"That is my will - to grant your wish." - Miharu

Nabari No Ou is a manga and anime series about Miharu Rokujo, a young man who possessed an immense power known as the Shinra Banshou that all the clans in the hidden world wanted to acquire. When Miharu learned of his power he also discovered a new reality, that there were clans of ninjas that existed in the shadows of everyday life. Miharu was indifferent to his situation and wanted nothing more than to be rid of the power he never asked for, until he met Yoite, a deadly Kira master who worked for a warring clan known as the Grey Wolves. Once they entered each others lives, Miharu found someone he could truly connect with and decided to use his power to grant Yoite's request - to make it so he had never existed in the world. Together Yoite and Miharu forged their own way in the midst of all the fighting and danger in order to achieve Yoite's desperate wish, despite Miharu's growing reluctant as they grew closer. The manga and anime started out similar but then took very different paths, although both were strong in their own ways and told a very moving story that at its core was a deeply touching story about friendship.

When I started watching Nabari I had no idea about the emotional rollercoaster that I was in for. I don't typically enjoy sad stories, but I'm glad I experienced it because it was a very worthwhile series. I enjoyed the anime, but as usual I found the manga more satisfying because it went so much more in depth into the characters and the story. One of my complaints about the anime was that the whole series felt like it was leading up to Miharu using the Shinra Banshou, but it never quite got there and then the story was over. In the manga, Miharu used his power (oh did he ever) and ended up affecting not only every person that he knew but also made him question himself. It was such an important plot point that it made the anime feel even more lacking in comparison. It was interesting to me how the endings were somewhat different in the manga and the anime, and how the fates of some of the characters were completely changed. Nevertheless, I did enjoy both versions of the story and since they were pretty different I think it is worth looking into both.

The full cast of characters were all very interesting and well written and really drew me into the story. Yoite and Miharu were such precious boys. Never before have I seen two characters just click so instantly, and yet have it come across as so believable and genuine. They relied on each other so completely and even if the other characters didn't understand their bond, they could all clearly see that it existed. Yukimi was a very significant part of Yoite's life (and also Miharu's in the manga), and I loved how he always tried to do right by them. He was affected by the Shinra Banshou and Yoite as much as Miharu, and I found his kindness and friendship touching. I didn't care for Tobari too much in the anime, although I did appreciate all the little quirks that were given to his character, but in the manga I really felt more for his plight and I loved his sweet relationship with Hana. Even if Miharu and Yoite either didn't see it or didn't want to accept it at first, they were surrounded by people who really cared about them and loved them. I especially felt for Yoite throughout the series, and how although other people in the Nabari world lived normal everyday lives, he existed almost entirely in the hidden world. Seeing the impact his existence had on all of those that knew him was very affecting, and I loved how it showed his true worth even if he didn't believe it about himself.

Despite the anime initially coming across as a show about ninjas and fighting, there was so much care given to the characters and their relationships that almost all else seemed to fall to the side. Since I love character driven stories, that really made this one of my favorites. I am glad I found this series, and although it was way more of a tear jerker than I was expecting, it was a very special story that has stuck with me long after I completed it.

Favorites

	Liz	Jen
Character	Yoite, Yukimi	Raikou, Miharu, Yoite, Yukimi
Anime Episode	Will, A Voice Calling Out
Manga Volume	9
Relationship	Yoite/Miharu, Yukimi and Yoite, Raikou/Gau, Tobari/Hana, Raikou and Raimei, Yukimi and Miharu	Yoite/Miharu, Raikou/Gau

Amigurumi

I love to crochet amigurumi and adjust existing patterns to make things from my favorite shows. I crocheted Yoite and Miharu in 2011 using the Boy pattern from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amigurmi" as a base, and I made up their clothing and details. Yoite is still one of my most favorite amigurumi that I have made!