The appeal and reviews of "Neko Kikaku": A must-see anime for cat lovers

"Cat Project" - Nekokikaku - Reviews and details

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

November 30, 2018 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

T-Joy, Color (Midland Square Cinema)

■Frequencies

37 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Awazu Jun

■ Director

Awazu Jun

■ Production

・Production: Speed ​​Co., Ltd.

■Works

©︎2018 "Cat Project"

■ Story

The Paw Trilogy: "Paw Defense Force," "The Day the Paw Stops Working," and "The Last Day of the Paw"

Nyagoya City is a very trendy town where cats live. A mass disappearance of cats occurs, shaking the peaceful town. A NEET cat steps up to save his father who has been caught up in the incident! This anything-goes hyper-dark comedy anime is finally here!

■Explanation

Cats x Giant Monsters x Superheroes, anything goes in this hyper black comedy anime. You can enjoy it even if you don't know the characters, but the parodies of movies and anime will tickle the hearts of hardcore movie and anime fans. Considering the use of AI in crowd scenes. An experimental work that will bring about technological innovation in CG animation. Featuring a luxurious cast of voice actors from Aichi.

■Cast

・Takumi Nekoi/Haruka Tomatsu
・Mukumi/Akari Kito ・Yugami ・President/Sakura Tange ・Father/Yuji Mitsuya

■ Main staff

・Director／Awazu Jun・Nagoya dialect supervision／Yasuda Fumiyoshi・3D modeling／Kaoru Kamo・Sound producer／Yamaoka Akira・Motion capture cooperation・Motion capture actor／Koga Wataru・Planning・Production company／SPEED

■ Main Characters

・Takumi Nekoi The protagonist. He describes himself as "an ordinary NEET cat that you can find anywhere." His carefree NEET life changes drastically in order to rescue his father who has been captured by "Cat Project."
Mukumi Takumi's older sister. A popular doujinshi artist, she singlehandedly supports the Nekoi family. At first glance, she seems plain, but it seems she has another side that even Takumi doesn't know about...
・Yugami Takumi's younger sister. A college student with a high-minded chuunibyou syndrome. She is always with her stuffed toy Gunnai Kitten. The key hanging from her neck seems to hold some secret.
・Father Takumi's father. He had been unemployed for a long time, but after receiving a mysterious email, he got a job at the black company Neko Kikaku. His past history is unclear.
The President of the mysterious super-black company "Cat Project". He seems to have some deep connection to the "mass disappearance of cats". He has a fearsome ambition, but no one knows the details.

■ Theme songs and music

Theme song: If You're a Hero Lyrics: YUMIKO, Fukui Genki Music: Fukui Genki Sung by Matsuri nine.

"Cat Project" - Neko Kikaku - Detailed Review

"Neko Kikaku" is an original short animated film released in 2018, directed and written by Awazu Jun. This work is a hyper black comedy set in the ultra-hip town of Nyagoya City, where cats live, and revolves around the "mass disappearance of cats." In its short 37 minutes, it depicts the unusual combination of cats, giant monsters, and superheroes, and also includes parodies of movies and anime.

The story begins with the protagonist, Nekoi Takumi, standing up to save his father who has been captured by Neko Kikaku. Takumi is a character who calls himself "an ordinary NEET cat that you can find anywhere," and the story depicts how his daily life changes drastically. Takumi's older sister Mukumi is a popular doujinshi artist who supports the Nekoi family, but she seems to have a secret that even Takumi does not know. His younger sister Yugami is a self-conscious college student with a chuunibyou syndrome who hangs around with the stuffed toy Gunnai Kitten. The key hanging from her neck seems to have some secret. The father was unemployed, but after receiving a mysterious email, he gets a job at Neko Kikaku and gets involved in the "mass disappearance of cats incident." The president of Neko Kikaku seems to have a deep connection to this incident and has a terrifying ambition, but the details are unknown.

The appeal of this work is its unique worldview and humor. The cats live in Nyagoya City, which is modeled after the real Nagoya city, and there are scenes where the Nagoya dialect is spoken. Director Awazu Jun is originally from Aichi Prefecture, so the work is full of local love. In addition, the film is an experimental attempt to bring technological innovation to CG animation, such as introducing AI to crowd scenes.

The cast includes a star-studded cast of voice actors from Aichi Prefecture. The characters are played by a diverse cast of voice actors, including Tomatsu Haruka as Nekoi Takumi, Kito Akari as Mukumi, Tange Sakura as Yugami/the president, and Mitsuya Yuji as the father. In particular, Tomatsu Haruka's role as Takumi is a perfect portrayal of the uselessness of a NEET cat and his determination to save his father. Kito Akari's role as Mukumi highlights her professional side as a doujinshi artist and her charm as a character with a hidden secret.

The theme song "Yuusha Nara" is sung by Matsuri nine., with lyrics by YUMIKO and Genki Fukui, and music by Genki Fukui. The song features a powerful melody and lyrics that symbolize Takumi's courage and determination, and adds to the atmosphere of the work.

"Neko Kikaku" is a work that packs in a lot of elements into a short time. It is full of highlights, such as the unusual combination of cats, giant monsters, and superheroes, parodies of movies and anime, humor in the Nagoya dialect, and technological innovations in CG animation. It is especially enjoyable for core movie and anime fans, but is also recommended for cat lovers and those who like black comedies.

This work is also positioned as one of the three parts of the Paws Trilogy, which includes "Paws Defense Force," "The Day the Paws Stood Still," and "The Last Day of the Paws." By watching the entire trilogy, you will gain a deeper understanding and enjoyment.

Neko Kikaku is distributed by T-Joy and Color (Midland Square Cinema) and produced by Speed ​​Co., Ltd. Director Awazu Jun completed the film with staff including Yasuda Fumiyoshi as Nagoya dialect supervisor, Kamo Kaoru as 3D modeler, Yamaoka Akira as sound producer, and Koga Wataru as motion capture assistant and motion capture actor.

Finally, "Neko Kikaku" has been praised for its unique worldview, humor, and challenge to technological innovation, and has become a work loved by many fans. It is recommended not only for cat lovers and black comedies, but also for those who want to enjoy parodies of movies and anime. Please try stepping into the world of "Nyagoya City" at least once.