Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 7

Writer	Yuki Midorikawa
Illustrator	Yuki Midorikawa
Published in English	2011
Publisher	Viz Media
Demographic	Shōjo
Age rating	Teen

Confronting an Amiguous Plan of a Ruthless Villain

Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 7 is a tankōbon collecting chapters 23–26 which had originally run in LaLa magazine and also includes Special Episode 7 and a standalone comics A Midsummer Sigh. The writing and art are provided by Yuki Midorikawa. The manga combines elements of slice of life, mystery, and supernatural fantasy genres.

As he helps a winged creature escape slaughter, Takashi discovers a human is attacking yokai to collect their blood. Nyanko-Sensei suspects he is doing this for some dangerous spell. Meanwhile, an acquintance of Mr. Natori gives him menacing hints so the exorcist looks for Takashi, feeling concerned about the safety of the boy. The two of them and Nyanko-Sensei realise they are facing danger if they get in the way of the person behind the violence. In the special episode Takashi teaches his yokai friends shadow tag game. A Midsummer Sigh follows a boy and a girl who go to see fireflies but things do not work out so smoothly.

The comic book develops the worldbuilding, expanding the reader’s knowledge about the exorcists and yokai. The drawings obscure some details, giving a few creatures and people an uncanny aura. There are visual hints which create a sense of foreboding. The artwork introduces a new feature in these comics – pictures depicting how characters imagine someone.

The seventh volume feels fresh – it takes a novel approach in multiple aspects. The mood is darker than in the previous books. The action and the confrontations are driven by conflicting motives of the characters. In a few occasions Takashi is left alone while danger is present. Moreover, Madara has less power to protect him from people than from yokai. An intimidating villain is an undeniable sttrength of the comics, especially when the protagonist and his companions get stuck in a village where this ominous person is preparing to perform an unknown spell.

The darker mood is also reflected in such themes as greed and revenge. The story explores the evil in human nature. There are those who do not hesitate to use dirty ways to achieve their goals, even sacrificing others’ lives. On the contrary, Natori has evolved from a pragmatic exorcist who considered yokai only a threat to humanity unless they were his servants, now having a different approach as he decides to help Takashi investigate the ongoing attacks. The protagonist is unwilling to get involved when he first learns about the situation, however, he has not become indifferent to seeing anyone in trouble.

The special episode offers a change in mood in the form of a short light-hearted comics. It shows the unique and memorable personalities of Takashi’s friends and touches on the protagonist’s past as they play a game he has only seen played by others. A Midsummer Sigh is a sweet story where characters face some challenging obstacles.Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 7 is the second book in the series that follows one continuous storyline in contrast to the first five volumes. It provides new themes and a darker mood for the manga. The comic book has a compelling plot and the visual storytelling effectively complements the writing. The fans of the series can enjoy a volume which does not repeat the already familiar content.

Characters

Themes

Plot

Art

Content advisory

Erotic content: NONE

In A Midsummer’s Sigh the girl says a man approached him angrily and the boy asks if he was a pervert.

Violence: MODERATE

Numerous yokai are laying down bleeding, either wounded or dead. A big shadow attacks yokai and Takashi. A character attacks Takashi with a sword. A creature is hit by an arrow. Takashi is knocked out. Regular handfight.

Profanity: NONE

Scary content: MODERATE

A scene where a woman enters from a window before Takashi notices can feel creepy. A villain looks scary while his face is hidden. Constant threat and dark mood.

Alcohol, drugs, and smoking: SLIGHT

Nyanko-Sensei drinks alcohol while the characters are dining out. Yokai have a drinking party. Hinoe is smoking.