My Roommate is a Cat Episode 9 Review: I Reach Out to You

Day by day, hour by hour, Subaru and Haru’s relationship grows more and more. There are many highs and lows, but together they will navigate the complexities of their cohabitation in this week’s episode of My Roommate is a Cat.

Plot

Subaru attends a book signing event for his new novel, but that means Haru has to stay at home alone for a few hours. Left to their own devices, both Subaru and Haru will have to fend for themselves… but what dangers lurk in the local bookstore or quiet residential home?

Episode Highlights

Perspective Swap: In this week’s episode we see a reversal of the usual perspective swap between our two main leads. Instead of having Subaru’s perspective at the start of the episode, we have Haru kicking off the episode as she deals with being left at home alone all day for the first time in a long time. Meanwhile, Subaru has difficulties reaching out to his readers at his book signing event.

Serendipitous Meeting: While at his book signing event, Subaru meets a lot of readers eager to see the mysterious author of their favorite book, Shining in the Dark of the Night. Among the crowd is a face Subaru knows all too well, the kind pet shop clerk Nana Okami!

Comments

This week’s episode really warms the heart. Both Haru and Subaru have to deal with situations they are unfamiliar with; Subaru has to navigate a book signing event and Haru is left alone for the first time in a long time. As an introvert, Subaru has a hard time dealing with social situations that involve lots of strangers and it’s clear to see that early in the episode. He is noticeably nervous and awkward when interacting with fans of his work. Usually his manager is able to smooth over most incidents, but when a young boy, Iijima Kota, comes in for an autograph and a handshake, Subaru does something unexpected. This is a big step for Subaru and I think he was so receptive to the young boy because he saw a bit of his younger self in him… it was a really cute moment overall and shows just how much Subaru has grown as a character since the start of the series.

Also, I totally ship Nana Okami and Subaru. They are just so cute together and her unexpected arrival at his book signing event was just so precious! They are both very similar in a lot of ways and their consideration for one another is commendable. And besides Haru, Nana is one of the few characters to really pull Subaru out of his shell. Not to mention Subaru shouting after her as she walks away is straight out of one of those rom-com Korean dramas.

On the other hand, Haru is kind of put on the back burner for most of the episode. Haru is unaccustomed to being left alone for such a long period of time after learning the importance of someone else’s warmth. It’s so cute to see a usually confident and self-reliant character so dependent on someone else. She isn’t on her own anymore; she has Subaru, and because of that she can’t be on her own anymore. Also, it was hilarious to see her destroying the house as revenge for being left alone.

I wanna hold your hand

All in all, ‘I Reach Out to You’ is another sweet episode that at the start focuses on Haru and Subaru’s individual character growth. But, like most things, despite their vastly different experiences, the two learn that they are stronger because of their bond with one another.

I’ll be back next week with another My Roommate is a Cat review, but in the meantime, be sure to check out MANGA.TOKYO’s other amazing Winter 2019 reviews!!

NEXT TIME: Eating Together