The new series “Cat’s Eyes”, launched on TF1 last Monday, follows the adventures of the Chamade sisters, subtly following the thefts of works of art in contemporary Paris. But if the scenario is inspired by the manga by Tsukasa Hōjō, several liberties have been taken compared to the initial story.
The three thieving sisters are entitled to a French adaptation. The TF1 channel was inspired by the manga “Cat’s Eye” for its new mini-series of the almost same name “Cat’s Eyes” with an additional “s”, broadcast since November 11. The first episodes were well received by the public, bringing together 4.55 million viewersaccording to PureMédias.
In the French production, produced in 8 episodes by Alexandre Laurent, we follows the adventures of the Chamade sisters. After years of separation, Tamara, Sylia and Alexia meet again in Paris. When a work that belonged to their deceased father resurfaces during an exhibition at the Eiffel Tower, they decide to steal it to understand what happened to it.
A contemporary and French version of the manga
This adaptation of the 1980s manga is said to be rather faithful to the spirit of the original manga while bringing a contemporary touch to the plot and characters, as well asa French side with scenes in iconic locations such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles.
The remake recovers certain elements from the manga, but it is not not a strict adaptation of the work. Il “was not born from a desire to seduce the French manga readership, but rather from that of reviving the nostalgia of forty-year-olds. Those who, as children, discovered the adventures of this trio of burglar sisters in their animated version”analyse The World. The Japanese cartoon “Signed Cat’s Eyes” was broadcast from 1986 in France on FR3.
What is the manga “Cat’s Eye” about?
In the manga created by Tsukasa Hōjō in 1981, the three sisters are named Hitomi, Rui, and Ai. They lead a double life. During the day, they run a cafe called “Cat’s Eye”, but at night, they become master thieves. Their main objective is to recover the works of art by a German artist named Michael Heintz, who is none other than their father. The man disappeared during World War II under mysterious circumstances. The sisters are convinced that by recovering his inheritance, they will know the truth about the causes of his disappearance.
They are pursued by detective Toshio Utsumiwho is the boyfriend of Hitomi, one of the sisters. Unaware of the Cat’s Eye’s true identity, Toshio frequently finds himself foiled in his attempts to capture them.
In the series, we find a similar character, Captain Quentin Chapuiswho, charged with stopping them, is unaware that one of them is his former love.
The series therefore retains the sisters as protagonists, even if the first names have been Frenchized. Although the main plot around the search for their missing father is respected, the series develops deeper narrative arcs around family ties and explores contemporary themes which speak more to today’s audiences.
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