Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 13

by Yuki Midorikawa, 184 pages

Deliciously creepy Matoba, a mysterious, unscrupulous exorcist with his eye on Natsume (and his enigmatic tubby yokai kitty), writes the boy and then shows up in front of his house to ask for help rooting out a yokai that's been preying on powerful exorcists.  Natsume's not too keen on doing anything for Matoba, but his concern for what might happen if he doesn't outweighs his revulsion at cooperating.

Ooh, that Matoba is so bad!  What was in that letter?!  We don't even know what he's really up to, but it doesn't matter.  Whatever it is, it isn't good.  I love how Midorikawa just lets him think his sneaky, self-serving thoughts and scheme to his cold heart's content without letting us know much more than Natsume--which isn't much, as Matoba keeps pretty mum about such things and just smiles and watches and waits.  It's when he acts that we get nervous--and excited!  The joy of seeing him look angry or surprised by Natsume's (or his allies') disruption of his carefully laid plans is worth the wait, even if we just get one little panel of him taken aback and glaring before he gets himself under control.  Sweet.  He'll be back, the clever villain.  And so will this reader!

This volume also has two shorter chapters relating how quiet Natsume came to be friends with schoolmates Nishimura and Kitamoto.  Yay for warm, fuzzy backstory!

Sailor Twain: or The Mermaid in the Hudson

by Mark Siegel, 400 pages

Over a year ago, the steamboat Lorelei's well-liked owner disappeared without a trace, leaving his careless, erratic brother Dieudonné in charge, much to the worry and frustration of her conscientious captain, Twain, whose humble, capable hands seem to be the only thing keeping the company above the waterline.  But when he finds a beautiful injured mermaid clinging to the empty, fog-enshrouded deck, Captain Twain's orderly, familiar world begins to slip deeper and deeper into the murky depths of the Hudson River.

This is a lovely, creepy, haunting mystery that wraps the reader in its hazy, otherworldly atmosphere from first page to last and beyond.  The characters are exaggerated and cartoonish figures visually, but their intense, complicated personalities and motives bring a sense of realism that pairs unsettlingly well with what would normally be goofy features to further blur the line between fantasy and reality for the reader as much as the inexplicable events of the story do for the characters.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 12

by Yuki Midorikawa, 187 pages

Natsume runs into a bearded yokai who wants help with an old letter, a legged-teacup that's taken up residence under his house, an aging kami who wants to return a borrowed mirror, and a pair of yokai who trap him in a jar as a treat for their hungry master whose seal has recently been broken.

The other stories are sweet and sad in the gently hopeful way of the rest of the series, but Natsume stuck in a jar, helpless as Nyanko-sensei somewhat successfully pretends to be his charge so friends and family don't get worried, is a hoot!  Also, I love how Tanuma takes the opportunity to help his friend, despite the flak he knows he'll catch from Natsume after-the-fact for putting himself in danger.  And with another familiar face joining the fight, Natsume finds himself on the receiving end of a little lecturing, too.  Lovely, as always.

The Earl and the Fairy: Volume 3

by Ayuko (story and art) and Mizue Tani (original concept), 178 pages

Lydia is frustrated that her new employer, Edgar, seems more interested in showing her off at high society gatherings than in actually making use of her skills as a fairy doctor.  But when he brings her the case of a missing young noblewoman, Lydia finds the mystery may be entangled with Edgar's own dark past and fears his present involvement may be less about solving a crime than revenging one.

So far, this series is shaping up to be a nice blend of history and supernatural mystery.  There's still a lot the reader (and Lydia) doesn't know about Edgar's past and his present purposes, but just enough is revealed in the snippets we do get to keep us digging for more, piecing together what we have along the way.

The Earl and the Fairy: Volume 2

by Ayuko (story and art) and Mizue Tani (original concept), 209 pages

Lydia and Edgar follow the clues to their goal, but what will they find when they get there?  And will they both live to see the outcome?

The mechanics of the supernatural and mystery elements are a little hazy and occasionally require a bit of re-reading, but that seems (mostly) to be by design so I'm willing to go with the flow and watch how things progress.  This volume again includes some somber elements among the snark, which I like, as it gives everybody involved a little more depth.  The more snippets Lydia and the reader hear about Edgar's former master, Prince, the craftier and scarier he sounds, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they do or don't deal with him in the future and where the next adventure takes them.

The Earl and the Fairy: Volume 1

by Ayuko (story and art) and Mizue Tani (original concept), 182 pages

Lydia Carlton is the latest in a long line of "fairy doctors," individuals who help humans to understand and deal with the world of local spirits, but modern Victorian society sees her as more of a superstitious flake than anything else.  She's pretty much resigned herself to a life of ridicule when she suddenly finds her services not only wanted but drawn into the middle of a potentially deadly rivalry.  Lies and legends get all mixed up as Lydia tries to figure out whom she can trust with her knowledge...and her life.

Lydia's a bit overly perfect, but she's still likeable enough and may show a little more personality as the series continues and she gets more comfortable with her situation.  At least she talks back to the people making her life more complicated than she'd prefer.  Edgar, the titular Earl, and his devoted servants have a surprisingly dark shared history, which balances out nicely with the fluffier elements of the story and keeps things from getting overly silly.

Tenken

by Yumiko Shirai, 327 pages

As the Tenken festival approaches, a construction manager learns its origins are not as fanciful, or as innocuous, as people believe and resolves to help a young worker escape her potentially tragic fate.

For more details, please see my full review at NoFlyingNoTights.com!

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 11

by Yuki Midorikawa, 191 pages

Natsume and Tanuma get more than they bargained for when they agree to help Taki clean her family's storage building. And when Natsume gets a call from a relative about the impending sale of his childhood home, he tries to convince himself he doesn't need to go take one last look. Those who love him know better. But revisiting the past stirs up more than just memories and Natsume may have to fight to ensure he and his loved ones will have a chance to make new ones.

Oh, this volume made me giggly and weepy, both (and in both stories!). Giggly, because Natsume's goofy friends from school want to go on a hike to find a "soda water spring." And weepy because Natsume has denied himself so many things in his troubled young life, all out of self-preservation and not wanting to be a burden to others. This volume shows just how far he's come and just how observant and protective his friends and family are when it comes to his emotional well-being. The Fujiwaras, his foster parents, watch and worry quietly, concerned but not wanting to pressure him, yet letting him know they'll be there waiting for him when he gets home. Tanuma, on the other hand, let's him have it when he thinks Natsume's being stupid and I just wanted to hug both him and Nyanko-sensei for telling it like it is. I just blow my nose and go, "Ahhhh...." So very good.

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.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 9

by Yuki Midorikawa, 189 pages

After dealing with adorable little fuzzball yokai, Natsume finds himself in a far more serious situation when monkey-masked yokai spirit him away to their home forest. But it's not the resident yokai he's afraid of.

Ooh, Matoba! Sometimes, human beings can be just as frightening as evil spirits. I love that, episodic as this series is, there's still room for a very slowly-building background arc.

For more details about this wonderful series about a boy who sees spirits (and his majestic / ridiculous cat guardian), please see my full review of the first nine volumes on NoFlyingNoTights.com.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 8

by Yuki Midorikawa, 189 pages

Natsume understandably freaks out a little when a small rock with a face on it starts following him around...and taking over the bodies of people around him. Later, he runs into an uncomfortably familiar masked yokai. Is Natsume's new family in danger?! Not if the spiritually-sighted young man and his cranky, tubby calico have anything to say about it!

Aw, I love it when Nyanko-sensei gets fed up with yokai who push Natsume's limits and takes care of things himself. He's far too proud to ever say so like he means it, but he's such a devoted kitty. Yay! And we get to see how Natsume came to live with the Fujiwaras. Sweetness.

Fables: Volume 1: Legends in Exile

by Bill Willingham (story), Lan Medina (pencils), Steve Leialoha and Craig Hamilton (inks), Sherilyn van Valkenburgh (colors), Todd Klein (letters), and James Jean and Alex Maleev (original series covers), 127 pages

When all the different kingdoms of folklore and fairy tale are overrun by an avaricious enemy only known as the Adversary, the denizens of the old worlds regroup in the mundane land of New Amsterdam. In order to survive, they must pull together, so they sign accords granting amnesty for all their past deeds and forge ahead for centuries as carriages give way to yellow cabs and New Amsterdam becomes New York. Things are going as well as they can when Rose Red, civil servant Snow White's wild-child sister, goes missing, leaving a bloody mess behind in her apartment. Bigby, once a scourge of civilization as the big bad wolf, is now a lawman of Fabletown and sets out to solve the mystery before it stirs up too many past grudges and tears their delicately maintained society apart.

Cheezy noir with semi-familiar personalities all tossed together for a somewhat fun, if a bit hokey, entry into a fairy tale-infested universe. Golly, it's been a long time since I read an American-style comic book á la Marvel or DC (the latter's Vertigo imprint, in this case). It'll take me a while to get reacquainted with the color palette and the drawing style, which are not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed aspects of the hammy, tongue-in-cheek story. Philandering playboy Prince Charming (ex of several of the leading ladies), irresponsible slacker Jack of Fables, Beauty and her Beast (in marriage counseling--again), and newly-engaged Bluebeard all make appearances this volume and help fill out this world of literary and cultural refugees. It'll be interesting to see who else shows up in the future and how well they do or do not fit our expectations from what we remember of their sources.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 7

by Yuki Midorikawa, 191 pages

When Natsume discovers someone's going around attacking harmless yokai and stealing their blood, he can't help but involve himself, despite Nyanko-sensei's protestations. Who would do such a horrible thing? And why? The truth may be as unsettling as the violence itself and its implications more far-reaching.

Ooh, a big bad! While we've watched characters reappear and relationships develop across volumes, the series has so far remained fairly episodic in its main plots, without much in terms major, multi-volume story arcs. But here, while the immediate action is wrapped up, the conclusion leaves the antagonist behind the real conflict free, active, and dangerously interested in sensitive Natsume and his yokai kitty. Although we're only now starting to see its significance, Midorikawa actually introduced us to the threat in an earlier volume, and that subtle, carefully-employed continuity makes Natsume's world feel all the more substantial.

This volume also includes a short, unrelated earlier work about adolescent love and superpowers.

Time and Again: Volume 6

by JiUn Yun, 211 pages

There's rent to be paid and clients to help, so Ho-Yeon drags a reluctant Baek-On out to investigate a ghost appearing in a young girl's room. It's a simple enough matter to resolve, but the encounter unexpectedly dredges up Baek-On's most painful memories and breaks his heart all over again.

Owy. Beautiful and wrenching, this. I cried when I read it the first time and then cried again when I re-read it. The series' title suddenly makes sense as we finally learn what weighs so heavily on Baek-On's soul and why he both wishes to die and refuses to kill himself, choosing instead to live tortured by the past and the futures yet to come. Both he and Ho-Yeon have experienced such personal tragedies, yet their friendship now makes at least this one life a little more bearable and their solitary paths less lonely. I can only hope that Ho-Yeon's soul reincarnates close to Baek-On's in all their next lives, too, so the former can keep the latter company through the too-familiar tragedies ahead and, just maybe, help him someday lift the curse that follows him. Hopefully, Ho-Yeon will find his own peace along the way, too.

I also hope JiUn Yun keeps writing such lovely books and that they make it to these shores so I can linger over their pages and sigh happily-sadly as I have over these.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 6

by Yuki Midorikawa, 191 pages

Always the softy, Natsume follows the sound of crying into an abandoned house and discovers a little boy trapped in a box. But when Natsume releases him, the child mistakes Natsume for his captor and runs away. The older boy worries that the real culprit may still be after the boy and keeps an eye on him. His fears prove justified when he encounters a creepy axe-wielding yokai lurking about, but the closer he gets to the mystery the more uneasy he feels as something doesn't quite add up right.

Oh, poor Natsume just wants everyone to get along. He's a natural protector, comforter, and snuggler, and doesn't hesitate to tousle hair and hold hands and dispense hugs...or throw himself between the vulnerable and danger. That's why it's so hard for anybody not to love him, be they adorable little fox spirits or cynical exorcists or lonely river gods (or drunken tubby yokai cats). The foolish few who don't jump on the warm-fuzzy wagon have a tendency to get their comeuppance, so really it's wiser just to give in and make friends. Hee.

This volume also contains a funny little flashback about Natsume's grandmother Reiko and an unrelated short story about first love and high school.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 5

by Yuki Midorikawa, 193 pages

Someone's been going around drawing spell circles on the ground, causing trouble for the local yokai who unwittingly pass through them and become momentarily visible to unsuspecting humans. As Natsume unravels the mystery, he might make a new friend--but only if he doesn't first become lunch for a secretive monster who enjoys playing with his food. Also, Natsume confronts a mermaid and takes an active role in protecting the people closest to him by trying to replicate his grandmother's actions of the past.

Scary moments alternate with sweet ones in this volume. Even sarcastic, selfish Nyanko-sensei makes me go, "awwwww." :) More, more, more, please.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 4

by Yuki Midorikawa, 191 pages

Always a softy, Natsume volunteers to help a lonely yokai track down an evil counterpart, accompanies Natori-san on a hot springs holiday that turns out to be more work than pleasure, and puts himself in danger to give comfort to a grieving yokai whose only memento of lost love is a shadow hiding in a painting of a wintry cherry grove.

Yokai have long memories. Luckily for Natsume, these days he generally leaves a good impression, though this can yield unexpected returns. For the first time in his young life, he has a sense of belonging and is happy. He has friends, people who care for him and treat him as family. Fear of losing them has kept him from being honest about his abilities, but he knows he'll have to tell them someday. He owes them that much. But he's not ready just yet.

Time and Again: Volume 5

by JiUn Yun, 170 pages

Brought together by their painful pasts, spiritualist Baek-On and his assistant Ho-Yeon work together to maintain the balance between humans and the supernatural, exorcising harmful demons and reprimanding humans who do not treat the spiritual world and its dangers with due respect. The two young men are wise beyond their years, and though long-since weary of existence, a delicate combination of guilt and friendship keeps them among the living. But painfully-won wisdom is no assurance against doubt.

When Baek-On tragically misreads a well-meaning spirit's motives, he seeks council with Soo-Kyung, a heron spirit who knew his father and has watched Baek-On follow in his footsteps. She comforts him the only way she knows how, by telling him her own story and the lesson she has learned, and is still learning, and that he will still be learning for the rest of his life. Spirits and humans are not the same, can never live together in true understanding, and cannot be judged by one another's standards, nor can their interactions with each other. All he can do is move forward, learning from each experience and hoping it is enough.

Set against the rich backdrop of ancient Korea, Time and Again is a series steeped in folklore and reflection and moral ambiguity. This is one of those titles I re-read a few times before turning them in because I want to appreciate as much of the subtle character and plot details as possible. Baek-On appears to be a lazy hedonist while Ho-Yeon seems the epitome of calm, steady rationalism. But extended acquaintance reveals deep vulnerabilities in each of them, as well as sincere concern and respect for one another and their tiny circle of companions. And although a lot of the characters, especially the females, look alike, the art in general is delicate and flowing.

This volume announces that the next will conclude the series. And that makes me a little sad.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 3

by Yuki Midorikawa, 191 pages

Natsume mistakes a goofy-looking cat for a drunken, dirty Nyanko-sensei. When the silent kitty suddenly makes off with the Book of Friends, Natsume and the real (and rather offended) Nyanko-sensei follow it into the woods, where they overhear a gathering of yokai plotting to attack the local humans for the sake of their missing king. If Natsume speaks up, they'll surely eat him; but if he doesn't, what will happen to his fellow villagers? And later, Natsume accompanies Natori-san, a famous actor who secretly moonlights as an exorcist (and is the only other person Natsume has met who can see yokai), to a conference of fellow practitioners. Can the boy trust them with his secrets?

The more he interacts with the yokai who've haunted him all his life, the more Natsume sympathizes with them (at least with the ones who aren't trying to kill him or hurt anyone else) and the more he longs to be a bridge between them and humans. Apparently, I'm a sucker for natural diplomats as much as I am for quasi-families. I also love grumbly relationships of mutual dependence between characters who gleefully let each other squirm when things get unpleasant but who don't hesitate to jump into the fray when the need is real.

The line work in this series is light, airy, and delicate and lends itself to the story's atmosphere of quiet country life and the fragile (and often permeable) boundary between the human realm and the supernatural.

Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 2

by Yuki Midorikawa, 191 pages

Natsume has always been different. He sees things no one else can see, hears things no one else can hear. His specialness has caused him a lot of heartache through the years as he's been shuffled from one relative to another, one school to another, with no one believing or caring about him. He has finally settled with a kindly couple in the house his grandmother Reiko grew up in and tries to fit in and protect his new happiness as best he can. But apparently his grandmother was rather special, herself, and the local spirits, with their long memories, have not forgotten her and have no intention of letting her descendant off the hook when they find out Natsume has inherited her "Book of Friends" in which many of their names are collected. Some just want their names back, some want revenge, and some--and one saké-sodden, lazy-boned one in particular--want ownership of the book, itself.

I love Natsume's Book of Friends! The yokai, or spirits, the boy deals with are funny and scary and unique. And chief among them is Madara, more commonly known as Nyanko-sensei. He merged with the ceramic lucky cat his spirit was contained in, making him visible to normal humans when it suits him, so he pretends to be Natsume's (tubby, drunken, grumpy, talking) pet cat. In reality, he has made a deal with his "owner": he'll protect Natsume from other spirits (instead of eating him, which is what he really wants to do), but when the boy dies, the book, and all the names in it, will be his. This results in a lot of grumbling on the kitty's part, as good-hearted Natsume repeatedly insists on returning names to less-dangerous spirits. At this rate, there won't be anybody left to order around by the time Nyanko-sensei gets his paws on the book.

The art and the atmosphere and the characters all combine to make this a lovely nununu series that alternates giggles with sighs and anxious page-turning as Natsume wonders about the mystery of his grandmother's short life and sudden disappearance, deals with the problems of the variously-intentioned yokai he encounters, and experiences the worries and joys of balancing his newly "normal" high school and home life with his decidedly not normal secret one.

The animé based on this series is also wonderful (and just got greenlit for a third season, so yay!).