If you are sick, there is chicken soup, Akane’s Ramen It’s the animated version of that. It’s as comforting as a warm blanket, requiring nothing from the audience except occasional sympathy and understanding. Beyond that, there’s no critical thinking required, no need to figure out a huge storyline, no need to memorize a long list of characters. It just exists, as whimsical and improbable as a ramen shop run by cats without opposable thumbs. And of course there’s a tiger – a big, lovable tiger at the zoo whose daily routine now includes making noodles, nervously dealing with noisy customers and taking naps with other co-workers.
Adapted from comics Shueishaof Shonen Jump+ digital platform, Akane’s Ramen It tells the story of the day-to-day business of five cats (four house cats, one tiger) who run a ramen shop for customers who happen to like cats and can tolerate the occasional tuft of hair in their soup. Of course, they can talk and are capable of completing all the tasks required to run a successful restaurant. Of course, they also have a strict no-photography policy – they’re not interested in becoming a circus attraction. They were simply hospitable and served a hot bowl of handmade noodles. In the first episode, things take a big turn when they decide to hire human employees. At first, this isn’t acceptable to every cat – Hana, the hostess cat, is immediately suspicious and rude, but beneath her lively customer-facing persona lies a distrust of humans. Maybe hiring Nebo wouldn’t help either. Okja is the niece of the store’s former owner, although she immediately admits that she prefers dogs. Apparently, this works to her advantage, because the chef is quick to say that, given the restaurant’s circumstances, cat lovers are a bit…intense.
While Okja’s job duties eventually included helping Tiger Krishna cook noodles and organize dishes, her main job was brushing the cats. Everyone took turns holding their favorite brushes in the break room, occasionally falling asleep as Tamako completed her duties more skillfully. It’s obviously not just for comfort – brushing helps control the condition of the coat, which is crucial during Krishna’s hair removal period, when she turns into an angry beast, gnashing her teeth at the discomfort of the excess fur And broke out. If anyone has ever owned or raised a husky, imagine a cat the size of nothing but a refrigerator.
The great thing about all brushing is that it’s equally soothing for the viewer and the cat. The sound design is predictably filled with the methodical, rhythmic scraping of bristles. If the clip were longer it could almost be called ASMR, but even at its current length it’s therapeutic. Scratch…scratch…scratch…scratch…scratch… It doesn’t exactly make for compelling television, but chances are, you’re not watching Ramen Akeneko for thrills. To be honest, you’re probably not watching it for laughs either – while there are some occasional jokes thrown in, it’s not particularly funny. Whatever conflicts arise, the stakes are very low and come in the form of occasional minor annoyances, like an arrogant person breaking into a live-streaming cat influencer; or a minor person worrying that one of the cats will quit his job and go into esports. There are some tenderer moments in the final episodes as viewers finally learn the cats’ backstories, including their original names.
From a viewing perspective, it doesn’t make complete viewing sense Akane’s Ramen One episode at a time, unless you want to spend your lunch hour staring at the bird feeder. A show made for binge-watching when you’re sad, when you need background music to build your Legos, or when you’re bedridden with fever and body aches for 18 hours after the latest COVID-19 booster, this The example is definitely just that this is a random one and not something that happened to me recently on a Sunday when I was wrapped in a blanket and eating ibuprofen like candy.
Visually, the show’s cuteness is a bit subjective. The cats themselves do have very cute personalities, although their bottom-heavy design makes them an interesting choice for anyone who has ever seen a cat. Tamako’s character look is also an odd choice, with the bridge of her nose displayed harshly like a child’s doodle. Maybe this is where I admit that I’m a more dog-loving person too. Chef Bunzo is my favorite among domestic cats and he talks about their use in a no-nonsense way Qin Cai Instead, the chives have me firmly on his side as a feline ramen expert. The real highlight is Krishna, I would run through a blazing fire to save him. She’s cute and sweet, and the news that her handmade noodles were eventually being sold publicly as tiger claw noodles made me realize that if that were true, I would empty this ramen shop’s bank account.
All of this to say, yes, you should definitely watch Akane’s Ramenbut you have to save it to a specific day. It’s more of an atmosphere than a TV series. If you approach it with the full intention of embracing your soul, you will enjoy it immensely. What if you start feeling longing because your cat can’t talk to you? No. Apparently, happy cats can’t talk.
