She and Her Cat (2017)

She and Her Cat (2017)

Author: Makoto Shinkai | Illustrator: Tsubasa Yamaguchi | English Translation: Kumar Sivasubramanian | Page Count: 180

'She always waits for the phone to stop ringing, then checks to see who called.'

It's possible that I've used the word 'wistful' in the past in a less than complimentary way, but in this instance it's very much in the form of praise. Shinkai's ability to express in an understated but powerful way the regretful longing that the word implies is heartbreakingly sincere and rarely ever saccharine.

The blurb on the back cover does a good job of explaining what the book is about without spoiling anything, which is a rare achievement. The story isn't particularly deep, but it will have a poignant resonance for some folks. It's adapted from Shinkai's own short OVA of the same name, which came out in 1999. I posted a very brief review of it HERE.

It's a glimpse into the life of a young woman named Miyu and the cat that lives with her, a cat named Chobi - it's from Chobi's point of view that we learn the most about Miyu. When not working she spends much of her time alone at home, disconnected from the wider world by insecurities and a lingering loneliness. Chobi is Miyu's sole companion, he's her special relationship, the one soul that she's able to connect to and still feel comfortable with.

Much of what transpires takes place indoors, a space partly defined by the way that sunlight moves past and through it. The shadows cast give life to stillness, measured in time, as the sun appears to journey across the sky. The overwhelming intimacy is a kind of insight, granting access into the newly lighted corners of a very personal space.

There are four main chapters, one for each of the four seasons, beginning with the hopeful spring and ending with the chilly winter. It was during the summer month that I fell in love with the work, the ambience seeming so real to me that I could even hear the rumbling of the passing trains, carrying unknown people to unknown destinations and adding to Miyu's loneliness.

A fifth 'bonus' chapter is included at the end but it's not up to the same standard of the others. It has more words but says less, feels rushed and is easily ignored.