SHE AND HER CAT

𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝘁
𝐁𝐲 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗮𝗶 & 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗸𝗶 𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘄𝗮
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻
𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤:𝟏𝟔𝟎
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝟐𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔






She and Her Cat, Stories by Makoto Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa (translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori) is a collection of four softly interlinked short stories that explore companionship, solitude, and emotional healing through the eyes of cats and the women they quietly devote themselves to.

The narrative alternates between feline and human perspectives, offering an intimate look at everyday lives shaped by loss, love, uncertainty, and quiet resilience. The cats, each with their own emotional landscapes, observe their humans navigating work pressures, strained relationships, grief, and loneliness—often offering comfort simply by being present.
The opening story, “Sea of Words,” introduces Chobi, a rescued cat whose innocent affection for Miyu is tender and charming—especially in the way he refers to her as his “girlfriend.”
In “First Blossoming,” Reina, a struggling art student, crosses paths with Mimi, a stray cat abandoned as a kitten. Their shared vulnerability creates a subtle but meaningful bond.
“Slumber and Sky” centres on Aioi, who is grieving the loss of her best friend, and Cookie, a kitten who gradually helps her find emotional balance again.
The final story, “The Temperature of the World,” follows Kuro, a feral cat who slowly learns to belong after becoming part of Shino’s household following the loss of her previous pet.
A memorable presence throughout is Jon, a wise neighbourhood dog whose calm authority brings harmony among the cats and offers quiet guidance. Although the stories are only loosely connected, they exist within the same emotional universe, and each character—human or animal—serves a clear purpose. The cats, in particular, are written with warmth and gentleness, and their instinctive desire to comfort their “hers” is genuinely touching.

The language is straightforward to understand, and the translation is smooth and well-executed. It does not interrupt the reading flow, which is something I appreciate in translated Japanese fiction.
However, despite my fondness for Japanese literature and slice-of-life narratives, this collection did not fully capture my attention. While the themes are tender and thoughtfully handled, the pacing is notably slow. About two-thirds of the way through, the narrative began to feel boring. That said, at just around 160–170 pages, it is a relatively quick read.
So, would I recommend it? I feel somewhat conflicted. As someone who genuinely enjoys Japanese translated fiction and reflective, everyday storytelling, I did not connect with this book as deeply as I had hoped. For this one, I’ll leave the final choice to you—read the review, consider your reading preferences, and decide whether this gentle, introspective collection feels like the right companion for your reading journey.