Whether a cat is napping in the sun or a dog is playing with its toys, few things are more comforting and entertaining than watching pets enjoy their day. Since their lives can seem so simple and joyful, pets tend to be the focus of light-hearted, slice-of-life anime and manga series that can highlight a pet’s most charming and adorable features.
Cats are one the most common pets in anime and manga series about animals because their personalities make them a perfect fit for adventures, fulfilling relationships, and the occasional drama. However, cute anime and manga series for animal lovers can focus on all kinds of animals, from cats to hamsters to penguins.
7 With A Dog AND A Cat, Every Day Is Fun
With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun is a manga series by Hidekichi Matsumoto and short-episode anime about Matsumoto’s pets, a dog called Inu-kun and Neko-sama the cat. While Inu-kun is the picture of carefree optimism and joy, Neko-sama can be intimidating and intense, often encouraging Inu-kun to be more cat-like.
Despite their differences, Inu-kun and Neko-sama get along well and enjoy spending time together at home. Together, their mismatched personalities make their everyday adventures a hilarious and familiar sight for animal lovers and pet owners alike.
6 Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu
Although Junji Ito is most well-known for his horror manga, Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu is an autobiographical story about how he became a cat owner and lover after moving in with his fiancé. The manga begins with Ito’s disappointment that he has to cat-proof his new home for Yon, a cat with a cursed-looking face. However, everything changes after he adopts a fluffy cat named Mu and realizes he wants to befriend both animals.
While the cat diary is in Ito’s graphic yet mesmerizing art style made for horror, its story about vying for affection from cats makes it a light-hearted, relatable, and, at times, adorable read.
5 Penguin & House
Pen the penguin lives with his owner, Hayakawa, in the city. However, Pen doesn’t let Hayakawa dote on him the way other pet owners might. Instead, Pen prefers to be the one who cooks, cleans, and cares for his human friend. It can be hard to navigate the city as a penguin, but Pen always pulls through to show how much he cares.
Although Pen and Hayakawa don’t lead traditional lives, Penguin & House by Akiho Ieda shows how meaningful a pet’s unconditional love can be to its owner, as Hayakawa always appreciates Pen’s hard work and determination.
4 A Man & His Cat
Overlooked at the pet store for the first year of his life, a chubby cat finally gets adopted by an older gentleman who comes back to an empty home after losing his wife. The man has never had a cat before. However, the cat and the man happily adjust to a new life of companionship together.
While A Man & His Cat by Umi Sakurai touches on heavier themes, such as loss and loneliness, it balances its more emotional scenes with wholesome moments about watching the cat grow to love his new life.
3 She And Her Cat
She and Her Cat is a black-and-white short film directed by Makoto Shinkai that uses the cat’s perspective to express its love for its owner, even as she seems to be going through a tough time. She is no less than perfect to the cat, even if it can only express it by letting her pet it when she is home.
For its charming beauty and depth, the short film received a sequel series called She and Her Cat: Everything Flows and a manga illustrated by Tsubasa Yamaguchi that follows Shinkai’s original story. The cat’s connection with its owner is touching in all its iterations, making it perfect for cat lovers who want a short but emotional anime or manga to enjoy.
2 Hamtaro
Based on a short manga series by Ritsuko Kawai, Hamtaro follows an orange and white hamster named Hamtaro and his adventures with a group of other hamsters called the Ham-Hams. While Hamtaro and the others can meet at their underground base during the day, he always returns home to be with his loving schoolchild owner by the time she gets home.
Watching Hamtaro run about and enjoy his favorite treats is enjoyable on its own, but adding in the rest of the Ham-Hams makes it an even more adorable watch since they all have their own likes, dislikes, and personalities.
1 Chi’s Sweet Home
Chi is a grey-and-white striped kitten who wanders away from her mother one day while walking along the road. Lost and afraid she will never find her mother again, she meets a young boy named Youhei and his family. Although Youhei’s family can’t have pets at their apartment complex, they take her in and show her the best their home can offer.
Whether cat lovers prefer to read the manga by Kanata Konami or watch the anime, Chi’s Sweet Home is perfect for enjoying with kids because of its straightforward story, charming characters, and heartfelt moments.