Rent-a-Cat (2012)

Sayoko spends every day walking along the side of a nearby river renting out cats for companionship to passersby. Sayoko’s service helps the people she meets deal with the loneliness in their own lives, but she can’t seem to fill the void in her own.

As a child, Sayoko had better relationships with cats than humans, and her situation hasn’t changed much over the years. She’s worked various side-jobs, including fortune-telling, but has lived all alone in a one-story home in the corner of the city since her grandmother died. She’s had very little contact with people apart from her customers and a cross-dressing neighbor that hurls insults, but when a man from her past follows her home, her life is soon turned upside-down.

Director: Ogigami Naoko

Stars: Ichikawa Mikako, Kusamura Reiko, Mitsuishi Ken

JDramaMama's Rating: A

This one is for the cat lover in you. This is an absolutely adorable comedy with touches of human drama. The lead actress is charming and funny and the kitties are too cute! Most people know about the warmth and companionship our pets bring us. The character walks up and down the road with a megaphone pulling a cart with adorable felines in it, advertising to rent-a-cat. Her customers are lonely, depressed and yearn companionship. She doesn't rent her precious cats to just anyone, though. She tells each one in advance that she must check them out first because, "some jerks want to hurt helpless animals" and that she will be back to check on them. This really is a little winner and all animal lovers, especially cat lovers, will enjoy it!

#Japan #comedy #family