friednoodles | Manga: Ex-Yakuza and Stray Kitten

I think the best way to start of the blog is with something a bit more bite-size, and what better way than Ex-Yakuza and Stray Kitten/拾われ子猫と元ヤクザ (Suware Koneko to Moto Yakuza) by Riddle Kamimura!

As you can guess from the title it's a four volume manga series that revolves around a yakuza, Jin, and stray kitten, Sabu, he finds one rainy evening. We get to see the world from Sabu's perspective as he tries to understand who Jin is behind his exterior gangster look. We find out Sabu isn't the only one Jin is set to look after; he has an entire crew of dogs and cats who welcome Sabu and show him the ropes. In particular we meet Boss, he's a black cat with a scar on his face that matches Jin's. At first Sabu isn't sure what to make of him, but we find Boss is a good kitty. We get a few good panels where Sabu runs to hide in his fur when he's spooked or to take a nap together. He also gets to know the other dogs and cats, sometimes when Jin isn't around. They're moments that can make your heart burst with joy and laughter. Altogether, with Jin, they "work" at the pet cafe downstairs. Sabu is surprisingly a hard worker, he wants to show the others he can stand on his own. His tasks are to eat, play, and rest when he wants. We see him stumble and learn as he becomes used to his new family.

It's an overall healing book with a simple plot that doesn't ask too much of you. I originally bought the series from my local bookstore because I was looking for slice of life, little did I know it would only be four volumes. It's become the shortest series I own. It'll certainly be a series I'll come back to in the future when I'm looking for a quick fix.