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| Title | NEKOPARA Vol. 3 |
| Developer | NEKO WORKs |
| Publisher | Denpasoft (18+)/Sekai Project (All-Ages) |
| Release Date | May 25, 2017 |
| Genre | Eroge, Visual Novel, Kinetic, Yuri |
| Platform | PC, Steam |
| Age Rating | 18+, All-Ages |
| Official Website – (18+)/(All-Ages) | |
In the realm of modern day Visual Novels and Eroge, few games enjoy the recognition that NEKOPARA does. Even if you’ve never played a single game in the franchise, you’re probably familiar with the name at least. Part of the reason for this is that the franchise has been built to appeal to both the All-Ages and the 18+ Eroge audience. This has led to some debate over whether this is viable, or if this is just a Nukige with the serial numbers filed off. Well, with the debut of NEKOPARA Vol. 3 and the story focusing on the last two Minaduki catgirls, Cinnamon and Maple, I think it’s time to answer that question and see if the series still retains its charm. Let’s take a look!
The Story of a Patisserie and his Catgirl Harem
NEKOPARA Vol. 3 continues the story of patisserie Kashou Minaduki and the ever lovely catgirls (and sister) who at work his store: “La Soleil”. The series was created by Sayori in 2014 and has seen three releases prior to this. Volume 1, which establishes the world and sets up the series premise. Namely, Kashou moving out of his parent’s house to start La Soleil, only to have Chocola and Vanilla both join him, unwilling to leave their master.
Following this Volume 0 in 2015 was released, which showed what a regular day at the Minaduki household was like and is the only entry to be a solely All-Ages release, not having an 18+ counterpart. Next was Volume 2 in 2016, which continued the story and focused on Azuki and Coconut. This of course now brings us to 2017 and the release of Volume 3, which centers on Cinnamon and Maple. If this is this first time you’ve ever heard of this series then let me give a very brief crash course into the world of NEKOPARA.
The world of NEKOPARA is one where catgirls do exist. However, while they may look human with cat-like features, they really are biologically closer to cats. They have feline instincts, age rapidly (according to NEKOPARA Art Works Vol. 2, Coconut is only a year old), and have estrus cycles. Basically, aside from looking humanoid and speaking Japanese, they abide by feline rules. This, of course, means they are commonly treated as pets. Still, these catgirls are quite clever and rather than just laze around, often do work.
If a catgirl can pass a test, they are given a special license bell to wear. This indicates they can be out on their own. All the Minaduki catgirls have bells and as such work in Kashou’s store. One final aspect I should mention is that catgirls can also become their master’s lovers, also known as “Catpanions”. By this point in the story, Kashou has built a bit of a harem with Chocola, Vanilla, Coconut, and Azuki. Not because the guy is a massive pervert, but more due to his sister, Shigure, masterminding things and his general good-guy demeanor. This brings us to the main story of Volume 3.
The plot of Volume 3 revolves around the prideful and ever confident high-class Maple and the ditzy Cinnamon, who really enjoys her lewd delusions. The main framing device is a party that one of Kashou’s former classmates wishes him to cater. However, the client would also like Maple to perform at the party after seeing an online video of her singing. While certainly a high-pressure situation, Maple usually oozes confidence. So why does she seem reluctant to do this? As for Cinnamon, she finds herself wanting to support Maple. But what exactly is the best way to do that? Also, just how far do Cinnamon’s feelings for Maple go? In the middle of all this, Kasho still must balance his work life, while keeping everyone happy. It leads to quite an interesting tale, but for now, let’s move onto the graphics and the next page.
