Chocola and Vanilla welcome the stray kitten to their home. They and the other cats of the Minaduki family help give her a name.
Episode 4 – “The First Time…!”
Hmm.
Ah. Do you feel that? That is the refreshed feeling of healing anime served up this week in Nekopara. The little kitten Cacao quickly made herself Chocola’s little sister and even Vanilla’s rival for her affection. That’s good slice-of-life conflict: not too dramatic, but just emotional enough for a smile and for some recurring jokes.
Speaking of Cacao, that’s the stray kitten’s name now. How she got it fits in well with the title of the episode as well. She had a lot of first times during the Nekopara episode: first time getting bored by TV, first time playing in a box, first time eating chocolate cake, first time getting molested by Shigure… Oops, I mean getting a “health checkup” and measured in her underwear.
This might be healing anime and slice-of-life, but Nekopara knows its audience and what we’re here for — cat girls in their underwear! Now I’m feeling really refreshed. The fanservice moments also reinforced just how much of a cat lady Shigure really is. Nothing wrong with that, considering how fun it is putting hands on these kinds of cat girls.
Eh?!
Did you know that real cats can’t eat chocolate at all? It’s poison to them. And that’s any chocolate derived from cacao (also called cocoa) beans. Yes, the kitten was named after cat poison. Not only that, cats don’t even have sweetness taste buds. Everything in Nekopara is a lie! Oh, wait. This story is about cat GIRLS, and girls are sweet, can taste sweet, and love chocolate. Whew. We’re all fine here, then.
Heh.
This morning scene is so wholesome and cute. Toddler kittens add a whole other magnitude of cuteness. Vanilla really doesn’t like getting out of bed. The kitten is cute… too, says Vanilla! That Vanilla, what a minx.
Oh. Shigure didn’t do her welcome to La Soleil this week. I guess we know we’re watching the cat girls of Nekopara after four weeks. Fun! The kitten is now in the opening credits. Huh? Who is this little girl? The kitten’s real owner? I’m preparing my heart for feelings near the end of Nekopara‘s season.
The little one still eats under the table. She doesn’t trust Kashou. It’s all about Chocola. Vanilla wants in on that action! The kitten knows how to use a remote control, yes? Oh, she’ll learn. TV pictures don’t have a smell. Or taste. Vanilla still drools too. I sense a trip to the ocean soon.
Yeah, I’d bet a child would get bored at play-by-play Shogi. These women patrons call the cat girls “cute” in English. This one is not for petting! Ooh! A cardboard box! This is a premium cat toy. Ha. Her stealth skill level isn’t as high as she thinks.
Vanilla has a dirty mind too! Here’s Cinnamon showing her how it’s done. Blindfold play! This is crossing a line. Cinnamon is going to get moist over Kashou too? I mean, in the Nekopara video game, that’s a given, but this is my healing anime with yuri flavors. Bribing with cake. I see how this Kashou guy operates. Chin scratches too.
Look! Socialization. The kitty is learning manners. Yay! She gets to play with Chocola and Vanilla just a little bit. Hee. Chocola has some impulse control issues. What would happen if cats ever took control of the laser pointer? Now we know.
Chocola needs to brush up on her cat toy skills in the eye catches.
Shigure’s health checks… This just means taking height, weight, and 3 size measurements, right? Whatever could they mean that Kashou doesn’t get any rest when Chocola and Vanilla are at home? I’m seeing some Nekopara game fan service jokes now. Vanilla is just full of innuendos.
Oh yes! Cat girls wearing skimpy underwear. Azuki needs to find a more mature style. Thank you so much, Coconut, for having to bend over so far down to mess with Azuki. Behave, or no snacks for you!
Chocola, Vanilla, and the kitten have arrived, but only now have they figured out the little one doesn’t have a name. It’s only been two days in Nekopara time. Azuki still wants Sugarcane. Coconut suggests Cheese. Maple likes Macaron. Chocola roots for Short Cake. Vanilla derails the conversation with Tuna. Cinnamon further derails it by liking Sausage. Yeah, we know that, Cinnamon. Moist sausage… Shigure insists on cute names only. Vanilla got it in one shot. Cacao. It also honors Kashou for making a connection with the little girl. Cacao it is.
Here we go. Cacao remembers her mom with pressing on cat chests. Cinnamon gives the phrase “fun bags” a whole new meaning for the cat lover set. The sound effects for the boin moments are on point. Ah. Cinnamon got damp again.
Shigure is very thorough with her health check. This vision test is just there to show how smart Cacao is. She can already read. Maybe she was bored with that Shogi TV show because she was bored by the simple analysis? Haha! All the cat girls fear needles, except Cacao, who’s never seen one, and Chocola who missed it the first time. Unsurprisingly, Shigure made sure to have one cat girl say they really, really, really, really love her.
Nice. They went to the beach to see the ocean, because Cacao had never seen it. There were lots of “first times” for Cacao this episode, fitting the episode title. The flashbacks cement the idea that the Nekopara anime cat girls are supposed to be adoptive children for Kashou and Shigure. Supposed to be!
The episode-specific jokes make me chuckle. Fatty tuna is not a fish species, surprising Chocola and Coconut. Cinnamon got moist for real! It’s hard to tell the season here, but it’s not summer yet, which means we should prepare our bodies for the beach episode!
Aw. Cacao makes it into the Nekopara end credits too.
Artist Orion captures Cacao playing with way too many cat toys at the same time in the end card.
