Meet Midori Komatsu: The Illustrator Behind Our Cat Nesting Dolls
There’s something wonderfully unexpected about turning the traditional Russian nesting doll into a family of cats. And when those cats are created by Japanese illustrator Midori Komatsu, they become even more special.
Based in Kanazawa, Japan, Midori Komatsu is known for her playful, colourful and slightly surreal illustrations. Her work has appeared across magazines, advertising, fashion collaborations and other creative projects. Since 2020, she has collaborated with Japanese design company DETAIL INC., bringing her distinctive illustrations to everyday objects.
Five cats, five personalities
Our favourite is Feline 5 — a set of five wooden cat nesting dolls, each with its own expression and personality.
The idea behind the collection is that cats can have five very different sides: nervous, curious, impulsive, friendly and wonderfully selfish. And you can see those personalities in their faces. One cat looks confidently ahead, another seems suspicious, while another appears to be quietly wondering what you're up to.
Open the largest cat and another one appears inside. Then another, and another, until all five are revealed.
The dolls are made from natural wood and individually painted, giving each set its own small variations and character.
A little bit weird, a little bit wonderful
What we love about Midori Komatsu's work is that it doesn't try too hard to be cute. Her characters have attitude.
Her illustrations combine bright colours and playful shapes with a slightly surreal sense of humour. That makes the Feline 5 dolls feel like more than a traditional souvenir or a piece of cat merchandise — they're small design objects with a personality of their own.
And that's exactly the kind of object we love at Polycurios: something that makes you smile, but also makes you look twice.
How to display them
You can keep all five cats together, lined up like a tiny, slightly suspicious cat family. Or spread them around your home — on a bookshelf, windowsill, bedside table or amongst your other favourite objects.
Of course, you can also keep them nested together. There is something particularly satisfying about opening one and discovering that there is always another cat waiting inside.
More than just a cat
Midori Komatsu has created several different nesting-doll designs with DETAIL INC., including Lucky Cat Matryoshka, as well as other playful animal and character designs.
But Feline 5 might be our favourite because, somehow, it captures the strange truth about cats so perfectly: they can be curious, friendly, unpredictable, independent and completely convinced that the world revolves around them.
Meet the five cats by Midori Komatsu at Polycurios. 🐈
