Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 10

by Yuki Midorikawa, 185 pages

Natsume is approached by a former classmate over a matter of the heart and then by a gang of diminutive white-hatted yokai with a rather huge favor to ask. As he goes about trying to help the latter locate their missing god (and hide the fact that he's missing), Natsume bumps into Natori, who has been hired to look into the same situation, though from a client with very different motives. Though their philosophies may differ, will Natsume and Natori be able to work together and prevent catastrophe on the mountain?

I love this second story (though the first one's nice, too!). Natsume's all dressed up like a god of the harvest, but Natori's not fooled. Hee! Their united purpose brings them closer to the same page and it does the reader good to see them bond as friends. Natsume builds more rapport with the yokai, Natori's exorcist cred goes up, and the two both learn to believe in themselves a little more. This series always finds a way to make melancholy, bittersweet things still feel like happy endings, so even if I sniffle, it's with a smile.