Michael is an orange American Shorthair tabby cat and the central character of the 1988 OVA What's Michael? 2. He appears in a series of self-contained comic vignettes that have no overarching continuity. In this sequel, Michael is depicted both as a realistic housecat living with various human owners and, in some segments, as an anthropomorphic cat who walks on two legs and interacts with other animals. His personality is that of a typical feline: curious, food‑driven, and sometimes mischievous, but also prone to the same everyday frustrations and instincts that real cats display. He is not a single consistent character across the OVA; instead, he functions as a feline everyman, appearing in different households and scenarios. His motivations are simple and instinctual—seeking comfort, food, and entertainment, and reacting to the quirks of his human companions and fellow animals.

Michael’s role in the story is to be the focus of humorous sketches that explore the absurdities of cat‑owner relationships. One recurring narrative thread, a parody of The Fugitive, involves Dr. Richard Kimble, a veterinarian on the run who repeatedly encounters Michael in different homes. Despite his fugitive status, Kimble cannot resist treating the cat when he sees him in distress, then plays a trick on him before fleeing. This dynamic highlights Michael’s ability to draw out human compassion and frustration in equal measure. Other vignettes pair Michael with his female feline companion, Popo, with whom he shares adventures that touch on themes of wandering, temptation, and domestic life. Their relationship is one of mutual curiosity and occasional rivalry, reflecting typical cat‑to‑cat interactions. Michael also appears in segments where his natural instincts clash with human activities, such as baseball or professional wrestling, leading to chaotic physical comedy.

Michael does not undergo any character development across the OVA, as the episodes are unrelated and he resets between sketches. His notable abilities are those of a typical cat: agile movements, keen senses, a talent for landing on his feet, and an uncanny knack for getting into and out of trouble. In some fantastical segments, he also demonstrates anthropomorphic skills such as dancing, but these are played for surreal humor rather than as consistent traits. Michael’s relationships with humans are varied and often strained by his unpredictable behavior, but his presence drives the comedy forward. He is, at heart, a vehicle for observing the humorous gap between human expectations and feline reality.