Cat + Gamer

by Wataru Nadatani

Genres: Manga
Pages: 168
Series: Cat + Gamer #3
Rating:

Synopsis:

A brand-new cat owner with no experience living with pets, quiet office worker Riko uses lessons drawn from video games to guide her in cat care.

Musubi, her cute new companion, tries to understand Riko's behavior through a cat's worldview. Enjoying their time together, Riko learns more about cohabitating with a cat, as lessons in grooming, play, and personal space continue to be learned.

“Leveling up” in skills, surprises, and adventures extends to real life, as Riko discovers what it’s like living with a cat! Wataru Nadatani’s hilarious manga series is translated by Zack Davisson (Demon Days, Kaibyo: The Supernatural Cats of Japan) and lettered by Susie Lee of Studio Cutie.

Cat + Gamer vol 3 continues to be really cute: it’s essentially the same from volume to volume in many ways, but you do get to see Riko learning more about how to take care of her cats. The nerdy references to games that are not quite like real games are funny too, like playing spot the game.

It still veers a little too close to cringe for me when Riko acts like she only understands life through video games (how does she manage getting by when she refers to shop assistants as “shopkeeper” and so on?! how is she supposedly so high-functioning and good at work when she speaks in such unserious ways?!) but… kitty! So cute! And I know it’s not meant to be “realistic”; the whole idea is meant for laughs. But given the stereotype of gamers as cave-dwelling losers, it’s just… not so funny to me.

On the positive side, the interludes from Musubi’s point of view steal the show, really. Kitty!

Rating: 3/5 (“liked it”)