We'll Prescribe You A Cat

 We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida (translated by E. Madison Shimoda) // 297 pgs

⭐⭐⭐

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.

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Lately I've loved reading the "Japanese + Cats" genre of books; they're short and cozy, and I'll love anything about cats. This one did not disappoint in that aspect. It's super cute and simple, though I do wish it was a bit longer. The concept of going to a magical doctor that gives you a cat to fix all your problems is super fun, though it did get a bit repetitive. The last little vignette tried to build up more narratively, but did leave me a little longing. Overall, not bad, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel!

What you are looking for is in the library, Michiko Aoyama

What you are looking for is in the library, Aoyama | 304 pages

"Yes, I want to try and change. Thanks to this book."A broad smile light Ms. Komachi's face. "You may say it was the book, but it's how you read a book that's most valuable, rather than any power it might have itself."

Translated from Japanese. A small library is in the corner of the Community House. Various patrons stumble in, each to have a life changing meeting with the head librarian and her simple but profound question: "What are you looking for?"

It's beyond me to find words to capture this novel that isn't really a novel - it's short stories loosely connected. All feature the librarian and her assistant; at the end many of the character's stories touch each other in minor ways. Some significant, but in a real life, understated way.

It's quirky and very philosophical. I loved it, but I think there are many layers I've missed. I'm going to try and read it again sooner rather than later.

Itazura Na Kiss by Kaoru Tada

Itazura Na Kiss by Kaoru Tada - 1,000 pages
V. 1 - 300 pages
V. 2 - 324 pages
V. 3 - 376 pages

Kotoko (Class F)  has had her eye on Naoki Irie (Class A) since their first day of Intermediate school.  School is almost over so Kotoko writes a love letter to Naoki that he refuses to read. Unfortunately for Kotoko, Irie is the smartest teen in the school and doesn't tolerate "stupid" girls. Kotoko doesn't give up, though, and the first three books are her ridiculously funny stalker tactics to get Naoki to notice and fall in love with her.

Crossing Midnight, v 1, by Mike Carey

  Crossing Midnight, v 1, by Mike Carey, 128 pages

Initially, I thought this was going to be a work of Japanese comic art- but it's actually Mike Carey, of Unwritten fame, doing a sort of homage to Japanese horror comics.  The premise is thus: two twins are born, one before midnight, the other a moment after.  Weird things happen to them, but when they are in high school, a man comes to them in the middle of the night, intent upon taking one of the twins.  It is up to the other twin to figure out why he wants her and how to stop him.  There are definitely horror and fantasy elements here- and if you don't want to see a fairly gruesome scene with a cute shiba inu, don't even bother starting the book.  It was alright, but nothing exceptional.

Little Fluffy Gigolo Pelu, by Junko Mizuno

Little Fluffy Gigolo Pelu, by Junko Mizuno, 168 pages

As a fan of most things Japanese, manga-related, and cutesy-in-general, I feel comfortable saying that this book was weird.  Pelu is a little fluffy "something" (you can see him wearing a bow tie in the cover picture) who runs around on a planet full of naked women.  One day, one of the women pops out a baby (literally) and the question of how babies are made is raised.  Here is how it is explained: on this planet, there are two little pelus inside every woman, and when they mate, they create a baby, which then just pops out of the women.  Pelu was rescued from a dying woman's body, and raised as a child.  Pelu feels betrayed, and embarks on a mission to find a woman on Earth with whom he (it?) can have a baby.  Several disastrous relationships ensue.  The art is stylized and well-done, which was why I requested this, but I'm not sure the story is quite compelling enough to read any more of it...

Five Centimeters per Second, by Makoto Shinkai & Yukiko Seike (ill)

Five Centimeters per Second, by Makoto Shinkai & Yukiko Seike (ill), 566 pages

As I finished this book, I started yelling my dismay aloud.  When my husband asked me what was so bad about the book, I told him that it didn't have a Hollywood happy ending, it was painful, and it was one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read.  In short, this is a great book- it just doesn't end how Hollywood romances teach us a love story should end.  It left me thinking for days afterwards about the long-reaching impact of short-lived relationships.

Story in short: Takaki and Akari meet as children, and have an instant connection. Their friendship and love is perfect and pure, and they try to sustain it through letters when jobs take them away from each other.  But as the years pass, the silence grows, and children become adults, they must face the realization that life and relationships stand still for no man.   Based on a movie, apparently- I'll have to watch it to see how they compare.

With the Light, v1, by Keiko Tobe

With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child, v. 1, by Keiko Tobe, 528 pages

This is a surprisingly touching and informative manga about parenting an autistic child.  Sachiko notices that her son, Hikaru, isn't quite like all of the other kids in the playground.  When he is diagnosed with autism, Sachiko and the reader learn about the hardships and the joy, and navigating a frequently uninformed and ignorant system to find such basics as a pediatrician and daycare.  Very compelling.

Oishinbo, vol 4- Fish, Sushi, Sashimi, by Tetsu Kariya

Oishinbo, vol 4- Fish, Sushi, Sashimi, by Tetsu Kariya, 258 pages

Food manga- who knew that was a thing?  Oishinbo relates a group of newspaper writers who are trying to compile the "Ultimate Menu" of Japanese food.  So every story focuses around a traditional Japanese food, dish, or preparation technique.  Oftentimes, the characters teach about morals and learn lessons through the recipes.  This particular volume gathers all of the issues related to fish, sushi and sashimi.  Very interesting to read as a genre study- just prepare to get hungry.

Sumo, by Thien Pham

Sumo, by Thien Pham, 112 pages

Scott's girlfriend dumped him, his football career didn't work out, and the only option left for him is to move to Japan and train to be a sumo wrestler.  Obviously, right?  While the premise is a little bit of a stretch, it is a well-paced and well-told story, featuring three different parts of Scott's life, which all come together at the end.  The end leaves things a little up for interpretation.  The art is the same as that of Level Up, and is pretty good.

Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki

Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki, 372 pages

This graphic novel tells the story of a group of Japanese soldiers in the second world war who fight to their "noble" death; those who survive are found unacceptable and forced to either commit suicide or participate in a suicidal attack against Allied troops.  Mizuki, who was a soldier himself during the war, writes in the afterword that this story is, in fact, 90% true.  This was a really powerful work, told from a point of view that I do not believe I have ever read, and really only seen in the film Letters From Iwo Jima.  I highly recommend this to readers who like graphic novels such as Maus or Persepolis.

1Q84, by Haruki Murakami

1Q84, by Haruki Murakami, 925 pages

1Q84 is a book with two parallel storylines that gradually become interwoven.  Aomame is a beautiful young fitness instructor who also kills abusive husbands on the side; Tengo is a young teacher at a cram school who gets in over his head when he ghost-writes a book for a mysterious young woman.  They are gradually brought together by a cult, little people, an "air chrysalis", and a shared destiny.  The writing is lovely, the Japanese details fascinating, the imagery striking, and the payoff almost worth the time invested.

Drainspotting, by Remo Camerota

Drainspotting, by Remo Camerota, 96 pages

Did you know that there is a whole community of fans of Japanese manhole covers?  You learn something every day in the library.  Apparently, Japanese manhole covers are elevated to the level of art- each region is given manhoru (manhole covers) with distinctive art designs- some reflecting regional distinctions, some with anime characters.  They are very cool but shockingly expensive. I initially thought the covers were a form of "urban art" (ala graffiti), but they are actually state-sanctioned.  The book divides the works into region, so you get to practice your Japanese pronunciation as you go, too.  Any fan of urban art, graffiti, design, or Japanese culture would find this book worth perusing.

Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 18, by Bisco Hatori

                                                                                         

Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 18, by Bisco Hatori, 200 pages

I spent the majority of this book squealing out loud, because I love Ouran High School Host Club that much, and this ending gave me everything I wanted.  Tamaki and Haruhi go on their first date, and of course it’s over the top and ridiculous.  More significantly, Haruhi reveals that she has plans to study abroad in America.  What will the Ouran High School Host Club do? Don’t worry- everything ends happily ever after. 

Ayako, by Osamu Tezuka

Ayako, by Osamu Tezuka, 704 pages

Every now and then, I read a book that has been translated into English, and while the words make perfect sense, I get the feeling that something has been lost in translation.  Ayako is considered to be a thinly veiled recounting of post-war Japanese politics, which doesn’t always put the Japanese government in a positive light.  To me, though, the story was about a sleazy family that locks a young girl in their basement in order to prevent her from telling anyone that she witnessed the murder of her best friend. Ayako grows up knowing only the confined space of the basement and the subverted love of her brother.  Like most Tezuka works, this is definitely for adults, and adults who aren't squeamish about sexuality and violence.   Not my favorite.

Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms, by Fumiyo Kouno

Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms, by Fumiyo Kouno, 104 pages

Wow, this is a beautifully told and drawn graphic novel, comprised of interconnected stories.  Life went on after the bombing of Hiroshima, but it was forever affected and altered. The stories within are those of commoners who find their loved ones dying young from radiation, who meet discrimination for being potentially exposed to the bomb, and who have to come to terms with having been spared by the bomb when their families weren’t.  Life and love go on.  It’s far more subtle than the classic Barefoot Gen, but perhaps even more compelling.   

Now You're One of Us, by Asa Nonami

Now You're One of Us, by Asa Nonami, 240 pages

Noriko is a young newlywed, who finds herself living with not just her husband, but his siblings, parents, grandparents, and great-grandmother.  Noriko grows uneasy with the closeness and overly-kindness of the family, and her suspicions grow as the stories they tell her don't add up.  Descriptions of this liken it to Rosemary's Baby, which is a fair comparison, but set in Japan and with creepy sexual acts instead of Satanism.  Definitely for adults.