Between the new City Hunter movie on Netflix and an upcoming Cat’s Eye anime adaptation, it’s a big couple of years for Tsukasa Hojo fans. His two biggest series have always been popular, but they’re getting more attention than ever lately. So it feels like the perfect time to dive back into the manga that started it all… and next month, that will be easier than ever!
Abrams Books is preparing to release omnibus editions of both series through their Kana imprint, collecting Volumes 1-3 of each into a single collectible book. We got the chance to peruse both manga a month early. And we can confirm: these two volumes are an absolute must for fans.
The Appeal
If you’re new to the works of Tsukasa Hojo, just know that Cat’s Eye and City Hunter are two of the biggest titles in manga and anime history. They ran from 1981-1985 and 1985-1991 respectively, building up a united worldview of sweepers, hitmen, and thieves. Both series have received airings and adaptations around the world, and both are back in the limelight in recent months.
The recent Netflix City Hunter film tells the origin story of sex-crazed sharpshooter Ryo and his partner Kaori. (It’s also not the only film version in recent years, with 2018’s Nicky Larson et le parfum de Cupidon serving up a surprisingly accurate adaptation.) And next month, Cat’s Eye gets reimagined with a new Disney+ exclusive anime adaptation. This one promises to adhere more closely to the original manga, restoring self-professed gentleman thief The Rat to the adventure.
Cat’s Eye Omnibus Vol. 1
This weighty new edition of Cat’s Eye packs in the first three volumes of the manga, totaling 23 chapters. That’s more than enough to introduce new readers to the central story of sisters Hitomi, Rui, and Ai. The three run the Cat’s Eye Café by day, and work together as the mysterious thief Cat’s Eye by night. And Hitomi’s detective boyfriend Toshio is none the wiser! By the end of this collection, we scrape the surface of their real mission, as well as their father’s identity and mysterious disappearance.
The translation for this new edition is excellent, as is the printing itself. Full-color pages are rendered on glossy paper, and there are 48 pages of 2-color inserts as well. The paperback also includes a gorgeous dust jacket. It’s a beautiful book inside and out, and the sheer size of it makes it both comfortable to sit down and read and easy on the eyes print-wise.
City Hunter Omnibus Vol. 1
The first volume of the City Hunter omnibus follows suit, with a full-color dust jacket and six pages of full-color inserts on glossy paper. This, again, collects the first three volumes of the original run, totaling 25 chapters. Readers will meet Ryo Saeba and his partner Makimura… though the latter is not long for this world. Before long, we meet Makimura’s sister Kaori, Ryo’s tomboyish but sweet new partner. Together, they answer calls for help left on Shinjuku Station’s messageboard.
This action-packed series includes several fun behind-the-scenes extras. Hojo includes commentary about the making of the series between chapters. There’s also an interview at the end, discussing how the first few chapters of the manga came to be. And there are translation notes at the end, including an explanation of the meaning of mokkori. Like the first volume of Cat’s Eye, it’s a must for collectors; but it also contains a wealth of information for curious fans.
Cat’s Eye Omnibus Vol. 1 and City Hunter Omnibus Vol. 1 go on sale September 23.