The Star of Cottonland
Encyclopedia
is a shōjo
manga by Yumiko Ōshima
. It was serialized
by Hakusensha
in the magazine LaLa
from 1978 to 1987 and collected in seven tankōbon
volumes. The story is about an abandoned kitten
called Chibi-neko (drawn as a small girl with cat ears and tail) who is adopted by a young man named Tokio and grows up believing she is human. The Star of Cottonland received the 1978 Kodansha Manga Award
for shōjo manga. It is credited with popularizing the kemonomimi (catgirl
) character type.
The series was adapated as an anime
movie directed by Shinichi Tsuji released in theaters on 11 February 1984.
In her own mind, Chibi-neko is a small human who speaks in human words, although people only ever seem to hear her meow, and she believes that all humans were once kittens like her. When she realizes that Tokio is in love with a human girl, she wishes to grow up into a full human more quickly. However, a tomcat named Raphael tells her this is impossible, destroying her dream. Raphael tells Chibi-neko of a paradise called Cottonland, where dreams can come true.
Chibi-neko runs away from home to travel with Raphael, searching for Cottonland. After many adventures, she ends up near Tokio's house, where Tokio's mother finds her and overcomes her fear of cats.
in the magazine LaLa
at irregular intervals from 1978 to 1987. The series was collected in seven tankōbon volumes under the Hana to Yume
imprint, and then reissued in 16 child-sized volumes. It was later reprinted in four bunkoban volumes in 17 June 1994.
movie produced by Mushi Production
. The movie was directed by Shinichi Tsuji from a script by Masaki Tsuji
and Yumiko Ōshima, with music by pianist Richard Clayderman
. The movie was released in theaters on 11 February 1984. The movie was later released on VHS, then rereleased on DVD by Columbia Music Entertainment
on 31 March 2004.
for shōjo manga, and in 1979 it was voted the most popular series running in LaLa. According to German manga scholar Jaqueline Berndt, the depiction of cats as young girls spread to other manga series from The Star of Cottonland. It is described by Masanao Amano as not just a simple animal fable but a story in which psychological and mental states are highly differentiated.
The movie of The Star of Cottonland has been praised as a "hidden gem" for its complex characterization, philosophical story, and gorgeous animation. The soundtrack of Richard Clayderman
's piano music is praised by Helen McCarthy
and Jonathan Clements
as striking exactly the right tone for the romantic mood. The depiction of Chibi-neko's self-image as a catgirl
was seen by a reviewer at T.H.E.M. Anime as a metaphor for adolescence.
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
manga by Yumiko Ōshima
Yumiko Oshima
is a female Japanese manga artist and a member of Year 24 group.She made her debut in 1968 with Paula's Tears in Weekly Margaret.She received the 1973 Japan Cartoonists Association Award for excellence for Mimoza Yashiki de Tsukamaete...
. It was serialized
Serial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
by Hakusensha
Hakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....
in the magazine LaLa
Lala
Lala VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers.-Details:...
from 1978 to 1987 and collected in seven tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes. The story is about an abandoned kitten
Kitten
A kitten is a juvenile domesticated cat.The young of big cats are called cubs rather than kittens. Either term may be used for the young of smaller wild felids such as ocelots, caracals, and lynx, but "kitten" is usually more common for these species....
called Chibi-neko (drawn as a small girl with cat ears and tail) who is adopted by a young man named Tokio and grows up believing she is human. The Star of Cottonland received the 1978 Kodansha Manga Award
Kodansha Manga Award
is an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
for shōjo manga. It is credited with popularizing the kemonomimi (catgirl
Catgirl
A catgirl is a female character with cat traits, such as cat ears, a cat tail, or other feline characteristics on an otherwise human body. Catgirls are found in various fiction genres, and in particular Japanese anime and manga where they are more commonly referred to as Neko or Nekomimi , in...
) character type.
The series was adapated as an 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....
movie directed by Shinichi Tsuji released in theaters on 11 February 1984.
Story
After two-month-old kitten is abandoned by her former owners, she is found by 18-year-old Tokio. Although his mother is allergic to cats and has a great fear of them, she agrees to let him keep the kitten because she fears he is becoming too withdrawn after failing his university entrance exams. Chibi-neko soon falls in love with Tokio.In her own mind, Chibi-neko is a small human who speaks in human words, although people only ever seem to hear her meow, and she believes that all humans were once kittens like her. When she realizes that Tokio is in love with a human girl, she wishes to grow up into a full human more quickly. However, a tomcat named Raphael tells her this is impossible, destroying her dream. Raphael tells Chibi-neko of a paradise called Cottonland, where dreams can come true.
Chibi-neko runs away from home to travel with Raphael, searching for Cottonland. After many adventures, she ends up near Tokio's house, where Tokio's mother finds her and overcomes her fear of cats.
Manga
The Star of Cottonland was serialized by HakusenshaHakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....
in the magazine LaLa
Lala
Lala VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers.-Details:...
at irregular intervals from 1978 to 1987. The series was collected in seven tankōbon volumes under the Hana to Yume
Hana to Yume
is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...
imprint, and then reissued in 16 child-sized volumes. It was later reprinted in four bunkoban volumes in 17 June 1994.
Movie
The Star of Cottonland was adapated as an animeAnime
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....
movie produced by Mushi Production
Mushi Production
Mushi Production , or Mushi Pro for short, is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan....
. The movie was directed by Shinichi Tsuji from a script by Masaki Tsuji
Masaki Tsuji
is a Japanese scenario writer of TV series and films as well as mystery fiction novels. Tsuji was most active in the business from the 1960s through the 1980s, and worked as a script writer on many popular anime TV series for Mushi Production, Toei Animation, and Tokyo Movie Shinsha.Among the...
and Yumiko Ōshima, with music by pianist Richard Clayderman
Richard Clayderman
Richard Clayderman is a French pianist who has released numerous albums including the compositions of Paul de Senneville and Olivier Toussaint, instrumental renditions of popular music, rearrangements of movie soundtracks, ethnic music, and easy-listening arrangements of most popular works of...
. The movie was released in theaters on 11 February 1984. The movie was later released on VHS, then rereleased on DVD by Columbia Music Entertainment
Columbia Music Entertainment
is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as . It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK Columbia trademarks in 1931. The company changed its name to Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. in 1946. It used the Nippon Columbia name until...
on 31 March 2004.
Reception
In 1978 The Star of Cottonland received the Kodansha Manga AwardKodansha Manga Award
is an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
for shōjo manga, and in 1979 it was voted the most popular series running in LaLa. According to German manga scholar Jaqueline Berndt, the depiction of cats as young girls spread to other manga series from The Star of Cottonland. It is described by Masanao Amano as not just a simple animal fable but a story in which psychological and mental states are highly differentiated.
The movie of The Star of Cottonland has been praised as a "hidden gem" for its complex characterization, philosophical story, and gorgeous animation. The soundtrack of Richard Clayderman
Richard Clayderman
Richard Clayderman is a French pianist who has released numerous albums including the compositions of Paul de Senneville and Olivier Toussaint, instrumental renditions of popular music, rearrangements of movie soundtracks, ethnic music, and easy-listening arrangements of most popular works of...
's piano music is praised by Helen McCarthy
Helen McCarthy
Helen McCarthy is the British author of such anime reference books as 500 Manga Heroes and Villains, Anime!, The Anime Movie Guide and Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation. She is the co-author of The Erotic Anime Movie Guide and the exhaustive The Anime Encyclopedia with Jonathan Clements...
and Jonathan Clements
Jonathan Clements
Jonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine...
as striking exactly the right tone for the romantic mood. The depiction of Chibi-neko's self-image as a catgirl
Catgirl
A catgirl is a female character with cat traits, such as cat ears, a cat tail, or other feline characteristics on an otherwise human body. Catgirls are found in various fiction genres, and in particular Japanese anime and manga where they are more commonly referred to as Neko or Nekomimi , in...
was seen by a reviewer at T.H.E.M. Anime as a metaphor for adolescence.