Apr 9, 2025
It's been a while since I've sat down and read a book that's not a manga, so why don't we change that? Yeah, that sounds nice. Curling up and reading a good book, possibly with a cat taking a nap nearby. Speaking of cats, the debut work of Makoto Shinkai, a renowned anime director known for beautifully-animated films like "Your Name", is a short OVA shown from the point of view of a cat. This OVA, known as "Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko" or "She and Her Cat", would later get a novel adaptation written by Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa, which expanded the small world
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of the original OVA; even later than that, the novel was translated into multiple languages, with the English translation, in particular, being done by Ginny Tapley Takemori. Of course, I didn't know any of this until recently, but I did find out quickly enough to request it as a birthday present this year and, by some stroke of luck, actually get it. After reading through it, I can guarantee that cat-lovers will love She and Her Cat: Stories, too!
The original "She and Her Cat" OVA is shown from the point of view of Chobi, a cat who has special feelings for his owner, and the first chapter of the novel, "Sea of Words", is, for the most part, the same way. I say "for the most part" because this chapter, much like future chapters, alternates between the points of view of a cat and their owner - in this case, Chobi and his owner, Miyu. From Miyu's perspective, we get to see more about the problems that she is going through in the OVA (assuming that "She" and Miyu are truly the same person), which is something we don't get there. Of course, though, this insight does make the ending even sadder, as the deeper connection the reader may have with Miyu as a character may give them a stronger sense of just wanting her to be happy. Chobi feels this way for sure, and you can definitely feel the love he has for his owner on the page. Well, it does feel weird when Chobi refers to Miyu as his girlfriend, but at least their overall relationship remains wholesome and there are no signs of Miyu wanting to screw her cat, unlike in some anime I know of. (Looking at you, Beheneko!)
"First Blossoming", the novel's second chapter, shifts the spotlight onto Mimi, another cat you may recognize from the original OVA. A character who doesn't appear and thus wouldn't be recognized, however, is Reina, an aspiring painter who commonly feeds the stray Mimi. Being a kitten at the beginning of the story, Mimi's worldview is a bit more childlike than that of Chobi, which leads her to acting in a way that may annoy some readers; however, I did find her character development interesting. Meanwhile, many people may relate to the struggles Reina is going through, although she does come across as a little arrogant at the start. This is also the first chapter that really felt climatic toward the end of it, with real stakes and everything, and I did think it ended on a heartwarming and satisfying note.
Perhaps the chapter that has stuck in my mind the most is chapter 3, "Slumber and Sky". Not gonna lie, I've got mixed feelings about the chapter's human protagonist, Aoi; although she does get some good character development, her backstory doesn't really paint the best picture of her as a person. I don't want to condemn her too much, though, as through her, we see a heartbreakingly realistic depiction of depression and how detrimental it can be to a person's life. (Aoi isn't explicitly stated to have depression, but based on the symptoms she displays of the unnamed mental illness she is stated to have, I get the impression that she has anxiety and depression. I'm not qualified to diagnose that for sure, though; it's just a feeling I have.) This chapter, however, also shows how pets can really help with those who suffer from depression through the bond Aoi gradually forms with its cat protagonist, Cookie. Cookie is also a kitten, and her cute antics, as well as the bond she and Aoi slowly form, are pretty heartwarming.
Finally, we've got the fourth chapter, "The Temperature of the World". Unlike the rest of the book, this chapter is told from a third-person point of view instead of a first-person point of view, yet there are still a "she and her cat" whose perspectives we see to a certain degree, those being an older woman named Shino and a stray black cat named Kuro. There is also quite a bit of focus here put on Jon, a dog who acts like an advisor of sorts to the cats; he gives off a bit of a mysterious vibe, and the philosophical musings he occasionally goes off on add to it. The ending to this chapter, in particular, was pretty heartwarming, especially since it ends up involving a certain other cat owner. (You know exactly who I'm talking about.) I just wish there was more about the bond between Shino and Kuro, as the focus does shift more to another human character about halfway through. After this chapter is the novel's epilogue, which I'd say ties everything together quite nicely.
Of course, I haven't read the original Japanese version of this novel, so I can't comment on how accurate Ginny Tapley Takemori's translation is. However, I will say that the prose was nice and easy to understand, and you know, if the Japanese prose gave off the same nice and gentle vibe that the English prose did, I'd say it's a translation job well done! Each chapter also starts with some gorgeous illustrations done by artist Rohan Eason. This illustrations are way more realistic than that of the original OVA, and I think there is merit to both styles. We get the adorable anime-esque Chobi in the OVA and the more realistically-drawn (but still cute, of course) Chobi in one illustration in the novel; I see this as nothing but a win!
Overall, She and Her Cat: Stories is a pleasant set of short stories that I'd happily recommend to any cat lover. I'd also recommend it to anyone who wants more "She and Her Cat" content outside of the original OVA and the short series, Everything Flows. I'd even recommend it to my own cats if they could read; maybe they'd relate to the cats in this story quite a bit!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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