A Man and His Cat, #4

おじさまと猫 [Ojisama to Neko] #4

by Umi Sakurai

The kind and elegant Fuyuki Kanda has a lot of fans, not least of whom is his cat Fukumaru! Surprisingly, however, not everyone sees the gentlemanly music teacher in this light. Hibino, a rival concert pianist, detests Kanda and his genius at the piano. But when Hibino's fickle mother forces a cat onto her grown son, Hibino finds himself with a furry new houseguest and little idea of how to take care of her! A trip to the pet store seems like the place to get a clue, but while there, who should Hibino run into but Kanda! Will the duo of Hibino and Kanda turn over a new leaf in their acquaintance as they bond over the cats in their lives?!

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Slice Of Life, Cats, Contemporary, Comics

167 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 11, 2020

About the author

Name (in native language): 桜井海 (SAKURAI Umi)

Pixiv: https://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=2...
Ojisama to Neko Twitter: https://twitter.com/ozisamatoneko

Reviews

[Bahar meow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga is like 50% sugar and 50% sliced onions.

[b. ♡]

crying and laughing and crying and laughing

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga makes me cry so much (in a good way).

[Bogi Takács]

Continuing to enjoy this series. It started as the fun cat comic, but now it goes deeper into the mental illness themes, in a surprisingly NICE way. E.g., Mr. Kanda the protagonist has difficulties doing something at work because of his panic attacks, and then people tell him he doesn't actually have to do that! Did that just happen? It totally happened.

There are still some short cute episodes too, inbetween the longer, story-focused episodes. It works out really well for me and it is good to see how Mr. Kanda is feeling his way around the contours of his trauma; it strikes me as something I see so infrequently, even in "mental illness books" - let alone the "cute cat book". I am a bit hesitant to see where the story will end up, hopefully not something simplistic about the healing power of cats and friendship, though both of those absolutely have healing power :) I just hope it won't be simplistic, if that makes any sense?
____
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cliffhanger in this volume isn't too too dissimilar to the previous volume's, and I suspect it will also be resolved in a similar way. This story is all about healing, after all.

It wasn't until I'd finished reading this volume that I noticed the couch on the front cover is all scratched up. Yep, that's the cat lover's life. :D

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aided by their cats, Mr. Kanda and his pianist rival work through some of their issues. It's super low-key, but there is some engaging emotional drama.

[clover · Rating 5 out of 5]

love love love everything about this series

[Armita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is ✨️therapeutic ✨️.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number of times I nearly started weeping this volume: at least 4.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what it was, maybe the fact that I was tired and just in the mood for something chill, but I ended up really enjoying this volume. The focus is more on the current situation and forming connections with other people through their cats, and less about being sad broken people. I like the idea that cats/pets make us better people a lot, and Sakurai does a pretty good job at showing us how humans can make buddies with vastly different folks through our pets.
On top of the slight shift in emotional focus I also thought the writing was just "better" there were fewer "oh how cute" obvious moments, fewer cat puns, and less mellow drama. The man-cat moments didn't suffer in the slightest, and I even sputtered out two laughs that made my wife look up from her writing to check and see if I was alright.

This was the first vol. that I was genuinely happy to read, and so I hope that Sakurai can keep the feel and tempo going

[Alex Richey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE FUKUMARU

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUKUMARU BE OUT HERE BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HEALING TRAUMA LIKE IT'S NO BIG DEAL

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know but I love each volume more and more as I go along. This is just beautiful and I just have a big smile on my face while I'm reading this.

[Shelby M. (Read and Find Out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall rating: 4 stars

Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Art: 4 stars

Trigger warnings: Panic attacks, abandonment, grief

[TheBookishHobbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just received my copy yesterday from Amazon!!!

Yay! I loved this so much! I'm so happy that Marin ended up being Fukumaru's sister after all. I wonder if we will eventually catch up with all of Fukumaru's siblings, and maybe even see his mom again. :). I also though Hibino really grew in this one and I think he and Mr. Kanda will become great friends. I do wish to know the details to Mr. Kanda's story, and I wonder when it will all be revealed. Perhaps that will be a big plot point to get him back on stage, to finally really feel and let go of his grief.

Okay... but there was of course another cliff-hanger at the end of the novel! Guess like I will have to wait until December 5th to read volume five. All you need to know is this is seriously the most wholesome manga I've ever read. Full of love and charm with every page!

[Kristan · Rating 5 out of 5]

With every volume this series just gets better and better. I adore it.

[Loz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delight and catharsis.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Und weiter gehts mit den gut geschriebenen Charakteren, denn jetzt kommt Kaneda vor, der sich selbst als "Rivale" in der Pianistenwelt von Kanda sieht - nur leider sieht wohl nur er das so. Die beiden lernen sich aufgrund einer Katze kennen :D und es ist einfach super süß (und shipbar but ... hust). Und wir fangen hier auch langsam mit unangenehmen Themen an, nämlich Leute, die Tiere nicht mehr brauchen (wie Kanedas Mutter). Da kriegt man auch schonmal Hass, trotzdem immer noch toll!

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

Still going strong! This time we finally meet one of Fukumaru's siblings! Cuteness overload!! We delve more into Kandu's past and his friendships. Great story and artwork as usual.

[animasoul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Die Geschichte um Kater Fukumaru und sein Herrchen, Herrn Kanda, mag ich unglaublich gerne. Der kleine Kater erfreut mit jeder Seite mein Herz. Seine Eigenheiten erinnern mich immer wieder gern an die meiner eigenen Vierbeiner. Da wird einem als Katzenliebhaber gleich warm ums Herz.

In Band 4 lernen wir Herrn Hibino etwas besser kennen und seine Katze Marin. Gleichzeitig „freundet“ er sich mit Herrn Kanda an, sodass beide weniger einsam sind. Schön fand ich auch, dass Herr Kanda es langsam lernt auf andere zuzugehen und sie um Hilfe zu bitten, wenn er Bedenken hat, dass eine Situation ihn überfordern könnte.

Dank Herrn Kanda hat auch Herr Moriyama Fortschritte gemacht und hasst Klavierspiel nicht mehr. Er stellt sich ebenfalls seiner Abneigung und seiner Familie.

Es werden so viele kleine herzerwärmende Geschichten erzählt, dass man diese gar nicht aufzählen kann. Ich mag sie allesamt sehr. Auch wenn sie mal lustig oder traurig sind. Doch die vielen fröhlichen Szenen, in denen man Fukumarus Alltag daheim betrachten kann, sind unbezahlbar schön.

Die Mangaka schafft es auch hier wieder mit wunderbaren Zeichnungen die Gefühle von Mensch und Tier herüberzubringen und Leser in ihren Bann zu ziehen. Bereits bei Seite 1 wird man abgeholt auf diese tierisch-menschliche Reise. Man mag beide unheimlich gern und wünscht ihnen alles Glück der Welt. Da kann für mich als Fan natürlich Band 5 nicht schnell genug bei mir ankommen.

Eine wirklich tolle Reihe, die sicherlich nicht nur Katzenliebhabern gefallen könnte.

[Hailey Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, this series is on a roll!

( Having won hearts and topped charts in Japan, this hotly anticipated series about an older gentleman and his unique, adorable cat is available in English for the first time!

Fukumaru might find it hard to imagine, but not everyone is Mr. Kanda’s biggest fan! Kanade Hibino, a rival concert pianist, detests Mr. Kanda and his musical genius. But when Kanade has a furry new houseguest forced upon him, he heads to the pet store for supplies and guidance...only to run into none other than his (assumed) nemesis! Will the cats in their lives bring the two men closer together and mend old wounds? ) ~ Blurb from Amazon US Page

I loved the type of character development Kanda-san gets here. So he basically teaches Hibino-san about the ins and outs of taking care of a cat. Not only does it provide some variety for the series, but it's also a really clever way to show just how much Kanda-san has grown as a character at this point.

Speaking of growth, I really dug the way Hibino-san's character arc played out. So his desire to be Kanda-san's rival is back in full force from the previous entry. But over the course of this entry, he gradually mellows out and eventually becomes a genuine friend to Kanda-san and an awesome cat owner. It's a natural evolution for the character and given what happens in this entry, I think this was the perfect point for him to go through an arc like this.

There's also a lot of hilarious little Fukumaru-related gags here, but what's cool is that Marin also gets quite a few of her own as well. My favorite has to be the one where she comes running at the speed of light and happily answers when Hibino-san calls her a few times. It's a great callback to the moment where Kanda-san teaches Hibino-san that calling a cat's name will make them more comfortable and shows that Marin and Hibino-san are indeed growing closer.

Overall, A Man and His Cat Volume Four was a masterclass at taking previously established elements to the next level without losing touch with the series' identity.

Overall Grade: A+

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a push forward with character development and backstory in the previous volume, Volume 4 is a bit of a regression with Sakurai rehashing plots that are, honestly, tiresome.

The human characters are incomplete and absurdly immature. Maybe this is a hallmark of the genre, but I find the overexaggerated emotion to be a distraction and not endearing. Hibino, Moriyama and Kobayashi all seem primed for a Big Lesson™ brought forward by Kanda, and I don't really care about any of them.

The cat content is the only reason I'm still reading.

Once again, Fukumaru steals the show, and I do appreciate that Sakurai builds out his world as well. I liked the addition of Marin, his long lost litter mate, and the cliff hanger with the Maine Coon. I'll continue with Volume 5 to see how these plots pan out (although I could probably guess already), and because each volume only takes about 30-minutes to read.

[Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this volume... besides that it was even more amazing than the previous ones?
Well, I absolutely adored Fukumaru and Marin's reunion, it was so so sweet! And Hibino is a very fun character and I am glad Kanda has a new cat friend now (though I officially hate his mom and I am so glad he will be the cat dad Marin deserves)! And now speaking of Kanda's friends, Kobayashi really is an amazing friend for Kanda. He really worries about him and his condition, he tries his best to help him and keep him comfortable and it was so heartwarming to see! I really like the fact that this story demonstrates such a close friendship between two adult male characters! This volume ended in quite the cliffhanger though and it seems Fukumaru will live a new adventure! I am super excited to read the next volume!

[Ray Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marin, the cat who’s staying with the blond piano man is actually Fukumaru’s older sister and him and Kanda bond over their cats. Fortunately, both men gave these cuties a new home, a place where they could be cherished and loved.

I hate there are people in the world who abandon their pets and though this manga is wholesome for the most part, we also see the struggles of animals who just want to feel safe. It’s truly sad to think of strays and neglected pets.

Anyway, Kanda is taking small steps towards his new future and thanks to his best friend, they attend a rock gig –which was something both of them enjoyed since they were teenagers. Kanda still loves music and I hope he can attend another piano concert eventually.

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:
Volume 1 | Volume | Volume 3

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something so soothing about this series! I loved seeing Kanda rely more on his peers and his friends, throughout this volume. Even had a long-held misunderstanding cleared up, which was very satisfying to read as well. Greif and loss are such tricky subjects to handle well, but I think this series does a good job of showing Kanda taking those steps toward processing and healing. It also illustrates just how supportive and comforting having a pet can be!

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very comfort type manga.

One thing I love is that everyone is older in this. Mostly everyone is 30+, our main leads closer to 60. I love that they're picking up their life after loss, but most of all I love the cute kittens! This time we meet a old rival who our main lead tries to break through with cat knowledge. Cute and fun, little sadness underneath, but overall enjoyable read.

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Vol 1-4. No spoilers.

I bought the first 3 books on an outing with the cat rescue we support, I promptly pre-ordered the next two volumes and pretty much read volume 4 as soon as it arrived.

This series is beautiful, in art, style, characters and storytelling. It is a straightforward premise. An older gentleman buys a cat from the pet store that has been there for 1 year and left behind. What follows is a cute pure heartfelt emotional story of a man and his cat. His grieving for his wife, anxiety, making new friends, etc.

A Man and His Cat is exactly as the title suggests but it’s also so much more. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a series so wholeheartedly so instantly.

[Kaytalist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series are just getting better and better

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Fukumaru! And now Marin as well! What more do you need?

[Sulhan Habibi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucu. Menggemaskan. Heartwarming. Suka.