Known in Japan as Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu – “Wanting to Cry, I Pretend to be a Cat” – A Whisker Away is a Studio Colorido (Penguin Highway) Netflix fantasy romance anime from director Junichi Sato, known for his directorial debut with the first two seasons of Sailor Moon. Littered with cats, magic masks, and teen romance, is Sato’s love cat feature a hopelessly romantic cat-astrophe, or will it whisker us away…?
“No other girl is as close to him as I am. That means I’m special. Right?”
A very… optimistic Miyo
A Whisker Away follows a schoolgirl named Miyo Sasaki who dons a magical Noh mask, sold to her by the shady Mask Seller, to transform into a cat so she can get closer to her crush, Hinode. While she goes out of her way to interact with him and make what she deems to be romantic, if somewhat clumsy, gestures at school – with her devastating special move the “Hinode Sunrise attack” – Hinode seems immune to her butt-slamming special attacks. Although frequently rejected with cold annoyance, as her obsessive infatuation grows stronger it becomes clear that the only way she can get Hinode’s attention is to stay as the cat, which Hinode affectionately calls Tarō, forever.
For the most part, A Whisker Away presents its fantasy and romance themes in a Mokoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You) style, if a bit more on the stalky side. With its grounded real-life setting, comparisons to the likes of other mystical cat themed animations, Hiroyuki Morita’s The Cat Returns (2002) in purr-ticular, are easy to make with its own hectic “cat world” sequence towards the finale. In this sense, A Whisker Away will feel familiar, yet it still manages to present its own narrative by exploring the vulnerabilities of its smitten kitten protagonist and the more emotionally tormenting effects of Miyo’s unrequited puppy love. Or perhaps that should be kitten love…?
Bubbly and excitable as she may be, as the film progresses Miyo’s vulnerabilities are revealed. Like Shinkai’s popular relatable teenage fantasy-romance narratives, the line between fantasy and reality are blurred, at times bringing into question whether we’re seeing things from the perspective of her imagination, as an emotional coping mechanism in conjunction with her overbearing “kitten love” for the charming Hinode.
“That’s when I realised. Muge always puts on a brave face. She pretends to be alright, even when she’s hurting inside”
Yoriko brings attention to Miyo’s adolescent depression to Hinode
Because of her abandonment issues, Miyo feels the need to seek affection outside of her household. As such, she wants unconditional love, trying to persuade Hinode that her devotion to him is “cute”, not crazy. So long as taking a transfiguration mask from a shady anthropomorphic tabby cat with a creepy smirk with the intention of stalking someone as an admittedly adorable blue-eyed kitten isn’t considered crazy. But this is exactly the kind of hook any cat-transforming Mask Seller needs to attract clientele to his shady business. Ultimately, this adds to the emotional impact of the story and only serves to heighten the drama, where Hinode’s cold dismissal of Miyo’s feelings are clearly a source of grief – not that it dissuades her – which should appeal to fans of recent fantasy-romance, coming of age anime.
For the most part, the supporting cast are relatively normal residents of a normal, quiet town, oblivious to the secret night time activities of its cat population, where fantasy and reality overlap to heighten the stakes in Miyo’s tragic love-striken predicament. It is made explicitly clear from the beginning that the two love cats in question are complete opposites. While Miyo’s obsession with Hinode is worrisome, there is a conflictingly charming quality to her bubbly, boisterous personality. Something her schoolmates ridicule her for by nicknaming her “Muge” – as in “Miss Ultra Gaga.” Hinode, meanwhile, is comparatively quiet and reserved, wanting to be left alone in his Grandfathers workshop, and Miyo’s friend, Yoriko, who frequently rolls her eyes at Miyo’s eccentric pandering.
Perhaps the most memorable character would be the comically underhanded Mask Seller. As creepy and mysterious as the Happy Mask Salesman in Majora’s Mask (must be a trade requirement), Miyo’s Mask Seller – a cartoonishly obese genie-like tabby – offers Miyo the opportunity she needs to get close to Hinode and forget about her troubles. Completely enchanted with the idea, naturally she forgets to ask if there’s a catch. The dangerous allure of her transformation emphasises Miyo’s emotional state and her sense of hopelessness, recalling a sense of teenage turbulence and uncertainty, making for a painfully familiar and widely relatable romance narrative that might also have you question the true identity of your household cat. Manipulative and sly, the Mask Seller’s mischievous character and role as villain is key to uncovering Miyo’s vulnerable side, which in turn helps to bring our fearless sometimes-feline heroine closer to Hinode and deal with her own personal issues.
“The world is filled with things I hate and things I don’t need. But if there’s nothing when I step out of here, I wouldn’t want that”
Hinode
The art style flirts with a gentle pastel aesthetic that makes further Shinkai comparisons inevitable, thanks to the quaint rural town setting and beautiful sky scenery. Even the character designs themselves recall a familiar style with softer colour pallets, though this doesn’t diminish the range of expressions – particularly from the eccentric Miyo – and energetic animation sequences that add to the buzzing tone of the film. These softer tones, however, contrast against the Island of Cats, which separates its fantasy inspired design from the reality of Miyo’s hometown, reminiscent of the way the rural settings transition to fantasy worlds in Spirited Away (2001) and The Cat Returns.
Japanese rock duo Yorushika provide an upbeat soundtrack that captures the dynamic contrast between Miyo’s human life, where she tries time and time again to playfully win over Hinode’s affection, and her cat-life, where she has Hinode’s full attention and adoration, especially with the main theme, “Hana ni Bōrei” (“A Ghost in a Flower”). Outside it’s upbeat poppy tunes, Mina Kubota’s score adds playful melodies that enforce the mysterious fantasy of the Noh mask, while a later chase sequence is accompanied by an equally playful score that inspires a sense of urgency and energy, conveying a feeling of mischievousness and villainy.
“And that attack is Hinode Sunrise using… the butt!”
Miyo surprise attacks Hinode with her devastating special move!
“Will you knock it off?”
“It was an expression of love!”
Originally scheduled for a June 5th release in Japanese theatres, A Whisker Away was sold to Netlfix and released digitally on June 18th due to COVID-19, which caused further production delays for the English dub release. Though there are narrative moments that perhaps linger longer than they need, it tackles themes of adolescent depression and awkwardness in a way that remains charming and enjoyable without diminishing the more impactful significance of its core character themes. It may be disappointing for dog lovers, but A Whisker Away is charming, with enough thematic depth and captivating visuals to hold the attention of anime fans and general audiences alike.
