikawa

I give this one 4 Squeed, because while I enjoyed the story, and would probably share it around to the right reader... the artwork isn't spectacular so there isn't anything to draw me back to stare at the pages. I have a feeling my enjoyment of this series will really depend on where it goes in later volumes, and how much it deviates from other anime/manga of this type.
So far it's cute, but not totally unique or exquisite.

Amazon Synopsis:

With friends like these, enemies are overkill. R to L (Japanese Style). Takashi Natsume can see the spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he is a troubled high school student who has come to live in the small town where his grandmother grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the Sight from the mysterious Reiko. Takashi Natsume can see the spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he is a troubled high school student who has come to live in the small town where his grandmother grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the Sight from the mysterious Reiko.

Characters:

Natsume Main character, Grandson of Reiko. Has the ability to see Yokai and is in possession of the Book of Friends, a book containing the names of the Yokai that seek him out. He is a bit of a loner and standoffish, but still incredibly likeable, although his agreement with Nyanko is a bit dubious.

Reiko Natsume's Grandmother, the creator of the book of friends, and the cause of all of Natsume's problems. From the gist of it, she didn't seem all that nice, using the Yokai to alleviate her own boredom.

Nyanko Fat little Kitty Yokai, he's been sort of physically combines with the "Good Luck" statue he inhabited for years. He's made a deal to take the book of friends from Natsume when Natsume dies... and until then Nyanko is acting as his guide in returning the names of the Yokai in the book.

Yokai The spirits and demons that seek Natsume out, thinking he's Reiko, as they look to get their names, and their freedom back. Mostly they just all seem really lonely.

Story:

So far, I have to admit, I'm not quite sure what Nyanko is doing. It seems to me that under the deal he made, it would be better for him, power-wise, to knock Nastume off earlier rather than later... but that doesn't appear to be his motivation. Nastume, on the other hand, I totally understand. His Grandmother seems like a real piece of work, and he's left cleaning up the mess for no other reason than he was cursed with the same gift she was, and with her worldly possessions after she passed. Thanks, Grandma. :P Being without parents, Natsume is just trying to fly under the radar and not be "weird"... something that he often is since he can see Yokai everywhere. So far, I'm rooting for him and his good intentions.

Artwork:

The artwork in Natsume's Book of Friends isn't the most solid I've seen. It's a looser style... but the expressions are often fun and dynamic, and the poses the little Yokai are often found in are pretty amusing. This isn't a series I would have ever picked up on artwork alone, but the story is strong and enjoyable, and the artwork is cute.