A Whisker Away (Film)

Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu (I Want to Cry, So I Put on a Cat's Disguise) is an anime film produced by a collaboration between Studio Colorido, Toho Animation, and Twin Engine. The film was directed by Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama, with the screenplay written by Mari Okada.

A Whisker Away was first announced to the public in January 2020. The film was originally scheduled for its theatrical release in Japan on 5 June 2020, but this plan was canceled due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the cancellation of the theatrical release, global distribution rights were acquired by Netflix, and the film was released simultaneously worldwide on digital platforms on 18 June 2020. Concurrent with the film’s release, a manga adaptation drawn by Kyōsuke Kuromaru was also produced. This manga adaptation was serialized on Kadokawa Shoten’s digital publishing platform Comic Newtype from 15 May 2020 to 19 February 2021, and after completion of serialization, it was published in print as three collected volumes (tankōbon). The physical media distribution of the film in Japan (Blu-ray and DVD formats) took place one year after the digital premiere, on 18 June 2021.

The film’s fictional universe centers on the city of Tokoname in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, as its primary physical setting. This real-world location is infused with various fantastical elements. The central fantastical mechanism of the universe consists of magical Noh masks that allow their users to physically transform between human and cat forms. The narrative unfolds around the visible human world and a parallel dimension known as “Cat Island” (Nekojima), a hidden realm accessible only to cats and anthropomorphic beings. According to the universe’s established rules, the longer a person remains in cat form via the mask, the more blurred the biological and psychological boundaries become between the two forms. This mechanism carries the risk that the transformed individual may lose the ability to return to their original human form and become permanently trapped in an animal physiology.

^{Miyo Sasaki} (IMDb)

The story revolves around middle school student Miyo Sasaki’s one-sided infatuation with her classmate Kento Hinode. Unable to attract Kento’s attention in her human form, Miyo uses her transformation ability to become a white cat named Tarou, infiltrates his home, and begins spending time with him. Miyo’s parents’ divorce, her communication difficulties with her stepmother, and being publicly rejected by Kento at school drive her to the brink of abandoning human life entirely. Taking advantage of this psychological breaking point, the Mask Seller seizes Miyo’s face—the symbol of her human identity—and transfers it to the pet cat Kinako, who wishes to live as a human. Having lost her body and entered the final stage of permanent transformation into an animal, Miyo embarks on a journey into the cat dimension to reclaim her face. The narrative’s turning point occurs when Kento, discovering the truth, crosses into the parallel dimension to find Miyo, leading to a survival struggle against the Mask Seller as the characters strive to recover their original bodies and faces.

• Miyo Sasaki (Muge / Tarou): A middle school student who masks the psychological impact of her parents’ divorce with hyperactive behavior toward the outside world. Unable to capture Kento’s attention as a human, she chooses to communicate with him through her cat form.
• • Voice actor: Mirai Shida
• Kento Hinode: An introverted character caught between his mother’s academic expectations and his grandfather’s desire for him to continue the family pottery workshop. The potential closure of the workshop due to financial difficulties forms the central source of tension in the plot.
• • Voice actor: Natsuki Hanae
• Mask Seller (Kamenya): An anthropomorphic cat who trades masks that enable physical transformation between species. He seeks to sustain his own existence by collecting the original identities and faces of those he makes agreements with.
• • Voice actor: Kōichi Yamadera
• Kinako: The pet cat of the Sasaki family, who feels deep loyalty toward her owner Kaoru. To remain by Kaoru’s side longer, she makes a deal with the Mask Seller to transform into a human.
• • Voice actor: Eri Kitamura
• Yoriko Fukase: Miyo’s closest friend, who defends and protects her despite her unpredictable behavior at school. She approaches events with a rational and objective perspective.
• • Voice actor: Minako Kotobuki
• Kaoru Mizutani: Miyo’s father’s new partner, who constantly strives to establish healthy communication with Miyo at home. Kaoru’s primary emotional bond within the household is with her cat Kinako, as Miyo remains distant from her.
• • Voice actor: Ayako Kawasumi

^{Miyo Sasaki} (IMDb)

The film centers on themes of adolescence, identity confusion, and escapism. Issues such as familial communication breakdown, parental divorce, and adolescent struggles form the psychological foundation of the story. The narrative employs magical realism as its dominant stylistic device. Visually, the design contrasts realistic architectural references with fantastical elements of the otherworldly dimension to reinforce the storytelling.

The film’s original instrumental score was composed by Japanese composer Mina Kubota. The theme songs and ending themes were written and performed by the Japanese musical duo Yorushika. The song “Hana ni Bōrei” (Ghost in the Flower), created specifically for the film, serves as the main theme, while “Yakō” (Night Journey) and “Usotsuki” (The Liar) are featured in key scenes and during the ending credits. These songs were released digitally as an EP album during the film’s release period.

The film was evaluated at various international and national animation festivals and award ceremonies. In 2020, it was officially selected for competition in the feature film category at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France. At the 24th Japan Media Arts Festival, organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan, it received the Excellence Award in the Animation Division. Additionally, it was selected as Japan’s national representative for first place in the Best Animated Program or Series (2D/3D) category at the 3rd Asia Academy Creative Awards.