I have a fondness for yokai, and the more I learn about them, the more I discover just how limited my knowledge is. Japan isn't sometimes called The Land of Eight Million Gods and Demons for nothing; prior to reading Kaibyo, I was familiar with nekomata (from the Shin Megami Tensei series of RPGs), and maneki neko (ubiquitous to Asian restaurants), but I really wasn't acquainted with any other varieties of cat yokai. I'm happy to say that this slim volume went a long way toward remedying that, covering the shape-changing bakeneko, to the whimsical gotoku neko (that made me think of one of my dearly departed cats, and her love of the fireplace), and more. A wonderful retrospective on the history and legend of cats in Japan, with a wealth of folk tales, historical context, and art

Then there are the cat demons, witches, and other monsters (including a nice piece depicting a female cat playing an instrument). The author tries to provide as much context as relevant along with brief summaries of notable fairy tales relevant to each chapter. a b c McDonagh, Maitland (17 October 2011). "Kuroneko: The Mark of the Cat". The Criterion Collection . Retrieved 13 July 2021. Davisson mixes each chapter with the origins of the kanji used to describe each kaibyo, a history of their emergence (mainly in the Edo period) and their respective powers, some fantastic artwork of the cats themselves to help you visualize how their creators saw them, and a short story or two featuring that particular type of kaibyo, often with a moral message for the audience. I'm happy to say that's not the case. Intrigued by the theme and cover after seeing it in a local bookstore, I am thrilled that I took a chance on this book. It is genuinely informative on the different types of kaibyo that are seen in Japanese art and literature, along with a great history of their emergence and their popularity.

Macalanda, Dana (28 October 2017). " 'Kaibyo: The Supernatural Cats of Japan': Traditionally spooky felines". The Japan Times . Retrieved 13 July 2021. Curran, Beverley; Sato-Rossberg, Nana; Tanabe, Kikuko, eds. (2015). Multiple Translation Communities in Contemporary Japan. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-83170-4. Marak, Katarzyna (2014). Japanese and American Horror: A Comparative Study of Film, Fiction, Graphic Novels and Video Games. McFarland & Company. p.101. ISBN 978-0786496662. Tombs, Pete (1998). Mondo Macabro: Weird & Wonderful Cinema Around the World. St. Martin's Griffin. p.169. ISBN 978-0312187484. Have you ever wondered where "the inviting cat" derived from? Those cat statues found in pan-Asian shops all over, even in the homes and offices? This book has it, as well as a full description and history of every "sub-Neko" that is still celebrated today both in literature and pop-culture.

It's also not clear where some of the excerpts come from (particularly those that start the chapters) and it's my impression they may be the author's invention -- which can be fine to get the right sense across to the reader and introduce an idea, but since this book is specifically about Japanese folklore (and presenting as an authority on Kaibyo), I wish it was made clear whether anything was created, and if so: what was original; how much was derived but written in the author's own words; and why it was included as it was. Without that clarity, there is some danger in how these bits might be interpreted by readers present and future (i.e., as specific examples of Japanese folklore when they may more accurately be interpretive representations or suggestions of it). All that said, though, it ultimately feels more like a good coffee table book than some kind of reference book for Kaibyo (which admittedly is probably beyond what it's trying or claiming to be).a b Fujiki, Hideaki; Phillips, Alastair, eds. (2020). The Japanese Cinema Book. British Film Institute. p.301. ISBN 978-1-8445-7678-4. Dannery, Letizia (31 May 2018). "Enfer et damnation au Quai Branly". L'Express (in French). Archived from the original on 13 July 2021 . Retrieved 13 July 2021. review by Scot D. Ryersson and Michael Orlando Yaccarino, co-authors of Infinite Variety: The Life and Legend of the Marchesa Casati and The Marchesa Casati: Portraits of a Muse This book was a gift from a friend who knows me oh-so-well, and knows my adoration for all things supernatural and all things cat-related. I've also been a long-time fan of Japanese folklore, particularly the weird and wonderful yokai; so much fodder for future book inspiration! An in-depth exploration of the sometimes charming, sometimes gruesome feline creatures and ghosts of Japan. Davisson illuminates the vast realm of kaibyō, or supernatural cats, with historical and modern cultural context. Lushly illustrated in full color with dozens of ukiyo-e prints and drawings. A must-have book for the Japanophile and cat-lover alike! First in a forthcoming series about the supernatural animals of Japan.