I can imagine lots of people got turned off by the artwork. It's a bit cartoony for the cats, but otherwise it fairly well done. And while they look cartoony, it belies that each of the cats has it's own succinct personality. Those are both well written and nicely acted. Hayami Saori is Krishna, the noodle making tiger. She is simply amazing as she makes the character run the gamut from meek little kitty, to terrifying huntress. quite believably. Is there anything she can't do?
This is completely episodic, so if you were looking for a plot, you might be disappointed. But the individual acts of each episode are written well enough. What might be the best writting is saved for after the credits roll, with the Daily Akaneko. They go back and look at each skit during the episode, and give you some more info. Usually in the form of backstory, or the consequences of what went down. It's a nice litttle gimmick, and I always stay to check it out. It adds mightly to the overall of the series.
This is SoL of cats running a ramen shop, with a touch of light comedy. There are some gags but they don't beat you over the head with them. There is some subtle stuff that you may very well miss, if you are not paying close attention. This is not for those who are multitasking or who have ADHD. It deserves your undivided attention.
This series is as comfortable as having Kitty jump up in your lap, curl up, and take a nap. I'm so enjoying it. It's not perfect, but it is soothingly entertaining. If I was grading, this started out a C+, but it's worked its way up to an 84/100 solid B now by ep 5. And it seems to be getting better as we get to know the cats and the side characters more. Don't get caught cleaning the cat box. This ain't no turd, and deserves at least a good 3 eps test.
