New Year, new manga – and we’re starting the year with some supernatural beings!

The manga in question is named “Natsume’s Book of Friends” and is by Yuki Midorikawa. The manga was first published in a magazine called LaLa DX, and was also a finalist in the first Manga Taisho Awards (2008).

Here’s a synopsis for you:

Takashi Natsume can see spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he’s a troubled high school student who has come to live in a small town where his grandmother, Reiko, grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the power of Sight from the mysterious Reiko. When Reiko was Takashi’s age, she bound the names of demons and spirits in her Book of Friends, enslaving them to her every capricious whim. Now Takashi is the owner of the book, and the creatures will do anything to get their names back.

“Natsume’s Book of Friends” comes out on January 5th. You will find it under VIZ’s Shojo Beat imprint, rated ‘T’ for Teens, and is expected to cost $9.99US or $12.99CAN.

Leyla Aker, Editorial Manager, VIZ Media:

“NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS is a great series for readers who are looking for something different than the typical shojo manga. Yuki Midorikawa skillfully deploys her delicate and almost serene artwork to tell a story that balances dark adventure with light comedy, the supernatural with real life. This remarkably beautiful work is truly unlike any other shojo series out there.”

For more information on this title, check out the VIZ website or go directly to this page to buy it. Volume 2 is expected out in April 2010.