On a different note, the average writing quality of Natsume fanfic is so high, I was reading through several tags and so much of the fic tended to be at least competently written, I was like 'have I been misremembering the average quality of fanfic? My memory was though there are obvousy a lot of really good ones, you REALLY have to sift through to find something even decently written that remotely gets the characters which honestly was why it was so tedious for me and I didn't really read a lot...but maybe it's changed?maybe they're all good on average now?"
And then I looked in other fandom tags, and it was like. nope. I guess Natsuyuu fandom specifically just has a lot of competent-to-great writers who understand the characters. I'm not sure specifically why maybe because the fandom skews older? maybe because it's so niche? Do only intellectuals read Natsume lmao??? I don't know!
But yeah I've pretty much ran through the so much of Natsume fanfic on ao3 at this point and now I'm just. left with the fact it won't be that easy in any other fandom, very hard to find whatever I'm specifically craving, I guess I'm back to not reading as much fanfic now I'll just keep reading the ones I like over and over.
(It also probably helps that the things I want to read about-- friendship feels, family feels with Touko and Shigeru, Natsume's Terrible Childhood and hurt/comfort surrounding that, Touching Moments with Nyanko sensei--are all things most Natsume fans want to write about if they're not doing Matoba/Natori or weird age gap ships...we're all here for the same thing.It's unusual for that to be the case in a fandom)
teenage exorcists: culture festival edition (continued from the brilliant original response to the post by @epiphenomenal - particularly the tags about a light disappointment natori’s class didn’t do a maid/butler cafe!)
can you believe this man will grow up to be paid for acting?! UR face shuuichi!
[id: teenage matoba seated at a cafe table at school festival, asking what’s on the menu. teenage natori in a butler outfit points to the exit sign]
[ID: Panel from chapter 104 of Natsume's Book of Friends. Natori and Matoba are doing an exorcism together. They each have an elaborate spell inked onto their right hand. /end ID]
i think they're both right-handed (see ch 54 for matoba and ch 80 for natori, just for example), so. they drew these charms on each other right. ugh. talk about constructing intricate rituals which allow you to touch the skin of other men. like well well well what have we here. the rituals are literally rituals. and would you look at that. they're fucking intricate.
first of a two-part fill for a delightful prompt (thanks anon!!) that i'm just going to quote as the image description:
"what about Matoba's indecently-sized collection of Natori merch? For example what if Natsume wandered into his room while trying to get out of that Matoba mansion only to see it being basically a Natori temple and goes What The Fuck……."
a compilation of all of midorikawa's chapter notes concerning natori (as of volume 29)
all are from the official viz releases, translated by lillian olsen.
Chapter 7 - He Can See
For the first time, Natsume meets someone else who can see yokai too. I was pretty nervous because I was breaking the established rule that only Reiko and Takashi Natsume were different. Natsume kept running away from yokai, but I made Natori into an expert who kept proactively learning about yokai. I wanted to draw someone who indentured yokai even though he doesn't like them. I wanted his mark to look a little like a human figure upon closer inspection. Natori doesn't like Natsume's hypocrisy, and Natsume doesn't like how Natori doesn't bother to explain his actions and makes himself out to be worse than he really is. I feel like Natsume finally realized how difficult it is for people to understand each other, no matter how similar or different they are.
Chapter 11 - The Meeting of Exorcists
l enjoyed being able to do another story with Mr. Natori. I have an easy time with plots that advance by things happening, but there isn't as much emotional content, so l was nervous about reader reaction. But they seemed to enjoy it because it was unusual. Natsume is surprised that there are so many others who can see yokai, but he can't even tell yokai and humans apart, so most of the crowd he saw were yokai. And I hadn't drawn a human woman (Ms. Nanase) in a while. There should be lots of things Natsume can learn from Natori that wil make life easier, but it's an interesting question whether those lessons will alter his relationship with yokai. Will he be able to come to an understanding with people who share the same abilities? I was happy to reveal a little more about Reiko, but the difficulty is that focusing on her story would disrupt the episodic nature of the series.
Chapter 14 - Natsume Goes to the Hot Springs
Natsume went on his first overnight trip. I wanted to try all sorts of things since Natori was making a repeat appearance, but then I was given the chance to have Natsume be the first manga in that month's issue. Since it's an important slot, l aimed for a story suitable for first-time readers. The two of them have gotten so used to lying with smiles on their faces, but they’re finally realizing that there's something inherently wrong with that. Natori is good at giving advice, but not comfort. At first, l used to feel oddly sad when I was drawing stories about Natsume and Nyanko Sensei, but these days I feel that way with Natsume and Natori. Maybe that means they're starting to understand each other.
Chapters 20 - 22 - Takashi's Friend
Natori gets a thankless role, but I don't want to draw just kindness all the time, so he's very useful. When two awkward, clumsy people get together, things might not always end well, but I like such people anyway. It was fun to draw Taki again, and a child like Kai.
Chapters 23 - 26 - Inhuman Thing
I didn't have a chance to write a story about Matoba until now due to page constraints or manga cycling issues in the magazine. I had fun when I finally got around to it. Matoba's appearance means Natori's hardships become more obvious. Natori settled upon his current philosophy after a lot of reflection. But then he sees Natsume wrestling with the same choices and slogging through the same place he used to be, and it's both amusing and frustrating at the same time for him. Natsume might realize this and not be able to presume so much on his kindness. Natsume and Natori are left with a problem, so l hope to take my time drawing them dealing with it.
Chapters 39 - 41 - The Harvest Festival
The idea was to have Natsume and Natori get asked to do conflicting sides of the same job by yokai and humans, respectively. But when you give these two the same objective, they somehow hesitate, to see how the other makes a move, and agonize over whether they’re doing the right thing. They really shouldn’t be so alike, but it’s like they’re staring into a mirror. This is how they struggle for a solution, while Nyanko Sensei and Hîragi sigh in the background, I’m sure. They take pity upon each other that they have few friends. They want to remain friends and equals even when their opinions differ, and yet they have a strange inferiority complex towards each other.
Chapters 49 - 51 - Beyond the Glass
Tanuma wants to help and tries to help, but he can’t. The more he tries to take action, the more he comes up against this wall. Natsume gradually realizes that while he wants to talk to Tanuma, it also puts him in a dilemma. Seeing this, Natori wants to say, “I told you so,” but he hopes that Natsume will be able to succeed where he failed. I was also excited that I could draw Sensei/Natsume with expressions that he doesn’t usually make. Natsume is really not very expressive with his face.
Chapters 52 - 54 - Behind the Chains
Natsume is now able to face a variety of things. But I also feel that the distance between him and Natori grows each time they encounter one another. They see the same things and hope for the same outcome, but because their paths are a little different, it's hard for them to take action when they're together. It's a strange feeling. I'm sure Natori wants to remain Natsume's ally, and Natsume wants the same with Natori.
I'm happy I got to draw more about Matoba, too. Whereas Natori tries to do what's right and is afraid of making a mistake, I think Matoba is the kind of person who doesn't fear making mistakes.
Volume 14 (Sidebar notes)
It feels strange - I'm not quite sure if he's changed since he first showed up. His thoughts towards Natsume are changing, but maybe the man himself won't.
Chapters 60 - 62 - Different Eyes
The Book of Friends is the reason yokai come after Natsume. He wants to talk to Natori about it, but since exorcists are a threat to yokai, and since he literally holds the fate of many of them in his hands, he doesn't want to betray them.
Back in volume one, Natsume might've taken the Book of Friends and disappeared with Nyanko Sensei somewhere if he really got into trouble. But working on this episode, I don't think he'd be able to do that any longer. How things have changed.
I looked at Natsume trying to understand Tanuma even though they live in different worlds, and I thought he was doing the right thing, but the whole thing also felt comical. I wondered how Natori felt when he saw Matoba making Natsume help with the exorcism work.
This case was frustrating for Natori, who had to witness his old mentor become so oblivious that he could no longer see yokai in his own house. I think the existence of Natsume, with his different opinions, and Hîragi and the others, continue to affect Natori. I would've liked to draw more about Mr. Takuma and Tsukiko, so I'll do it when I get another opportunity.
Special Episode 15 - A World Without Distortion
This was a story I've been longing to work on. I couldn't fit in all the parts I wanted, even though they let me do a two-parter, so I hope to get another opportunity some other time. I'd like to show more of the dilemma and frustration of wanting to do the right thing but having your actions distort your goals.
Chapters 72 - 73 - Closed Room
Natsume had made up his mind to keep the book of friends a secret, but Natori ended up overhearing about it from another yokai - quite an undesirable situation. He decided he couldn't pretend it didn't happen. I think it had great meaning for Natsume to tell him with his own words, albeit belatedly. Meanwhile, since Natori had some clue about what it was, I think Natsume's decision to tell him meant more to Natori. I think he's the kind of guy who would act differently based on whether Natsume was willing to tell or not. I can't describe it very well, but with these two, when one of them steps forward, the other stalls out. I was happy I was able to draw Ms. Nanase again.
Chapter 77 - The Two Rings
This was another story I had always wanted to do, but the timing never worked out, so I was very happy to get to it now. When I'm drawing Natsume, I always agonize over his dialogue and pick his words carefully. But when I'm drawing the Matoba clan, I don't have to think about the impression they're making, and I just use words that pop up in my head. Mr. Natori is somewhere in between. It's always a bit refreshing to draw the exorcists. I hope people form their opinions of Mr. Matoba based on what's on the page. In good ways and bad, he's a character who lies but is also uninhibited.
Chapter 78 - Tsukihigui
I wanted Natsume to have different reactions that usual, so I picked a story not in the past or in the present, but a weird in-between. I debated a lot whether to have little Natsume be taken care of by the Yatsuhara yokai or the humans Tanuma and Taki. But upon further reflection, since Nyanko sensei is yokai, Tanuma and Taki would have a different approach to the situation and be more fun. It would've been interesting to go to Natori and have all three of them stare at each other with furrowed brows, but I discovered that whereas Natori would have a difficult time adapting to a situation like this, the students would display steadier nerves.
Special Episode 17 - A Hand Extended
They let me do another episode of Natori as a high school student. There was another anecdote I wanted to include, but it wouldn't fit, no matter how hard I tried to rearrange things. Still, I'm happy I could depict more of Natori and Matoba's relationship. Sometimes you can't come to an understanding with a person, but once you become aware of your own feelings, you can often begin to be more objective. Then you start to see aspects of the person that change your mind, which is natural. But unlike Natsume, Natori can be stubborn and won't allow his feelings to change. It was interesting to see how Natori would feel about the aloof and unwavering Matoba.
Chapter 87 - Natsume in the Moonlight
This one was 30 pages, so it was compact, but I wanted to make something that was a little creepy. You know how it's exciting to see a friend late at night, in a different light? This story couldn't be done with Tanuma, who knows Natsume's circumstances. It was only possible with Nishimura, who wouldn't question who the person in front of him was. If Natsume went to visit Kitamoto at night, he'd panic, scold him and send him home. And Tanuma would notice that something was off and cross-examine him. It would get even more out of hand with Natori, causing a domino effect. Though all of them would be fun and exciting. I only realized after the fact that someone who knows about Natssume's circumstances would make things more complicated in this type of story.
Chapters 92 - 94 - The House of Promises
I have a memory of some boys climbing the gate of the town hall to pick some loquats at the end of spring and getting scolded. I made it seem like spring when the chapter appeared in the magazine, but then I heard that loquats ripen in early summer, so my older sister helped me race to redraw the clothing into something more summery before the graphic novel release.
I enjoyed drawing the exorcists. Mr. Natori just can't catch a break and Mr. Matoba has many things going for him, but he often gets shut out. They don't really get along, and they're skeptical of each other even when real empathy is extended. Natsume is always at least trying to listen, so conversations are easier with him present. No matter what, Mr. Natori is older, and Mr. Matoba is younger. End of story. When I include the exorcists, there are all these dilemmas and convolutions that make things complicated and fun to draw. It feels fresh to me.
I get nostalgic for the first time Natsume and Mr. Natori met when they're together. Their bond is getting deeper, but it was easier before for Mr. Natori to casually invite Natsume on outings. When you know someone a long time, there are more things to say, but sometimes, just as many things remain unsaid.
Chapters 103 - 104 - Where Vessels Lie in Slumber*
I was so happy to work on a longer story for once. My head starts filling up with what to do next while I'm still working on the current episode.when I'm in one-shot mode. But being able to linger on a story arc reminded me of the excitement I felt back when I first wanted to be a manga artist. I still have a lot of storylines I'd prefer not to cut short, so I hope I get more opportunities like this.
I've wanted to do this particular story for a long time, but. I feel like it could only be done now because of how Natsume's currently feeling. I hope you can pick up on how Natori and Matoba's relationship changes subtly depending on the situation, and that you get a feel for their solidarity as exorcist peers. It was so fun drawing everything I wanted to include: Natsume's faith in his friends; Natori's belief that he can still offer help even as an exorcist; Matoba, who's sometimes prevented from action because he knows and sees too much; Tanuma, who's surely able to help, but is unable to accompany Natsume; the cats protecting their secret; Nyanko Sensei. And of course there were even more things I wanted to expand on, so I'll take my time working them out.
*The first three chapters of this arc are in the previous volume and there's not enough in the other note for me to include.
Chapter 116* - The Younger Cousin
This is a story I'd been saving for a long time. I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do, and I was worried about whether I could pull it off. I finally managed to thanks to my editor and everyone who supported me. I hop I was able to depict Natori's point of view, since he slips between the yokai and human worlds much more than Natsume, and how that appears from the yokai point of view. While Natsume has a narrow set of experiences in a narrow field, Natori has so much freedom and yet somehow seems much more trapped. I hope I can depict the path he's taken and the path he's going to take.
*Again, this arc is split between volumes and there wasn't much in the previous afterword.
