I looked at the ratings on this site before I started reading Cat Street, and I noticed that almost half of the people who have rated it gave it a 10. I began reading with very high expectations because of this, and I was not disappointed. I finished it very quickly and it was definitely worth the read. The focus on friendship and characterization really puts this manga above a lot of other shojo/romance manga. The characters aren't typical, they are all well developed, and the manga doesn't only focus on romantic relationships but also the relationships between a very close group of friends. A must read for any shojo fanatic.

What can I say about this manga that hasn't already been said?

The art is very beautiful, much better than even the final volumes of Hana Yori Dango. The characters are believable, and unlike most shoujos, the story does not focus solely on romance but rather on the four main characters and their growing up and overcoming obstacles in life.

Personally, I would have preferred a bit of a longer story (was I the only one who felt it was over too soon? Not that she rushed the ending or anything, but, after 33 volumes of HYD, eight mere volumes are so short!), and, yes, I usually do enjoy "overly dramatic, soap-opera" manga like Hana Yori Dango.

And yet, I can't help giving this manga a solid 10 because it's just so perfect and fitting, in my opinion. It's very realistic and it also carries an important message.

It's not Hana Yori Dango - very far from it, in fact - and yet it's beautiful and perfect in its own way. I wouldn't have preferred it any other way.

I was really surprised with this manga.. i've seen comments where people said "horrible ending" and such but in my perspective it really couldn't be any better than that. it was very well plotted and the character development was well done. Also, comments said that "it was obvious who she would end up with" but to tell you the truth, i had no idea till like the 6th volume O.O.. haha. I would re-read this in the future too && the art is also very good! I highly recommend this (:
very well done && i liked who she ended up with ^_^

I loved it.

The story is about a mentally damaged young girl, and how she slowly comes out of her shell, and blossoms into a successful young woman, with help from her friends and the person she eventually falls in love with.

I found the premise strange at first. Okay, so she failed as a child actor. Big deal. Is that really something to mope about for years? But I went with it and soon realized that it's really just a plot device for the mangaka to address her message. The story carries a strong hopeful message for all the teenagers out there making their way into adulthood. In lesser hands, it could've read like some pandering afterschool special. But Kamio created such an awesome foursome of characters, they immediately draw you into the story, and before you know it, you're hooked. While there is romance, the main focus is on growing up and finding your way in life. And it's so refreshing to see teenage characters seriously tackle these challenges and slowly grow into successful adults.

I absolutely adored the foursome's friendship. It felt real and relatable. Rarely does manga capture the dynamics of friendship - with all its glory and pain - so well.

And this manga is addicting - especially when the romance kicks in. The main couple is not obvious from the get-go. And they both matured on their own before finally getting together, which is a major plus in my book. I loved the moment when they finally confessed their feelings to each other.

Admittedly, there is melodrama and contrivance in the story, but they're all used to service the manga's main message. And Kamio surprised me with the way she executed them. There is maturity and sophistication to the storytelling - such as Keito's sobbing confrontation with her first love rival, Keito's friendship with her childhood rival, the trials of acting (IMO, even better presented than Skip Beat), the way the foursome age and change over 3 years. I didn't even mind the kidnapping plot. While it was over-the-top, it was in the story to acknowledge people less fortunate than Keito.

Kamio has definitely grown as a writer since HYD.

All in all, Cat Street is well worth reading. Only 8 quick volumes leading to a very satisfying ending.

Wonderful series. Story was original and the love was pretty realistic, she didn't find her "true" love right away. The art was wonderful and the characters were quite developed. I also love the friend relationship in this
(to tell you the truth i only read this cuz I was bored, but it turned out to be a wonderful series!)

I really enjoyed this manga (which was a surprise), mostly because it was so different from other shoujo mangas I've read. For one, Keito doesn't end up with the first boy she crushes on (a very realistic scenario). Also, for the most part, the manga isn't overly dramatic and soap opera-like (unlike Hana Yori Dango, which I hated). It's a very character-driven story. Teens grow up, fall in and out of love and find out who they are.

To my surprise, I also really liked Keito. She didn't seem to be a very interesting character at first, but perhaps that's what I enjoyed. Not especially smart, beautiful, witty or the typical shoujo "I'm such a compassionate, sweet girl" type, she's very real in her flaws.

Although there were some exaggerated plot twists at the end--for example, she and the guy she likes don't speak for 2.5 years just because she assumes he's taken when he's not and he is lied to by her sister that Keito "never wants to see him again" (as if Keito would ever say that)--I still think that overall the manga is a 10/10 for me. It doesn't hurt that Keito ended up with the guy I'd been rooting for since the beginning

Well, I finished reading Cat street and this is my opinion of the manga:

Begining=Solid,great

Middle=Promising

Falling action=disappointing

Ending=disappointing

That pretty sums up of what I think the series, its still a relatively good shoujo IMO.

spoilers:

The cat analogy imo doesn't make sense, the abduction plot device was more than ridiculous,there are million ways to achieve the same thing without resorting it to a dramatic turn. The principal dying was cliche(but I'll let it pass, I dont care much about this point), Rei became a side character when he returned, not to mention, he returned as a stranger, other than Keito, no character received worthy character development, Kouichi becoming less selfish and more caring to others is cute but i expected better.
Momiji=no comment, her character could have vanished and there would be no effect, the entire idea behind Sumo character was pathetic, even though she is only a 2ndary character, its better if she werent there she provided empty drama by her one-sided infatuation with Kouichi and then acting like the supportive secretary(her whole act is annoying). I dislike the overly poetic style of the mangaka...and finally, unfortunately, none of the characters are considered the least bit memorable.

sorry to sound negative, if I sound negative it is because I was a huge fan of this series when it first started and up to volume 4 or mid volume 5 and then it dwindled and became worse. sorry for all the genuine fans out there.

end spoilers

its still a relatively not bad series, the art is clear and pretty, and its an easy read.

regards,

... Last updated on November 7th, 2008, 1:36am

It's a quite decent slice of life manga. The only bad thing in my opinion is that, well, it feels kinda sluggish or something. Despite the fact that alot of things happens to the characters, it still feels like nothing really happened. It felt kinda plain and weak. The end got some kind of bad try at a nice finale, it was just an unnecessary bump in the road that ended way to fast without any impact at all. Felt more cliched instead. : /
Was good enough to waste some time on, but I wouldn't read it again.

First shoujo manga I ever read, and I can't say Im unsatisfied in any way. I was a little skeptical at the beginning, but it turned out I was wrong. The manga was great, intressting plot, intressting characters, nice art work and excellent ending.
A feel good manga that I would recommend for everyone as a must read.

The only disappointment was that the story was a little too predictable

I felt that this manga was very well developed and realistic in dealing with people with issues. Nothing was rushed and the ending was satisfying.