Tucked away in a small shopping center, Ramen Akaneko is a ramen shop that is solely owned and operated by cats. While patrons come in for the good ramen and the novelty of the cats, the staff work tirelessly to not only provide good food, but do so without getting fur in the ramen.
Needing an extra hand with opposable thumbs, the cats hire Tamako Yashiro – a human girl – as a part-timer. While the cats run the show, she does her best to help support their passionate endeavors to make their restaurant a success.
The cat anime is evolving, and I don’t hate it. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Ramen Akaneko, head on down below.
Anime Like Ramen Akaneko
For Fans of Cats Doing Stuff
Neko Ramen
Taishou is an entrepreneurial ramen chef – and also a cat. He owns and operates the only restaurant in Tokyo that is run by a cat, but running a ramen shop as a cat has its complications.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Neko Ramen
- Both series are about ramen shops owned and operated by cats
- Episodic stories about the workers and customers of the ramen shop
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Neko Ramen
- Neko Ramen is more blatantly a comedy while Ramen Akaneko does take its premise more seriously.
- There are a lot more scumbags and lazy bums – both humans and cat employees – in Neko Ramen, though they are used for comedy.
- Neko Ramen is more experimental and artistic in its art and animation.
The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today
After finding a small black kitten in a snow storm, office lady Saku brought it home. However, she never expected that the little kitten would start taking care of household chores, shopping, and cooking. She also didn’t expect him to grow up to be taller than her either.
More the size of a bear than a cat, Yukichi is the most masterful of all cats, and it is a good thing he is. Saku, although a working adult, isn’t too masterful at taking care of herself just yet.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today
- Both series are about cats who cook, clean, walk upright, and generally do human things while still very clearly liking cat things.
- Human main character is bossed around by a cat, but also likes cats.
- Both offer comedic, episodic, slice of life stories about cats doing human things while highlighting the complication of being a cat in a human world.
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today
- The cat in The Masterful Cat is Depressed is much larger than his human owner and cannot talk.
- The cat in The Masterful Cat is Depressed is more housewife than the ramen chefs presented in Ramen Akaneko.
- The comedy in The Masterful Cat is Depressed comes from the office lady who struggles to take care of herself like an adult being taken care of by a stray cat she took in.
My Roommate Is A Cat
Subaru is a novelist, and not very good with people. He’s been alone since his parent’s death, but one day while praying at their grave, a cat comes and eats his offering.
Deciding to take it home, he now is shouldered with a cat, and this stray is shouldered with caring for a human who can barely care for himself.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and My Roommate is a Cat
- Both series are about cats living their lives and having voiced sentience
- The weary humans learn to work with and love cats
- Aimless human main characters find renewed purpose thanks to cats
- Episodic slice of life plots with comedy and a dash of drama.
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and My Roommate is a Cat
- My Roommate is a Cat is split between a lonely author learning to take care of a stray cat and the cat thinking she needs to take care of this human who barely takes care of himself. So the cat thinks like a human, but cannot actually talk or do things like the cats in Ramen Akaneko.
- My Roommate is a Cat is more of a personal growth story for both human and cat.
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For Fans of Animals in The Workplace
Polar Bear Cafe
Located near the local zoo, the charismatic polar bear Shirokuma decided to open his eponymous cafe. As a popular spot for humans and animals alike, it is a good place to relax after a hard day.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Polar Bear Cafe
- Animal characters working in a restaurant
- Both series feature animals running a cafe/restaurant, but it is still a human world and everyone just acts like its normal.
- Distinct personalitied cast of core characters
- Episodic slice of life comedy plots.
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Polar Bear Cafe
- Polar Bear Cafe is about a cafe run by a polar bear, but several different animals works there. Ramen Akaneko keeps it to just cats (and a tiger).
- Polar Bear Cafe is more focused on comedy
African Salaryman
Leaving the Savannah behind, an lion, toucan, and lizard all try to navigate the tougher environment of a Japanese office.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Africa Salaryman
- Animal characters working normal jobs
- Episodic slice of life workplace comedy
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Africa Salaryman
- Africa Salaryman is about animal mascots working an office job in a world of animal mascot characters. Ramen Akaneko makes it clear that the characters are actual cats working in a human world.
- Africa Salaryman is more unexpected and random with its plot. Ramen Akaneko is more grounded. This does mean Africa Salaryman can be more intense with its comedy, though.
Aggretsuko
Between the condescension from her co-workers and the pressure from her boss, stress is life for 25-year-old office worker and red panda, Retsuko.
Her meek attitude often causes her to be stepped on by everyone in her company, but she has an outlet – singing death metal karaoke about the hypocrisy of her peers. Even if it is just in her head, it is her way to let off steam.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Aggretsuko
- Animals in their workplaces working jobs like humans.
- Animals facing discrimination at their jobs and not always having a great time.
- Both series are episodic slice of life workplace comedies with a distinct hook.
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Aggretsuko
- Aggretsuko is about animal mascots in an office in a world of animal mascot people whereas Ramen Akaneko makes it clear that the characters are actual cats working in a human world.
- Ramen Akaneko’s hook is cats making ramen. Aggrestuko’s hook is that she sings her life frustrations out in a death metal soliloquy.
- Aggretsuko only has 5-minute-long short-form episodes, so there is a lot less depth to the characters and slice of life.
For Fans of Restaurant Service
Restaurant to Another World
The nondescript Youshoku no Nekoya is a cafe that has been in business for 50 years. However, while it serves salarymen and other workers most of the week. On Saturdays, it closes down to the public in order to serve special guests, mythical creatures that come from another world looking for comforting cuisine.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Restaurant to Another World
- Both series follow the small staff of a restaurant as they provide excellent service.
- Both are episodic slice of life anime about restaurant service.
- The restaurants feature both human and non-human staff
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Restaurant to Another World
- Restaurant to Another World is about a restaurant in our world occasionally serving patrons that come over from a fantasy world. So fantasy customers, real food. This also means the restaurant serves more than just ramen unlike Ramen Akaneko.
- Restaurant to Another World is more iyashikei in that the restaurant serves the customer a meal that they love or is special to them and it has a soothing effect. This means each episode is more individual customer stories than episodic adventures about the staff as a whole like Ramen Akaneko.
Working
Due to his love of cute things, Souta Takanashi ends up taking a job at the Wagnaria family restaurant in Hokkaido at the behest of the small and cute Popura Taneshima.
However, while he enjoys doting on Popura, he must stay on his toes while working with his more eccentric colleagues.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Working
- Both series follow the staff at a restaurant as well as occasionally their lives outside of work.
- Episodic slice of life comedy anime about restaurant work
- Diverse cast of characters
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Working
- Working is about a family-style restaurant rather than a ramen restaurant.
- Working features a larger cast as the restaurant has a large staff.
- Much of the cast in Working are high schoolers.
Yotsuiro Biyori
Kyousui Tougoku has inherited a Japanese-style cafe called Rokuhoudou from his grandfather. The staff of the cafe does their very best to ensure service that will turn one-time customers into long-time patrons. However, pleasant days turn into chaotic ones when the cafe turns into an overnight sensation.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Yotsuiro Biyori
- Both series follow the staff at a restaurant as well as occasionally their lives outside of work.
- The restaurants have a very specific draw for customers (cats, handsome men)
- Episodic slice of life restaurant anime.
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Yotsuiro Biyori
- Yotsuiro Biyori is set in a traditional Japanese cafe for tea and Japanese sweets, not a ramen shop like Ramen Akaneko.
- Yotsuiro Biyori may be episodic slice of life like Ramen Akaneko, but it is less comedy and more iyashikei in that the male staff in Yotsuiro Biyori also try to soothe their customer’s various worries away.
Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles
Unassuming and mysterious in her high school life, Koizumi has a secret. She is actually a ramen master that is constantly looking for great ramen restaurants. Adept at eating and discerning in her tastes, join her for on the hunt for great ramen.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles
- Anime about ramen and people who enjoy eating ramen
- Episodic slice of life comedies fully centered around restaurants
- Displays the intimate workings of ramen shops
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles
- Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles is about a woman that passionately enjoys eating ramen. As such, each episode is often about a different kind of ramen. Ramen Akaneko keeps things to one shop.
- Essentially, Ramen Akaneko follows the chefs, Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles follows the customers.
Ristorante Paradiso
Nicoletta is on her first trip to Rome with a mission – to ruin her mother’s life after she walked out on her 15 years ago. She tracks her mother down to a restaurant, but as soon as she enters, everything changes.
She becomes enamored by the place, and one waiter in particular. Suddenly, her urge for vengeance fades and her desire to cook starts to grow.
Similarities Between Ramen Akaneko and Ristorante Paradiso
- Both series follow the staff at a restaurant as well as occasionally their lives outside of work.
- The restaurants have a very specific draw for customers (cats, handsome older men)
Differences Between Ramen Akaneko and Ristorante Paradiso
- Ristorante Paradiso follows an Italian restaurant in Italy where the draw is the handsome older male staff.
- Ristorante Paradiso is a more linear story with a building romance and a large dollop of character drama. Expect little comedy compared to Ramen Akaneko.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Ramen Akaneko? Let fans know in the comments section below.
