Nekopara, Episode 8: The Melancholy of Shigure

Shigure is feeling gloomy after a warm, sleepless night, so the catgirls try to cheer her up.

Episode 8 – “The Melancholy of Shigure”

Hmm.

The funny side of this Nekopara episode was how the catgirls all agreed that the antidote to sad feelings was either food or snuggling with Kashou. Cats are always hungry, so it’s no surprise the cats came to that first solution. The nod to the “adult situations” of the Nekopara game is a constant source of humor, as Cinnamon’s moistness proves every week, so it was fun to have Shigure share in the cats’ affection for the confectioner harem king.

While Shigure was the focus of Nekopara‘s healing anime episode, there was still some general plot movement for Cacao and her friendship with Chiyo. Their small scene reminded that I still have to prepare my heart for the conclusion of Cacao’s dramatic arc. It’s common for anime adaptations to “reset” the characters’ circumstances by end of the season, so I’m expecting Cacao to join Chiyo’s house. But before that happens, I need to stock up on the healing that a bed full of sexy cats can provide. It worked for Shigure, so I believe it will work for me too!

Heh.

It must be hot. All the Nekopara catgirls are trying to sleep in cool spots. Coconut is hungry. Azuki is picking a fight. She’s also hugging a wood carving of a bear with fish. Cinnamon is getting moist. Maple claims she’s not scared. Shigure has trouble sleeping.

Aw. Coconut got bitten by mosquitoes. Lucky bugs… Haha! Azuki has wooden fish impressions on her cheek. Kittens sleep on the roof in the Minaduki household, according to Nekopara lore. Good to know, Azuki. Maple with tousled hair is a good look. It looks like the effects of the sports festival wore off already for Azuki and Coconut. Odd. Shigure overslept. The heat was must have ruined her sleep. She’s not a morning person today. And she’s not a good cook today either. Maple has a cute tongue!

The cats think it’s just summer heat affecting Shigure. Helping with chores should let her rest up. The cats have gotten used to the vacuum cleaner in Nekopara. My cat never did. Oh no! Cinnamon’s tail got caught. Uh, she began to enjoy it. Cinnamon is a total M, huh? Hoh. Azuki still wears bear panties. Catgirls have a lot of panties…

Nice, nice. I like watching Coconut hog the fan. Yes, usually Shigure the cat lady would be excitedly doing cat lady things. Something is more wrong with her than being tired from lack of sleep. The moist Cinnamon jokes never stop! Azuki thinks gloomy Shigure is less annoying, but Coconut wants her back to normal. Unsaid is the lack of good cooking!

Aw. The Nekopara girls made a feast for Shigure. Clumsy Coconut cut herself many times making sashimi. These dishes appear to be the cats’ favorite foods. What is Shigure’s? And she has no appetite! Something is wrong with Shigure, according to cat logic.

Yup. Let’s brainstorm and run with the first suggestion even though it’s totally wrong. Is Shigure really a brocon in Nekopara? Or is that just by default since he’s the only male character? Lack of Kashou is a real concept to these catgirls. I think these cats are suffering Kashou deficiency and are projecting that onto Shigure. I don’t trust these flashbacks. I can see Shigure snuggling a picture of a cat, but not a dude. Yeah. Projection.

Cinnamon recovers from her moist vacuum escapade in the first eye catch. Azuki examines Coconut’s “T-back” in the second eye catch.

Ah. So, here’s how we get Shigure into cat ears and the maid waitress uniform in the opening credits. Vanilla claims the best way to gain energy is to wear a cute outfit. I can’t argue with that. Kyuu~n! Chocola’s wink slays me. Transformation complete! I notice that Shigure doesn’t have to wear the Nekopara cat bell. Wahaha! Cacao says “cu-te.” Shigure’s time at the patisserie is assured.

Welp, hikikomori cat lady is going to have a rough time IRL, so no surprises here. Shigure tried hard for Cacao’s sake. She could make the clumsy waitress type work in this shop, yes? Oh. Nekopara already has Coconut for that role. Don’t the other cat girls have a shift to work? Arguing about ice cream flavors again. This time Vanilla insists on vanilla…

Oh, this guy. Kashou will figure it out by just letting her be. Fun! Chiyo ran her first errand and Cacao help her. Fated pair, I’m convinced. See? Kashou knows Shigure’s favorite food. Macha roll cake. Maple should take note. Cinnamon asks Kashou to console Shigure “moistly.” Sigh. And heheheh.

After all that, Shigure herself hasn’t figured out why she’s mopey. It’s only been since yesterday in Nekopara time. The cats are moved by this comforting sibling scene, but their assumption about Shigure’s melancholy was wrong. Cinnamon goes there… Uh, it’s a little premature to proclaim, “happily ever after,” Chocola. We still have a whole six minutes to go, not counting the end credits. Vanilla always notices the important things, like Shigure keeping the cat ears on as she goes home.

Azuki knows Shigure best, being the first cat of the Minaduki household, so she noticed her master was still off. Nekopara stalking cats, go! Dramatic cliffside scene! But her lover wasn’t lost at sea on a tuna boat! Of course. Cinnamon is the source for all deranged love stories. And Cinnamon went even further along the incest is wincest plotline. Shigure uses a left-handed mouse? Also, she doesn’t look like she’s blogging about cats in that scene.

Ah. Shigure just figured out why she was feeling so sad when the catgirls hugged her. She turned back into a spastic cat lady right after. Oh, don’t tell me that everyone is going to fall over the cliff when all the hugging is done. Yeah, Nekopara just did that.

So, Shigure’s sleep was affected by the heat, but not in an expected way. In the cat lady way! She missed all the cats cuddling with her when it was cold. When the seasons changed she was all alone. Sad.

Acute cat deprivation is a serious problem, but there is help. Ask your doctor about cat snuggling today. You’ll be glad you did. Unpaid promotion by Nekopara. Results not typical.

Cinnamon wanted to get moist together but sleeping with this many bodies together will get them sweaty instead. That’s also just fine.

Artist Hiten captures Shigure eating sweets with no cats around in the end card. That’s a very rare occurrence for Shigure.