Today is NOT Takashi Natsume’s birthday. I thought it was for some reason, but it is actually July 1st. Oops! Well, I signed up for today so you’re getting a Natsume’s Book of Friends thread anyway. Rejoice! Natsume’s Book of Friends (夏目友人帳) is an ongoing shoujo manga by Yuki Midorikawa (緑川ゆき) published in LaLa magazine. It is also an anime with 7 glorious seasons. The story follows a high school boy, Takashi, who can see spirits (or, more accurately, youkai 妖怪), a fact that has isolated him from others for most of his life. At the start of the series he finds a notebook that belonged to his grandmother, which contains the names of youkai that the she bound to the book. He decides to release them, if he can, while also trying to learn more about his grandmother and the youkai. But that really only scratches the surface of what this series is about. More accurately, it’s about compassion and the connections we make with others. If you’re looking for something that feels like a warm blanket to wrap your heart in, then I highly recommend giving this series a try. Both the anime or the manga are great choices! Either way, your heart will be full of love (even when you’re crying, and you will definitely be crying). So, um, happy belated birthday Takashi! You’re the best! Here’s the ending from season two because I like it a lot.

Have a nice day/night! 💖