Final Thoughts: Chi’s Sweet Home

Coming soon: The Many Faces of Chi’s Sweet Home

When a young kitten gets separated from her mother, she is lucky enough to cross paths with the Yamada family, who decide to ignore their apartment’s ban on pets and take her home. Christening their new arrival Chi, the Yamadas’ initial intention is to find her a proper home as soon as possible, but as time passes, they become far too attached to the cute kitten to want to part with her- and who could blame them?

As a dedicated cat lover, a series all about a cat’s daily life was hardly something I could pass up, and fortunately, Chi’s Sweet Home turned out to be right on the money. Delivered in tantalising and tasty two minute chunks, the series always managed to bring a smile to the face, showing us Chi as she explores her new home with all the wonder and delight you’d expect from a young kitten. Whether it’s discovering the function of the litter tray (which our diminutive heroine first believes to be a bed) or doing what all cat owners fear and getting into cupboard where the cat biscuits are kept, Chi is always a delight to watch- so much so that even 104 episodes aren’t enough.

Naturally, Chi is the cute, furry and eminently huggable star of the show; brought to life by superb voice acting and a range of facial expressions, her innocence and slow discovery of the world around her will surely melt all but the blackest and most shrivelled of hearts. That being said, the supporting cast each have their part to play; most notably the Yamadas (a rather generic young family of mother, father and little boy), who, whilst hardly being the most interesting characters in anime, are just perfect in the way they react to the trials of raising a kitten whilst keeping her existence a secret from their landlady. Also of importance is ‘Blackie’, a large black cat who starts off as a rather brusque and slightly terrifying presence, but whose subtle kindness to Chi makes him an increasingly integral part of the series.

Visually, Chi’s Sweet Home has a very simple and low key look- perfect for the relaxed tone of the series. Chi herself always looks adorable, with her aforementioned facial expressions always proving entertaining. Background music is simple and repetitive, but again it suits the tone of the series, whilst the opening theme overflows with cuteness.

Final Thoughts

It may not be ground-breaking or massively sophisticated, but when it comes to pure entertainment, Chi’s Sweet Home is a sure fire winner. With bite sized episodes and immense levels of cuteness, this is one series that no one has any excuse not to watch and enjoy. If it were up to me, we’d have another 104 episodes served up right away.

Tier: Gold