Chi's Sweet Home

It was so bittersweet to see this series come to an end. Where will I go for my daily cuteness overdose now???

It's a kids show, so the artwork is very cartoony. And the animation certainly leaves a lot to be desired. But the episodes, minus the opening, are only 2 minutes long. It's great if you only have a moment. Or you can binge 10-12 episodes in a row easily enough.

The narrative writing is simplistic enough for even a preschooler to follow. Episodic, to some short arcs before things get resolved. But the thing that really impressed me was the wide array of characters, ... and how well written they all were. Chi's extended family is totally lovable, one and all.

I liked the VA work. It fit both pets and humans well. The director did a good job of portraying a number of different emotional responses to situations, while keeping the main premise of cute intact, A lot of times I don't mention soundtracks, but this opening really grew on me over time. I watched every opening sequence for all 104 episodes, and caught myself chair dancing, too many times. I am also glad they translated the lyrics, in the sub, for the final episode. Made the song even more enjoyable.

If you have little bits running about, and want to share your passion for anime with them, this is the place to start. It's not perfect, but I found it highly enjoyable. If I were to grade Chi on her performance, I'd say a solid B at 86/100 would hit the mark nicely. No pussyfooting around it. This series is as addorable as it gets.

(This review is for both Chi's Sweet Home and Chi's New Address.)

This is the series that taught my daughter how to read. XD

My daughter really loves cats. Like, REALLY loves cats. So when my husband and I stumbled upon this anime we were thrilled. We watched it subtitled, and our daughter was just learning how to read so it encouraged her to not only read, but read quickly. I really do encourage you to use subtitles if you have a child that is learning to read and you find something they are really interested in. We also got her the manga to read, which was ... more challenging because of the "baby talk", but she still loved every bit of it.

The story is pretty good. It's actually more complex and emotional than I would have expected for a children's show, and I find that I enjoyed this anime a good deal, too. The animation is pretty standard for anime. The music is upbeat and fun. Overall, it's just a really cute anime, especially if you love cats, or if you have a kid that loves cats.

If I could change one thing about this anime, it would be the episode length. It has really short episodes. It's really not a big deal, but I would have preferred longer episodes.

This anime is pure bliss if you own or wish to own pets, and appreciate the joy that they can bring into a household.

The premise is simple - a mischievous, energetic kitten interacts with her environment. Each episode is only three minutes long, and is mostly an episodic adventure that carries the theme of “finding something new to explore each and every day”. If you’re familiar with the manga Yotsubato, the spirit is the same.

What’s most wholesome about this show to me, is that it perfectly captures the influence that a pet can have on a family of all ages. The young boy Yohei has ... no siblings to play with, and is an only child. But he’s never lonely or because of the company that his cat provides for him. At one point, the boy was sick. And chi sat on his chest and kept him warm. There's is never a dull moment in the household so long as Chi is there, and she quickly becomes an irreplaceable member of her family.

This anime isn't entirely drama free, though this may seem to be the case. There's a bit of suspense in the family keeping Chi a secret from other tenants and the landlord, because it is a violation of their lease to own pets. Will the Yamada family be forced to give Chi up? Will they move just for the sake of being allowed to keep Chi? There are moments where this becomes a serious dilemma that changes the tone of the show.

This obviously won't be for everone - it's slice of life in its purest form, but is so great for those that find cat shenanigan's to be amusing. It can even serve as a PSA for why pets are so beneficial for family living environment.