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A review by rouge_red
Natsume's Book of Friends, Vol. 25 by Yuki Midorikawa
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.25
We've gotten to Ch. 100! (Bookended by 2 specials, but's let's focus on our main story.)
Chapters 100-102 (Part 1!)
It's Matoba, Natori and Natsume. And another mysterious exorcist named Ban who's collecting vessels for his employer.
We begin the story with Natsume and Nyanko Sensei walking home after buying some cookies for Aunt Toko. Nyanko Sensei seems to sense something and runs off towards a dead tree trunk with a Bonk. Natsume returns home, but after waiting and waiting for a few days, Nyanko Sensei is still out and about. This isn't an unusual thing, but Natsume can't help but worry.
The next day, Tanuma shows Natsume a piece of pottery that has the same colors in the same order as the gray and orange of Nyanko Sensei's perfect form. And he tells Natsume where he found it at-- near that old stump. I kind of forget sometimes but Nyanko Sensei is a yokai with the form of a ceramic lucky cat, so what if something has happened to him? I definitely felt a sense of foreboding here. But maybe these feelings are unfounded. Tanuma talks thinks the piece of pottery looks familiar and tells Natsume about a small town that he believes makes the "white haze ware." And our adventure begins.
Natsume travels to Homura Village and looks for Nyanko Sensei, wondering if his dream of seeing a sensei running toward a kiln is a clue. He sees something among the trees annnnd....it turns out Nyanko Sensei came home that morning and when he saw Natsume packing to leave, he jumped into his bag and tagged along.
Enter a guy who just looks suspicious. Though not a yokai. Just Ban, a guy who's going to be a problem. He's got an interesting power where he used wooden boards cut and painted into simple human shapes to patrol and fly around the area.
Enter Hiragi, Urihime, Sasago, Natori and Matoba. Turns out Natori yoinked Matoba out of a meeting because he knew he needed help. Ban has put a spell around this village so our yokai can't leave or enter. By extension, Nyanko Sensei can't change form.
Natsume and Natori discuss the Book of Friends, and Natsume is glad he's been able to let someone else know about it.
Natori: "Does it weigh heavy on you?"
Natsume: "Yes. It's a gift of a lifetime."
Look at all those cats!!! Gotta catch 'em all! Surprisingly Matoba knows all about them.
Natsume goes with Matoba to scope out the place. He leaves the Book of Friends with Natori and Nyanko Sensei. Matoba talks to Natsume about why he needs his clan to stay in power, checks and balances. Their place at the top is a double edged sword, depending on who chooses to antagonize them or who's asking for help. He says, "Not everyone has a benevolent protector like your kitty cat."
Gah, that empty box with the lining that's got the imprint of a person lying in it is like something out of Junji Ito's manga. Creepy ceramic puppet thing.
ps.
I really like Vol. 25 and Vol. 26's covers with our Matoba and Natori duo.
Chapters 100-102 (Part 1!)
It's Matoba, Natori and Natsume. And another mysterious exorcist named Ban who's collecting vessels for his employer.
We begin the story with Natsume and Nyanko Sensei walking home after buying some cookies for Aunt Toko. Nyanko Sensei seems to sense something and runs off towards a dead tree trunk with a Bonk. Natsume returns home, but after waiting and waiting for a few days, Nyanko Sensei is still out and about. This isn't an unusual thing, but Natsume can't help but worry.
The next day, Tanuma shows Natsume a piece of pottery that has the same colors in the same order as the gray and orange of Nyanko Sensei's perfect form. And he tells Natsume where he found it at-- near that old stump. I kind of forget sometimes but Nyanko Sensei is a yokai with the form of a ceramic lucky cat, so what if something has happened to him? I definitely felt a sense of foreboding here. But maybe these feelings are unfounded. Tanuma talks thinks the piece of pottery looks familiar and tells Natsume about a small town that he believes makes the "white haze ware." And our adventure begins.
Natsume travels to Homura Village and looks for Nyanko Sensei, wondering if his dream of seeing a sensei running toward a kiln is a clue. He sees something among the trees annnnd....it turns out Nyanko Sensei came home that morning and when he saw Natsume packing to leave, he jumped into his bag and tagged along.
Enter a guy who just looks suspicious. Though not a yokai. Just Ban, a guy who's going to be a problem. He's got an interesting power where he used wooden boards cut and painted into simple human shapes to patrol and fly around the area.
Enter Hiragi, Urihime, Sasago, Natori and Matoba. Turns out Natori yoinked Matoba out of a meeting because he knew he needed help. Ban has put a spell around this village so our yokai can't leave or enter. By extension, Nyanko Sensei can't change form.
Natsume and Natori discuss the Book of Friends, and Natsume is glad he's been able to let someone else know about it.
Natori: "Does it weigh heavy on you?"
Natsume: "Yes. It's a gift of a lifetime."
Look at all those cats!!! Gotta catch 'em all! Surprisingly Matoba knows all about them.
Natsume goes with Matoba to scope out the place. He leaves the Book of Friends with Natori and Nyanko Sensei. Matoba talks to Natsume about why he needs his clan to stay in power, checks and balances. Their place at the top is a double edged sword, depending on who chooses to antagonize them or who's asking for help. He says, "Not everyone has a benevolent protector like your kitty cat."
Gah, that empty box with the lining that's got the imprint of a person lying in it is like something out of Junji Ito's manga. Creepy ceramic puppet thing.
ps.
I really like Vol. 25 and Vol. 26's covers with our Matoba and Natori duo.