I’m too old to follow the latest hype in the anime realm. Most of the time, I just want to watch something light and funny. That’s when I stumbled upon Ramen Akaneko. The thought process was simple: I saw ramen and cats in the title and thought, okay, count me in!
So yeah, finally I watched Ramen Akaneko.
The first few minutes in, I almost lost it. The animation feels stiff, too much CGI. It's not awful, but feels a bit distracting to me. This might not be a good show, I think.
But then I heard Bunzo speak.
Bunzo is the head chef. He’s a cat. But when he opens his mouth, it’s Kenjiro Tsuda. Heck yeah Kento Nanami!!
Hearing his voice coming from an orange cat talking about Ramen ingredients, lol, yeah that's what i'm talking about. Yes sir! I would love to continue watching just for this sole reason.
That's when this show clicked. I was locked in.
The show’s premise really is as simple as it sounds: a ramen shop run by cats. That’s all about it. I did keep waiting for a red cat, given the title. There isn’t one. Bunzo is orange.
The more I spend my time in that ramen shop, the more I know about the crew. I know that I will be a regular customer.
So let's meet the crew!
Krishna works in the back, trying her best to be unseen. She’s a massive Bengal tiger, easily the biggest presence in the kitchen. We would expect her to be intimidating. Well she isn’t. She keeps her head down, stays out of sight when she can, and focuses on the work (making noodles with her giant paws). I bet she's very popular among the fans, since she's so cute and kind hearted.
Sabu is another favorite. I absolutely adore him. He's a black cat. He’s messy, always moving, sweating through service. On breaks, he disappears into a cardboard box to play games, then comes back and keeps cooking. My wife pointed out that he’s the most accurate “cat” in the cast, and once she said it, I couldn’t unsee it. He doesn’t seek attention. He doesn’t care much about people. He does his thing and leaves. Very cat.
Hana handles the front. At first she just comes across as polite and professional. Over time, we notice she keeps a bit of distance. Friendly, but guarded. A quiet tsundere vibe. We eventually learn she used to have a bad time from her previous jobs. And that explains why she prefers fewer eyes on her now.
The one holding everything together is Sasaki. He runs the finances. He notices when people are tired. He doesn’t give speeches or fix problems dramatically. He just adjusts things so everyone can keep going. Watching him feels steady. Like the shop won’t fall apart as long as he’s there.
As long as the plot goes, most of what happens day to day is small. Lunch rushes. Dishes. Shifts starting and ending. The point of view often follows Tamako, the only human employee, she’s the one trying not to get in the way. There’s no villain. No arc. No sense that things are building toward something bigger.
And somehow, that’s fine.
By the end of the season, I was just used to being there. I want to see their ramen shop keep operating.
Sasaki-san, I know you wouldn’t hire me. I’d be useless. I’d pet everyone. But if there’s an empty seat at the counter, I’ll take it. Let me be a regular!