Synopsis:
Matoi Souta is an overworked office worker tired of his life. Then, on his way home from a long day of work one day, he decides to watch a traditional Japanese play. But something strange happens. He could have sworn he saw one of the actors has cat ears.
It turns out that the man is actually a bakeneko — a shapeshifting cat from Japanese folklore. And then, the cat speaks: “From now on, you will be my mate.”
This is a charming story of a young salaryman reaching the end of his tether through over work when he visits a theatre on impulse on his way home one day. He’s utterly captivated by the story and the storyteller, but thinks he’s going insane when for a second he sees the man has cat ears.
It turns out that the man is a bakeneko, a shapeshifting cat, who must either claim the young man as his mate or they will be punished by his people for revealing the secret of the bakeneko.
The rest of the story is about their growing attachment to each other, which is sweet but frustrating due to the number of miscommunications they have.
The illustrations are fun and dynamic, which fits the story really well. I wish there was bit more to this story to give more background to the bakeneko but all things considered, I really enjoyed this quirkly BL title.
The Most Sublime 