A Man and His Cat

 

A Man and His Cat

Fuyuki Kanda recently lost his wife. His kids are all grown up and live away from him, and for the first time in a long time, he’s completely alone. When his wife was alive, they talked about getting a cat to keep them company after their kids went to college. Years later, he goes to a local pet shop to get a cat.

Fukumaru is an old, fat cat. He’s been in the pet shop ever since he was taken from his mother. He has always been an outcast, and everyday he watches every other cat get adopted while he is stuck in a cage, hoping for a loving family. One day, Fuyuki Kanda shows up. To everyone’s surprise, including the shop owner, the other cats, and Fukumaru, Kanda picks Fukumaru above all the adorable, young kittens. He takes Fukumaru home, and they have a wonderful life together, healing the pain from each other’s pasts.

A Man and His Cat is a sweet book about repairing yourself through healthy relationships. Now, this might seem like a lot to see in a light-hearted graphic novel, but under the surface, there are signs that both characters are in a lot of pain before meeting each other. But as the book continues, they heal together and become more trusting and open to love, all because of their beautiful bond and unconditional love for each other. There is a lot to explore in terms of the characters' emotions, personalities, and pasts in this book that you notice by paying close attention to seemingly trivial portions.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It’s really sweet and leaves you feeling happy, while also being a super quick, easy read. It also has adorable graphics and the contrast between Kanda’s art style and Fukumaru’s art style is really interesting. It also has a sweet lesson: everyone is worthy of love. Overall, 10/10.

-Praachi