Neko Rahmen
Encyclopedia
, also known as Neko Ramen, is a Japanese four-panel
comic strip
manga
created by Kenji Sonishi. The comedy centers around a cat (Taishō) and his encounters while running a ramen
shop.
The yonkoma series has been adapted into a TV flash anime
produced by Think Corporation, with 26 episodes to date. The original yonkoma is still being published in the monthly Japanese manga
magazine Monthly Comic Blade.
Neko Rahmen was the most watched short animation series on Yahoo! Japan
official streaming site in August 2007.
The series is also noted for being the first anime series to be licensed exclusively by a US IPTV
company, Vuze
, and made available as a free download without digital restrictions. Vuze also subtitled the first 13-episode season of the series into English. Director Minoru Kawasaki ("The Calamari Wrestler," "Executive Koala," "Crab Goalkeeper") has completed filming of a live-action adaptation for Tornado Film titled "Neko Ramen Taishō," that utilizes both real cats and plush puppets.
is the entrepreneurial ramen chef and sole proprietor of Neko Rahmen, the only restaurant in Tokyo run by a cat. His primary goal is to make money and expand his ramen business, with a secondary plan of customer satisfaction, or at least entertainment. He was a former kitten model, who ran away from home and had a hard life on the streets before being saved by kind ramen shop owner who later served as Taishō's mentor. He takes pride in his noodles and is easily angered when customers are dissatisfied. Taisho also has a medical license and a driver's license. He and his family seem to be the only cats in the series who actually can talk. Taisho's real name is William Thomas Jefferson III, and he is a pure breed American Shorthair
(though he dislikes both about himself).
, who usually goes by as , is a young Japanese business man who is the only regular customer at Neko Rahmen, despite rarely receiving a decent meal. Tanaka plays the straight man
to the easily excitable and scheming Taishō. He is extremely diplomatic and polite, but will try to intervene to soothe Taishō when he gets agitated.
A "youngster" hired by Taisho to help him run his shop. As she is a cat, she usually will be sleeping instead of working.
Another part-timer hired by Taisho. He is an older man with glasses and a beard, who seems to accept working for cat treats like some of Taisho's other employees. Tanaka has commented his ramen is no better than Taisho's. Never officially named, he's nicknamed "the Second-Shop Guy" as he relocates to run Taisho's second location. A running gag is that every time Tanaka visits, its profession has changed (electronic shop, outlet mall, etc) and its always packed.
A kleptomaniac bum who worked for Taisho. Taisho seems oblivious to when Shige-chan steals from the register or from customers.
A successful kitten model drawn with very wide cute eyes and a bow on one of his ears. He tried to make Taisho follow in his footsteps, but seems to accept his son's ramen shop. Because of his cuteness, Tanaka first thought he was a girl. His real name is William Thomasa Jefferson II.
She resembles Taisho aside from some aged marks and wearing a more feminine apron. She does not approve of Taisho's choice of work, and wishes him for to be married to a pedigree girl, much to his exasperation.
Taisho's younger brothers, who often visit their elder brother's shop. They wish to become kitten models like their father, much to Taisho's annoyance.
Tanaka's girlfriend. She finds Taisho amusing, and continually ticks him off with innocent comments like being a dog person or seeing ramen as hobo food.
A girl Taisho developed a huge crush on (though Tanaka had first believed it was her cat Taisho was talking about). She left overseas to study as a pianist, and has left her cat, Goro, under Taisho's care.
Miki's (male) cat that currently is living with Taisho. Tanaka had thought Goro was a girl and was Taisho's crush until Taisho (angrily) corrected him.
Taisho's muscular friend who is always playing weird card games with Taisho.
Yonkoma
thumb|right|150px|Traditional Yonkoma layout, a comic-strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
created by Kenji Sonishi. The comedy centers around a cat (Taishō) and his encounters while running a ramen
Ramen
is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...
shop.
The yonkoma series has been adapted into a TV flash anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
produced by Think Corporation, with 26 episodes to date. The original yonkoma is still being published in the monthly Japanese manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
magazine Monthly Comic Blade.
Neko Rahmen was the most watched short animation series on Yahoo! Japan
Yahoo! Japan
is a Japanese internet company formed as a joint venture between the American internet company Yahoo! and the Japanese internet company SoftBank. It is headquartered at Midtown Tower in the Tokyo Midtown complex in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo.-History:...
official streaming site in August 2007.
The series is also noted for being the first anime series to be licensed exclusively by a US IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
company, Vuze
Vuze
Vuze is a BitTorrent client used to transfer files via the BitTorrent protocol. Vuze is written in Java, and uses the Azureus Engine. In addition to downloading data linked to by .torrent files, Azureus allows users to view, publish and share original DVD and HD quality video content...
, and made available as a free download without digital restrictions. Vuze also subtitled the first 13-episode season of the series into English. Director Minoru Kawasaki ("The Calamari Wrestler," "Executive Koala," "Crab Goalkeeper") has completed filming of a live-action adaptation for Tornado Film titled "Neko Ramen Taishō," that utilizes both real cats and plush puppets.
Principal characters
- Taishō, voiced by Rie NakagawaRie Nakagawais a Japanese actress and voice actress.-TV Anime:*Ballad of a Shinigami *Bleach *Full Moon o Sagashite *Ginga Densetsu Weed *Gunslinger Girl *Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari...
is the entrepreneurial ramen chef and sole proprietor of Neko Rahmen, the only restaurant in Tokyo run by a cat. His primary goal is to make money and expand his ramen business, with a secondary plan of customer satisfaction, or at least entertainment. He was a former kitten model, who ran away from home and had a hard life on the streets before being saved by kind ramen shop owner who later served as Taishō's mentor. He takes pride in his noodles and is easily angered when customers are dissatisfied. Taisho also has a medical license and a driver's license. He and his family seem to be the only cats in the series who actually can talk. Taisho's real name is William Thomas Jefferson III, and he is a pure breed American Shorthair
American Shorthair
The American Shorthair is a breed of cat believed to be descended from European domestic cats brought to North America by early settlers to protect valuable cargo from mice and rats...
(though he dislikes both about himself).
- Kōichi Tanaka, voiced by Atsushi Yamada
, who usually goes by as , is a young Japanese business man who is the only regular customer at Neko Rahmen, despite rarely receiving a decent meal. Tanaka plays the straight man
Straight man
Straight man may refer to:* Straight Man, a novel by Richard Russo* A member of a double act who plays a stooge, feed, or comic foil in theatrical comedy...
to the easily excitable and scheming Taishō. He is extremely diplomatic and polite, but will try to intervene to soothe Taishō when he gets agitated.
- Mii-chan
A "youngster" hired by Taisho to help him run his shop. As she is a cat, she usually will be sleeping instead of working.
- Second-Shop Guy
Another part-timer hired by Taisho. He is an older man with glasses and a beard, who seems to accept working for cat treats like some of Taisho's other employees. Tanaka has commented his ramen is no better than Taisho's. Never officially named, he's nicknamed "the Second-Shop Guy" as he relocates to run Taisho's second location. A running gag is that every time Tanaka visits, its profession has changed (electronic shop, outlet mall, etc) and its always packed.
- Shige-chan
A kleptomaniac bum who worked for Taisho. Taisho seems oblivious to when Shige-chan steals from the register or from customers.
- Taisho's father
A successful kitten model drawn with very wide cute eyes and a bow on one of his ears. He tried to make Taisho follow in his footsteps, but seems to accept his son's ramen shop. Because of his cuteness, Tanaka first thought he was a girl. His real name is William Thomasa Jefferson II.
- Taisho's mother
She resembles Taisho aside from some aged marks and wearing a more feminine apron. She does not approve of Taisho's choice of work, and wishes him for to be married to a pedigree girl, much to his exasperation.
- Taisho's brothers'
Taisho's younger brothers, who often visit their elder brother's shop. They wish to become kitten models like their father, much to Taisho's annoyance.
Tanaka's girlfriend. She finds Taisho amusing, and continually ticks him off with innocent comments like being a dog person or seeing ramen as hobo food.
- Miki
A girl Taisho developed a huge crush on (though Tanaka had first believed it was her cat Taisho was talking about). She left overseas to study as a pianist, and has left her cat, Goro, under Taisho's care.
- Goro
Miki's (male) cat that currently is living with Taisho. Tanaka had thought Goro was a girl and was Taisho's crush until Taisho (angrily) corrected him.
- Tetsu
Taisho's muscular friend who is always playing weird card games with Taisho.