nvciel's review against another edition
5.0
The art was exceptional in this volume. I loved Murasaki’s hair. It flowed like wisteria in bloom. The harvest god’s robes and headdress, on the cover, were magical. Sensei’s vision of who Natsume is is becoming well defined. Her artwork is creating a world he wants to a part of. Absolutely beautiful.
rouge_red's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
The bits with Natsume and Hiragi are my favorite. Her wondering about Natsume's current state and how much softer he is and questioning if Natori could ever be that too. You can see friendship and trust building between her and Natsume. Contrasting that with Natori's more business-like attitude towards his associates, this must be a meaningful moment for her.
joanarcherknight's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ladydewinter's review against another edition
5.0
My favourite stories in this series always have either Natsume and Tanuma or Natsume and Natori. It's not even for my usual (slashy) reasons, it's because the dynamic between them is just really interesting. Somehow these stories seem to capture the difficulty of human relationships - how much can you trust someone? How much can you rely on someone? How well can you know someone? - the best.
I know I tend to use superlatives a lot and of course there are many things I love. But this series really does hold a special place in my heart. It's so beautiful and heart-warming, but never in a naive way. Despite - or because - the yokai, this series feels real.
I know I tend to use superlatives a lot and of course there are many things I love. But this series really does hold a special place in my heart. It's so beautiful and heart-warming, but never in a naive way. Despite - or because - the yokai, this series feels real.
jjamy55's review against another edition
5.0
The best cover by far! It took me a while to get into this story, but it was heart-warming as ever. The art style improved a lot!
kosjatko's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
christin22's review against another edition
4.0
Wieder ein sehr guter Band, wo wir einen alten Schulkamerad von Natsume haben, der diesen in eine Yokai Sachen mit rein zieht. Und dann haben wir erneut eine längere Geschichte mit Natori, der wieder einmal sieht wie sehr natsume versucht das gute zu tun, sodass ich das Gefühl habe, dass diese Empathie langsam auf ihn abfärbt. Guter Band!
misssusan's review
3.0
I'm starting to feel like this series is a bit stuck on repeating the same emotional beats but as I still find them effective I don't much mind. Plus it was nice to see Natsume reconnect with someone from his past in a way that wasn't completely awful. 3.5 stars
geekery's review
5.0
This is a particularly excellent volume in a great series. It's the culmination of the slow and subtle development Natsume's been going through for the past 10 volumes. It shows off how much he's changed. It's incredibly rewarding to see the lonely kid we were originally introduced to become truly happy and loved by humans and yokai alike.
The first story of this volume involves an old classmate of Natsume's. It shows how much he's changed since he was the sad, bullied, and misunderstood child we've learned about in flashbacks. The second story is about Natsume and Natori working together. This one shows how Natsume has become more comfortable with both people and yokai. He's forged bonds with them, bonds that he use to only dream of.
Natsume's not the only one who's changed. The relationship he has with Nyanko-sensei has developed from a partnership to a true friendship. He and Natori have formed an (albeit uneasy and awkward) friendship, and they've both decided not to let their differences in philosophy change that. Even Natsume's reputation among the yokai has changed and grown to the point where yokai will seek him out for help instead of just trying to attack him.
Natsume's Book of Friends is a beautiful series that I think anyone can enjoy. If you haven't tried it yet, then you're really missing out on something amazing.
The first story of this volume involves an old classmate of Natsume's. It shows how much he's changed since he was the sad, bullied, and misunderstood child we've learned about in flashbacks. The second story is about Natsume and Natori working together. This one shows how Natsume has become more comfortable with both people and yokai. He's forged bonds with them, bonds that he use to only dream of.
Natsume's not the only one who's changed. The relationship he has with Nyanko-sensei has developed from a partnership to a true friendship. He and Natori have formed an (albeit uneasy and awkward) friendship, and they've both decided not to let their differences in philosophy change that. Even Natsume's reputation among the yokai has changed and grown to the point where yokai will seek him out for help instead of just trying to attack him.
Natsume's Book of Friends is a beautiful series that I think anyone can enjoy. If you haven't tried it yet, then you're really missing out on something amazing.
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