REVIEW: ‘Nyaight Of The Living Cat’ Episode 1

As a medium, anime pushes the boundaries in terms of general conceits. And still, somehow, Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1 goes beyond our expectations with its sheer absurd premise.

Based on the manga series written by Hawkman, illustrated by Mecha-Roots, and directed by filmmaker Takashi Miike (Blade of the Immortal, Audition) and Tomohiro Kamitani, the premiere sets the dissonant tone of this unexpectedly lighthearted take on the zombie and horror genre. 

Produced by OLM, Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1 presents a world succumbed to chaotic disarray. Bouncing back and forth in time to introduce the main characters, we swiftly learn that the world is dealing with a ‘nyandemic’ (“nyan” is the Japanese word for “meow.

This mysterious virus has quickly spread, causing anyone who comes into contact with a cat to promptly transform into one. The series follows amnesiac protagonist Kunagi (Masaaki Mizunaka) as he must outrun his desire to snuggle with cats to survive. 

Despite a fun premise, Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1 fails to engage.

The premise is ridiculous. But for a particular viewer, it will be exactly the type of nonsense desired. Sick of a world infected by real evil? Check out this anime about a cat virus where big, burly men sob about not being able to let cats indoors.

However, on a narrative level, the series is already running against a tight timeframe, as the sustainability of this story lacks strong legs. Both in terms of how far it can push the premise, and for those who are tired of the story pretty quickly, and for the quality of the anime itself. 

Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1 bounces between the past and the present so that we learn how Kunagi joined a cat cafe and also how he and his coworker Kaoru (Reina Ueda) ended up on the run together. There’s fun in seeing just how seriously Kunagi takes his job. He has no memory of his past life, but inexplicably, he remembers cats, making him a perfect fit for the brother and sister duo who own a cat care business to take him in. 

Night of the Living Cat Episode 1 is a rote adaptation.

In this brief flashback, the series adopts a more slice-of-life approach in terms of pacing and general atmosphere. But the placement of it also grinds the story to a stop, only to catch us right back up to the current timeline. The best approach would have been to present all the backstory for the premiere and follow it up with the present-day events in Episode 2, thereby best utilizing the flow of the story being told. 

The animation also suffers from stilted character designs and an overall flat aesthetic. The swapping between computer animation and hand-drawn animation lends itself to a garish effect, not helped by the animation of the cats themselves, which move with an uncanny valley lilt.

It’s not the type of anime to watch if you’re looking for medium-pushing quality or even working within their limits in inventiveness. It’s a rote adaptation that fails to imbue any real life into the artistry, either in character (or cat) designs or in the background and action. 

The best moments are the horror homages.

Even the voice acting from Mizunaka grows grating over the course of Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1. All of which adds up to a premiere that feels more like a chore to watch than a treat. 

There’s a playfulness to the story, and the direction leans into the horror homages. From an image of disembodied paws pushing on glass to a shopping center, to hearing the footsteps of the threat before seeing them, the inspirations are clear and welcome. It’s the best part of the premiere, honestly, as it showcases the fun potential of the series even if the components making it up don’t meet the bar set by the premise itself. 

Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1 is a silly introduction to an even sillier world. And while both cat and zombie fans will find something worth enjoying in the series, the premiere fails to latch on. Stiff animation and a lack of narrative drive leave it feeling shallow and forgettable. 

Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1 premieres July 6 on Crunchyroll.