49 pages • 1-hour read
Syou Ishida, Transl. E. Madison ShimodaA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summaries & Analyses
Quizzes
Reading Tools
Games
Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.
A 25-year-old employee at a demanding brokerage firm suffering from severe burnout and insomnia. He seeks out the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul to escape his toxic work environment. Instead of traditional medication, he receives an unusual animal prescription that shifts his daily priorities and responsibilities.
Patient of Dr. Nikké
Caretaker of Bee
Subordinate to Emoto
Coworker of Kijima
Coworker of Yuina Sakashita
Employee of Jinnai
Acquaintance of Satsuki Jinnai
A 51-year-old middle manager at an outsourced call center. He feels alienated both at work and within his own home, blaming his stress on the cheerful demeanor of his new supervisor. His inability to sleep drives him to seek help at the mysterious clinic, leading to a shift in his family dynamics.
Husband of Natsue Koga
Father of Emiri Koga
Subordinate to Hinako Nakajima
Patient of Dr. Nikké
Caretaker of Margot
A mother preoccupied with social validation and appearing competent to other parents. She brings her fourth-grade daughter to the clinic for help regarding school cliques. Her strict parenting style and impatience mask unresolved trauma from her own youth.
Mother of Aoba
Patient of Dr. Nikké
Caretaker of Koyuki
A successful handbag designer whose strict perfectionism drives away her staff. She struggles to maintain total control over her professional life while tolerating complacence in her personal life. A clinic visit introduces chaos into her carefully curated apartment, forcing a change in perspective.
Romantic Partner of Daigo
Business Partner of Junko
Patient of Dr. Nikké
Caretaker of Tank
Caretaker of Tangerine
Employer of Mitsuki
Professional Connection to Abino (Ami Takeda)
A 26-year-old geiko living and working in Kyoto. She carries profound grief over the disappearance of her previous cat and feels responsible for the loss. She maintains a serene public exterior while privately struggling to find closure and move past her sorrow.
Caretaker of Chitose (Cat)
Caretaker of Mimita
Client of Dr. Kokoro Suda
Housemate of Shizue
Coworker of Yuriha
Employee of Ioka
The eccentric young doctor at the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. He prescribes cats instead of medication and offers unusual advice to his stressed patients. He operates entirely outside the bounds of traditional psychiatry, matching specific animals to specific human needs.
Coworker of Chitose
Doctor to Shuta Kagawa
Doctor to Yusaku Koga
Doctor to Megumi Minamida
Doctor to Tomoka Takamine
A manager at a prestigious brokerage firm. He publicly shames employees and forces them to cover his unethical business practices. He rules his department through intimidation and views his subordinates purely as tools for his own advancement.
Manager of Shuta Kagawa
Manager of Kijima
The brusque, aloof nurse at the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. She assists Dr. Nikké in matching patients with their feline prescriptions. She possesses a highly pragmatic demeanor that sharply contrasts with the doctor's whimsical nature.
Coworker of Dr. Nikké
Connected to Abino (Ami Takeda)
The imposing owner of a construction company. Despite his tough exterior and gold chains, he is deeply compassionate and a passionate cat lover. He runs his business like a community and offers support to struggling young people willing to work hard.
Jinnai's wife, who helps run the construction company. She shares her husband's fondness for animals and helps provide a supportive presence for their workers. She still carries the memory of a beloved pet that passed away years earlier.
The cheerful new deputy general manager at the call center. Her constant enthusiasm and habit of offering praise initially frustrate her older colleagues. She works hard to create a positive environment in a notoriously high-stress workplace.
Manager of Yusaku Koga
Yusaku's wife, who maintains a quiet distance from her husband. She obtains allergy medication so she can interact with the household's new animal, leading to a shift in their strained family dynamic.
Yusaku and Natsue's college-aged daughter. She is interested in social media and tries to help her father understand the emotional effort required to give genuine compliments to others.
Tomoka's easygoing, unemployed boyfriend. He handles cooking but lacks ambition, creating unspoken tension in their relationship. His carefree nature directly opposes his partner's need for strict order.
Romantic Partner of Tomoka Takamine
A kind, elderly veterinarian running the Suda Animal Hospital. He provides medical care for the area's animals and rescues abandoned pets from difficult situations, offering a grounded form of healing.
A gray female cat with golden eyes prescribed to a stressed brokerage worker. Her actions directly disrupt his stagnant routine and force him to take on new responsibilities.
Prescribed to Shuta Kagawa
A mixed-breed tortoiseshell cat prescribed to treat insomnia. Her vocal habits alter the quiet, distant atmosphere in a fractured household.
Prescribed to Yusaku Koga
A tiny white kitten with a black patch on one ear. She bears a striking resemblance to a pet from her caretaker's past.
Prescribed to Megumi Minamida
Cared for by Aoba
A fourth-grade student struggling with classroom cliques. She pushes her mother to take her problems seriously and shows natural skill in caring for animals.
Daughter of Megumi Minamida
An energetic American shorthair cat. His excitable behavior causes significant messes in a highly controlled environment.
Prescribed to Tomoka Takamine
A serene, blue-eyed Ragdoll cat mistakenly prescribed at the clinic, matching her caretaker's orderly aesthetic perfectly.
Prescribed to Tomoka Takamine
A calico cat with declining health. Her disappearance leaves a lasting emotional impact on her owner, driving much of the surrounding narrative.
Cared for by Abino (Ami Takeda)
An affectionate Scottish Fold prescribed to a grieving geiko to help her process a difficult loss.
Prescribed to Abino (Ami Takeda)
An employee at a toxic brokerage firm who quits abruptly, leaving his coworker to handle suspicious client documents.
Coworker of Shuta Kagawa
Subordinate to Emoto
An accountant at a brokerage firm who assists with client documents and shares vital office news.
Coworker of Shuta Kagawa
A business partner at a handbag design firm. She recognizes the signs of severe burnout and suggests seeking professional help.
Business Partner of Tomoka Takamine
The deputy director at the City Cat Rescue Center. He bears a striking physical resemblance to a clinic doctor.
Acquaintance of Yusaku Koga
A wealthy building owner and patron in Kyoto who supports local veterinary rescue efforts.
Patron of Abino (Ami Takeda)
Acquaintance of Dr. Kokoro Suda
The proprietress of an okiya (lodging house) in Kyoto. She provides a stable living environment for the geiko residing there.
Housemate of Abino (Ami Takeda)
A geiko living in Kyoto who quickly and easily bonds with new animals brought into the lodging house.
Coworker of Abino (Ami Takeda)