The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat (Japanese: 変態王子と笑わない猫。, Hepburn: Hentai Ōji to Warawanai Neko.; "The Pervert Prince and the Unsmiling Cat"), also known by the shorthand HenNeko (変猫。) and Towanai (とわない), is a Japanese light novel series written by Sou Sagara and illustrated by Kantoku. Media Factory published 13 volumes from October 2010 to March 2019. It was adapted into a manga series serialized in Monthly Comic Alive and a 12-episode anime television series by J.C.Staff, which aired from April to June 2013. The anime is licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America.
Contents
Plot
Yōto Yokodera is a second-year high school student who is arguably the biggest pervert at school. His problem is that he is not good at showing his real emotions. One day, his equally perverted best friend completely transforms and gets rid of his "impure thoughts"; a feat he attributes to the power of the statue of the "Stony Cat". As the rumors suggest, by wishing upon the statue and giving it an offering, one can wish to remove a personality trait from themselves that one does not wish to have anymore. However, this will remove the unwanted trait and give it to someone who does need it.
As Yōto is making his offering to the statue, a girl named Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi arrives to make her wish to be able to be more like an adult and not show her emotions so easily. Both of them wish upon the stony cat and to their surprise the next day at school, Yōto is unable to tell a single lie, and Tsukiko is unable to show any sign of emotion whatsoever. After realizing that they do not like the change that happened, they work together to try to find out who has received their trait that was taken away in order to get it back. They meet Azusa Azuki, an attractive second-year girl who has just transferred into their school. She is always being confessed to by many boys in school, but she has no friends and is always alone. Yōto finds out that Azusa is the one that received his unwanted personality trait and tries to get it back. As the two try to get back the unwanted trait, they develop feelings for each other.
Characters
Main characters
Yōto Yokodera (横寺 陽人, Yokodera Yōto)
Voiced by: Yuki Kaji
Yōto is the main protagonist and a second-year in high school. He is secretly a huge pervert, yet because he is unable to say what's on his mind and so cannot truly express his inner self, his deeds are always misunderstood. He even joined the athletics club to be able to watch the girls in swimsuits. One night he heads to the Stony Cat statue to wish for it to take away his façade, since it is getting in the way of his life. However, it isn't until the Stony Cat statue grants his wish that he starts to get into trouble. The Stony Cat statue granted his wish literally, so, for a time, he lost his 'façade' (tatemae) but found that life wasn't as he had imagined it would be. He began to say everything on his mind, including all of his perverted thoughts, causing him to receive the nickname the 'Pervert Prince'. He later returns to the Stony Cat statue to recover his façade from Azusa (who had gained it). Nevertheless, over time, he becomes closer to Tsukiko, Azusa, and Tsukushi.
It is revealed that several years previously he gave up his memories of his time with Tsukasa to the Tsutsukakushi sisters so that they would have memories of their mother. He develops feelings for Tsukiko.
Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi (筒隠 月子, Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko)
Voiced by: Yui Ogura
Tsukiko is a first-year student at Yōto's high school. She shows her emotions easily and goes to the Stony Cat statue where she wishes to become more mature and less open with her emotions. The Stony Cat statue takes her words literally, and as a result, she has become unable to express any emotions on her face, regardless of the situation.
Despite Yōto's occasional perverted actions, she develops feelings for him and hopes for an advantage over the other girls who pursue him. After knowing that Yōto can't have long term memory, she prepared a diary and claimed to remember everything for him.
Azusa Azuki (小豆 梓, Azuki Azusa)
Other characters
Ponta (ポン太)
Voiced by: Hirofumi Nojima
Ponta is Yōto's best childhood friend. He told Yōto about the power of the 'Stony Cat' after he himself lost his perverseness because of its power and became a selfless person who engaged in humanitarianism.
Mai Maimaki (舞牧 麻衣, Maimaki Mai)
Voiced by: Yuka Takakura
Mai is the vice president of the athletics club. She admires Tsukushi and wants to be her successor. This puts her at odds with Yōto, who is another candidate for the next club president. Her personality is cold and harsh, which isolates her from others. She is actually jealous of Yōto's ability to make friends easily and they eventually form a platonic friendship. It is hinted that she is more perverted than Yōto. She used to be friend with Azusa when they were young.
Morii (モリイ) and Moriya (モリヤ)
Voiced by: Minami Takahashi (Morii), Aya Suzaki (Moriya)
Morii and Moriya are Azusa's friends from junior-high school. They used to tease her, but were merely trying to be friendly. Azusa makes up with them after Yōto convinces them to apologize for being friendly the wrong way. They believe that Yōto and Azusa are a couple. They both often say the word "like" between words with no particular reason.
Tsukasa Tsutsukakushi (筒隠 つかさ, Tsutsukakushi Tsukasa)
Voiced by: Harumi Sakurai
Tsukasa was the mother of Tsukiko and Tsukushi, who died when they were young due to complications from an infection caused by a flood. She was a very nice person, although she sometimes sounded mean. Following her husband's death, she had her daughters move to Italy and live with her husband's parents due to her poor health. This caused a rift to form between her and Tsukushi, who believed that her mother had abandoned her and Tsukiko. While living alone, Tsukasa handmade clothes for both Tsukiko and Tsukushi, and also took care of Yōto, who would keep her company. Tsukasa was reunited with her daughters prior to her death.
Media
Light novels
The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat is a light novel series written by Sou Sagara, with illustrations by Kantoku. Media Factory published 13 volumes from October 25, 2010, to March 25, 2019. A drama CD was bundled with a special edition of the sixth light novel volume.
Manga
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Okomeken, was serialized in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive magazine from the June 2011 issue to the April 2018 issue. Media Factory published the series in eight tankōbon volumes from August 23, 2011, to March 23, 2018. It was licensed in English by Digital Manga, who released the first three volumes between October 2012 and October 2014. A spin-off manga titled Hentai Ōji to Warawanai Neko. Nya! (変態王子と笑わない猫。にゃ！), illustrated by Kashi, was released in a single volume on March 23, 2013.
Anime
A 12-episode anime television series adaptation produced by J.C.Staff, written by Michiko Itou, and directed by Yōhei Suzuki aired between April 13 and June 29, 2013. The opening theme is "Fantastic Future" by Yukari Tamura and the ending theme is "Baby Sweet Berry Love" by Yui Ogura.
The series was simulcast by Crunchyroll. The anime is licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America, and it was released digitally and on home video on June 3, 2014. After the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony Pictures Television, The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat, among several Sentai Filmworks titles, was dropped from the Crunchyroll streaming service on March 31, 2022.
Reception
The manga sold 22,076 copies in the week of August 22 to August 28, 2011.