Natsume's Book of Friends

is an ongoing manga series by. It began serialization by Hakusensha in the shōjo manga magazine LaLa DX in 2005, before switching to LaLa in 2008. Chapters have been collected in eight bound volumes as of July 2009[update]. The series is about Natsume, an orphaned teenage boy who can see spirits, who inherits from his grandmother the notebook she used to bind spirits under her control. Natsume's Book of Friends was a finalist for the first Manga Taishō award in 2008.

Natsume's Book of Friends has been adapted as a series of drama CDs, as well as an anime television series produced by Brain's Base and broadcast on TV Tokyo. Season 1 ran from 7 Jul 2008 to 29 Sep 2008 for a total of 13 episodes, while Season 2 ran from 5 Jan 2009 to 30 Mar 2009 for a total of 13 episodes as well. The manga has been licensed by Viz Media for English-language release in North America, with the first volume scheduled for release in January 2010.

Plot
For as long as he can remember, has been cursed by the ability to see spirits, a power inherited from his grandmother. Upon her death, Reiko bequeaths to her grandson only one belonging -, a book containing the names of spirits Reiko had bullied into servitude. The Book of Friends is a highly prized item in the spirit world, and spirits hound Takashi constantly. Whereas Reiko formed the contracts, however, Takashi spends his time dissolving the contracts and releasing the various spirits that come to him for help. But that doesn't mean there aren't malicious spirits trying to kill him. Which is where (called Nyanko-sensei by Natsume, lit. Cat Teacher because the spirit took on the physical container of a fortune-beckoning cat commonly known as manekineko) comes in; Madara serves as Natsume's bodyguard and spiritual advisor of sorts, even though he is motivated by his own desire to possess the Book of Friends. He becomes more attached to Takashi as the story progesses.