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A review by millennial_dandy
Cats of the Louvre by Taiyo Matsumoto
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
"Have you ever heard them? The voices of the paintings?"
It was speculated that 'Cats of the Louvre' was commissioned as part of the 'Louvre Collection' which included 'Guardians of the Louvre' by artist Jirô Taniguchi, whose graphic novel was referenced in 'Cats of the Louvre'. I couldn't find any confirmation of this, but regardless, 'Cats of the Louvre' gives a lot of love to what has been called 'the world's most popular museum.'
As whimsical as the set-up of a rag-tag group of cats living in an attic at the Louvre sounds, 'Cats of the Louvre' is actually surprisingly melancholy and thoughtful.
We start off by following a few human characters: a Louvre tour guide and two security guards, including an old man whose connection to the museum going back fifty years is slowly revealed.
Then we get to the cats. Though we meet a number of them, we're primarily focused on Snowbébé, a seven-year-old cat who has mysteriously remained a kitten. We soon discover that Snowbébé has the ability to enter certain paintings at the Louvre. This ability becomes the central plot focus as things begin to wrap up and the storylines with the humans and the cats begin to converge.
When the cats are alone, mangaka Taiyo Matsumoto made the artistic decision to anthropomorphize them, though he makes it clear that this anthropomorphism is just a means of allowing the cats to express more human emotions/reactions -- they don't actually shape-shift.
The style of these human-cat hybrids isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, and indeed, many of the complaints about 'Cats of the Louvre' center on their design.
I agree that it was a little bit jarring, and I think giving them little outfits was a bridge too far, but I quickly got used to it, and I actually think in some ways that giving them these almost-but-not-exactly human forms worked well to show-don't-tell who each of the cats were, especially since we only really get to know a few of them. Yes, sometimes this led to some creepy imagery, but honestly, as a cat parent, I would say that cats, for all that they're very cute, can be creepy looking, especially when they pull a particularly mean hissy face.
Anthropomorphic cats aside, the mystery at the center of the plot was one I found interesting, the trials and tribulations of the Louvre cats when they would occasionally venture outside the safety of their attic were harrowing, and Matsumoto doesn't shy away from maiming and killing off a feline here and there. It's horrible to see, but surely reflects the reality of the lives of stray cats.
These trials and tribulations also give the humans a chance to intervene in various heartwarming ways, so it all balances out.
I don't think anyone would find the ending of the story to be earth-shatteringly unpredictable, but it was certainly serviceable for the type of story Matsumoto wanted to tell.
And the artwork. The artwork
I've been to the Louvre, and I wish it was as interesting as it appears in 'Cats of the Louvre.' Matsumoto's art style worked superbly to bring the museum to life as more than just the setting, and it's so well-integrated into the story that it feels like a sort of character itself, making 'Cats of the Louvre' a joy even just to flip through. The line work is *chef's kiss*.
Definitely one for the cat lovers out there, especially anyone who liked the look and tone of the anime film 'Catnapped' -- the mixture of whimsy and melancholy is definitely there, though more graphic in 'Cats of the Louvre'.
It was speculated that 'Cats of the Louvre' was commissioned as part of the 'Louvre Collection' which included 'Guardians of the Louvre' by artist Jirô Taniguchi, whose graphic novel was referenced in 'Cats of the Louvre'. I couldn't find any confirmation of this, but regardless, 'Cats of the Louvre' gives a lot of love to what has been called 'the world's most popular museum.'
As whimsical as the set-up of a rag-tag group of cats living in an attic at the Louvre sounds, 'Cats of the Louvre' is actually surprisingly melancholy and thoughtful.
We start off by following a few human characters: a Louvre tour guide and two security guards, including an old man whose connection to the museum going back fifty years is slowly revealed.
Then we get to the cats. Though we meet a number of them, we're primarily focused on Snowbébé, a seven-year-old cat who has mysteriously remained a kitten. We soon discover that Snowbébé has the ability to enter certain paintings at the Louvre. This ability becomes the central plot focus as things begin to wrap up and the storylines with the humans and the cats begin to converge.
When the cats are alone, mangaka Taiyo Matsumoto made the artistic decision to anthropomorphize them, though he makes it clear that this anthropomorphism is just a means of allowing the cats to express more human emotions/reactions -- they don't actually shape-shift.
The style of these human-cat hybrids isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, and indeed, many of the complaints about 'Cats of the Louvre' center on their design.
I agree that it was a little bit jarring, and I think giving them little outfits was a bridge too far, but I quickly got used to it, and I actually think in some ways that giving them these almost-but-not-exactly human forms worked well to show-don't-tell who each of the cats were, especially since we only really get to know a few of them. Yes, sometimes this led to some creepy imagery, but honestly, as a cat parent, I would say that cats, for all that they're very cute, can be creepy looking, especially when they pull a particularly mean hissy face.
Anthropomorphic cats aside, the mystery at the center of the plot was one I found interesting, the trials and tribulations of the Louvre cats when they would occasionally venture outside the safety of their attic were harrowing, and Matsumoto doesn't shy away from maiming and killing off a feline here and there. It's horrible to see, but surely reflects the reality of the lives of stray cats.
These trials and tribulations also give the humans a chance to intervene in various heartwarming ways, so it all balances out.
I don't think anyone would find the ending of the story to be earth-shatteringly unpredictable, but it was certainly serviceable for the type of story Matsumoto wanted to tell.
And the artwork. The artwork
I've been to the Louvre, and I wish it was as interesting as it appears in 'Cats of the Louvre.' Matsumoto's art style worked superbly to bring the museum to life as more than just the setting, and it's so well-integrated into the story that it feels like a sort of character itself, making 'Cats of the Louvre' a joy even just to flip through. The line work is *chef's kiss*.
Definitely one for the cat lovers out there, especially anyone who liked the look and tone of the anime film 'Catnapped' -- the mixture of whimsy and melancholy is definitely there, though more graphic in 'Cats of the Louvre'.