Pupposites Attract Volume 3 Review

The entertaining adventures of Monjuro and Tsubu continue as Pupposites Attract returns for its third volume. But while the dogs are content spending time together, have their owners realised that there might be more than just friendship blooming between them?

Volume 3 opens with Kiyotaka and Chiharu finally going on an overnight stay at the dog-friendly Kominko Inn Asaoka, which they had to delay after poor Monjuro fell ill. But now back to being right as rain, Monjuro and Tsubu are looking forward to freely playing together, and their owners are also eager to spend some time relaxing on this mini vacation.

But rather than our two protagonists, it’s Chako and her Shiba Inu Aniki that take the spotlight. Chako’s family owns the inn, and she works there when not busy with college, so she’s there to greet Kiyotaka and Chiharu when they arrive. Except, she’s thrown for a loop when the two arrive alongside Takaya (Kiyotaka’s brother, who happened to be along for the walk)! Luckily, Aniki brings her back to her senses, ensuring she can deliver the high-quality customer service the inn is known for.

We know from the previous volume that Chako attends the same classes as Takaya, but although she admires him from afar, the two aren’t yet friends. Kiyotaka notices the connection between the two and asks Chako to look out for his brother as a friend, to which she readily agrees. But she can’t help feeling that Kiyotaka might have misunderstood their relationship somewhere along the way…

Toward the end of this instalment, we also get to see the backstory of how Chako and Aniki became so inseparable, which is a nice treat too. I appreciate the author’s dedication to ensuring the background of each canine companion is fleshed out once per book. Especially since it always ends up benefiting their owner as well.

While Chako is the main focus this time around, we do still spend time with our main duo. Over the course of their stay at the inn, Kiyotaka comes to realise he might have romantic feelings for Chiharu, and we meet another dog lover: Oliver and his pug, Umeko. Oliver is a photographer, and Chiharu is left feeling like he’s a bit of an oddball, but since he took photos of Monjuro and Tsuba (which he promises to deliver later), it seems like we’ll be seeing more of him in the future.

I’m happy to see that this third instalment follows in the footsteps of the second by having a through line for the story rather than being loosely connected chapters. With the cast growing slowly, there’s a lot for readers to get invested in between the different dogs and their owners. And mangaka Hono Natsuna is doing a good job of balancing character development with the cute antics of the dogs. This still proves to be a very charming series as you flip through the pages, with some very attractive artwork.

Pupposites Attract Volume 3 comes to the West thanks to Kodansha and continues to be translated by Matt Treyvaud with lettering by Sara Linsley. As with the previous releases, this reads well and has some translation notes at the end. There’s also a colour page to open and some bonus illustrations (in black and white) included as extras, which are a nice addition.

This title is ongoing in Japan, with Volume 5 scheduled for release in February 2026. Here in English, we’ll be getting #4 in April, so we’re still on a steady schedule of a volume a year or so.

Overall, Pupposites Attract Volume 3 is another fun-filled read as we get to know more about Chako and Aniki as our main characters enjoy a well-earned break. There’s not necessarily a lot happening when it comes to moving along anyone’s romance, but this is still recommended to all you dog lovers out there looking for something cute.

Our review copy from Kodansha was supplied by Diamond Book Distributors UK.