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夏目友人帳 [Natsume Yūjinchō] #15
Natsume's Book of Friends, Vol. 15
Takashi Natsume has always been aware of the supernatural world, but after he inherits a magical book from his grandmother, the supernatural world is aware of him!
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's 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.
Natori summons Natsume to help him with an odd exorcism case. A retired exorcist can no longer see yokai, even the ones who are his servants, and strange things have started happening at his house. Are his bound yokai trying to kill him to release themselves from their contract?
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's 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.
Natori summons Natsume to help him with an odd exorcism case. A retired exorcist can no longer see yokai, even the ones who are his servants, and strange things have started happening at his house. Are his bound yokai trying to kill him to release themselves from their contract?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2013
6 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Yuki Midorikawa
66 books290 followersYuki Midorikawa (緑川ゆき, Midorikawa Yuki) is a Japanese mangaka (manga artist). Midorikawa is best known for drawing the manga series Natsume Yujin-cho ("Natsume's Book of Friends").
Yuki Midorikawa started writing manga when she was an elementary school girl. When she was a junior high school student, she sent her manga for the first time to "Hana to Yume", a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha. Since then, she had kept drawing manga to become a mangaka.
Yuki Midorikawa started writing manga when she was an elementary school girl. When she was a junior high school student, she sent her manga for the first time to "Hana to Yume", a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha. Since then, she had kept drawing manga to become a mangaka.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 23, 2014
Yet another wonderful installment. Much as I enjoyed the story with Natori, the bonus story with Toko and Shigeru before they brought Natsume into their home. I think I appreciate them even more now.
June 5, 2023
This series always gives me lazy summer vibes, which is perfect for right now!
I loved the little story that was from Touko's point of view. She and her husband are one of the best things that could have happened to Natsume. And it seems like he's good for them, too. 😊
I loved the little story that was from Touko's point of view. She and her husband are one of the best things that could have happened to Natsume. And it seems like he's good for them, too. 😊
January 25, 2014
Another lovely volume.
For me, the highlight was the story focused on Toko and Shigure. The two of them are such a constant, comforting presence in Natsume's life, and it was really sweet to see their life before he joined them - the sort of comfortable but somehow empty life they'd built. It made me just feel all warm and fuzzy. :)
We also got a bit of Natori in here, and it was kind of cool to get another bit of overall story. One of the big issues Natsume's had with regards to Natori is, due to the latter's status as an exorcist, whether Natsume can truly trust him. This applies especially to the Book of Friends, which is a powerful tool.
Man, the look on Natsume's face when he believes Natori just overheard a yokai talking about the book was great, and the fact that Natori plays it off until the end before basically sending one of his minions to spy on Natsume is probably going to come back and bite him in the butt.
For me, the highlight was the story focused on Toko and Shigure. The two of them are such a constant, comforting presence in Natsume's life, and it was really sweet to see their life before he joined them - the sort of comfortable but somehow empty life they'd built. It made me just feel all warm and fuzzy. :)
We also got a bit of Natori in here, and it was kind of cool to get another bit of overall story. One of the big issues Natsume's had with regards to Natori is, due to the latter's status as an exorcist, whether Natsume can truly trust him. This applies especially to the Book of Friends, which is a powerful tool.
Man, the look on Natsume's face when he believes Natori just overheard a yokai talking about the book was great, and the fact that Natori plays it off until the end before basically sending one of his minions to spy on Natsume is probably going to come back and bite him in the butt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2018
This is maybe one of my favorite so far. The last story was so touching.
November 1, 2014
There's a BOOK 15?! I thought there were only 14 books! This series is still being published?!!! YAAAAAY!
October 16, 2020
I would really appreciate it if this series would PLEASE stop kicking me in the FUCKING FEELS every ten FUCKING SECONDS, THANK YOU!
My gosh, that side story with Toko and Shigeru nearly killed me! They are such nice, sweet, precious people, I love them so much!!
But the arc revolving around Takuma and his servants was heartbreaking as well. I can't imagine what it would be like to have people by your side for so long, then one day you wake up and can't see them anymore. Midorikawa really captured the pain his servants endured, but also their desperation in being with him again. So many feels in one volume, I can't take it!
Welp, gotta go finish crying in a corner somewhere. Hopefully the next volume doesn't leave me an emotional wreck, I could use a break...
My gosh, that side story with Toko and Shigeru nearly killed me! They are such nice, sweet, precious people, I love them so much!!
But the arc revolving around Takuma and his servants was heartbreaking as well. I can't imagine what it would be like to have people by your side for so long, then one day you wake up and can't see them anymore. Midorikawa really captured the pain his servants endured, but also their desperation in being with him again. So many feels in one volume, I can't take it!
Welp, gotta go finish crying in a corner somewhere. Hopefully the next volume doesn't leave me an emotional wreck, I could use a break...
November 19, 2017
Hier haben wir Stories, die dazu führen, das Natsume immer mehr zwischen Yokai und Menschen steht. Das der Schauspieler, sein Freund und Exoscist, nun allerdings erfährt das er das Buch der Freunde hat, wird sicher noch zu vielen Situationen führen, die es spannend machen. Dahingehend war die Story am Ende mit Natsumes Pflegeeltern wirklich schön und es tat gut zu sehen, wie sie Natsume aufnahmen.
July 9, 2023
This volume had three good stories: Natsume and Natori help an older exorcist who has lost his power to see yokai, Natsume helps a little mushroom yokai try to join his friend's entourage, and a back story of how Toko and Shigeru came to take care of Natsume. The last story in particular is sweet and makes me appreciate Natsume's 'parents' even more.
September 1, 2025
I would have eaten this series up when I was a kid. Seriously. This would have been my favorite thing ever. I keep finding all these cool manga I wish I'd read as a teen. What was I busy reading instead? Crappy YA fantasy books that I hated, but they were popular so I thought I had to read them to know what's going on. Should have found manga sooner.
December 26, 2016
Bought this by mistake for my sister for Christmas , who incidentally already had volumes 15-17 (bought 15-19 for Chrissy) such a chill read with beautiful sketchy yet clean art. Midorikawa Sensei is now going on my watch list and I shall purchase vol 1 and onwards. Great read!
December 11, 2022
When Natsume struggles, I struggle. Worried about how his secret book of friends is gonna come out.
The special story with his Aunt and Uncle also got me in the feels. Especially when Natsume unknowingly shares his secret with his aunt by talking about the crow's spirit.
The special story with his Aunt and Uncle also got me in the feels. Especially when Natsume unknowingly shares his secret with his aunt by talking about the crow's spirit.
April 6, 2018
滋さんを尊敬する。
彼が悪い状況を見て行動受けた。その強さはこの世界にはあまりない。普通の人がちょっと変な子を見れば逆らうとか目を嫌う、でも滋さんはちゃんと夏目の事を見て手を伸ばした。素晴らしい話。泣かせた。
この夫婦と夏目の関係もっと知りたい。
彼が悪い状況を見て行動受けた。その強さはこの世界にはあまりない。普通の人がちょっと変な子を見れば逆らうとか目を嫌う、でも滋さんはちゃんと夏目の事を見て手を伸ばした。素晴らしい話。泣かせた。
この夫婦と夏目の関係もっと知りたい。
April 3, 2021
natori if you even look at the book of friends i will stomp you to death with my hooves
October 8, 2021
ooh it's getting wild.
April 3, 2023
Gosh dang it. This author is so good at conveying emotions simply. It always gets me.
September 25, 2014
~4.5/5
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
God, I just freakin’ love this series. It gets better every volume, and now my heart just swells with it every time I look at the books. It seems like this series gets looked over a lot, which I hope isn’t true, because it’s so good. It just takes a few volumes before it gets really good. But then it is and there’s no looking back.
The first chapters featured a story with Natori and a friend of his. This was interesting, not overly exciting or anything, but sweet. It seems like we might meet some of the new characters again, though, which would be nice. It also seems like Natori might be figuring something important out about Natsume, and that could cause some problems, or be really good for them. I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes.
I’m intrigued by Natori. He’s so different from Natsume, and I vastly prefer Natsume, but I’m interesting in Natori’s development, in his growth as a person. I’m intrigued by him, and by Natsume’s influence on him.
Then there was a sweet story featuring a mushroom yokai.
Then there was a story that was just fantastic, a special featuring Natsume’s aunt and uncle, Toko and Shigeru. This was before they took Natsume in, and a little bit of the beginning of his living with them. And it was just so sweet I wanted to cry. I love the two as a couple, they’re adorable together, and it’s obvious they’ve been together a long time and still really love each other, and that was so nice to see. They want a kid, and after Shigeru sees Natsume and how no one else wants him, it’s obvious they’re going to take him in and love him. And they’re so good for him.
I loved getting to know them as people and a couple, but I also really like seeing them caring for Natsume. I’d like to see Natsume leaning on them a little more, being more open with them, as I know they’d help him with anything he needed.
I just love all of them so much.
I have no idea how long this series is going to be, or how long till the next volume, but I’m so excited for it.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
God, I just freakin’ love this series. It gets better every volume, and now my heart just swells with it every time I look at the books. It seems like this series gets looked over a lot, which I hope isn’t true, because it’s so good. It just takes a few volumes before it gets really good. But then it is and there’s no looking back.
The first chapters featured a story with Natori and a friend of his. This was interesting, not overly exciting or anything, but sweet. It seems like we might meet some of the new characters again, though, which would be nice. It also seems like Natori might be figuring something important out about Natsume, and that could cause some problems, or be really good for them. I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes.
I’m intrigued by Natori. He’s so different from Natsume, and I vastly prefer Natsume, but I’m interesting in Natori’s development, in his growth as a person. I’m intrigued by him, and by Natsume’s influence on him.
Then there was a sweet story featuring a mushroom yokai.
Then there was a story that was just fantastic, a special featuring Natsume’s aunt and uncle, Toko and Shigeru. This was before they took Natsume in, and a little bit of the beginning of his living with them. And it was just so sweet I wanted to cry. I love the two as a couple, they’re adorable together, and it’s obvious they’ve been together a long time and still really love each other, and that was so nice to see. They want a kid, and after Shigeru sees Natsume and how no one else wants him, it’s obvious they’re going to take him in and love him. And they’re so good for him.
I loved getting to know them as people and a couple, but I also really like seeing them caring for Natsume. I’d like to see Natsume leaning on them a little more, being more open with them, as I know they’d help him with anything he needed.
I just love all of them so much.
I have no idea how long this series is going to be, or how long till the next volume, but I’m so excited for it.
February 15, 2015
(Since goodreads killed quite a long review from me just now, I am too tired to redo it and now you're stuck with the gist of it.)
In SHORT: Magical, personal and quietly brilliant.
In DETAIL:
Themes: Being different, loneliness, creatures from myth and legend, friendship and camaraderie and the meaning of family.
Setting: Rural Japan in all its loveliness! (When it comes to a time period I’d say, roughly the ‘here and now’.)
Atmosphere: At once magical and ordinary. The focus on interpersonal relationships in a world where a vast array of supernatural creatures are never far, is the key to making this story so wonderful. It is almost always less about the being’s strangeness and abilities, but rather its hopes and wishes.
Characters & Relationships: Every character is incredibly unique and loveable in their own way. What I adore the portrayal of the ayakashi is that Natsume always tries to understand the circumstances of a creature first and only if there is no other way will try to bind it or even kill it. Mostly the ayakashi are shown as having different values or being ignorant of human customs.
Plot: Natsume has to cope with his ability to see ayakashi and with the mysterious “Book of Friends” his grandmother left behind. Not to mention this erratic lucky-cat (that is actually something very different) called Nyanko-sensei. At first the chapters are rather episodic in a monster of the week style (but many really touching and never boring), but somewhere along the line more characters, supernatural and human, appear and as Natsume’s friends and acquaintances expand, the plot branches out.
Cover & Artwork: The artwork has a lovely light touch which adds to feeling of otherworldliness and gives it a sense of fragility.
In SHORT: Magical, personal and quietly brilliant.
In DETAIL:
Themes: Being different, loneliness, creatures from myth and legend, friendship and camaraderie and the meaning of family.
Setting: Rural Japan in all its loveliness! (When it comes to a time period I’d say, roughly the ‘here and now’.)
Atmosphere: At once magical and ordinary. The focus on interpersonal relationships in a world where a vast array of supernatural creatures are never far, is the key to making this story so wonderful. It is almost always less about the being’s strangeness and abilities, but rather its hopes and wishes.
Characters & Relationships: Every character is incredibly unique and loveable in their own way. What I adore the portrayal of the ayakashi is that Natsume always tries to understand the circumstances of a creature first and only if there is no other way will try to bind it or even kill it. Mostly the ayakashi are shown as having different values or being ignorant of human customs.
Plot: Natsume has to cope with his ability to see ayakashi and with the mysterious “Book of Friends” his grandmother left behind. Not to mention this erratic lucky-cat (that is actually something very different) called Nyanko-sensei. At first the chapters are rather episodic in a monster of the week style (but many really touching and never boring), but somewhere along the line more characters, supernatural and human, appear and as Natsume’s friends and acquaintances expand, the plot branches out.
Cover & Artwork: The artwork has a lovely light touch which adds to feeling of otherworldliness and gives it a sense of fragility.
January 31, 2014
This issue of Natsume’s Book of Friends was pretty standard fare. Not my favorite story, but a good one all the same. The most stand-out part of this volume, to me, was Natsume’s slip up regarding the Book of Friends. Now Natori is all curious and such, and that makes me nervous.
Frankly, I’ve never really liked Natori. Like Nyanko-sensei, I always considered him a shady guy. I was doing my best to give him the benefit of the doubt, but after he destroyed that note for Natsume in a previous volume, and now is having Natsume followed at this end of this volume, well . . . . Natori, I’ve got my eye on you.
I’m wondering if the author is going to do a switcheroo, making Natori a bad guy at some point and having Matoba come save Natsume or something. That would make me laugh. And cringe.
The short story about Natsume’s parents at the end of the volume was super cute and a little sad. I really love the Fujiwaras. They’re good people.
Frankly, I’ve never really liked Natori. Like Nyanko-sensei, I always considered him a shady guy. I was doing my best to give him the benefit of the doubt, but after he destroyed that note for Natsume in a previous volume, and now is having Natsume followed at this end of this volume, well . . . . Natori, I’ve got my eye on you.
I’m wondering if the author is going to do a switcheroo, making Natori a bad guy at some point and having Matoba come save Natsume or something. That would make me laugh. And cringe.
The short story about Natsume’s parents at the end of the volume was super cute and a little sad. I really love the Fujiwaras. They’re good people.
December 20, 2022
I love literally everything about this series. I find no fault. The dynamics between Natsume and Natori are increasingly compelling as the series goes on, I’ve always enjoyed all the drama with Matoba from past volumes, and of course all of Natsume’s budding friendships with humans and yokai alike make this series what it is. But I have to comment on this volume simply because of the short story about Touko and Shigeru.
It’s ironic that in the afterword, the creator Yuki Midorikawa writes about how she always wanted to do a story about them but wasn’t sure fans would care about it. From everything I’ve seen from the fans, whether it’s the manga or the anime, they love this story, and I’m among them. It hits me right in the feels every time. It’s so beautiful, the Fujiwaras are angels, and there’s such a sharp contrast from how Natsume was when he first joined them compared to how he is now. It’s perfection. This entire series is perfection.
It’s ironic that in the afterword, the creator Yuki Midorikawa writes about how she always wanted to do a story about them but wasn’t sure fans would care about it. From everything I’ve seen from the fans, whether it’s the manga or the anime, they love this story, and I’m among them. It hits me right in the feels every time. It’s so beautiful, the Fujiwaras are angels, and there’s such a sharp contrast from how Natsume was when he first joined them compared to how he is now. It’s perfection. This entire series is perfection.
June 22, 2014
Another adventure in the world of yokai and exorcists with Natsume! Here he stumbles upon a possible exorcism needed for an elderly exorcist who has lost his spiritual sight. He may have given too much info on the Book of Friends to his "mentor" Natori though. He worries about that burden while handling some angry demonic servants too. Later he tries to help an ambitious little mushroom spirit in trying to gain access to a friend's high court. And the last tale here deals with the decisions that drive Toko and Shigeru to adopt Takeshi Natsume into their family. It all helps to detail these characters out. And definitely sets up for possible trouble from the antagonistic exorcists who may want the yokai-controlling Book of Friends in later volumes. I hope to see more on how Natsume may learn to control the book and his sight abilities better too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2014
I've given most (if not all) of the other volumes in this series at least four stars; this one gets five for the Special Episode about Aunt Toko and Uncle Shigeru at the end. It's lovely and moving, and it shows so perfectly and subtly what True Love really looks like. I actually cried (and any book that makes me cry in a good way gets five stars), but they were happy tears that just welled up inside me, along with the usual gentle warmth this series always brings to my heart.
A beautiful addition to the series. Thank you for sharing it with us, Midorikawa-sensei!
A beautiful addition to the series. Thank you for sharing it with us, Midorikawa-sensei!
April 4, 2025
Tsukiko asks Natori to come over as strange things have been happening around her house. She's right as Natsume immediately sees a few yokai one that even seems like a human housekeeper. They end up sealing off the house for Mr. Takuma a former exorcist who can't see yokai anymore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2015
I love the series. Each installment has been beautiful. Natori makes an appearance in this volume and he is a character that I find really interesting. My favorite part was the story of Natsume's aunt and uncle and how they came to take him in. It was a really sweet story.
March 18, 2014
Natori has a clue to what Natsume's hiding. The Tohko and Shigeru back story was especially touching here.
September 13, 2014
Nothing much to say, another awesome volume of Natsume Yuujinchou.
I loved The Fujiwara's side story, it was sweet :')
Can't wait till the release of Volume 16!
I loved The Fujiwara's side story, it was sweet :')
Can't wait till the release of Volume 16!
November 7, 2017
I'm glad that Natsume has opened up his heart a little bit more, towards his friends and ayakashi.
September 19, 2014
beautiful. i especially liked the final chapter about natsume's aunt and uncle. what a lovely delicate series about kindness this is, nothing i'm currently reading is quite like it. 4 stars
March 30, 2025
These stories were really lovely ones
January 15, 2016
I like it when i see Natori involved in the story its interesting. Also the last chapter about Touko-san and shigure-san was amazing, i always wanted to know more about them ^^
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews