I really loved Volume One and Volume Two of this adorable series, so when the latest 40%-off Borders coupon showed up I had to dash out and get volume 3! As a cat-person who spends a fair amount of time either cooing over my cats' latest cutenesses or groaning over their latest bouts of destruction, I find this series wonderfully on point, and so far the books have been able to make me laugh out loud as well as get a bit teary-eyed...

Later: Yep, another lovely entry in this delightful series. This one features the growing friendship between little Chi and the big black "bear-cat", who - oh-so-helpfully - teaches Chi how to open the sliding door so she can get outside. (He comes to regret this when Chi starts tagging along after him, scaring off the prey and whatnot, but he warms to his role as mentor later on.)

There's a hilarious strip in which the father tries to take a photo of Chi, only to find that she keeps coming right up to the camera to see what's going on, nosing the lens and batting at the strap, and taking on adorable poses only to dart out of frame just as the shutter clicks. All too familiar!

While the stories remain primarily episodic, there's a running theme here of the growing risk of having Chi's presence discovered by the landlady, which would mean the family would either have to get rid of her or find another place to live. The adults in the family try to plan for the possibility, scouting out possible new homes for the kitten, but they don't really want to part with her, and of course the little boy refuses to consider that as an option. There are some close calls that are surprisingly tense...

In between these dramatic bits there are more kitten-hijinks, from climbing the curtains (and getting stuck) to trying to get outside after her people have started locking the door. [Check out the center panel at the top of page 91; Chi's just been told to stop batting at the door as she isn't going out anymore, and she gives one of the most wonderfully classic disgusted/the-nerve-of-you-people faces!]

Kitten moping, kitten chatting, kitten being missed desperately - oh, wait, that was only a dream, but it could be a reality, as a possible new home has appeared. But Yohei isn't having any part of *that*, and another adventure ensues....

[See its TV Tropes page here. And I found that there's an anime version (done in very, very short segments), viewable online here.]

Updated to add links to the other volumes I've bought so far:

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5

I've been enjoying this series so much that I thought I'd offer this one for a bookray (see the forum thread here).

The book is a roughly 7 1/2" x 5" softcover that weighs under 6 ounces; I hope this will be useful when estimating postage costs. I'm willing to make it an international ray if I get enough participants who can mail internationally and cover all the necessary hops. [US participants can get postage estimates at the USPS site here.]

Please post a reply in the forum thread if you'd like to participate, and include any mailing restrictions or list-order preferences you may have.

Bookray instructions:

When you receive the book, please journal it, and PM the next person in line for their address so you'll have it ready when you've finished the book.

Note: even if you've sent books to that person before, please PM them before mailing this one, to confirm that the address is correct and that they're able to take on a bookray book at this time.

Try and read the book promptly - ideally, within one month of receiving it. (If you expect to take longer, you can request to be put at the end of the list. If you find you're swamped with other books when the person before you contacts you about the book, you can ask to be skipped, and then let me know whether you'd like to be moved down the list or dropped entirely. If you receive the book and find it's taking longer than you'd planned to get through it, I'd appreciate an update in its journal entries or on your profile, just to let me and the other participants know you haven't forgotten it.)

When you're ready to pass the book along, please add your comments about the book and indicate where you're sending it, either through a journal entry or through the controlled-release-note option using your country/state/city as the location. If you find that you're having problems contacting the next person in line, or don't think you can manage to mail the book as originally agreed, please let me know; I'll be glad to try to work something out.

Participants, in mailing order:

katayoun [Iran]
salvami - [Ireland]
Tsjara - [Netherlands]
iiwi - [Netherlands]
heartthumper - [KS/USA]
affinity4books - [TX/USA]
1010nabulation [CA/USA]
KimKimKim - [PA/USA]

I sent this book to BCer katayoun in Iran to kick off the bookray. Hope everyone enjoys it!

thanks so much, the book is here safe and sound and right now read as the book really got here yesterday (sorry for the late journal, but was running all the time yesterday annnnnd was reading and chuckling today) the book is super cute and soooooo true, at times i was thinking it was my resident cat and not chi! thanks so much, enjoyed it alot am going to pm salvami right now to ask about their address

thanks, fun, fun! mailed yesterday to "salvami"

Thank you so much, the book is here with me! :)
I am already enjoying reading this cute little book..oh I love Chi and Blackie!!!

Will read few times and share with other cat-lovers before I pass it on. Thanks.

I am very sorry for the delay.

It's here! :) Thanks for sending Salvami! This looks very cute, and the pictures are in colour too (I haven't seen that in manga before :p). I think I'll save this one for reading at home.. don't want to look like an idiot on the train giggling to myself :p
Thanks for sharing GoryDetails!

I read this in little bits and really enjoyed it, Chi is adorable ^-^ And the black cat too.. (both) getting into trouble all the time haha..

PMed iiwi a couple days ago, but no reply yet, so I'm sending another one.

Dropped it in the mailbox this morning. Should arrive at iiwi's soon I think :)
Enjoy!

Received, with a black kitty on the envelope!

That was so much fun. I only had kittens once (I have an older cat now, because my newer houses were smaller), but it is very familiar. I loved the photographing episode. I especially like the expressions of Chi. You would think that with a small body and huge eyes there isn't much room for expression at all, but there are all kinds of expressions on her face, from happy to yearning.

I read this book on rather unusual places; sitting against a Sherman tank, on a reservoir dam overlooking the lake and in a medieval castle.

The book arrived today and I've almost finished it. Chi is so cute. I love cat stories. Thanks!

Posted to affinity4books.

It's here and it's adorable! I'll start it tonight.

Very cute and a great intro to manga for me. I could almost hear all the kitty noises as I read. Thanks fir sharing!

Mailed out today

according to the delivery confirmation #03102010000028302020
this arrived safely in CA

Sorry it took me so long to make an entry here! I thought I had but it must have slipped my mind. This manga was absolutely adorable; I'm glad I got to read it. :) Thank you for starting the bookring, GoryDetails!

I've PMed KimKimKim for her address and will send the book out as soon as I hear back.

Mailed to KimKimKim, delivery confirmation # 0310 3490 0002 5213 8777! :)