Kara Dennison
June 30, 2024 
Imagine you get a ridiculously good rate on an apartment. The only down side is, you have to share your flat with a talking Shiba Inu. Sound like the dream? Well, two mitigating factors: one, it’s technically a ghost. Two, it’s grumpy. Like super grumpy. And for Kori, there’s one more mitigating factor: she’s scared of dogs.
That’s the setup of Shiba Inu Rooms, the latest addition to the Jump+ lineup. Two chapters are already available to read, so let’s get caught up and help you decide if it belongs on your reading list!
Sweet But Sad
Imagine an apartment complex full of talking Shiba Inu who all want your attention all the time. Shiba Inu Rooms sounds like a paradise, doesn’t it? Well, there’s a sad twist to this story. The reason they’re all here is, this building used to be a puppy mill. These sweet pups are the (very tangible) ghosts of its former residents… and while they crave human affection, they aren’t actually used to it.
Once they’ve achieved happiness, they ascend to Heaven. But affection is so unknown to them that loving on them too much will ascend them pretty much immediately. Thus, to ensure they experience a happy life on Earth before they go to Dog Heaven, the residents ration out their affection carefully.
That’s a Deal-Breaker
Enter Kori Momose, who has no problem sharing a room with a ghost because nothing scares her. Well, almost nothing. For reasons explored in the opening chapters of Shiba Inu Rooms, she has a big issue with dogs. So discovering that the ghost is a talking dog kind of complicates things.
More than that, the dog in her room is Mu-chan: an especially cranky pup who gets his name from his permanent scowl. Unlike the other resident canines, he still resents the terrible treatment he received from humans while he was alive. How will a human who can’t stand dogs and a dog who can’t stand humans get along?
Scary Stories
As it turns out, the protagonists of Shiba Inu Rooms develop a halting friendship. Kori has a lot weighing on her, more than even she knew. And Mu-chan actually doesn’t hate her all that much… despite all the biting and snarling at first. While Kori’s initial goal is to love-bomb Mu-chan until he ascends, she’s starting to second guess that goal. Now, like her next-door neighbor, she’s trying to give him a nice life first.
Even though there are only two chapters out, this manga is already looking to be a fun read. Dog lovers will enjoy the many adorable pups (including grumpy Mu-chan), and there are hints at paranormal antics to come as well. Check out the first two chapters free on the Viz website now!
