Meow’s your chance to feature your furry friend in a manga

KUALA LUMPUR: Every cat owner already knows one undeniable truth – their feline is special! Mischievous or gentle, clingy or chaotic, every cat’s unique quirks and personality make them completely irreplaceable.

Now, you have the chance to show off your beloved pets to a wider audience as local publisher Komiklah! invites you to submit photos of your catty companions for inclusion in a translated manga from Japan.

Known for its comics and graphic storytelling titles, Komiklah! recently acquired the rights to republish the popular manga “What If One Day I Couldn’t Come Home to My Cats”.

According to marketing manager Yeo Li-Sha, the Japanese edition features photos of cats submitted by fans – an idea the team immediately wanted to recreate for Malaysians.

“We love that concept and want to localise it in a meaningful way by inviting cat lovers to become part of the Malaysian edition,” Yeo told FMT Lifestyle.

This way, the book becomes “a collaboration between the original comic, Malaysian readers, and the cats we love”, she added.

Eiko Oki’s “What If One Day…” follows a young woman who gets into an accident and is unable to return home to her furkids.

Left behind are two very different cats – a pampered house cat and a street-smart stray – who are suddenly forced to survive on their own while searching for their human.

Along the way, they encounter abandoned animals, stray cats – and even cat traffickers, turning their journey into a high-stakes rescue adventure!

Yeo said the manga explores a difficult but deeply relatable question for pet owners: what would happen to our pets if something happened to us?

“Everyone in our company loves cats, so this project became very personal for us,” she shared. “It’s our way of combining two things we deeply care about – comics and cats.”

As for submissions, she highlighted that all kinds of cat photos are welcome: “Funny photos, sleepy photos, chaotic photos, handsome photos – honestly, anything at all.”

Komiklah! hopes to include as many local cats as possible, although space in the book will be limited. Selections will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Photos that do not make it into the first print run may be considered for future reprints.

The book is scheduled for release between July and August, with photo submissions open until June 20.

Selected participants will be credited, and can expect to receive promotional gifts and special surprises from Komiklah!.

Yeo added that the publisher is also planning a “Cat meets Book”-themed launch in collaboration with Kolektif Kucing, the campaign’s community partner.

Beyond simply entertaining readers, the team hopes the story will encourage responsible pet ownership and greater love for animals.

“We hope readers will finish the story feeling not only emotional but also more compassionate,” Yeo concluded.

To submit your photos, email fanart@kualitibooks.com. Please ensure images are 3-5MB in size.

Follow Komiklah! on Instagram and learn more about the Japanese version here.

المصدر: Free Malaysia Today