Cat + Gamer by Wataru Nadatan

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

As a rule, I’m not really a manga person.  These became popular some years back, but not soon enough to become a part of my childhood which seems to be extending into old age, but I digress.  I had trouble with the reading back to front and from right to left, so I was always getting the story jumbled up.  However, some new ones featuring cats caught my eye and I decided to give them another try.

Cat + Gamer by Wataru Nadatani is the story of a young woman named Riko who works in an office.  She’s very efficient but not very sociable with her co-workers, which puzzles them.  As soon as the work day ends, she’s out the door.  What they don’t know is that Riko is an avid gamer and she heads home to settle into her video games, determined to conquer each level.  Then a stray cat shows up at the office and almost before she knows it, Riko has agreed to take the cat.  She’s sure she can “max it out” just like a video game.

The charm in the series comes from Riko’s enthusiasm but cluelessness about owning a cat. The first thing is to name it—no, wait, she has to figure out if it’s a boy or a girl. Or maybe a name that would fit both! She comes up with “Musubi,” which is a rice ball.  Now the cat will know when she talks to it. (Cat: “She says ‘musubi’ a lot recently. What does it mean??”)

Much to her surprise, she finds herself interacting with the cat at times instead of gaming—what a shock! It’s a sweet, funny comic with delightful illustrations.  I’m already on board for volume two. I’m anxious to see where the series goes from here. This is despite the fact that I’m not a gamer and am pretty clueless about some of the references.

There are some bonus scenes from the cat’s point of view as he tries to figure out this creature who seems to be his new mom.

I found myself really enjoying this manga.  Maybe I’m finally getting the hang of reading them! I noticed the common theme so dear to cat lovers, i.e. the unsuspecting person who adopts a cat only to find himself or herself besotted.  The tone is light-hearted, relaxed, and I love the way Musubi (finally revealed to be a boy after a rather humorous emergency vet visit) is drawn.  The artist really captures the postures and expressions of a cat very well.

I think I’m getting hooked on this series!