sadslime's manga / #cat(36)

Shiro is a white cat who was raised to hate dogs, who live well and are taken care of by humans, while he and his family live in a dump. He goes to the human area to steal the "glory" back from dogs, (a word he can't remember and doesn't understand), and ends up living with a human and Kuro, a sweet dog who immediately knows its his duty to take care of Shiro. After their rocky start, the two end up very close, but when Shiro starts to hit sexual maturity and wants to get even closer to Kuro, Kuro can't bear to think that way about the kid that he practically raised. And also Shiro's family comes back to get him. Trigger warning: noncon(somnophilia).

1-3 Zenya Kitataka always grew up around animals and misses it at college, so he thinks maybe he's hallucinating when he first sees cat ears on fellow student Takeru Nekoya's head. But it turns out Takeru's family has long been possessed by a cat demon, and only their mate can see the ears and tail. Takeru just wasn't expecting his to be a boy. 4 - Double Effect -Ren Misaki is a radio DJ, and his coworker Soichiro Uozumi is always watching him. His straightforward gaze gets Ren hot and bothered, so he ends up coming to work with a vibrator inside him. What will happen when the two finally come forward about what they feel? 5 - Overdrive - Keita Ikoma is a new worker who becomes the manager of a band, and he happens to know one of the members, Ryosuke, from his own days in a cover band. But when Ryosuke looks down on him, Keita becomes all the more determined to get the band in the spotlight and prove his worth.

Anthropomorphized cat Leo is a stray who's always taken in other abandoned kittens, so this time when he meets the abandoned dog, Milky, he doesn't see it as any different and takes him in. But unfortunately for Leo, while Milky is delighted to be a part of the group and quickly falling head over heels for Leo, Leo's second-in-command is ready to risk everything to get rid of Milky and get the group back to normal. Not my favorite anthropomorphized animal read, but nothing about it was bad. Trigger warnings: animal abandonment, violence.

First in the Kuroneko Kareshi series. Shingo is a black werecat who uses his cat nature as an excuse for everything and sleeps around at night while working in set construction during the day. That is, until he catches the eye of Kakami Keiichi, the number one actor in Japan and wereleopard, who starts chatting Shingo up and eventually gets him super drunk and basically rapes him. After that, Keiichi doesn't want to let go, so Shingo gives in and allows a physical relationship between them. But when it comes to anything more, Shingo is a stray cat, and he's always ready to run away. I actually love this series and these characters, but I'll be the first to say that the way their relationship starts is the absolute worst and I hate Keiichi for it. They try to retcon it later when they show his POV that Shingo was begging for it (in a different volume), but it's still gross. Still, I think that the series has some beautiful art and really good character development for Shingo, if not Keiichi. Trigger warnings: rape(drunk), manipulation.

Second in the Kuroneko series. Werecat and construction worker Shingo and wereleopard and actor Keiichi are now dating and Shingo spends every night at Keiichi's place. Shingo is almost scared of how happy he is now that he's let himself be in a relationship for the first time, but when a photographer gets a little handsy with him, Keiichi's jelousy gets out of control. Seeing that Shingo doesn't fully trust him, Keiichi suggests they go back to the beginning and continue as fuck buddies as without a beginning, it'll never end, right? Again, I like this series, but Keiichi's behaviors are bad. Still, Shingo is really cute as a cat in this one. Trigger warning: abusive behaviors.

Third in the Kuroneko series. Shingo and Keiichi are now an established couple, and while they're being lovey-dovey, Keiichi suggests they move in together, with Shingo giving it a hard pass. Keiichi insists, and Shingo has to work through all his hangups about living together, and fast, because Keiichi already has an apartment for them. A fairly quick, sweet interlude for the couple with no major conflicts. Trigger warning: manipulation.

Fourth in the Kuroneko series. Shingo and Keiichi have recently moved in together and are more lovey dovey than ever, but when Keiichi's brother suddenly arrives, treats Shingo like a servant, and brings his son to move in for their stay in Japan, things start to get strained. Keiichi wants to defend Shingo as the person he loves, but meanwhile, Shingo doesn't want to see Keiichi throw away his family. I like the cute nephew, Rio, a lot, but Keiichi's behavior in this one is pretty awful, even if he is trying to defend Shingo. Trigger warnings: controlling behaviors, rape.

Mao and Hayato

Fifth in the Kuroneko series. Werecat Shingo and his actor and wereleopard boyfriend Keiichi are a lovey dovey couple living together now with the trouble of Keiichi's brother behind them, but when Keiichi gets busy with work, Shingo tries to control his jealousy, only for him to feel they're drifting further apart. Finally, Shingo puts an end to things, and this time, Keiichi doesn't chase him. But is Shingo really ready to let things end? Trigger warning: dubcon. SO, I have things to say. I have two main problems with this one. 1) Less important, but the whole, "the problem lies with the one who can smell it." That's not how scent works?? It's just such an asinine line that makes zero sense in context or with biology when they could have explained it so many other ways, and I hate it. But 2) the bigger problem is that they frame it as though Shingo is the one in the wrong, and while he does let his anxiety get the better of him and ask for the breakup, it fails to acknowledge all the ways in which Keiichi fucked up to get them there. Shingo asked if he was having an affair, and he knows Shingo has anxiety about being abandoned in a relationship, yet his only response was to find his jealousy "cute." Then, we have him staying out late, not texting, not coming home at night, all of which is pretty bad behavior in a partner, even if Shingo did know it was for work, and all the while he was with an openly bi director who was flirting with him, which Keiichi seemed to do nothing to stop. But the worst of all is that he took a job oversees for multiple months without even talking to Shingo about it! Like, it's your choice, but when you're in a relationship, it's totally irresponsible to make such a major life decision without at least consulting your partner. No wonder Shingo thought he was losing interest! And instead of exploring any of these things at all, when Shingo asked for the breakup, Keiichi just demanded the "real" reason instead of taking any time to think about any of this, then left. He's always been a pretty abusive partner, but the way in which this volume frames him as the victim just drives me crazy. Still, I obviously feel some investment in this couple if I'm bothering to write all this. I would really love to see a version of this volume from Keiichi's point of view that actually addresses the ways in which he was failing Shingo and sees him realize he needs to do better as a partner if he wants Shingo to feel secure in their relationship.