Sue & Tai-Chan Volume 1 | Review

Sue & Tai-chan Volume 1
by Konami Kanata
Kodansha Comics, $12.99
Ages 10 and up

The author of the popular Chi’s Sweet Home, Konami Kanata, returns with another cute cat manga. This series is full-color, printed left to right, for maximum English-speaking audience appeal.

Sue is an elderly cat, set in her ways, when her owner takes in the kitten Tai-chan. The older feline is drawn with simple lines, while Tai-chan is fuzzy, with huge eyes, capturing his youth. Sue sleeps most of the time, while Tai-chan explores the world.

The short chapters allow for cute tidbits of story, based around the cats getting used to each other. The kitten wants to play, annoying Sue, or needs to be taught to use the litter box. Tai-chan tastes her way around the room or chases Sue’s tail.

The animals’ word balloons are variants on “meow” and “mew,” with their meanings captioned nearby, giving the reader insight into the cats’ emotions. The adventures being in full color make it even more pleasant to read.  

There are encounters with food and water and sleepless nights and doors and a watermelon. The events are so simple, yet realistic, that this is a relaxing read.

Sue & Tai-chan is an absolutely adorable book, as are the cats themselves. It’s also good insight into what’s involved in taking care of a pet, particularly a young, active one.

Filed under: Manga, Reviews