~ It’s never too late to discover something completely new ~

Peaking around the local library a new discovery was made.

Cats have permeated everything (and no, that isn’t the discovery)

What do you get when you mix the Japanese love of cats plus their other obsession, manga?

CAT + MANGA = ?

Any ideas?

Have a guess???

Black cat manga and anime!

Black Cat  is a Japanese Shonen Jump manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Yabuki.

What?

The manga appeared weekly, and was later turned into an anime.

What?????

Manga?

Anime?

For the uninitiated, here is a brief explanation.

Manga are Japanese comic books, very stylized, usually for adults. Can also be for children, but some content is definitely adult.

Very popular in Japan, and around the world.

There are bookstores devoted entirely to them. Even in the west.

(Note: the following images are NOT Shonen Jump Black Cat but another manga Bleach. Black Cat manga are difficult to find)

Even in English they are read Japanese style, in reverse from back to front.

Anime are Japanese hand drawn animation, very stylized. Very popular in Japan.

Often they are derived from manga.

The Shonen Jump Black Cat manga was adapted into an anime and became very popular.

But there is one very interesting thing……

There really aren’t any black cats in this.

Or cats at all.

The storyline is built upon a character, Train Heartnet, who is a former assassin for a world order organization, and is now working as a bounty hunter. Very edgy the stories center on Train and his escapades.

But why black cat?

The main character, Train, is described as being cat-like and due to the nature of his work he is portrayed as probably dark, like the black cat.

Disappointing.

No cats.

But the attributes of the cat are the basis for the character.

But still…..

No connection for die hard cat lovers but this does get its inspiration from the feline species.

If there is an edgy teenager in your orbit this might be interesting to point them towards.

Otherwise,

~ It’s never too late to discover something completely new ~