I highly enjoyed this book not just for the cute anthropomorphic cat characters but how it handled social issues like the types discrimination and prejudice we see everyday in our society. The best way to describe the actions and conflicts in the story is if each character drew a line in the sand or really a circle. There are four main cat characters, a handful of human characters and one minor cat character. Each one deals with the discrimination that comes with being a cat in society differently.
Before I continue, its important to understand how the manga uses the idea of "cat" as a stand in for basically any thing that is "different" or the things that people have biases against and how that affects those who the biases are directed too. While the manga doesn't go into a deep exploration of these complex social issues, it is not afraid to be painfully blunt about it either. Things like consent, work place discrimination and harassment, parental expectations, and even our own personal boundaries are examined and laid bare for the reader to see. At times it can uncomfortable to read because of how obviously oblivious the characters can be in this story when they interact with the feline cast.
To better understand how this story handles these topics, let's return to the line in the sand metaphor. Starting with the main character, Hachisuke, whose line is a comfortable distance. Not to close but open enough to let in those he trusts. Early on that trust is broken which serves as a recurring conflict in the story and also a source of personal growth for our main character.
Second character is Makio who is a feline model something very common in this setting which is not necessarily a good thing. He's my favorite character because while Hachisuke is the most relatable and down to earth, Makio isn't afraid to be flexible but while also respecting and protecting his friends. One of my favorite parts of the series is near the end when Makio questions whether or not he should remain as a feline model fearing it will continue to perpetuate feline stereotypes and stigmas but after being reassured by Hachisuke, continues doing it because its not about what others want, its about what he wants. It's his choice. If he is comfortable doing it and being in the spotlight, then the others should and do support him.
Thirdly is the male calico cat named Mike. He has less of a line in the sand and more of a series of dots in a row. He has zero boundaries or respect for the boundaries of others. While this does change, it's interesting to see why he acts like this. Through flashbacks and dialogue we learn he was raised to be a kitten model and being exploited by humans is all he knows. His parents don't believe he can be anything but a feline model despite he has no desire to follow that road but can't bare the thought of disappointing anyone or expressing his own feelings. Similarly to Makio, you want to respect Mike's choice to get along with humans in his own way, it is clear early on in the story that his utter lack of social awareness is actively harmful to himself and has a negative affect on the cats around him.
The fourth cat is Kurono and he has less of a line in the sand and more like a brick wall. Angry, bitter, and easy to lash out he doesn't use hate being exploited and discriminated against humans but looks down on cats who choose to consent to being petted and babied by them. This causes conflict with Mike who is his polar opposite. What makes Kurono interesting is how inflexible he is and how he alienates himself not only from humans but other cats. His bad attitude causes problems and he knows it but doesn't know how to change. In a strange way, like Mike, he also doesn't respect other's boundaries or their choices.
The fifth cat, Muko, is not one of the main four but a secondary cat character who runs a bookshop where several events in the story take place. Strong, independent, and a little sour her line is very small and doesn't have a lot of room for anyone she doesn't agree with. She's quick to point out others social failings, and will not sugar coat her feelings. She can come off as abrasive but being looked down on a feline and female shop owner, her story is not uncommon.
The main human character duo are a good inclusion to the story because they add a unique perspective to the story. Yoshihito is Hachisuke and Mike's supervisor at their job. While he tries his best to be kind to the felines, he comes off as a wannabe "savior" and ally. This tendency to both walk on eggshells and also align himself with the problems with the felines, comes off as uncomfortable to the very cats he's trying to help. A common occurrence in real life which makes it important to be included in his story. The well meaning human simply doesn't know how to respond correctly to problems he can never truly understand. This causes friction with Muko who is quick to point out his failings and put him in his place even when that in of itself isn't helpful or productive. Their dynamic is one of the best in the story because of how honest it is. One who wants to help but tries too hard therefore overcomplicates things and the other who despite her annoyance appreciates the effort.
The second humans is one introduced early in the series and is named Hitomi. After a night of drinking, Hitomi pets Hachisuke believing she has his consent. She ends up scratched by Hachisuke and Hachisuke ends up fired from his brief job at the modeling agency. This causes a rift between the two and traumatizes Hitomi who, as a woman, has had her fair share of harassment, is mortified that she did the same thing to another person. It's with Hitomi that the story stops using allegory altogether at one point and showcases the problems victims of sexual harassment face including victim blaming and finger pointing. Long story short, Hachisuke forgives her and she strives to be more knowledgable about feline culture and their problems. A bit on the nose but points for showing how research and effort go a long way to bridging social gaps and alleviating social injustices bit by bit.
The biggest emphasis the story has is that none of this is easy but at the same time it is easy to respect each other and the boundaries, the lines in the sand we create. Those lines can be too big or too small and that's when its up to us to try to strengthen and break down those walls a little by communicating with each other. That's what I like about this series. Different characters, with different perspectives all communicating and growing to create a better society. The series can be overly blunt with its messaging and some might find the messaging itself mishandled or misguided but for me, I appreciate the story that was being told and the message it was sending the reader.