Raven's Reviews

The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again, Today

Annabel Zeng

Our schoolmate Annabel Zeng shares their thoughts on the first two volumes of this manga by Hitsuzi Yamada!

The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again, Today, written by Hitsuzi Yamada, is about Saku, a typical unmarried Japanese woman who lives a normal, yet boring life with her feline friend, Yukichi. Except that it’s not so normal, because Yukichi is a cat who can walk with 2 legs and towers over Saku. He doesn't play with mice or drink milk, but instead does the chores and takes care of Saku! Now why is Yukichi so big in the first place?


Now, keep in mind, I don’t own a cat, I have only seen and petted cats, so I don’t know what it’s like taking care of a cat. That being said, I do like how this manga reverses having a pet. Instead of Saku taking care of Yukichi, Yukichi takes care of Saku! It’s pretty amusing how Yukichi takes care of Saku, because even the tiniest of coffee spills can break him.

Even though Yukichi is a cat, he has so much personality! He even likes an idol group based on sea urchins! He likes making bento for Saku and even washes her, as if she is his pet. However, Saku is no pushover when it comes to personality. She tries to keep a straight face in front of her coworkers, while drinking loads of beer when she gets home. She reminds me of my mom sometimes, as my mom also works at an office job and relaxes at home, just like Saku.


Now for the art. The art is amazing. It’s super expressive and super diverse in styles as it can go from the typical manga style to chibi 4koma style. I also love how much attention to detail there is in the background of each panel. The onomatopoeia just makes it better because you can even imagine the sound effects! It’s not even an anime yet!


Overall, I recommend this manga to those who have a cat or are a cat person. Even if you aren't, I would still suggest taking a look. Overall, it's a good read.


This is so hilariously cute and funny!

Page layout Sara Rastin