Cat Street

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

Cat Street's story starts and centers around a 16 year old girl, Keito, who used to be a famous actress when she was young but had retired early due to a traumatic incident that happened while she was in the entertainment industry. As a result, she had completely isolated herself from people and the society (school included) for 7 years and now passes her days doing absolutely nothing- lost, lonely, and without a purpose. A stray cat, so to speak.

The story, however, truly begins when she comes upon a special school called El Liston, a free school for "strays" like herself, people who don't really ... belong or fit in anywhere. There, she meets Rei, Momiji, and Kouichi... and through them and other people, she learns to live, finds courage and eventually, her own direction (and of course, love too.)

Note: There shouldn't be any spoilers. Apologies, however, for the lengthy review ahead (usually not the kind I write).

Story (9.7): I'll say now, though, that while the summary is accurate, it does the story no justice (as seems to be the case with many great manga). The premise is exactly that... just a premise. It's a simple story but yet it is so much more- one that can't be conveyed but rather, must be felt by reading it yourself.

There is depth and meaning in the story, the kind that is often lacking in typical shoujo teen manga. There's love, but it's not your typical HS girl meets boy and hopes he returns her feelings kinda thing either. Rather, the best way I can describe the romance in this story is something like a journey- both in discovering oneself, the other person, and love itself. There's drama, but it doesn't drag nor is it the meaningless melodramatic kind that happens for the sake of conflict and cliffhangers. There's balance as well. Cat Street isn't all about romance, all about friendship, or all about drama... it's everything blended in at just the right amount.

I said earlier that the romance in this story is like a journey, but to be more accurate, I should say the entire series is like a journey. The timeline spans several years, from mid-teens to early 20s and utilizes time-skips towards the latter part of the story to move things forward. The pacing is great and the plot is constantly moving forward. The ending is fulfilling as well. While I wish there were more of Cat Street for me to devour, I wasn't left with the feeling that the manga needed to be longer or shorter. It all wrapped up beautifully, with a meaningful conclusion and a certain symbolism that really just fits the story, the characters, and even the title of the manga.

Character (10): Loving all the characters in a manga isn't something that often happens to me, but Kamio-sensei manages it so easily with all the personalities she has created for Cat Street. Again, I must emphasize the depth here. The heroine has true strength... the kind that comes from deep within and not the so often misunderstood strength where a heroine is depicted as strong just because she can yell, get violent, and kick some ass.

There's a theme of trying your best and not giving up, but what's great about it is the fact that the characters treat this realistically and in a less shallow way (as opposed to countless "I don't think I can stop loving him after all so I'm going to keep pestering him until he falls in love with me" sort of thing). I guess what I'm trying to say is that the characters all feel genuine and human to me. The way they handle their problems, the way their personalities grow and develop throughout the series, and how each and every character has their own distinctive personality. I'm touched by all of them in one way or another- even the so-called villains. There are no villains for the sake of being villains type of characters here at all, and that to me is a mark of good characterization.

Art (9): I'm not one for saying much about the art unless it completely blows me away with its awesomeness or there's an aspect of it that I felt I needed or wanted to mention. So I'll just say that I personally adore it. The lines are clean and the scenes are nicely-done, with simple but good detail and without it being overcrowded. For those who have read HYD, Kamio-sensei's art is similar to how it was at the end of the series... likely even better actually.

My favorite aspect of the art is how all the characters (especially the main ones) each have their own distinctive looks and style. I recognize them all right off the bat, unlike some other shoujo manga where I sometimes have trouble being sure about who's who due to the almost identical appearances.

Overall (10): What else can I say? I've thoroughly enjoyed reading Cat Street... there was never a dull moment and each development was simply heartfelt. This is a case of where the story, the characters, and everything else just comes together perfectly- the kind that makes the leap from great to a masterpiece.

Cat Street is a surprisingly deep story, easily one of the best I have ever come across. Cat Street has it's moments of humor, but what it realyl excels at is drama.

The story starts with Aoyama Keito, a lonely girl traumatized by her experience as a child actor. Years earlier she suffered from stage fright and managed to successfully ruin her career. Now she spends her days at home in a state of apathy. The manga essentially focuses on Keito's progress as she starts to interact with society again, starting with her enrollment at El Liston, a school full of students with similar backgrounds.

Story ... - 9

Cat Street is heavy reading. It's emotional and deep - not something for shallow readers. Seeing as some of its main themes are depression, unrequited love, and general angst, this is hardly surprising. But it's also about putting things behind and moving on, creating lasting friendships, and finding true love. Cat Street suffers a little at one point with a strange kidnapping, but it sorts itself out in the end.

Art - 10

Cat Street's art really stood out in all the right ways. The facial expressions of the characters (especially the eyes) portrayed so much emotion, I sometimes forget I was looking at a simple black-and-white drawing. The characters also age really well (the manga covers several years).

Characters - 10

And we have a winner. Cat Street is character development at its finest. We get to watch the four main characters grow up and confront their pasts, moving on and learning from past mistakes. None of it is forced. Kamio Yoko (the mangaka) understands people in a way that blows my mind. She develops her characters in a way most authors (of every medium) can only dream of doing.

Enjoyment - 10

Cat Street tugged at all the right emotions; the characters became real people. I could easily identify with the entire main cast. Keito's journey as a person was wonderfully written and the art was beautiful.

Overall - 10

Cat Street is an emotional ride, best read slowly. I strongly discourage marathon reading. Cat Street takes place over several years (despite being only thirty-five chapters long), and reading it too quickly will kill the effect. Cat Street is something you would want to savour anyway.

I highly recommend Cat Street to any shoujo fan looking for something that's a little more than the usual high school romantic comedy.

“Out of five emotions, when I learned the meaning of anger, everything began to crumble.”

Most of us want them, some of us need them, eventually we all feel lonely without them, Friends. Not just any friend, true friends. That’s what Cat Street was for me, an extraordinary story of friendship. This manga is proof that even if you think you’re a misfit, wounded, or no one understands you, there are still people out there who will appreciate you for who you are, no matter who that is.

In Cat Street we follow Keito, a successful young actress. All she wanted to do was ... live a normal life, got to school and have friends. Living in the shadow of herself and never having time made that impossible for her. Her acting career comes to an end when her best friend betrays her and Keito completely freezes on stage. Now, seven years she is an empty shell just going through the motions of living without any real purpose. One day, she meets a man who introduces her to El Liston, a free, no strings attached., come as you please and study what you want school. This is Keito’s story, about living with your past, surviving your present while moving on towards your future, wherever that may be.

Even the summary doesn't give this manga justice. Cat Street shows the lives of kids who are like alley cats, stranded and alone, trying to find their place in this big blue ball. The characters change right before your eyes and are beautifully unique. They become individuals while still maintaining the ingredients that make them who they are. The story centers around the life of Keito and her life’s journey of forgiveness, acceptance and the one we all want, happiness. All the characters bring some lesson or heartwarming individualism to the table whether it’s Keito, Kouichi, Momiji or Rei. All so very different but yet very alike. You see them go beyond their high school years and develop into working members of society.

I won't go into individual details but there is a character for everyone: Rei, the soccer all star, who' strong attitude cost him more than he wanted to pay. Momiji, is the creative outcast who was shunned out of her school because of her enigmatic taste in designing her own clothes. Keito, is the aloof wounded one who can't live with her past. Kouichi, the silent computer programmer who cares deeply for his friends but his introvertness makes it hard to get to know him .

The art is solid. The characters looks match their personalities and it all flows together to help you fall in love with them, one character at a time. The constant mood of this manga is melancholy. There are happy moments but they seem so real that even underneath them a hint of sorrow is there, through the art we could feel those moments as if they were actually with us.

All in all, Cat Street did an amazing portraying the lessons we learn early on in life, before we even learn how to speak it’s a simple one - if you fall just get back up and try again. That’s how we learn how to walk, so simple and yet as we get older, the falls get harder and the getting up feels heavier. We meet people who change your life with their humor, smarts, love and take a piece of you when they leave. Life through the eyes of high school kids was never this sorrowful or amazing.

“Just because you’re special doesn’t mean god will give you more time. You must sacrifice something!”

The story tackles about your dreams, making your way, yourself, love & friendship etc... And I'll tell you honestly, this is the first time that the story of a manga sinks deep down in me. I was touched & moved that most of the time I need to pause my reading to wipe some tears that starting to show off.. I mean I can identify myself with the story & characters. The feeling of isolation, thinking what you really wanted in life & losing your dreams & finding it, & knowing that you are not alone.. This is one of the few plots where there ... is depth. It's like saying that we are just like a stray cats that has nowhere to go unless our heart finds it.. ^^

Art was something I also look forward too. Everything was nice. Clean lines, the details was there, nice shading, general proportion & measurements of figures was ok. Its plain gorgeous. So, I can say no more on this matter..

I love all the characters even the so-called-villains. It was an unsual of me that I didn't have anyone to hate for ( a big surprise ) well, I don't consider them as that, maybe just some hindrances cuz somehow I can understand their feelings. hmm.. probably my favorite was Rei , it's all because he help Keito the most to gradually recover from her depression & he has a great love for her.. Oh, I'm not saying that Kouichi was a bad choice. Its just that I like Rei. He even help Keito & Kouichi to be together. I believe now, "Love is sacrifice".. ^^ even so, they are all lovable.. ^^

I pretty much enjoy everything in this manga, from the great plot, characters & art.. I got excited that I wanted to finish reading in one sitting ( can't do cuz of works).. & You'll have this mixed emotion & makes you think " what you really wanted in your life?" "giving up or chase after them?".. O.o.. One more good thing about this is that, it has few characters that can be easily remembered with a person like me who had a short memory haha.. XD

Overall, I must say that the concept of the manga was a masterpiece. Just like in making food, you need seasonings & ingredients in order to make a delicious one. what I'm trying to say is that, Cat Street have all the good qualities to be a great manga & will capture your heart.. Sure thing, you'll learn a lot of things from this manga. It's really a great read & worth your time.. Pick it up.. You don't regret it, promise..!! ^o^

When I read this manga for the first time, I did'nt know that it was the same author of Hana yori dango. But after a while when I read more chapters, I started to notice the similarites of the characters. I recognised the feelings of fustration I got from Hana Yori Dango, when those feelings were coming back after reading Cat Street. It got fustrating with the annoying love triangels and slow romance. It was very fustrating to read. Cat Street did the exact same thing that Hana Yori Dango did. Create a promising romantic relationship between the main characters and kill it slowly till ... all of the passion is gone. You never get to explore the depths of the main character's relationships because the romance doesn't go anywhere.

This manga builds up alot of tension and excitement in the beginning but destroys it later on. You'll end up rooting for the characters to get together but you have to wait through the whole story till they become a couple.

I feel like I need to go in to the story and slam the characters togheter and yell at them "Now kiss!"

A story to love, and to be inspired by! While many shoujo manga have fallen into the stricken pattern of observing love and its many nuances, Cat Street takes a grand leap and bring the readers on an emotional journey through the path of Aoyama Keito - a former child actress living in recluse after a traumatic encounter in the theatres. In her encounter, she meets three reliable friends who are also on their own search for their purpose in life and as they converge paths at El Liston - their youth starts a new page and they progress hand in hand into an unknown ... future.

Artwork, carefully planned by the panel and always creative to bring forward the deepest emotions of the complicated and kind main characters is a delight to read. While some have commented that the artwork in this manga is not one of the best, I feel that assumption is a little too harsh. What the mangaka (author) really tries to do, is to capture the tiniest details of the characters expression and emotive gestures that allow you to feel for them. You can even pick up the differences when you watch each character mature, and eventually 'graduate' from school - especially Kouichi Mine :)

Story is the mastermind at work here - with an inventive plot that takes the readers far away from normal high school scenarios plagued by jealous witches and complicated childhood friends, the story flows naturally and captures the true essence of 'chasing one's dream down the rainbow (ribbon, for Momiji's case) path. Laced with an array of interesting characters from all walks of life, the readers are given a balanced story that gives them space to relate to each characters circumstances. And it also withholds its share of plot twist and surprises for the readers though I do not plan to give it all away here so let's move on to -

Characters are interesting and well-developed - even an introverted character like Kouichi will tug on your heartstrings when you take a peek into his emotions. Moments like this marks the true brilliance of Cat Street - which brings me back to the point of how Kamio Yoko uses delicate strokes to bring each character to life - not with extravagant artwork or outrageous story lines but small characteristic that makes each character human.

To be truthful, I'm slightly ashamed at myself for putting this manga on hold for so many times. It's a brilliant masterpiece and my one regret on it is that I should have discovered this gem's hidden beauty much sooner! ^^

Well, how could I possibly put all my thoughts into words? Ahaha... I read loads of MANGAs but Cat Street is the first one to have my review. It has been 4 years since I started reading manga and I read a lot of beautiful and unique stories. Cat Street is basically about a child star who quit showbiz because she was devastated by an incident on the theatre and as years passed by her life has been miserable. She met an old man and from that incident her life made a big improvement. She went to El Liston a free school and she met ... a lot of interesting people who made her life worth living for. She encountered a lot of problems and heartaches. I thought I already read all the great MANGAs and it has been a boring habit for me to read usual stories but as I saw the interesting title it really tampered something different from my usual norms of reading. The story is indeed realistic and In fact I haven’t realized that I’m already too hooked on the story until I saw the clock and my other things to do. This MANGA made my day complete. Keito, the leading character has been an inspiration for those people who experienced a lot of failures; a failure wherein they thought that they already experienced the worst possible situation and the pairings are totally unpredictable. I love the flow of the story and words are not enough to express the unique flow of everything. The way Kouichi and Keito touched my heart made my day captivated by every little bit of events. Unlike any characters that easily fall in love and have those predictable outline; the Manga “Cat Street” is totally different and I really recommend it. So don’t waste your time reading bunch of day-to-day old style and have the change right now! Read Cat Street and be fascinated as well.

Story:10/10

When I read the summary of this manga I thought that there was no way I could possible relate to such a story. I'm not in the entertainment business kinds of story, I don't really read things dealing with fame problems and I don't even like the idea of stories about actors.

But with Cat Street, I could actually relate to everything that went on. I know this isn't going to be the best review because I can't really find the words to describe how much I liked this story.

All the problems that the main character faced where real life problems. The pain of loosing love ... and friendship was portrayed in such a way that it brought me to tears.

yes, I cried. And sure I have cried over anime shows , but for some reason no manga has ever got me to cry. Except for this one.

The story was told in such a way that when the characters heart broke, so did mine. And when the character reached happiness so did I.

I still can't believe how attached I got to it.

Art 8/10

I'm not just going to give the art 10 because to get a 10 it would have had to be outstanding. I'm not saying that it was bad, infact it was perfect, but it wasn't something that was unique. Overall good art though.


Characters: 10/10

So lets talk about the characters, each of them have had there share of emotional scaring and thus forming each of there odd personalities. But I more than that it bonded them closer.

Usually in manga, (Well most that I've read) the characters never really leave, or it's obvious that they come back, or the story is all completely obvious from the beginning.But what I like about this manga is that I really didn't have any idea where it was going to go next. Or who was going to end up with who.

I'm not saying that is was action-packed, cause it not. I'm saying that I had no idea what character would do what and go where.

And let me just warn you, you will get attached. To the pairing and the friendships.


Enjoyment: 10/10

It's was perfect, at some points I thought it was going to fall apart. But the way the ended it was so perfect that all my complaints flew away. I do recommended this to anyone. It has become on of my favorites.

Overall:10/10

I really don't know how I could not give it a 10/10 because it was so amazing. It got me to cry and smile. I could relate to alot of things throughout the manga and it gave me hope that not everyone is going to leave you. God that sounds so lame. but anyways if you're reading this review the main point is to READ CAT STREET.

This series started off strong, especially the first chapter which establishes Kieto’s career as a child star and the immense pressures put on her that led to her feelings of ostracization, isolation, and absence of normality. Seeing all that compound and then eventually break her after the betrayal of someone she thought was a fried made for a immediately engaging opening that had me curious as to where the series would go. And within the first half of the series, I genuinely enjoyed it. Even if it dipped into the melodramatic at times given how intense the characters treated innocuous developments, it was perfectly congruent ... with their histories. All of them suffered from a mental condition, negative social history, or traumatic experience that gave them debilitating difficulties which transformed what would be innocuous, to the average person, into a major obstacle that could ruin lives. Watching the characters find a sense of belonging at El Liston and with one another and use their new found confidence and support to confront their insecurities and struggles is inspiring.

Unfortunately the second half of the series comes along and is of noticeably lesser quality. For one, and this isn’t necessarily the manga’s fault, but the translation I was reading shifted scanalations for the worst. Unfortunately this series has no official English release and this was the only way to experience the series. The downgrade in translation consisted of all personality and character being drained from the dialogue, characters constantly talking like robots (just random shifts to third person and non-sequiturs), and repetitive and poor grammer.

As it concerns the manga itself though, the series really loses focus in the second half. I knew the series would contain romance, it’s one of the reasons I was interested in reading it, however it is incorporated extremely poorly. The main cast are certainly interesting enough and seeing how the introduction of romance between them could strengthen/fracture their bonds would be a worthwhile development. However enough time is not given to make any romantic developments feel earned outside of characters’ attraction to one another. Within the 36 chapters of this series, in which the romance is secondary, there are multiple confessions, a love triangle, and attempt to initiate and follow two separate romantic pairings. But there’s not enough time given to fit anything substantive, interesting, or exciting into any of the romances. It’s very superficial and hamfisted, especially in comparison to the narratives surrounding the anxieties and difficulties the characters face in their lives. There’s a harsh whiplash when you go from a good and earnest, even if at times clunky, exploration to how the characters try to deal with themselves and their place in society to the most bland, flat, undercooked romances. And alongside these pitiful attempts at romance that derail what was previously good (the friend group) about the series while introducing some really tired tropes.

Outside of the romance, the second half also struggles with how rushed various developments end up being. The lives of the characters change but, because so little depth is given to their new status quo, the changes feel like an afterthought, like set dressing. And again, it stands in stark contrast to what came before in that the characters felt more grounded and responsive to their environments because there was a greater focus given to how they engaged with and interacted with same which manifested in their various neurosis and quirks. After the timeskip, everything feels very divorced from the characters, making them less interesting as well as the narrative developments (so of which are just over the top) that follow.

The series ultimately feels like it should have ended sooner (concluding with volume 3 would have been satisfying) or been significantly longer (to allow time for romances to develop and be explored in detail, show specifics of the characters molding/being molded by their new states in life post time-skip, etc.). All that being said, I enjoyed the series overall and don’t regret reading it. Seeing the characters find both internal and external motivation in continuing on and not letting life pass by due to fear, rejection, or failure and was satisfying and ultimately conveyed well. I only wish the second half of the series had been executed to the level of the first.

Story: 10

One of the first things I am going to do when starting off with this review, is to explain some things that people might not know, that if one goes into the Manga, that knowing will help one enjoy the read a lot more. If one is familiar with the Japanese culture, then one will likely already be familair with the setting and senario, and have an understanding of why the things go on as they do.

Here in America, and other European cultures, there is a high reguard towards the concept of individualism, so being really different and good at something is not a ... bad thing. However, over in Japan, the culture revolves around the group, rather then the individul, thus someone who can't be a part of the group gets left out.

And that basically sums up Cat Street. It is a bunch of kids so individualistic, that they end up being left out because of it, even at times frowned upon because they can't convert to the societal norms. Sometimes it is because they are made fun of, sometimes it is simply because they don't feel like they fit in.

That is the true charm in the storyline of Cat Street, that it deals with these feelings, of dreams, up and downs of life. Most stories that tell about acting, singing, being a famous star of some kind or another, they leave out the nitty gritty and focus mostly on the good times, but Cat Street gives good dosages in each.

Art:

The art... the artist was great at depicting the feelings of the characters to an extreme. All the changes were there, including as time passed on. The detail on making each character look different worked very well, and one can distinquish places and things.

Characters:

At times, the main character can seem wishywashy, but one has to look at the fact of how she lived her life for the past years... shut up in a box. One goes and grows with her and the other characters, and it build strong contectiosn with the characters.

This was one of those novels that I had to put down and come back to, because there were points that I felt like something really bad would happen to the characters I had come to know and love. I didn't want their friendships to end. And bad things did happen to them, but good things did too.

There is a whole bunch of wonderful conections in the Manga, between the characters, and it is fun to follow the strings of how their relationships developed.

Enjoyment:

I fell in love with this work, and I am not a romance buff. I was rooting for the character the whole time.

Overall:

If you are the kind who can't stand your favorite characters that you love having the simplist life hurts happen, it possibly isn't for you. But it is drawing and compelling.

I loooove this manga!!!
It's not really a 10 but I just want you to read it. >:)
Highly recommended!
Umm umm so its about, wait I'm not going to tell you what it's about I'll just tell you what I think of it! :D

I love it so much because well there are cute guys and romance.
It's sorta realistic, a teenage girl like moi can relate to this, and umm ummm umm.
Sorry I'm so tired so why am I even writing a useless review?

So just read it!
... You won't regret it I promise!!!!!

I was super surprised to find that the author who wrote Cat Street was the same one who wrote Boys over Flower, and oh my god, Boys over Flower was so bad (I remember watching the anime adaptation of BoF and there was a sexual assault scene that plays off as romance. It was horrible)

But I'm glad that I went into Cat Street not knowing this fact because Cat Street was completely different from BoF. There is no stereotypical douchebag guy / nice girl melodrama, female rivalry, crazy love-triange, family-intervention, and all that weird stuff in BoF. Instead, what we have is an extremely ... mature, josei-like story of a girl who tried to become a better version of herself, through learning to make friends, fall in love, get hurt, and find a career for herself through the timespan of 3 years.

It read more like a bildungsroman in manga form, focused more on Keito and her desperate attempt to overcome social isolation, emotional immaturity, and trauma, rather than a cliche boy-meet-girl falling-in-love kinda story. I am surprised to find that the side characters, such as Kouichi, Momiji and Rei are very well-developed as well. I can't help but finishing this whole manga within 1 day (it's only 10 volumes). Definitely recommended.

Cat Street started out really good. The story appealed to me a lot, since I could relate to Keito and her friends, feeling like "stray cats". I liked the idea of a free school, and the characters were unique and realistic.

Unfortunately, somewhere around chapter 15, is when it started going downhill. The pacing suddenly grew REALLY fast. The plot lines and romance were extremely rushed, and the mangaka even threw in time skips, all within like 15 chapters. Its like the mangaka suddenly found out that she had to condense her story into 35 chapters when really, it could have been at least 50 chapters.

The ... rushing of the plot/romance, along with the abrupt change of pacing weakened the overall quality and strength of the manga. It even hindered the character development that started so strong in the beginning. I like Kouichi, but I think that he was the most underdeveloped out of the four main characters. This was a real let down, because I really liked him.

Also, the plot lines started to get unrealistic and far stretched, venturing into the cliche shoujo zone. The whole thing with Natsumi was totally unnecessary and unrealistic. I'd have preferred the author spend those chapters developing Keito and Koiuchi's relationship or developing Koichi's character more. Its really too bad, because I liked Cat Street a lot.

For the first part (chapters, 1-15~), I rate it 9/10, whereas the overall manga, is a 7/10.

I've lost count of how many times I've read this manga. Every time I feel lost, sad or empty Cat Street's story fills me with hope, self forgiveness and patience to deal with my problems. It's Kamio Yoko's masterpiece, and I'm grateful that she wrote it.

Cat Street is a story much deeper than it seems. When I first read it (6 or 7 years ago) I couldn't fully understand what was about, but as the years passed by and I had to grow up and experience what is like to be an adult, Cat Street became more and more relatable. For me it became ... a mirror of reality, of how it's easy to blame others, how sometimes we are trapped inside ourselves, how much harder is to apologize to people we love, how our own house can feel like a prison instead of a home and that time is the most valuable thing we have to offer.

Cat Street is about healing, forgiveness and being grateful for what you have; about family, friendship and positive relationships; about the past, regrets, being wrong and saying sorry; about dreams, hope and future; is about changing and trying to be better. There's romance also, it's a Shojo! But the good part is that the romance doesn't overshadow the message of the manga, it's part of it. It's incredible how Yoko creates her characters, and how she molds them trough the narrative, their transformation doesn't happen in a day, it's a process and it takes time, just like in real life. They don't become 100% perfect, they still have worries, fears and regrets, all the way through the end, but they learn how to deal with it to become better people (not only to others, but also to themselves).

Maybe when you read it you won't feel the same way as I, but it took me time to understand and sympathize to this story, so give it another chance! I'm sure it's a manga that has a lot to teach, because I keep learning and accepting new things about life and myself every time I read it, it became my life guide, helps me to find myself every time I'm lost.

Cat Street makes for a great introduction into modern shojo, in my honest opinion. It might not have the best artwork and falls back onto some tropes, but it makes up for it with an engaging story and easy-to-love characters.

[Story - 8]

This manga follows Keito Aoyama's return to society after a self-imposed exile caused by a rather embarrassing incident that prematurely ended her acting career as a child. Her return is not an easy one, as she has to learn how to properly socialize with others, navigate the world both on her own and with friends, and ultimately find a solid purpose in life. It's ... really satisfying to see her (and the somewhat-ragtag group of friends) grow from lost teenagers to young adults slowly but surely finding a place in the world. Even the timeskip helps with this, showcasing lots of development while still leaving the key parts for the last few chapters. The pacing is really great, as it doesn't ever drag and maintains the 'casual but reflective' vibe this manga effortlessly emits.

The themes are fairly obvious from that synopsis alone - the struggle of being an outcast, the pressures of 'fitting in' and competing in society, and so on. These are all well-written, both from the perspective of Keito and the people around her. It does fall into tropes of Heterosexual Love Triangles and some fairly-petty rivalries at times, but it makes up for it by adequately examining the psychology of everyone involved.

[Art - 7]

This was probably my one major gripe of the manga. While the character design is rather potent (distinctive designs for each character that organically change, such as the Staple Lolita having a subtle maturation in style), I found the setting/background work to be too minimalistic for its own good. I can tell that the mangaka was going for a more 'dream-like' atmosphere at times, but outside of that it was hard to quite understand where they all were.

[Character - 9]

(Almost) All the characters in the manga that are prominently featured are so fleshed out that it's rather believable to see them being inspired by friends/associates of the mangaka. While they can be rather.....Shojo at times, they are written with a lot of depth and attention that makes it easy to forget those moments.

Keito Aoyama is a GREAT protagonist. Her meek, self-loathing self serves as a fitting 'beginning', and it was rather humorous to see her clash with her friends and...society as a whole due to her inexperience. However, thanks to encountering the struggles of rivalry (with fellow actress and former friend Nako) and discovering her trait of dogged loyalty, she matures into a young woman who, while at times can seem rather lost, is able to confidently assert her position in her world. Seeing her overcome the depression and anxiety caused by the incident that led to this whole story was really inspiring, and it was believably written - lots of ups and downs, but never completely losing faith in her progress.

Her friends are pretty dang awesome too - Momiji is a gothic lolita enthusiast who helps Keito in multiple aspects, and even requires the latter's help as well during one mini-arc. She may seem like just a Goofy Friend, but soon reveals herself to be trustworthy and truly caring. Kouichi is a genius programmer who, while seeming to be rather aloof and uncaring, slowly opens himself up more and more thanks to the efforts of Keito and their shared friends. Rei, while seeming to be the mere catalyst and foil, is the friend that probably pushes Keito the most to grow into her own place - he can be a bit harsh, and is part of the Heterosexual Love Triangle (2, actually!), but he always makes sure that she's on the right path.

There are others that, while they don't appear often, are decently showcased. Nako is like Rei - she may be the catalyst and foil at first, but she ultimately helps catapult Keito into Her Place (both literally and metaphorically). She goes from a mere rival with a petty grudge to a friend who shares a professional competitive streak with Keito. The principal serves as a calm and steady guiding figure (as one should), who always drops Words Of Wisdom earned through hard experiences. Keito's sister, Chika, can be rather cold at first, but is revealed to have her reasons and has an implied resolution with her issues at the end.

[Enjoyment/Overall - 10/9]

This was an amazing read. Filled with tons of good drama and character arcs, it's no wonder that this somehow got a live-action adaptation. I hope they release this in North America one day, as I'd love to own this series. I highly recommend this to anyone, especially those who prioritize substantial character growth.

Story - 10

I loved this manga so much. The summary really doesn't do much in making the story sound very interesting, but it's an amazing story. You'll really enjoy it, you just need to give it a chance.

Art - 9

I'll have to admit, the art didn't attract me too much at first. That's how I felt about HYD as well. (I read HYD before Cat Street.) I just need time to get used to it is all. I think I'm just too used to the other typical styles of art in most shoujo mangas. But, after I get used to it, it's really well done. ... Really detailed, very clean, it's really good. I only gave it a 9 because I always start out not used to it and not liking it too much...But I always end up loving it as the story goes on. :]

Character - 10

I love every character in this manga. Some more than others I'll admit but nonetheless. Nobody's unbelievably perfect in here, and nobody's pure evil. They're all lovable and unique in their own ways. I loved all the characters. :D

Enjoyment - 10

I enjoyed this story so much more than I thought I would. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd even try to finish it when I first just read the summary. By the end of it, I was totally satisfied with the entire storyline. I wish it was longer, yet I don't. Because it's already perfect the way it is. There's nothing in the story I think needed any change.

Overall - 10

This is my first time writing a review. I just had to write one for Cat Street because it's rare for me to enjoy a story like this as much as I did. I read a lot of shoujo mangas with all those cliche plots and everything. But this manga really deserves some recognition. I recommend this to everyone, it's a great read!!

I loved it.

The story is about a mentally damaged young girl, and how she slowly comes out of her shell, and blossoms into a successful young woman, with help from her friends and the person she eventually falls in love with.

I found the premise strange at first. OK, so she failed as a child actor. Big deal. Is that really something to mope about for years? But I just kept reading and soon realized that it's really just a plot device for the mangaka to address her message. The story carries a strong hopeful message for all the teenagers out there making their way into ... adulthood. In lesser hands, it could've read like some pandering afterschool special. But Kamio created such an awesome foursome of characters, they immediately draw you into the story, and before you know it, you're hooked. While there is romance, the main focus is on growing up and finding your way in life. And it's so refreshing to see teenage characters seriously tackle these challenges and slowly grow into successful adults.

I absolutely adored the foursome's friendship. It felt real and relatable. Rarely does manga capture the dynamics of friendship - with all its glory and pain - so well.

And this manga is addicting - especially when the romance kicks in. The main couple is not obvious from the get-go. And they both matured on their own before finally getting together, which is a major plus in my book. I loved the moment when they finally confessed their feelings to each other.

Admittedly, there is melodrama and contrivance in the story, but they're all used to service the manga's main message. And Yoko Kamio surprised me with the way she executed them. There is maturity and sophistication to the storytelling - such as Keito's sobbing confrontation with her first love rival, Keito's friendship with her childhood rival, the trials of acting, the way the foursome age and change over three years. I didn't even mind the kidnapping plot. While it was over-the-top, it was in the story to acknowledge people less fortunate than Keito.

All in all, Cat Street is well worth reading. Only 8 quick volumes leading to a very satisfying ending.

I decided to read Cat Street because I had watched the drama as a teenager, and it had been like a comforting hug at a time I was really struggling. I was in a situation not dissimilar to the kids in Cat Street (although not with such a dramatic backstory, unfortunately), having dropped out of school because I just couldn't cope.

Had I read the manga at the same time, I think I would have loved it thoroughly. Now, with a few more years under my belt, and a level of detachment from that mindset of teenage alienation and struggle, my opinion is perhaps a little ... different. It is still a manga worth a read. It's got good heart and really does make a solid petition for kids on the outskirts at life. If you're a teenager who is outcast or not attending school, read this. It could be just what you need.

Other than that, some of the story is actually a bit too typical for my tastes these days. I guess I wasn't really interested in the love story element when I was younger, and this time around it felt a little forced to me. I couldn't really get behind the main couple.

There are definitely a few funny and heartwarming moments in this manga that stick out to me, and that give the characters their own personalities. They are not, however, characters that really jump off the page or stick in my mind that strongly.

Cat Street had to be the most interesting and thought-provoking manga I've ever read out of all the manga I've ever read.

I believe the reason the story was so interesting to me was the fact that I could relate to it. The story focuses on 16-year-old Keito, a child actress who became a recluse after an incident. She ends up at the "free school," El Liston, and from here her journey begins, along with her new friends, Rei, Momiji, and Kouichi, who also have been living as outcasts from society. Together, they gradually find their place in the world.

This is an inspiring story about ... friendship, accepting the past, and redeeming it for even brighter tomorrow.

Story (10): The story contains a lot of different themes ranging from depression to anti-socialism, friendship and love. And those themes worked very well together as it created a realistic story line because I could also identify with it. The mangaka did a good job conveying emotions, appropriate reactions and responses, and the themes because it made the story more believable and real. I also liked the fact the story had a little bit of the unexpected in it, which made it even more interesting.

Art (9): The art was very well done. It's not extravagantly detailed or elaborate or over the top. The drawings were simple and clean, perspectives views and scenes were well done, characters were well-proportioned.

The facial expressions were my favorite part. The wide spectrum of emotions from sadness to loneliness to happiness to excitement--I believe they were conveyed very well.

Character (10): The characters I could identify with, which made them so likable. I believe at least one person who read this manga could. Their personalities are so distinctive, many times it was difficult to read them--in a good sense because it makes the reader curious to learn more about them, their dreams, hopes; what they're thinking. And when the four of them are together (Keito, Rei, Koichi, Momiji), their personalities flow so well together; the atmosphere changes into something you feel a part of.

Their character development over the past three years this manga spans was very well done; it was amazing to see their character growth from the time they were at El Liston until the end. The progression was nicely paced.

Enjoyment (10): Loved it; I would definitely read this manga again. I actually found myself cheering for Keito and her friends, hoping they can achieve their goals. I, myself, want to have an inspiring story like this!

Overall (10): A wonderful and inspiring story. Something you can curly up in a chair and read on an afternoon because it's just that good.

Cat street is one of the old manga that catch my attention. Im not gonna say that its super duper great, but i think cat street deserve some attention.

The story is outstanding for me and it gives me chilld everytime i read it. And its really shocking because the male lead is not expected at first ( i thought it gonna be taiyou or rei ). Well the art is not the best but it still acceptable. And for me all the character is great, we can see the development of each character especially the MC.

Overall i really enjoy reading this manga, and when ... i read the ending it just give me a chills, that last inspiring words, like WOW. so i think im gonna give it a 9/10