Heads up before you read: A Cat and a Bird (or just Cat and Bird) is a Korean manhwa, which are read left to right instead of right to left like most manga fans are used to.
Story (6): The narrative in Cat and Bird isn't particularly remarkable. Unless you have an affinity for teen angst, I wouldn't recommend it. It might delve slightly deeper than your typical shoujo or slice of life stories, but not by much, and at times its age shows prominently (there's no official date, but I'd estimate it's from the mid to late nineties). Elements such as character relationships and timelines can be perplexing and unclear. The subpar art (which I'll elaborate on below) frequently disrupted the serious tone the story aimed to establish. Nonetheless, it's a quick read, which I view as a positive aspect and was one of the reasons I chose it.
Art (3): Oh dear, my eyes! The character art here is truly atrocious! Every character appears rigid and stiff. Whenever a character is holding something or engaging in any sort of motion, they look absolutely dreadful. Faces resemble unnatural, fish-like creatures (yes, this is a frequent critique in manga, but this manhwa really takes the prize for creating grotesque, unappealing "fish people"). In terms of character design, this manhwa definitely reveals its outdated nature. I suspect the fashion choices would have elicited chuckles even during its time of release (again, I'm guessing the nineties). Hye Jung's outfits made me wince in at least half of the frames she appeared in! While I didn't notice significant issues with the backgrounds, oh heavens, the characters!
Characters (6): Outside of the complaints mentioned above, there's nothing overly offensive about the characters. I actually quite liked Jin Young's character. Her trauma was comprehensible, albeit somewhat melodramatic. Hye Jung fit into the standard "genki girl" archetype but was more developed than most and far less irritating. The male characters were rather bland and had minimal influence on the overall story, though the cram school teacher occasionally showed excessive interest in his students' personal lives.
Enjoyment (6): I found myself enjoying it more towards the latter half, after adjusting to the poor art and as the story began gaining momentum. It wasn't a life-changing experience, but I've certainly read worse manga and manhwa. It occasionally succeeded in crafting the melancholic and contemplative atmosphere it sought, but more often it fell short.
Overall (5): I'd suggest skipping it unless you can tolerate abysmal, dated art and are craving a brief read with decent characters and teen angst. If you are interested, I'd highly recommend checking out River's Edge by Kyoko Okazaki, a manga that excels in delivering similar themes far better than this manhwa.
Popular Reviews
Story (6): The narrative in Cat and Bird isn't particularly remarkable. Unless you have an affinity for teen angst, I wouldn't recommend it. It might delve slightly deeper than your typical shoujo or slice of life stories, but not by much, and at times its age shows prominently (there's no official date, but I'd estimate it's from the mid to late nineties). Elements such as character relationships and timelines can be perplexing and unclear. The subpar art (which I'll elaborate on below) frequently disrupted the serious tone the story aimed to establish. Nonetheless, it's a quick read, which I view as a positive aspect and was one of the reasons I chose it.
Art (3): Oh dear, my eyes! The character art here is truly atrocious! Every character appears rigid and stiff. Whenever a character is holding something or engaging in any sort of motion, they look absolutely dreadful. Faces resemble unnatural, fish-like creatures (yes, this is a frequent critique in manga, but this manhwa really takes the prize for creating grotesque, unappealing "fish people"). In terms of character design, this manhwa definitely reveals its outdated nature. I suspect the fashion choices would have elicited chuckles even during its time of release (again, I'm guessing the nineties). Hye Jung's outfits made me wince in at least half of the frames she appeared in! While I didn't notice significant issues with the backgrounds, oh heavens, the characters!
Characters (6): Outside of the complaints mentioned above, there's nothing overly offensive about the characters. I actually quite liked Jin Young's character. Her trauma was comprehensible, albeit somewhat melodramatic. Hye Jung fit into the standard "genki girl" archetype but was more developed than most and far less irritating. The male characters were rather bland and had minimal influence on the overall story, though the cram school teacher occasionally showed excessive interest in his students' personal lives.
Enjoyment (6): I found myself enjoying it more towards the latter half, after adjusting to the poor art and as the story began gaining momentum. It wasn't a life-changing experience, but I've certainly read worse manga and manhwa. It occasionally succeeded in crafting the melancholic and contemplative atmosphere it sought, but more often it fell short.
Overall (5): I'd suggest skipping it unless you can tolerate abysmal, dated art and are craving a brief read with decent characters and teen angst. If you are interested, I'd highly recommend checking out River's Edge by Kyoko Okazaki, a manga that excels in delivering similar themes far better than this manhwa.