Kara Dennison
September 15, 2020 
Whether they’re cuddling with us, ignoring us, or plotting our demise, cats are an important part of our lives. It’s no wonder they show up in so many anime! But if you’re looking for titles made especially for cat lovers, we can help you narrow it down a bit. Here are a few anime and manga for owners and appreciators of our feline friends.
The Cat Returns
This Studio Ghibli film directed by Hiroyuki Morita will look somewhat familiar to fans of Ghibli’s earlier film Whisper of the Heart. Remember the little cat statuette? He’s back, and he’s a major character in this fantasy adventure. Our protagonist, Haru, inadvertently accepts a proposal of marriage from the Prince of Cats, and has been whisked away to his kingdom and is slowly turning into a cat. Helping her break the engagement and get home are, among others, the aforementioned Baron. It’s an adorable fantasy story for cat lovers, and the dub is full of notable names like Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, and Tim Curry.
Chi’s Sweet Home
Have you ever changed you entire life to accommodate your beloved pets? Then you’ll relate to Chi’s Sweet Home, followed by Chi’s New Address. Chi is a ridiculously adorable stray kitten who wanders away from her family, but is found by a young boy named Youhei Yamada. The Yamadas are enamored of Chi and decide to keep her. The only problem? Their current complex doesn’t allow pets. So they move house in order to keep her. A sweet home, indeed. Plus, Chi is potentially the cutest kitten ever to grace the TV screen or manga page. Look at those little fangs.
Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon and Mu
Not every aspect of cat “ownership” is adorable. Some of it is downright terrifying. Just ask Junji Ito, the man who brought us Tomie and Uzumaki. This autobiographical slice-of-life manga recounts the attempts of Ito, then a self-avowed “dog person,” to learn to live with his then-fiancée’s cat Yon and new adoptee Mu. The manga blends perfect artistic renderings of the weirdness of cats with Ito’s familiar horror stylings — often to dunk on himself. A perfect read for cat lovers who both adore their fluffy housemate and know just how strange they can be.
Are there any other series you’d recommend?
