Neko no Otera no Chion-san

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I know this is a bit prudent but i really enjoyed this read.

If you are a fan of good slice of life paired with fantastic art then this is a must read, its barely trudging along, there isnt even a character list when im writing this, but i can really see this becoming really popular with the laid back part of the community.
The story is very mature and the characters are not 'mysteriously' exempt from actual life problems; a future, money and relatives.
I find the troupe's/cliches that are played out are done well and moderately, for example; the granny being small and ... frail which is done well because she isn't particulary exempt from work and hardships and the old classic of the family having a large meiji style house but it isn't occupied which then resolved by the sad fact that realtives become distant when problems arise.

While slice of life (SOL) works may seem easy to produce with the simplicity of the narrative, it is the nuances that separate a great work from a mediocre one. Neko no Otera no Chion-san is a shining example of an SOL work that is great. It manages to transcend the simplicity of its story without going into cumbersome exposition on its themes of coming of age and young romance.

The craft here is impeccable. The beautifully clear and simple panelling, exquisite art that manages to reveal not only the vast scope of life but its cherishable, intimate and mundane moments, as well as lovable ... characters who will certainly endear readers with their characterisation that consists of both adorably humorous and sensitively poignant moments done via visual means such as facial expressions and 'staging' with the environment. The narrative is simple - perhaps almost to a fault, but through the sheer craftsmanship of Ojiro Makoto-sensei, Chion-san shines as an outstanding work of art that is not only meaningful in its beauty and subtle portrayal of life and young love, but also for just being a pleasurable read, with plenty of wholesome, likeable moments.

Perhaps my only and greatest criticism of Chion-san is that it is almost too comfortable with where it is. While the narrative, themes and character development are done with masterful nuance, it never rises beyond what it seemingly sets out to do in the beginning to explore ideas about life and all that jazz beyond its characters' limited point of view and perspectives - be it by subtly changing the narrative to tell about life after these characters have reached adulthood or by any other means. Unlike another masterful SOL work, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, where the story eventually twists to follow its logical, but melancholically brutal conclusion, Chion-san is content in being thematically stagnant, unwilling to go beyond what it has intended to do since the beginning.

Still, that does not at all diminish my enjoyment of Chion-san. This was so good that I once fell so hard for its hypnotic spell of simple and mundane pleasures and put it as one of my favourites. I am almost sure that Chion-san would become well regarded as a classic of the SOL genre in the future. (that is if Ojiro-sensei's other work, Insomniacs After School doesn't outdo this - as it appears to be doing)

Neko no Otera no Chion-san feels like a entirely natural progression from the author's previous work, Fujiyama-san wa Shishunki, with the similar type of dynamic between a student and his childhood friend (who in this case, is actually a distant relative). Going immediately from finishing Fujiyama to starting this manga felt like a fantastically smooth transition, which is why I'm perhaps a bit generous with the rating. I usually enjoy slice-of-life manga that doesn't need feel the need to force in melodrama, but Chion-san is quite interesting in the way that it doesn't seem to have a desire to actively puruse drama at all.

The plot ... really sticks to the "slice-of-life" mode with a valiant type of stubbornness: there's no major story arcs to speak of besides the everyday life of the protagonist and his gradual adjustment to life in the countryside, but there does seem to be some foreshadowing in these latest chapters toward a few late-in-the-game developments. The mood of the story reminds me a bit of a cross between GTO and Yotsuba but Chion-san moves at much slower pace than the former. Expressions and poses are what the author seems to focus on rather than the development of characters, but that's not a dealbreaker for a work that doesn't need a deeply intricate cast to succeed in being beautiful. At the very least, the minor characters in the protagonist's friend group feel slightly less generic than in Fujiyama, but they still don't have any major bearing on the direction of the work itself, which appears content to laze about like a housecat taking a nap in the afternoon sun.

I am not the one to usually write reviews but since it's a slice of life manga and such manga's usually passes under people's radar, I thought, I had to write this.

It's a really beautiful stroy without the unnecessary over the top drama. This story will make you fe el warm inside while delivering a bitter sweet taste.

If you are tired of the typical, action, drama, supernatural stuff then, look no further. This is the manga that you need.

Even if you are not tired of above mentioned generes, you should still check this out as it won't disappoint you.

This is a very good romance/SoL that doesn't follow the common trends present in the genre the past few years.

The characters are well written and believable. This includes the male MC, who has a distinct personality and appearance that separates him from the pack of self-inserts and quite-studious types that often appear in these manga. Both main characters have lives and goals that involve more than just their relationship to one another, but the romantic aspect is still the driving force. It's a delicate balance that I think Ojiro mostly gets right.

The story is minimal. It's a true slice of life, in that there ... are very few standout events or dramatic turns. It unfolds at a calm, steady pace, makes for a lovely read before bed.

Ojiro is a rising star in the genre for a reason. She's writing Seinen romance manga that seem to exist in their own, private realm, full of landscape shots and silent interactions. Her art is unique and expressive. Her women are more interesting and attractive than those written by male contemporaries, and her men are too. She hasn't written her masterpiece yet (jury's still out on "Insomnia"), but I'm sure she'll write one.

Point is this:
Read Ojiro Makoto! Read Ojiro Makoto! Read Ojiro Makoto!

Neko no Otera no Chion-san (abbreviate to NekoOtera) is a story centred around life. A particular set of lives, being our MCs, and what their daily time is like. There really isn't too much to touch onto this story, since manga like these, specifically Ojiro's, use their characters lives to tell the story instead of a fully-fledged plot. So there isn't really any point in talking about the story.

Characters in NekoOtera are what I would call very real and realistic representations of actual people, they develop properly and behave like people who have probably seen in somewhere in real life, and it isn't like ... I am saying this because I could do the same for any manga like such, what differentiates NekoOtera from the rest is that it takes everything into consideration with their characters. The financial life, surroundings, educational life, relationships. It takes it all and brings it all down to clarity and this down-to-earth nature like no other manga, making for unbelievably real and great characters. Literally, nothing like this I have seen before. As for any individual seeling point, there honestly isn't any, though, I still remember Gen's determination and past life, Chion's somewhat fun attitude and Himura's tsundere behaviour. I did say there is no selling point, but there is nothing wrong with tropes if they are used in a good way. All in all, great characters.

I will make a little point on the cats here too, now, I do believe there is no real explicit theme with them, they are just there, but according to online sources, cats are a sign of good luck and fortune, what that has to do with the manga is beyond me, but maybe there was some deep message I missed out on due to lack of knowledge.

As for the art, Ojiro's style as of late has always been simple, maybe a bit too simple, whilst to some extent, it mixes in with literally have the manga has got for itself, saying it is 10/10 would not be treating the art independently from the actual narrative, which would probably make people think I lied or something due to some over-exaggeration. That isn't to say it looks bad, it does look good, very good, but I will leave it at that. Their designs are fine and even the backgrounds are beautiful, but that is all to it and there is no real moment to show off what can be produced. It is good as it is though, don't be discouraged, this is easily better than the norm that is usually mass-produced.

I enjoyed this, quite a bit, maybe not as much as I would have wanted to, but it was still fun. Universally, I'd like to think that if the initial premise and execution suits your needs, this is for you, without a doubt. Otherwise, stay away from this because nothing really happens.

TLDR: Good s.o.l manga that focuses on the lives of people and what runs for them. Looks very good and is quite enjoyable for simplicity's sake.


Overall - 8.25 (8)
(Click "Overall Rating" for score breakdown)
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Overall, this is something I'd recommend, as well as "Fujiyama-san wa Shishunki" and "Insomniacs After School". Those three Ojiro Makoto's manga, are a must-read, seriously, they are like no other, minimalism at its finest. I will say however that NekoOtera is probably my least favourite out of the three simply because it was just more literal s.o.l, unlike the romance that emerges from the other two titles, just a personal preference I suppose. Maybe the cats had a hidden message to them other than just good luck and fortune, I'd like to believe that that is probably where NekoOtera stand above the rest. Well, I wouldn't know, I lack the knowledge in this category.

This feels very reminiscent of the author's previous work, Fujiyama-san wa Shishunki, in a sense that it provides a really strong slice of life feeling but with the added bonus of buddhist culture. The characters are fun to see but I'd say that they work better as a group, particularly the characters who aren't the two leads. This is also something I noticed with Fujiyama-san, as well as the balancing of risque shots in manga as it went on. With Chion-san though, the art feels more fleshed out- granted, this doesn't mean that the work before this was bad in terms of artstyle.

With regards to ... the ending, it's very lowkey and as someone I've heard talk about the manga, you could feel that it definitely needed more "meat". Regardless, this manga provided an enjoyable experience as it caters greatly to my taste. I'm sure that the author's work after this, which is Insomniacs After School, would follow the same type of beats and provide the same type of comforting feeling. Also, there's an abundance of panels and pages here that just screams that vibe that I really enjoy.