A Man and His Cat
{{short description|Japanese manga series by Umi Sakurai}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name = A Man and His Cat
| image = A Man and His Cat.jpg
| caption = Cover of the first print edition of the series, featuring Kanda and Fukumaru
| ja_kanji = おじさまと猫
| ja_romaji = Ojisama to Neko
| genre = Comedy, slice of life
| creator = Umi Sakurai
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type = manga
| author = Umi Sakurai
| publisher = Pixiv, Square Enix
| publisher_en = {{English manga publisher | NA=Square Enix Manga}}
| demographic = Shōnen
| magazine = Monthly Shōnen Gangan
Gangan Pixiv
| imprint = Gangan Comics
| first = 2017
| last =
| volumes = 15
| volume_list = #Manga
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Video
| type = drama
| director = Keijiro Tsubakimoto
Masahiro Soejima
| producer =
| writer = Mitsuhiko Fujimi
Date-san
| music =
| studio = Socket
| licensee =
| first = January 6, 2021
| last = March 24, 2021
| episodes = 12
| episode_list =
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}
{{nihongo|A Man and His Cat|おじさまと猫|Ojisama to Neko|lead=yes}} is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Umi Sakurai. Self-published as a webcomic by Sakurai before being serialized by Square Enix Manga, the series follows an older widower who adopts an unwanted cat.
A live-action television drama adaptation aired from January to March 2021. The cats are portrayed by puppets.
Synopsis
Fukumaru, a large and homely Exotic Shorthair at a pet store, is regularly passed over in favor of kittens that are younger and cuter than he is. He is unexpectedly purchased by Kanda, an older man who is recently widowed and who has a distant relationship with his adult children. The episodic, slice of life series follows Kanda and Fukumaru as they live and seek mutual companionship together.
Characters
;{{Nihongo|Fuyuki Kanda|神田冬樹|Kanda Fuyuki}}
:{{Portrayed by|Masao Kusakari}}
;{{Nihongo|Fukumaru|ふくまる}}
:{{Voiced by|Ryunosuke Kamiki (TV drama)}}
Media
=Manga=
A Man and His Cat was originally self-published by Sakurai, with new entries in the series posted weekly on her Twitter and Pixiv accounts. The series is also published by Square Enix in its manga magazines Monthly Shōnen Gangan and Gangan Pixiv, and has been collected in fifteen tankōbon volumes. To date, the series has received over 560 million views.
In May 2019, Penguin Random House announced that it would partner with Square Enix to launch Square Enix Manga as an imprint in North America, with A Man and His Cat as one of the imprint's anchor titles. The first volume of the series was released in English in February 2020.
{{Graphic novel list/header
| Language = Japanese
| SecondLanguage = English
| Width = 72%
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 1
| RelDate = February 22, 2018{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 1 |url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757556263/ |website=Square Enix |access-date=21 January 2020 |language=ja |archive-date=25 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225202115/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757556263/ |url-status=live }}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-5626-3
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9026-6
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 2
| OriginalRelDate = November 22, 2018{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 2 |url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757557727/ |website=Square Enix |access-date=21 January 2020 |language=ja}}{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 2 ふくまるマスコット付き特装版 |url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757557734/ |website=Square Enix |access-date=21 January 2020 |language=ja}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-5772-7
| ISBN_note = ({{abbr|SE|Standard edition}})
{{ISBNT|978-4-7575-5773-4}} ({{abbr|LE|Limited edition}})
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9027-3
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 3
| RelDate = July 12, 2019{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 3 |url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757561953/ |website=Square Enix |access-date=21 January 2020 |language=ja |archive-date=20 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220031216/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757561953/ |url-status=live }}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-5626-3
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9028-0
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 4
| RelDate = January 11, 2020{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 4 |url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757564640/ |website=Square Enix |access-date=21 January 2020 |language=ja |archive-date=25 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225202112/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757564640/ |url-status=live }}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-6464-0
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9093-8
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 5
| RelDate = June 12, 2020{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 5 |url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757566699/ |website=Square Enix |access-date=3 February 2021 |language=ja |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115173236/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757566699/ |url-status=live }}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-6669-9
| LicensedRelDate = January 25, 2022{{cite web |title=A Man and His Cat, Vol 5 |url=https://squareenixmangaandbooks.square-enix-games.com/en-us/product/9781646091157 |website=Square Enix Manga |access-date=January 13, 2022}}
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9115-7
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 6
| RelDate = December 11, 2020{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 6 |url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757569201/ |website=Square Enix |access-date=3 February 2021 |language=ja |archive-date=28 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128045350/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757569201/ |url-status=live }}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-6920-1
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9138-6
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 7
| RelDate = March 22, 2021{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 7
|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757571549/|website=Square Enix |language=ja}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-7154-9
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9139-3
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 8
| RelDate = September 22, 2021{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 8|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757574656/|website=Square Enix|language=ja|access-date=2021-09-11|archive-date=2021-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910004851/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757574656/|url-status=live}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-7465-6
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9163-8
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 9
| RelDate = May 12, 2022{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 9
|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757579392/|website=Square Enix |language=ja}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-7939-2
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9214-7
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 10
| RelDate = November 11, 2022{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 10
|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757582620/|website=Square Enix |language=ja}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-8262-0
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9246-8
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 11
| RelDate = May 11, 2023{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 11|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757585713/|website=Square Enix|language=ja|access-date=2024-12-16|archive-date=2024-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723060500/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757585713/|url-status=live}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-8571-3
| LicensedRelDate = June 4, 2024{{Cite web |title=A Man and His Cat, Vol 11|url=https://squareenixmangaandbooks.square-enix-games.com/en-us/product/9781646092680 |access-date=April 25, 2024|website=Square Enix Manga}}
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9268-0
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 12
| RelDate = November 10, 2023{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 12
|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757588998/|website=Square Enix |language=ja}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-8899-8
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9313-7
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 13
| RelDate = June 12, 2024{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 13|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757592469/|website=Square Enix|language=ja|access-date=2024-12-16|archive-date=2024-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212104042/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757592469/|url-status=live}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-9246-9
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9388-5
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 14
| RelDate = December 12, 2024{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 14|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757595675/|website=Square Enix|language=ja|access-date=2024-12-16|archive-date=2024-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213210425/https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757595675/|url-status=live}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-9567-5
| LicensedRelDate = December 2, 2025{{Cite web|title=A Man and His Cat, Vol 14|url=https://squareenixmangaandbooks.square-enix-games.com/en-us/product/9781646094462|access-date=April 25, 2025|website=Square Enix Manga}}
| LicensedISBN = 978-1-6460-9446-2
}}
{{Graphic novel list
| VolumeNumber = 15
| RelDate = June 12, 2025{{cite web|title=おじさまと猫 14|url=https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/top/comics/detail/9784757598935/|website=Square Enix|language=ja|access-date=2025-05-29}}
| ISBN = 978-4-7575-9893-5
| LicensedRelDate = —
| LicensedISBN =
}}
{{Graphic novel list/footer}}
=Drama=
A live-action television drama adaptation was announced in November 2020. It aired 12 episodes on TV Tokyo from January 6 to March 24, 2021.
=Video game=
In the eighth volume of the manga, it was revealed that a video game adaptation was in development.{{cite web|last1=Pineda|first1=Rafael Antonio|title=A Man and His Cat Manga Gets Game|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-09-11/a-man-and-his-cat-manga-gets-game/.177221|website=Anime News Network|access-date=September 11, 2021|date=September 11, 2021|archive-date=September 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210911121641/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-09-11/a-man-and-his-cat-manga-gets-game/.177221|url-status=live}} The game, titled Ojisama to Neko Super Miracle Puzzle, was a puzzle game and featured voice acting from Jouji Nakata and Natsuki Hanae as Fuyuki Kanda and Fukumaru respectively. It was released on Android and iOS devices from January 20, 2022 to January 31, 2023.{{cite magazine|script-title=ja:『おじさまと猫 スーパーミラクルパズル』事前登録が本日より開始。声優・花江夏樹さん、中田譲治さんのサイン色紙が当たるキャンペーンも実施|url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/202111/26242126.html|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=Kadokawa Game Linkage|date=November 26, 2021|access-date=August 6, 2024|lang=ja|archive-date=October 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031174715/https://www.famitsu.com/news/202111/26242126.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|script-title=ja:スクエニ、『おじさまと猫 スーパーミラクルパズル』のサービスを2023年1月31日をもって終了…サービス開始から約1年で|url=https://gamebiz.jp/news/360747|website=Gamebiz|date=December 1, 2022|access-date=August 6, 2024|lang=ja}}
=Other media=
Short motion comic videos have been produced to promote the release of the tankōbon editions of the series, and feature Jouji Nakata as the voice of Kanda.
A picture book adaptation was released on November 11, 2022.{{cite web|script-title=ja:「おじさまと猫」初の絵本はふくまると宇宙猫の物語、新刊と同時発売|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/news/500894|website=Comic Natalie|publisher=Natasha, Inc.|access-date=August 6, 2024|date=November 11, 2022|archive-date=August 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806123216/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/500894|url-status=live}} At Anime Expo 2023, Square Enix Manga & Books announced that they licensed the picture book for English publication.{{cite web |last1=Hodgkins |first1=Crystalyn |title=Square Enix Manga & Books Reveals Final Fantasy Books, New Manga Licenses Including The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-07-01/square-enix-manga-and-books-reveals-final-fantasy-books-new-manga-licenses-including-the-angel-next-/.199837 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=August 6, 2024 |date=July 1, 2023 |archive-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702012722/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-07-01/square-enix-manga-and-books-reveals-final-fantasy-books-new-manga-licenses-including-the-angel-next-/.199837 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|title=A Man and His Cat Picture Book|url=https://squareenixmangaandbooks.square-enix-games.com/en-us/product/9781646092819|publisher=Square Enix|access-date=August 6, 2024}}
Reception
A Man and His Cat has received positive reviews from critics. Anime UK News gave the series 8 out of 10, praising the narrative for being heartwarming without being overly sentimental.{{cite web |title=A Man & His Cat Volume 1 Review |url=https://animeuknews.net/2020/02/a-man-his-cat-volume-1-review/ |website=Anime UK News |date=18 February 2020 |access-date=25 February 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225194605/https://animeuknews.net/2020/02/a-man-his-cat-volume-1-review/ |url-status=live }} Manga Bookshelf noted that the book "hits you in the feels" and praised the quality of its storytelling.{{cite web |last1=Gaffney |first1=Sean |title=Review: A Man & His Cat, Vol. 1 |url=http://suitablefortreatment.mangabookshelf.com/2020/02/13/a-man-his-cat-vol-1/ |website=Manga Bookshelf |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=13 February 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225201721/http://suitablefortreatment.mangabookshelf.com/2020/02/13/a-man-his-cat-vol-1/ |url-status=live }}
A Man and His Cat was one of the top-selling physical manga series on Amazon Japan in 2018. The first Japanese tankōbon edition of the series debuted at 3rd in the Oricon sales rankings.{{cite web |last1=Ressler |first1=Karen |title=Japanese Comic Ranking, February 19–25 |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-02-28/japanese-comic-ranking-february-19-25/.128388 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=28 February 2018 |archive-date=29 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829045429/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-02-28/japanese-comic-ranking-february-19-25/.128388 |url-status=live }}
In 2018, A Man and His Cat was one of the top recommended manga titles in a survey of Japanese bookstore employees. That same year, the series was a runner-up in for the Grand Prize at the magazine's Next Manga Awards organized by the manga magazine Da Vinci. Da Vinci also ranked A Man and His Cat in its annual Book of the Year rankings in 2018 and 2019. The series also placed fourth in the 2018 Pixiv's Comic Ranking, and third in Pixiv's 2018 Web Manga General Election. The 2019 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi! ranked A Man and His Cat as the fifth best manga series for female readers.
References
{{reflist|30em|refs=
{{cite web |last1=Ressler |first1=Karen |title=Japan's Bookstore Employees Rank Top Manga of 2018 |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-02-04/japan-bookstore-employees-rank-top-manga-of-2018/.142998 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=11 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511022204/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-02-04/japan-bookstore-employees-rank-top-manga-of-2018/.142998 |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |last1=Loveridge |first1=Lynzee |title=Raise wa Tanin ga Ii, Senpai ga Uzai Kōhai no Hanashi Take Top Prizes at Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Awards |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-08-23/raise-wa-tanin-ga-ii-senpai-ga-uzai-kohai-no-hanashi-take-top-prizes-at-tsugi-ni-kuru-manga-awards/.135835 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=23 August 2018 |archive-date=10 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510215120/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-08-23/raise-wa-tanin-ga-ii-senpai-ga-uzai-kohai-no-hanashi-take-top-prizes-at-tsugi-ni-kuru-manga-awards/.135835 |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |last1=Pineda |first1=Rafael Antonio |title=Detective Conan Manga Tops Da Vinci Ranking |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-12-06/detective-conan-manga-tops-da-vinci-ranking/.140435 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=6 December 2018 |archive-date=15 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115181855/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-12-06/detective-conan-manga-tops-da-vinci-ranking/.140435 |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |last1=Loveridge |first1=Lynzee |title=Yakuza House-Husband Manga Gokushufudo Wins Pixiv Comic Ranking 2018 |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-12-27/yakuza-house-husband-manga-gokushufudo-wins-pixiv-comic-ranking-2018/.141371 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=27 December 2018 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125023202/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-12-27/yakuza-house-husband-manga-gokushufudo-wins-pixiv-comic-ranking-2018/.141371 |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |last1=Ressler |first1=Karen |title=Manga Tops Amazon Japan's Best-Selling Kindle Book Ranking for 2018 |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-12-06/manga-tops-amazon-japan-best-selling-kindle-book-ranking-for-2018/.140475 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=6 December 2018 |archive-date=1 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601125324/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-12-06/manga-tops-amazon-japan-best-selling-kindle-book-ranking-for-2018/.140475 |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |last1=Pineda |first1=Rafael Antonio |title=Kingdom Manga Tops Da Vinci Ranking |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-12-06/kingdom-manga-tops-da-vinci-ranking/.154037 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=6 December 2019 |archive-date=17 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317003757/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-12-06/kingdom-manga-tops-da-vinci-ranking/.154037 |url-status=live }}
{{cite press release |date=17 May 2019 |title=Square Enix To Launch New English-Language Manga Book Imprint, Distributed By Penguin Random House Publisher Services |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/square-enix-to-launch-new-english-language-manga-book-imprint-distributed-by-penguin-random-house-publisher-services-300852210.html |publisher=PR Newswire |agency=Square Enix |access-date=21 January 2020 |archive-date=19 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219001926/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/square-enix-to-launch-new-english-language-manga-book-imprint-distributed-by-penguin-random-house-publisher-services-300852210.html |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |title=おじさまと猫 |url=https://comic.pixiv.net/works/4501 |website=Pixiv |access-date=25 February 2020 |language=ja}}
}}
External links
- [https://magazine.jp.square-enix.com/gangan/introduction/ojineko/ A Man and His Cat] at Gangan Comics {{in lang|ja}}
- [https://comic.pixiv.net/works/4501 A Man and His Cat] at Pixiv {{in lang|ja}}
- [https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/ozineko/ A Man and His Cat] drama website {{in lang|ja}}
- {{ann|manga|23463}}
{{Monthly Shōnen Gangan}}
{{Gangan Online}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Man And His Cat}}
Category:Comedy anime and manga
Category:Japanese television shows featuring puppetry
Category:Manga adapted into television series
Category:Slice of life anime and manga
Category:TV Tokyo original programming