Cat + Gamer

Cat + Gamer (Volume 8) / Wataru Nadatani, Zack Davisson (Translator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Cat + Gamer (Volume 8)
By: Wataru Nadatani, Zack Davisson (Translator)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 160
Published: August 25, 2025 (1st Published April 18, 2022)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: September 1, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

Riko must figure out how to manage her apartment with two cats as her company is getting ready to move.

What a fitting ending to this slice of life series! Yes, at only eight volumes, this series has come to an end – but it does so perfectly in my opinion. No crazy, twisted ending. Again, just a slice of life story about a gaming obsessed office lady who gets two cats.

I read this entire series through my public library, but I think I’m going to be going about purchasing the volumes myself down the line as I can see myself wanting to randomly read through them in an afternoon.

It’s still crazy to me how the author captures the sassy personalities of cats in just a simple panel. There are times I look at my younger cat and see Musubi’s face…

Overall, an excellent series and a wonderful ending.

Cat + Gamer (Volume 7) / By: Wataru Nadatani, Susie Lee (Contributor), Zack Davisson (Translator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Cat + Gamer (Volume 7)
By: Wataru Nadatani, Susie Lee (contributor), Zack Davisson (Translator)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 160
Published: February 25, 2025 (1st Published January 18, 2022)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: March 8, 2025
Format: Library Book / Paperback

A few of the stories in this collection include Riko Kozakura trying to figure out the best way of balancing working from home and the cats’ asking for attention, playing hide and seek, finding the culprit of a mess in the kitchen, and finding the wonderful smell of a cat.

Just another fun collection with such relatable things – like Soboro sitting on the keyboard of the computer or Musubi sitting on Riko’s brand new work chair and her sitting on the edge (one of the reasons I think I automatically sit on the edge of my work chair regardless if there’s a cat there or not).

High applauds to the talent of how Nadatani captures the expressions of a cat without changing what a cat will actually look like. Sure, we get inside their heads during the bonus pages, but the cat’s faces are truly that of a cat’s face (and the amount of times I’ve seen my own cat in Musubi’s face…)

Overall, I still absolutely love this series and can’t wait until the next one.

Have 3 Reviews: Two Cat Manga and a Cat Novel

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

Is the plural of manga “manga” or “mangas”? Does anyone know? I feel like “manga” is to be used as both singular and plural buy my brain is arguing with me about it. Please comment if you totally know the answer!

I’m dropping 3 Reviews in one here. Mostly to finish up my end of the year books (finally) as well as not flood anyone’s inboxes with the very short reviews that you’ll see below.

Now, it’s on to write my week late STOKED FOR THIS post 🙂

Cat + Gamer (Volume 6)
By: Wataru Nadatani
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 168
Published: October 29, 2024 (1st Published May 18, 2021)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: December 31, 2024
Format: Library Book / eBook

Musubi and Soboro continue to team up with Riko, “leveling up” in everyday life.

Oh my goodness, I so very much love this series. Especially as a (small) gamer with two cats. 

I love the small snippets from the cat’s points of view at the end of each chapter. It makes them even cuter.

Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi (Volume 2)
By:Yuri Sonoda
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 168
Published: December 17, 2024
Publisher: Seven Seas
Dates Read: December 31, 2024
Format: Library Book / Paperback

When the older lady who fed the cats in the park stops coming, Maruru and Hachi must find food elsewhere. While in the search, Hachi gets gravely injured – to ensure their survival, he makes a surprising decision.

Cats.

Animal rescue.

Grumpy accepting help.

That’s all you need to know.

It was beautiful.

I gasped, “Oh no”ed, and goofy smiled about 1,000 times.

Meow
By: Sam Austen
Genre: Fiction, Humor
Number of Pages: 346
Published: June 24, 2023
Publisher: Meow Library
Dates Read: December 31, 2024
Format: Library / Paperback

A book written for your cat in their language.

My favorite part was when they said,

“Meow?”

“Meow meow meow.”

“Meow meow.”

If you can’t tell, it’s an entire book written with just the word “Meow”.

Cat + Gamer (Volume 5) / Wataru Nadatani

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Cat + Gamer (Volume 5)
By: Wataru Nadatani
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 160
Published: July 9, 2024 (1st Published December 18, 2020)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: July 31, 2024
Format: Library Book / Paperback

From fighting the zoomies, to taking a photo worth a million, Volume 5 of Cat + Gamer is bond to have your cracking smiles with every page turn.

I think I enjoyed this volume most out of all of them I’ve read. I read it all in one setting, in bed right before going to sleep, and I laughed out loud so many times I’m honestly shocked I didn’t wake my sleeping partner in the process.

One of the things I enjoyed was the inner thoughts of the cats and how their lives also revolve around gaming and gaming terms. It honestly used to annoy me a lot when Kozakura would compare everything they did to gaming, but now that the cats are also “in on it”, it makes it all the more better in some weird way.

Another thing I really enjoyed was the simple things that you do as a cat owner, that others just won’t get unless you have cats – example: giving your cats a bath. It’s not as simple as it sounds and the facial expressions that Wataru Nadatani gave Soboro had tears in my eyes as I tried not to laugh so hard while reading.

Overall, this is still a series I’ve been handing recommendations out with left and right. I’ve also been getting them from the library as they become available but have decided, after reading this volume, that I need to just physically own the series. So, now I’m in that process.

Seriously, if you have cats, read this book. If you have cats and love gaming, really read this book. You won’t regret it!

Cat + Gamer (Volume 4) / Wataru Nadatani

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Cat + Gamer (Volume 4)
By: Wataru Nadatani
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 168
Published: February 24, 2024 (1st Published July 17, 2020)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: March 13, 2024
Format: Library Book / Paperback

In this volume, Riko adopts a new kitten to add to the family, to keep Musubi company. In comes Soboro, a munchkin calico. Double the cuteness.

I always loved when people take the time to introduce new pets to their current ones. Each time I got a new pet, we just introduced them to my cat, Mushi, the day we brought them home.

I still don’t care as much for Riko’s gaming analogies but I stay for the cats. I do want to say I love how she interacts with the felines while she is gaming and that though she gets upset if they mess her up, it’s never anything super crazy.

Overall, this manga is filled with the cuteness of owning a cat(s) for the first time; especially for someone who is introverted and used to being on their own.

Cat + Gamer: Volumes 1-3 / Wataru Nadatani

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I’m going to do something a little different with this post and have the reviews for 3 separate books. They’re all from same manga series and I read them back to back to back, so in a way, they all bled together. And my reviews for manga volumes are already so short since the volumes are never that long to begin with.

Cat + Gamer (Volume 1)

By: Wataru Nadatani

Genre: Manga

Number of Pages: 192

Published: May 24, 2022 (1st Published May 17, 2019)

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Dates Read: February 1, 2024

Format: Library Book / Paperback

29-year-old Riko’s life revolves around video games. One day, she says yes to taking in a kitten found in the parking lot. Riko’s never had a pet before, but she uses lessons drawn from video games to help care for her new four legged roommate. 

This is cute and I very much enjoy it. 

Riko learning about the different stages of her new kitten’s life is adorable and it just reminds me so much of my two cats when they were kittens (I’ve got a 13 year-old and a 3 year-old).

Her setting up the online account to just post photos of Musubi is relatable, because 90% of my phone’s gallery is also just pet photos.

Cat + Gamer (Volume 2)

By: Wataru Nadatani

Genre: Manga

Number of Pages: 176

Published: August 23, 2022 (1st Published August 16, 2019)

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Dates Read: February 1, 2024

Format: Library Book / Paperback

Riko and Musubi learn what it’s like living together. Riko learns more and more about Musubi- such as his favorite toys, treats, and sleeping spots. Musubi learns how to tell Riko it’s time for food.

Is this the best manga on the planet? No, but it’s cute and I still love reading about Musubi’s antics.

Cat + Gamers (Volume 3)

By: Wataru Nadatani

Genre: Manga

Number of Pages: 168

Published: October 10, 2023 (1st Published March 18, 2020)

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Dates Read: February 2, 2024 

Format: Library Book / Paperback

Okay, but the entirety of Riko finding all the cat toys only for Musubi to lose one half a second later is so real I couldn’t stop laughing. Especially since the morning I read this, I legit just pulled 6 toys out from under the washer and dryer for my own cat (including a balled up receipt she was most excited for).

Other things in this volume include: hallucinated video game dreams, a cat bath, and finding the turnaround on a cat’s favorite toy.