A Whisker Away

{{Short description|2020 film by Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama}}

{{Infobox film

| image = Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu poster.png

| caption = Official Japanese release poster

| native_name = {{Infobox Japanese

| kanji = 泣きたい私は猫をかぶる

| revhep = Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu

| l = Wanting to Cry, I Pretend to Be a Cat

}}

| director = {{Plainlist|

Junichi Sato
Tomotaka Shibayama

}}

| writer = Mari Okada

| producer =

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = Shinya Matsui

| editing =

| music = Mina Kubota

| studio = {{ubl|Studio Colorido|Toho Animation|Twin Engine}}

| distributor = Netflix

| released = {{Film date|2020|06|18}}

| runtime = 104 minutes

| country = Japan

| language = Japanese

| budget =

| gross =

}}

{{Nihongo|A Whisker Away|泣きたい私は猫をかぶる|Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu|{{lit|Wanting to Cry, I Pretend to Be a Cat|lk=yes}}|lead=yes}} is a 2020 Japanese animated romantic fantasy film produced by Studio Colorido, Toho Animation, and Twin Engine. Directed by Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama, with the latter being his directorial debut, the film was released on June 18, 2020, on Netflix in Japanese. The film stars Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Minako Kotobuki, Susumu Chiba, Ayako Kawasumi, Sayaka Ohara, Daisuke Namikawa, Hiroaki Ogi, and Koichi Yamadera.

Originally slated to premiere alongside the Japanese release of the film, the English dub's release was delayed until June 28, 2020, when it was officially released on Netflix.{{cite tweet|author=WTK|user=WTK|number=1273511318755119106|title=A Whisker Away (subtitled) is now streaming on Netflix (English dub delayed)|date=June 18, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618070834/https://twitter.com/WTK/status/1273511318755119106 |archive-date=June 18, 2020}}{{cite tweet|author=WTK|user=WTK|number=1277505855206785024|title=ICYMI, A Whisker Away (with English dub) is now streaming on Netflix|date=June 29, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629073813/https://twitter.com/WTK/status/1277505855206785024 |archive-date=June 29, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Llewellyn|first=Tom|date=2020-06-29|title=A Whisker Away: English dubbing finally released on Netflix|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/06/29/a-whisker-away-english-dub/|access-date=December 11, 2021|website=HITC|archive-date=December 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211192834/https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/06/29/a-whisker-away-english-dub/|url-status=live}}

Plot

Miyo Sasaki is a 14-year-old{{Cite web |date=2021-01-21 |title=A Whisker Away. Dir. Junichi Sato & Tomotaka Shibayama. Studio Colorido, Netflix. 2020. – ZooScope |url=https://zooscope.group.shef.ac.uk/a-whisker-away-dir-junichi-sato-tomotaka-shibayama-studio-colorido-netflix-2020-2/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |language=en-GB}} girl living in the town of Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture. She does not get along with her stepmother, Kaoru. She always flirts with her crush, the handsome Kento Hinode, even though he has no romantic feelings for her at all, and often stays away from her. One day, she receives a magical Noh mask from a mysterious mask seller, which lets her become a cat. As "Tarō," she spends time with Hinode, keeps him company while he studies Japanese pottery, and listens to his problems. She longs to confess that the cat he loves and the girl he dislikes are the same person.

One day, Miyo overhears two boys at school insulting Hinode and loudly intervenes by jumping off the school building to defend his honor. She hurts herself during the jump, and for the first time, Hinode shows warmth as he takes her to the nurse and shares his lunch with her. Later that evening, as Tarō, Miyo learns that Hinode's family is closing their pottery shop, as the family can no longer afford it. The need to cheer him up inspires Miyo to confess her love in a letter. In class, a boy snatches the note before she can deliver it and reads it aloud, embarrassing Miyo and Hinode. Hinode saves face by publicly telling Miyo that he hates her and for her to stay far away from him.

A devastated Miyo decides life with Hinode as a cat is better than life without him as a human, and her human face falls off in the form of a porcelain mask. The mask seller obtains her face and tells her he will give it to a cat who wants to become human. Miyo's friends and family begin searching for her, including Hinode, who confesses to Tarō that he does not actually hate her and wants to apologize for breaking her heart. Trapped in her cat body, Miyo begins losing her ability to understand humans and regrets her choice. Kinako, Kaoru's cat, obtains Miyo's human face and takes over her human life. She refuses to return Miyo's face, explaining that she is approaching the end of her natural lifespan but wishes to continue living and bring happiness to her owner.

Miyo follows the mask seller to the secret island of cats to convince him to turn her back into a human. Kinako comes to understand just how much Miyo's stepmom loved her cat and has a change of heart. She reveals the secret of the masks to Hinode and takes him to the island to save Miyo. Kinako gives Hinode a cat mask, which turns him into a half-cat; only his arms turn into those of a cat. Kinako and Hinode are trapped by the mask seller but are rescued by Miyo and another cat who used to be a human.

The mask seller takes Miyo and Hinode to the "promised place" and attempts to finalize their transformations by extracting their lifespan, but is foiled by all of the resentful humans that he had previously turned into cats. As they travel back to the human world, Hinode apologizes to Miyo for berating her and returns her feelings, finally agreeing to become her boyfriend, while Kinako returns Miyo's face, returning her to normal.

The credits show Miyo telling her friend about how Hinode loves her, Hinode telling his mother that he wants to do pottery, and Hinode doing Miyo's signature "Hinode sunrise attack" to her.

Voice cast

class="wikitable"
Character ! Japanese voice ! English voice
{{nihongo\|Miyo Sasaki\|笹木美代\|Sasaki Miyo}} / {{nihongo\|Muge\|ムゲ}} / {{nihongo\|Tarō\|太郎}} \| Mirai Shida{{cite web \|last=Sherman \|first=Jennifer \|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-01-27/studio-colorido-original-anime-film-nakitai-watashi-wa-neko-o-kaburu-opens-on-june-5/.155832 \|title=Studio Colorido's Original Anime Film Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu Opens on June 5 \|website=Anime News Network \|date=2020-01-27 \|access-date=2020-01-27 \|archive-date=October 10, 2020 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010171735/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-01-27/studio-colorido-original-anime-film-nakitai-watashi-wa-neko-o-kaburu-opens-on-june-5/.155832 \|url-status=live }} \| Cherami Leigh
{{nihongo\|Kento Hinode\|日之出賢人\|Hinode Kento}} \| Natsuki Hanae \| Johnny Yong Bosch
{{nihongo\|Kusunoki-sensei\|楠木先生}} \| Hiroaki Ogi \| rowspan="2"\| Robert Buchholz
{{nihongo\|Hajime\|ハジメ}} \| Fukushi Ochiai
{{nihongo\|Mask Seller\|猫店主\|Neko Tenshu}} \| Kōichi Yamadera \| Keith Silverstein
{{nihongo\|Kaoru Mizutani\|水谷薫\|Mizutani Kaoru}} \| Ayako Kawasumi \| Laura Post
{{nihongo\|Masamichi Isami\|伊佐美正道\|Isami Masamichi}} \| Kensho Ono \| Griffin Burns
{{nihongo\|Yoriko Fukase\|深瀬頼子\|Fukase Yoriko}} \| Minako Kotobuki \| Erika Harlacher
{{nihongo\|Miki Saitō\|斎藤美紀\|Saitō Miki}} \| Sayaka Ohara \| rowspan="2"\| Reba Buhr{{cite tweet\|last=Buhr\|first=Reba\|author-link=Reba Buhr\|user=rebabuhr\|number=1280358255697334272\|title=Yep dats me!\|date=July 7, 2020\|access-date=July 7, 2020}}
{{nihongo\|Tamaki\|タマキ}} \| Rei Sakuma
{{nihongo\|Yōji Sasaki\|笹木洋治\|Sasaki Yōji}} \| Susumu Chiba \| rowspan="2"\| Todd Haberkorn
{{nihongo\|Sugita\|スギタ}} \| Oolongta Yoshida
{{nihongo\|Kenzō Hinode\|日之出賢三\|Hinode Kenzō}} \| Motomu Kiyokawa \| Kirk Thornton
{{nihongo\|Shōta Bannai\|坂内翔太\|Bannai Shōta}} \| Wataru Komada \| rowspan="2"\| Bryce Papenbrook
{{nihongo\|Kakinuma\|カキヌマ}} \| Shin-ichiro Miki
{{nihongo\|Ayumu Niibori\|新堀歩\|Niibori Ayumu}} \| Yūsuke Nagano \| rowspan="2"\| Griffin Puatu
{{nihongo\|Tomoya Sakaguchi\|坂口智也\|Sakaguchi Tomoya}} \| Daisuke Namikawa
{{nihongo\|Kinako\|きなこ}} \| Eri Kitamura{{cite web \|last=Pineda \|first=Rafael Antonio \|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-28/a-whisker-away-anime-film-video-reveals-new-cast-members/.160014 \|title=A Whisker Away Anime Film's Video Reveals New Cast Members \|website=Anime News Network \|date=2020-05-28 \|access-date=2020-05-28 \|archive-date=October 13, 2020 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013172548/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-28/a-whisker-away-anime-film-video-reveals-new-cast-members/.160014 \|url-status=live }} \| rowspan="2"\| Cristina Vee
{{nihongo\|Yūmi Hinode\|日之出優美\|Hinode Yūmi}} \| Rina Kitagawa
{{nihongo\|Shiori Mizoguchi\|溝口詩織\|Mizoguchi Shiori}} \| Rie Hikisaka \| rowspan="2"\| Kira Buckland
{{nihongo\|Sachiko Hinode\|日之出幸子\|Hinode Sachiko}} \| Emi Shinohara

class="wikitable"

Character

! Japanese voice

! English voice

{{nihongo|Miyo Sasaki|笹木美代|Sasaki Miyo}} / {{nihongo|Muge|ムゲ}} / {{nihongo|Tarō|太郎}}

| Mirai Shida{{cite web |last=Sherman |first=Jennifer |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-01-27/studio-colorido-original-anime-film-nakitai-watashi-wa-neko-o-kaburu-opens-on-june-5/.155832 |title=Studio Colorido's Original Anime Film Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu Opens on June 5 |website=Anime News Network |date=2020-01-27 |access-date=2020-01-27 |archive-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010171735/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-01-27/studio-colorido-original-anime-film-nakitai-watashi-wa-neko-o-kaburu-opens-on-june-5/.155832 |url-status=live }}

| rowspan="2"| Robert Buchholz

| Griffin Burns

| rowspan="2"| Reba Buhr{{cite tweet|last=Buhr|first=Reba|author-link=Reba Buhr|user=rebabuhr|number=1280358255697334272|title=Yep dats me!|date=July 7, 2020|access-date=July 7, 2020}}

| Rei Sakuma

| Susumu Chiba

| rowspan="2"| Todd Haberkorn

| Oolongta Yoshida

| Motomu Kiyokawa

| Kirk Thornton

| Wataru Komada

| rowspan="2"| Bryce Papenbrook

| Shin-ichiro Miki

| Yūsuke Nagano

| rowspan="2"| Griffin Puatu

| Daisuke Namikawa

| Eri Kitamura{{cite web |last=Pineda |first=Rafael Antonio |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-28/a-whisker-away-anime-film-video-reveals-new-cast-members/.160014 |title=A Whisker Away Anime Film's Video Reveals New Cast Members |website=Anime News Network |date=2020-05-28 |access-date=2020-05-28 |archive-date=October 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013172548/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-28/a-whisker-away-anime-film-video-reveals-new-cast-members/.160014 |url-status=live }}

| rowspan="2"| Cristina Vee

| Rina Kitagawa

| Rie Hikisaka

| rowspan="2"| Kira Buckland

| Emi Shinohara

Production

File:Yakimonosanpomichi5.JPG

The film was animated by Studio Colorido{{cite web|last=Filart|first=Matt|url=https://www.thethings.com/heres-everything-we-know-about-netflixs-upcoming-anime-a-whisker-away/|title=Here's Everything We Know About Netflix's Upcoming Anime 'A Whisker Away'|date=12 June 2020|work=TheThings|access-date=30 June 2020|archive-date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630193146/https://www.thethings.com/heres-everything-we-know-about-netflixs-upcoming-anime-a-whisker-away/|url-status=live}} and was based on an original story created by Mari Okada. The film takes place in Tokoname, Japan, since director Tomotaka Shibayama grew up there. Many scenes in the film are directly taken from actual places in the town.{{cite web|last=Montoya|first=Alfonso|url=https://summary.org/a-whisker-away-netflix-release-date-and-trailer/|title=A Whisker Away: Netflix release date and trailer|website=Summary.org|date=May 1, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724111645/https://summary.org/a-whisker-away-netflix-release-date-and-trailer/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://grapee.jp/en/145286|title=You can now visit the setting of "A Whisker Away" in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture|website=Grape Japan|date=July 20, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-date=October 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002001514/https://grapee.jp/en/145286|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://9gag.com/gag/aYyrDNx|title=You Can Now Visit Real-Life Locations of 'A Whisker Away' in Japan|website=9GAG|date=July 20, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-date=October 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001171715/https://9gag.com/gag/aYyrDNx|url-status=live}}

The theme song, {{nihongo|"Ghost in a Flower"|花に亡霊|Hana ni Bōrei}}, the insert song {{nihongo|"Night Journey"|夜行|Yakō}}, and the ending, {{nihongo|"Liar"|嘘月|Uso Tsuki|{{literal translation|Lying Moon}}}}, are all performed by Japanese rock duo Yorushika.{{cite web|last=Pineda|first=Rafael Antonio|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-06-12/a-whisker-away-anime-film-video-reveals-yorushika-ending-song/.160505|title=A Whisker Away Anime Film's Video Reveals Yorushika Ending Song|website=Anime News Network|date=June 12, 2020|access-date=June 12, 2020|archive-date=October 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002003822/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-06-12/a-whisker-away-anime-film-video-reveals-yorushika-ending-song/.160505|url-status=live}}

Manga

In May 2020, a manga adaptation was announced. Its first volume was released on June 10, 2020.{{cite web |last=Hodgkins |first=Crystalyn |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-17/studio-colorido-a-whisker-away-anime-film-gets-manga/.159627 |title=Studio Colorido's A Whisker Away Anime Film Gets Manga |website=Anime News Network |date=2020-05-17 |access-date=2020-05-17 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917061906/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-17/studio-colorido-a-whisker-away-anime-film-gets-manga/.159627 |url-status=live }} It ended with chapter 13 on March 12, 2021.{{cite web |last=Hazra |first=Adriana |date=March 13, 2021 |title=Kyōsuke Kuromaru's A Whisker Away Manga Ends |website=Anime News Network |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-03-13/kyosuke-kuromaru-a-whisker-away-manga-ends/.170547 |access-date=April 13, 2024 }}

{{Graphic novel list/header

| OneLanguage = yes

| Width = 75%

}}

{{Graphic novel list

| VolumeNumber = 1

| RelDate = June 10, 2020

| ISBN = 978-4-04-109619-2

| ChapterList = * Chapters 1–3

}}

{{Graphic novel list

| VolumeNumber = 2

| RelDate = December 10, 2020

| ISBN = 978-4-04-110809-3

| ChapterList = * Chapters 4–

}}

{{Graphic novel list

| VolumeNumber = 3

| RelDate = March 25, 2021{{cite web |script-title=ja:泣きたい私は猫をかぶる（3） |lang=ja |trans-title=

I want to cry so I wear a cat (3) |website=Kadokawa |url=https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322011000495/ |access-date=April 13, 2024 |title=KADOKAWA Corporation }}

| ISBN = 978-4-04-111181-9

| ChapterList =

}}

Release

The film was originally scheduled for release in Japanese theaters on June 5, 2020, but it was pulled from the schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last=Hodgkins |first=Crystalyn |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-04-26/nakitai-watashi-wa-neko-o-kaburu-film-delayed-due-to-covid-19/.159022 |title=Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu Film Delayed Due to COVID-19 |website=Anime News Network |date=April 26, 2020 |access-date=April 26, 2020 |archive-date=May 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511114733/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-04-26/nakitai-watashi-wa-neko-o-kaburu-film-delayed-due-to-covid-19/.159022 |url-status=live }} The film was then sold to Netflix, which released it digitally on June 18, 2020.{{cite web|last=Pineda|first=Rafael Antonio|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-04-29/colorido-a-whisker-away-anime-film-streams-globally-on-netflix-on-june-18/.159111|title=Colorido's A Whisker Away Anime Film Streams Globally on Netflix on June 18|website=Anime News Network|date=April 29, 2020|access-date=April 30, 2020|archive-date=May 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502172834/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-04-29/colorido-a-whisker-away-anime-film-streams-globally-on-netflix-on-june-18/.159111|url-status=live}} On September 18, 2020, it was announced the film would have a limited theatrical run in Japan throughout October 2020.{{cite web|last=Pineda|first=Rafael Antonio|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2020-09-21/a-whisker-away-film-gets-limited-theatrical-run-after-covid-19-delay/.164261|title=A Whisker Away Film Gets Limited Theatrical Run After COVID-19 Delay|website=Anime News Network|date=September 21, 2020|access-date=September 22, 2020|archive-date=October 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002003247/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2020-09-21/a-whisker-away-film-gets-limited-theatrical-run-after-covid-19-delay/.164261|url-status=live}} In Japan, the film was released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 23, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://nakineko-movie.com/bd-dvd/|title=Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu DVD/Blu-ray|publisher=Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu Website|date=March 19, 2021|access-date=March 19, 2021|archive-date=April 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418003322/https://nakineko-movie.com/bd-dvd/|url-status=live}}

Reception

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_whisker_away|title=A Whisker Away|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date={{RT data|access date}}|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806124301/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_whisker_away|url-status=live}} Lawrence Bennie of UK Film Review awarded it four out of five stars, calling it "sweet, cute, and charming" and "a great piece of anime escapism."{{cite web|last=Bennie|first=Lawrence|date=June 19, 2020|url=https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/post/a-whisker-away-netflix-film-review|title=A Whisker Away Netflix film review|website=UK Film Review|access-date=December 31, 2020|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125102706/https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/post/a-whisker-away-netflix-film-review|url-status=live}} Jamie Morris of LeftLion also awarded it a positive review, saying it will "give plenty of people a reason to smile."{{cite web|last=Morris|first=James|date=June 18, 2020|url=https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2020/june/a-whisker-away-review/|title=Film Review: A Whisker Away|work=LeftLion|access-date=December 31, 2020|archive-date=September 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929095238/https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2020/june/a-whisker-away-review/|url-status=live}}

Awards

Asian Academy Creative Awards "Best Animation Work Award"{{Cite web|url=https://www.sanspo.com/article/20201204-XUH7Y2ABFVNEPOXNDTTZGL7PGA/|title=Japan's first! Winner of the Best Animation Work Award "I want to cry I wear a cat"|website=Sanspo|date=4 December 2020|access-date=August 17, 2021|archive-date=August 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817122625/https://www.sanspo.com/article/20201204-XUH7Y2ABFVNEPOXNDTTZGL7PGA/|url-status=live}} (in Japanese)
The 24th Japanese Media Arts Festival Animation Division "Excellent Work Award"{{Cite web|url=https://j-mediaarts.jp/award/single/a-whisker-away/|title=The 24th Animation Category Excellence Award|website=Japan Media Arts Festival|access-date=August 17, 2021|archive-date=August 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817122625/https://j-mediaarts.jp/award/single/a-whisker-away/|url-status=live}} (in Japanese)