Impressions: My Roommate is a Cat

Japanese: 同居人はひざ、時々、頭のうえ。| Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue.

Episodes released thus far: 7

Genre: Slice of Life

My Roommate is a Cat is a currently airing 12-episode anime from this season (Winter 2019).

60% of the episode is told from Mikazuki’s point of view, while the rest of the episode is told from Haru’s point of view. The same events happen – it’s a retelling of the events but from the cat’s perspective.

Synopsis: Subaru Mikazuki is a writer who hates leaving his house and finds it overwhelming to interact with people. He encounters a stray cat and decides to take her home. He names the cat ‘Haru.’ Each episode portrays how Mikazuki’s life is impacted by Haru and his friends, and how Haru’s life is also changed upon meeting Mikazuki.

Thoughts: Two things drew me into this show: 1) the protagonist’s attitudes towards life and 2) the cat! I’ve been wanting to raise a cat for the longest time, but hopefully I will be able to in a few more years.

Mikazuki reminds me of myself in some ways. We both love reading, we don’t like going outside, and we don’t take very good care of ourselves. Some viewers might find Mikazuki to be unlikable because he isn’t interested in social conversations but I really like him. He loves reading books and enjoys being alone.

During the events of the show, Mikazuki is slowly starting to see that having company over isn’t so bad. We’re just a little over halfway through the show, and Mikazuki is already changing in small ways after living with Haru.

Personal story: I used to always say ‘no’ to my classmates when they asked me to study with them. I study best alone, so I thought it would be too much of a hassle to study with others. This year, I studied with a couple of classmates at a café and I was productive. We helped each other study and I found it really helpful.

Bottom line: There’s always room for personal growth. I don’t think that Mikazuki necessarily has to change, but meeting Haru is a really great thing that happened to him. It was also good for Haru as well.

We learn about Haru’s story and what her life was like as a stray. While Mikazuki won’t know her backstory or thoughts, we know Haru on a much more intimate level. She’s a really great character.

My Roommate is a Cat is an adorable, heartwarming story. Even if you don’t like Mikazuki, you’ll like the cat.

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