What's Michael: What is the appeal of this soothing anime that combines the everyday lives of cats with humor?

What's Michael: A heartwarming story of a cat and a man

The TV anime series "What's Michael," which aired in 1988, is a heartwarming story about the daily lives of cats and humans. The original manga was written by Makoto Kobayashi and serialized in "Weekly Comic Morning," "Tanoshii Youchien," "TV Magazine," and "Comic Bonbon." The anime aired on TV Tokyo and entertained audiences for a long period of 45 episodes.

Broadcast information

"What's Michael" was broadcast from April 15 to September 30, 1988, on Fridays from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., and then from October 11 to Tuesdays from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. for 22 episodes. Each episode is short, lasting 30 minutes, and tells the story of the cat Michael and the people around him.

Production and writing

The anime is produced by TV Tokyo and Kodansha, and the copyright is owned by Makoto Kobayashi, Kitty Enterprises, and Kodansha. In order to bring out the best in the original work, the production team has pursued meticulous illustrations and storytelling.

Story and Characters

The main character of "What's Michael" is a cat named Michael. Although Michael is an ordinary cat, he is deeply involved in the lives of humans, solving various problems and healing their hearts. Michael is surrounded by his owner's family and friends, and various episodes unfold through his interactions with them.

The Tanaka family, Michael's owners, are a family consisting of father Kenichi, mother Miyoko, son Kenta, and daughter Mika. Kenichi is a busy businessman, Miyoko is a housewife who supports the family, Kenta is a lively elementary school student, and Mika is a mischievous kindergartener. They face various events together with Michael and grow up.

Michael's cat friends also appear as important characters. In particular, Michael's best friend, the tabby cat Tama, goes on adventures with Michael and sometimes helps each other out. The stories woven by these characters provide viewers with laughter and tears, and warm their hearts.

The appeal of anime

The greatest appeal of "What's Michael" is its realistic portrayal of the relationship between cats and humans. Michael is not just a pet, but is treated as a member of the family, sometimes helping the family and sometimes being helped by the family. This portrayal will resonate with people who have pets and also provide a new perspective for people who do not have pets.

Each episode is a self-contained story, allowing viewers to experience different themes and issues in each episode. For example, various themes are depicted, such as family ties, friendship, growth, loss, and reunion. These themes resonate with a wide range of audiences, from children to adults, making the stories resonate with them.

Background of the anime

The original story of "What's Michael" was written by Makoto Kobayashi, who used his beloved cat as a model. Kobayashi has a deep understanding of cat behavior and psychology, and by reflecting that in his manga, he has provided readers with a realistic world of cats. TV Tokyo and Kodansha were attracted by the appeal of this original story, so they decided to make it into an anime, and worked hard to faithfully recreate the worldview of the original.

The anime production team followed the original drawing style while adding movements and expressions that are unique to anime, creating more realistic and attractive characters. In addition, while the story is based on the original, the anime added original episodes to provide fresh surprises to viewers.

Viewers' reactions

"What's Michael" was highly praised when it was first broadcast, and was loved by many viewers. Cat-loving viewers especially praised Michael's realistic behavior and facial expressions. In addition, episodes depicting family ties and friendships warmed the hearts of viewers and moved them.

Even after the show ended, "What's Michael" continues to be loved by many people through reruns and DVDs. In particular, with the spread of the Internet, it has become widely known to a new generation of viewers by being introduced on social media and video sharing sites.

Related products and media development

Due to the popularity of "What's Michael", various related products were released. In particular, goods featuring Michael and other characters were highly popular among cat-loving fans. The original manga was also reprinted, and it has become loved by many readers again.

Furthermore, "What's Michael" was broadcast overseas and received high praise from viewers all over the world. In particular, in countries with a thriving cat culture, the realistic portrayal of Michael was highly praised and many fans were born. Through these media developments, "What's Michael" was able to spread its name not only in Japan but all over the world.

Recommendations and ratings

"What's Michael" is an anime that should be recommended to many people as it depicts a heartwarming story of cats and humans. In particular, it is a story that resonates with people who have pets and who value family ties, with many episodes that they can relate to. It is also a story that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people, from children to adults, and is perfect for watching with the whole family.

In terms of evaluation, the anime deserves high praise in all aspects, including the completeness of the story, the charm of the characters, the quality of the drawings, etc. In particular, the realistic portrayal of cats and the episodes depicting family ties have a unique appeal not found in other anime, and provide deep emotions to viewers.

summary

"What's Michael" is an animated series that continues to be loved by many people as a heartwarming story of a cat and a human. This work brings out the charm of the original work to the fullest and provides viewers with laughter and tears, and has many episodes that people who have pets and people who value family ties can relate to, making it a story that touches the heart. Please watch it at least once and experience the warm world of Michael and the people around him.