My Neighbor Yokai, Volume 1 (The Manga): A Cat with Two Tails

by noho

Genres: Manga

256 pages, Library Binding

Expected publication April 13, 2027

Reviews

[Mai H.]

Japanuary TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Ink Pop

[Johnpatrick]

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkpop for the advance reader copy. Opinions expressed below are my own.

I sought out this manga when I realized there were no plans for an English dub of the recent anime. I felt the story and character designs would be appealing to my 1st grader, but subtitles are a bit beyond her ability for now so I was pleased to see that the original comic had been licensed for an English release by the new Random House imprint for younger audiences, Ink Pop.

This volume starts off as a slice of life comic set in a modern day small town Japan very much like our own except that humans live side-by-side with yokai. And this life has been quite thinly sliced; the entire 260 page book is divided into 35 vignettes which is a high chapter count for this type of book. Some of the stories feel stand-alone and others end on a "to be continued" note, but they all weave together by the end. Reading through them in a couple sittings, it's clear that this format was a pacing and narrative structure choice but it has the additional benefit of suiting the intended age group of 8+.

Yokai have been presented in all sorts of ways in popular media, but this is definitely a "what if yokai were one of us?" set up. The vast majority of the yokai characters we're exposed to act like self-actualized humans with special powers and more importantly special purposes. We're lead to believe that one of the reasons they're all so chill and well-adjusted is that they were brought into being for a specific purpose and once they find that purpose it gives their (sometimes very long) lives meaning. Buchio, a newly transformed Nekomata (cat spirit), serves as a great reader stand-in to begin understanding this world since he was, in a real sense, born yesterday. Importantly, he retains his memory of being a beloved pet for 20 years, however.

The other main POV character is a (6-8 year old?) girl named Mutsumi. She's headstrong and outgoing so the fact that she's always getting into other villagers business allows the author to introduce the rest of the cast. Characterization is one of the book's strong points. I absolutely love the laid-back defender of the village, a crow tengu named Jiro, but there are too many strong characters to list here.

As a parent who has had to read a lot of books like Yokai Ghost Watch and recent Pokemon titles, I really appreciate the clean, illustrative approach this artist takes. I find a lot of other manga marketed at younger audiences to be extremely chaotic on the page, but noho uses a clean line and a lot of white space. It reminds me a bit of my favorite slice of life author, Keigo Shinzo (Hirayasumi).

By the end, the stakes of the story are heightened in a way that could be frightening to some children, but there is no gore. I was tearing up by the end due to the way they resolved the relationship beats for Jiro and Mutsumi and Buchi and his "mom."

I will certainly be reading this with my daughter, but I loved it so much I'm going to wait for the physical release. This one is going straight to the pull list at my comic shop.

[Sarah]

TL;DR: An absolutely delightful middle grade manga about family and purpose.
Source: NetGalley, so many thanks to the publisher!

Plot: A cat evolves into a Nekomata and looks for his purpose while a little girl grapples with the loss of her Dad.
Characters: These were all delightful and lovely.
Setting: I always love a little Japanese village and the art in this captured that so well.
Fantasy: Yokai and country magic, it’s fantastic.

Thoughts:

My Neighbor Yokai is the new wholesome middle-grade manga you didn’t know you needed. I don’t say things like that often but this was just a joy to read. We follow to primary plot lines that I have no doubt will merge eventually. One is a little girl dealing with the disappearance of her father, who has seemingly been swallowed by the void. The other is the journey of a freshly evolved Nekomata (cat spirit) and finding his purpose after becoming a Yokai.

The art is simple but really adds to the wholesome feeling of this story. It’s not often that a middle-grade graphic novel truly feels like a timeless and wide appealing story but somehow this one manages. We get just enough magic and action with a threatening snake spirit, to keep the pages turning. But we also see our Nekomata Buchio look for his purpose – something any older reader could empathize with. The wide appeal of the stories, and the style make for a fantastic combination.

If it’s not clear, I loved this little story. I liked all of our characters, and I was genuinely worried for one or two at times. I was very invested in the characters and just wanted to see them happy and to see more of the world. I’ll likely try to pick up the anime and watch it, but I’m also very excited to see where this series goes. This is a huge recommendation from me.

[Caitlin Teaches]

My Neighbor Yokai manages to create the same kind of dreamy, loving atmosphere as a classic Studio Ghibli film and sustain it while building out a community that combines normal humans with a fascinating array of Yokai. (Yokai are Japanese spirits that take on a wide variety of forms, frequently with animal or monstrous features.) It tackles real issues around mourning, community, first crushes, forgiveness, and building identity while still feeling like a warm hug. Everything is age appropriate while also trusting the maturity and ability of the reader to handle issues. The art is absolutely charming, and the writing is lovely. If you have a younger reader who loves monsters but struggles with scariness or even just wants something comforting but honest, this is an instant recommend. Also a great pick for adults looking for nostalgia or a little escapism.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Ink Pop for the ARC of this book.

[Lupin]

An incredibly sweet spin on yokai (traditionally hostile ones are more friendly here) with a lovely cast of characters in a small village who care for each other. It balances side stories alongside Buchio's plot to find himself, and I loved seeing the community support for everyone (especially Jiro with being the protector).

The crumbs of dangerous yokai encounters and watching our cast overcome them filled me with warmth, and I'm looking forward to see Mutsumi crack the mystery behind her father's disappearance.

There's a lot of fascinating Japanese traditions that get woven into the story, inspired by the author's upbringing, which they talk about in the end of the book! This manga has so much heart in it and I can't wait to see the rest of the series.

[Foxx Writer]

this was a really fun read! it was really cool, all the Yokai designs and the ways they interacted with the world! following a newly born nekomata as he learns why he was transformed, and what he wants to do with himself was uplifting and really inspiring. watching the way the Yokai ad the humans interacted was really fun, and the dark secrets and mysteries interspersed through the cozy book was exactly as attention grabbing as one would expect. i cannot wait to read more, and i really, really hope i don't have to wait a whole year the way i do with novels xD having to wait for ages is going to just absolutely ruin me.

thank you to Random House Children's Books | Ink Pop and Netgalley for this ARC

[Alicia]

Buchio is a cat who ends up with two tails and basically as a talking cat spirit and needs to figure out why and what he is and his purpose in life because of this transformation. He's living in a town where spirits and yokai and humans coexist which introduces readers to Mutsumi, a grade school girl who will start working at the shrine and befriends Jiro, a crow creatures who does things at the shrine.

It's a manga woven with creative characters, colorful backstories, and a heart of gold even when danger comes to pass in the town that they fight back against. Entertained by this first volume.

[Dannielle]

It is very interesting to have a concept where Yokai exist with humans in such a casual way. The illustrations are very fun. It seems more geared towards older elementary or middle school children.

For me, I got sort of lost in the multitude of story lines and characters. It was an abrupt change at times. I wanted more about each type of Yokai as they are so very diverse and I love learning about them. I haven't watched the anime but maybe fans of the anime will have an easier time following along with this manga adaptation.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lanie Brown]

I believe this is my 2nd time reviewing this so I'm going to keep it very short and sweet. If you enjoyed My Elegant Yokai Apartment Life, Natsume's Book of Friends, or really any other cozy yokai story this is absolutely the book for you. It's just an adorable story of three friends figuring out who they are together in a world where yokai aren't just a part of our existence but are our friends and family.

Truly love this series and highly recommend it!

As always thanks to Random House Children's Book and NetGalley for the eArc!

[Theresa]

My Neighbor Yokai, Volume 1 (The Manga): A Cat with Two Tails
noho
This is a nice informal introduction to manga, and Japanese iconic culture. The neighborhood setting shows the mythology and characters of Japanese legends. The book is heart warming and talks about having courage and acceptance of others.

[Singe]

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc of My Neighbor the Yokai

5⭐️

This is a slice of life where humans and Yokai live in harmony. With the good and even the bad Yokai. This is perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli ( specifically My Neighbor Totoro ) and Natsume’s book of friends manga.

[Brandi]

This is my very first arc of a manga. This was such an amazingly well written story. It was a lot of fun and heartwarming. However, it was not without conflict and hardship. There were quite a few tense moments that had me refusing to put it down. So good.

[Ember Moto]

A sweet cozy story about a cat who turns into a Yokai and needs to navigate this new chapter in his life with the help of friends and family.

[Kylie]

This story was really fun.
It followed a cat learning how to navigate turning into a yokai. There were funny parts and heartwarming parts and everything in between.
The artwork was absolutely beautiful. I think it really fit the story well. Even though it wasn't colored, it was so whimsical and fun.
The story was fun, though sometimes it felt like I missed something. It almost felt like I had skipped a page and was missing some information but I hadn't skipped a page. It kind of felt like a tv show where each episode isn't necessarily directly connected to the others, but there is an underlying plot line going on.
I would definitely read future volumes of this story. It was a quick, fun story that can really be expanded upon!
Thank you to Netgalley and Ink Pop for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Tayma M]

Take some whisical creatures and mix it in a little town where people help each other, that is My Neighbor Yokai. I really love that I learned so much about Japanese folklore, food, names, and culture from this story. The art is simple but expressive and beautiful. Would definitely recommend.

[Alanna Metz]

I was given an advanced copy by Ink Pop in exchange for an honest review.

A touching and beautiful story. Not only is it about yokai, but friendship and community. I really loved the illustrations and how the artist drew each yokai. The plot was very good and had lots of storylines to be further explored in future volumes. I can't wait to read the next one!