Forum - View topicREVIEW: Natsume's Book of Friends (GN 2)
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jmfsilenthill
 Posts: 1863 Location: Chinese cartoons are srs biz |
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I just finished the first half of the anime series, and I must say it's really well done. Hopefuly it can be licensed in the near future, but for now I'm quite content to read the manga. Great review by the way
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Apollo-kun
 Posts: 1213 Location: City 7, Macross 7 |
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Hmm, I'm looking for some good new manga to read, and this sounds like it'll fit the bill JUST right. Thanks for the insightful review
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sunflower
 Posts: 1080 |
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Nice review as always.
I never find it gloomy - heartbreaking at points, but overall it's a hopeful story I think because it's all about breaking down walls and finding friends. The anime shows this better than the manga though I think. Some of the characters do come back btw and are important to Natsume, if not the plot. |
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MorwenLaicoriel
 Posts: 1617 Location: Colorado |
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This was a great review! I watched some of the first anime and really enjoyed it, but eventually stalled on it due to a busy schedule--now that I'm reminded about this manga, I might pick it up. Thank you!
I do have one reeeeeally nitpicky thing.
I'm pretty sure there's not any literal dripping going on--although since I haven't read the manga, I'm not entirely sure.  But it threw me a little when I was reading the review.
Like I said, extremely nitpicky. |
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Northlander
 Posts: 911 |
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I second this. Natsume's Book of Friends is mostly about insights, I think, to the lives of its characters, and the bonds they make. I'm not sure I get the argument about feeling alone about a hobby compared to Natsume's situation, where he has to keep quiet about something because people think he's lying or that he's delusional. I guess the feeling of being alienated is the same, though, regardless of the reason for it. Both through watching it and reading it, I've always felt that the people around Natsume would listen to him about his problems, and at the very least be supportive, even if they would have a hard time believing him. Not that I don't understand the reason why Natsume himself is cautious about it, though. On another note, I didn't really like Natori much, so I'm not QUITE as disappointed about his "screentime" being limited. (He does show up again a few times later in the anime, which means he'll presumably do the same in the manga.) On that note, I'm kind of disappointed you didn't mention Tanuma Kaname, even though he technically didn't appear in this volume. When he first appeared, I actually thought he'd be somewhat of a villainous character, but he ended up being the first person Natsume could actually confide in, and a very nice guy to boot. (One who's experiencing a milder version of Natsume's problem on top of it all.) One really odd thing about this is, despite the fact that the stories in the manga and anime are mostly the same (at least in how they end), the anime hit me much harder. I'm still trying to figure out why that is. |
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crosswithyou
 Posts: 2899 Location: California |
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Natsume Yuujinchou is my favorite manga. While watching the anime series, I nearly cried every single week. It's just so good! The interactions between Nyanko Sensei (do they call him this in the English version? or is it "Madara" all the way?) and Natsume are great. Each character, including the youkai, have distinct, well-developed personalities, even if they're only around for a couple chapters.
I have all current volumes of the manga in Japanese. Characters in the beginning will come back in later chapters so you can look forward to that. The art and story only get better and better. Natsume Yuujinchou follows manga volumes 1-3 while Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou is volumes 4-6. With volume 9 released earlier this year and each anime season averaging 3 volumes of original story, I'm really hoping we get a third season. |
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momogoldfish
Posts: 135 Location: New Zealand |
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This review reminded me just how much I need to start reading the Natsume Yuujincho manga. I've watched both seasons of the anime (surprisingly, by the people who made Baccano! and Durarara!) and anyone who could should watch it on Crunchyroll. Personally, I felt that the anime was dripping with nostalgia rather than gloominess though having tissue around is certainly recommended.
Really hope that the internet rumours that there will be a new season this winter is true despite the improbability. |
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Taiyz
 Posts: 202 Location: Canada |
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Natsume's Book of Friends is unquestionably my favourite anime of all time; I knew it was something special since the first episode...It moved me like no anime ever has. I'm not much of a manga person, but I probably owe it to myself to pick this up...
Since the series can be watched on CrunchyRoll, I heavily recommend anybody who hasn't experienced the series to go check it out right now, especially if you're on the fence of whether or not to check out the manga as opposed to looking up some scanlation or something (gotta show Viz we want more!) I also wouldn't personally call the series gloomy at all; bittersweet sometimes, maybe, but always touching and heartwarming. |
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wandering-dreamer
 Posts: 1733 |
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Part of the reason I like the anime better than the manga is that the episodes feel a bit more interconnected than the manga chapters do. But the manga isn't horrible and I'm buying it until I can (hopefully!) get the anime here someday.
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stuckinfresno
 Posts: 223 Location: Fresno, CA |
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This is the only complaint I have for this manga. While stand alone stories are great, I wished they flowed together more. If the anime overcomes this . . . I think I need to visit Crunchyroll. |
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vashfanatic
 Posts: 3495 Location: Back stateside |
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Well, the director is currently finishing up Durarara!! and then has his Noitamina debut in the offing with Kuragehime (and when you start comparing these titles, boy does he have range!), so if there's going to be a third season it'll either 1) be a ways off or 2) directed by someone else. So, if I've seen the anime, does the manga have much that I'd be missing? Is it really faithful? Should I just wait until the manga passes the anime? |
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Youkai Warrior
 Posts: 505 Location: Sarayashiki |
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Natsume's Book of Friends sounds interesting. I may check this one out someday.
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poonk
 Posts: 1490 Location: In the Library with Philip |
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(Also, on a somewhat related note, look what's coming out this summer! I WANT.) |
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wandering-dreamer
Posts: 1733 |
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It rearranges the order of some things but I think it does flow better since the side characters/yokai pop up again after their story is done and that lends itself to the flow.
Like someone else posted, the anime covers up to volume 6 and I have seen scanlations of volume 7 and it seems to be all stories we haven't seen yet (and it seems to be a continuous arc! Huzzah!).
I never buy figures (or even feel the need to buy them) but I really, REALLY want that one now. *_* |
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vashfanatic
Posts: 3495 Location: Back stateside |
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You can have that, what I want is a big giant Nyanko-sensei stuffed animal, preferably squishy and huggable.
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