The appeal and reviews of Neko Neko Nihonshi Season 4: A must-see anime for history lovers

"Neko Neko Japanese History Series 4" - Historical humor woven by cats

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 3, 2019 - February 26, 2020
18:45～

■Broadcasting station

NHK Educational TV

■Frequencies

10 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 40

■Original Story

Kenji Sonishi

■ Director

Tomohiro Kawamura

■ Production

Animation Production: Joker Films

■Works

©2017 "Neko Neko Nihonshi" Production Committee

■ Story

From the time of Himiko and Prince Shotoku, to the time of Murasaki Shikibu, Oda Nobunaga, and Sakamoto Ryoma, there have been many great cats in Japanese history. They all try out different things, but they are moody cats. They get bored easily, their bodies react to anything that moves, and they fall asleep. But once they get absorbed, they show incredible energy! How has Japanese history been created by such cats?

■Explanation

A hugely popular historical comedy that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, depicting a laid-back story of Japanese history through cats disguised as historical figures!

■Cast

Narration: Koichi Yamadera Cast: Yu Kobayashi

■ Main staff

・Original story by Kenji Sonishi ・Producers: Shu Yamada, Tsuyoshi Fukuyama, Yuki Kataoka ・Director: Tomohiro Kawamura ・Series composition: Tadashi Shimizu ・Scriptwriter: Sawako Hirabayashi ・Character design: Tomohiro Kawamura, Fumi Ebina ・Music by KOSEN (Colorful Mannings)
・Music producer / Hidetaka Ando・Illustration / Noriko Akiho, Kahori Ishige, Mizuru Inoue, Yoko Iwasaki, Ayako Ohashi, Tamaki Kobe, Shigeko Sakuma, Miyako Tominaga, Takako Nozaki・Direction / Fumi Ebina, Shuhei Kouda, Nobuyoshi Sakashita, Ken Tachibana, Sayuri Chino, Kahori Nagatomi, Ayane Matsumoto, Rinta Matsumoto, Rika Watanabe・Animation / Kotomi Tanaka・Sound director / Kisuke Koizumi・Sound recording adjustment / Hitoshi Yamada・Sound effects / Akiko Muto・Sound engineer / Taeko Miura・Animation producer / Yuka Oguma

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Period/1
・Guru Guru・Lyrics by Uran・Composition by Tomoki Kikuchi・Arrangement by Tomoki Kikuchi・Singer by Girls2

・ED1
・Period/1
・Cat's tongue sauce magic Himiko ・Lyrics by ASOBOiSM
・Composition: ASOBOiSM
・Arrangement: ASOBOiSM, Toshiki Kondo ・Singing: uta, Sosuke

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Overview of the work

"Neko Neko Nihonshi Season 4" is a TV anime series based on the original manga by Kenji Sonishi, and was broadcast on NHK Educational TV from April 3, 2019 to February 26, 2020. With 40 episodes, each episode is only 10 minutes long, but it features a unique concept of anthropomorphizing historical figures into cats and depicting Japanese history from their humorous perspective. It is directed by Kawamura Tomohiro, animated by Joker Films, narrated by Yamadera Kouichi, and casted by Kobayashi Yu.

■ Story and Characters

The story of this work anthropomorphizes famous figures in Japanese history, such as Himiko, Prince Shotoku, Murasaki Shikibu, Oda Nobunaga, and Sakamoto Ryoma, into cats, and reinterprets history from their perspective. Cats are fickle and quickly get bored, react to movement, or fall asleep, but once they become absorbed in something, they display incredible energy. Through the actions of these cats, the work humorously depicts how Japanese history has been shaped.

The character designs are very cute and are designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults. In particular, by replacing historical figures with cats, the profound weight of history is expressed lightly and viewers can feel familiar with them. For example, in a scene where Oda Nobunaga appears as a cat, his strategic thinking and actions are linked to the characteristics of a cat, eliciting humor and sympathy.

■Animation and direction

The animation stands out thanks to the careful drawings by Joker Films and the unique direction of director Kawamura Tomohiro. In order to effectively depict historical episodes within the short 10-minute length of each episode, simple and clear visuals are used. In particular, the depiction of the cats' movements and expressions is extremely realistic, fully conveying the charm of cats to the viewer. In terms of direction, the show also offers viewers a fresh surprise by showing important historical scenes from the cats' perspective.

The animation staff includes many experienced animators such as Noriko Akiho, Kahori Ishige, and Mizuru Inoue, whose technical skills support the quality of the work. The directing staff also includes a diverse range of talents, including Fumi Ebina, Shuhei Kouda, and Nobuyoshi Sakashita, who bring out different charms in each episode.

■Music and Sound

The music is by KOSEN (Colorful Mannings), and the music producer is Hidetaka Ando. The opening theme "Guru Guru" is written by Uran, composed and arranged by Tomoki Kikuchi, and sung by Girls2, and its light rhythm and catchy melody liven up the atmosphere of the work. The ending theme "Nekojara Soukakeru Mahou Himiko" is written, composed, and arranged by ASOBOiSM, and sung by uta and Sousuke, and features a gentle melody that brings out the charm of cats.

In terms of sound, Kisuke Koizumi, the sound director, Hitoshi Yamada, the recording coordinator, Akiko Muto, and Taeko Miura, the sound engineer, worked together to realistically reproduce the cats' movements and voices. In particular, the sound effects of the cats' meows and movements are important elements that capture the hearts of viewers.

■ Viewer reactions and ratings

"Neko Neko Nihonshi Season 4" has been well received by a wide range of people, from children to adults. In particular, many children who are not good at studying history have said that they have become interested in history through this anime. In addition, adults have praised the show for not only providing a new perspective on history, but also for being soothed by the cuteness and humor of the cats.

There is lively discussion online about the cat character designs for each episode and the interpretation of historical episodes, and a fan community has formed. In addition, there are many fan art illustrations of cat characters and re-enactments of historical episodes posted on social media, reflecting the popularity of the work.

■ Recommendations and related works

"Neko Neko Nihonshi Series 4" is recommended not only for history buffs, but also for cat lovers and those who enjoy humor. It is especially suitable for children who are not good at studying history and adults who want to be soothed by the cuteness of cats. Also, by watching it together as a family, you can enjoy sharing historical topics.

Related works include other series of "Neko Neko Nihonshi" based on the original work by Kenji Sonishi, and the "Sengoku Warlords" series, which depicts history in a humorous way. Also recommended are works that anthropomorphize cats, such as "Neko Atsume no Ie" and "The Battle Cats." Through these works, you can gain a deeper understanding of the charm of history and cats.

■ Summary

"Neko Neko Nihonshi Season 4" is a work that features a unique concept of anthropomorphizing historical figures into cats and depicting Japanese history from their humorous perspective. The quality of the animation, the music and sound effects, and the reactions of the viewers all make it clear that it is an appealing work. This work is recommended not only for history buffs, but also for cat lovers and those who enjoy humor. Please rediscover the charm of Japanese history and cats through this work.