The upcoming anime adaptation of Hawkman and Mecha-Roots’ manga, “Night of the Living Cat” (also known as “Nyaight of the Living Cat”), has revealed a second promotional video, additional cast members, and its premiere date. Cat Day brought exciting news for fans eagerly awaiting this horror-comedy series, with the anime set to begin airing in July on TV Tokyo, BS TV Tokyo, and other networks. An advanced stream will also be available on ABEMA.
A “Meowdemic” Sweeping the Nation
The anime’s story revolves around a bizarre phenomenon: a mysterious virus that transforms people into cats upon touching feline creatures. This “nyandemic” has swept across the world, leaving protagonist Kunagi to fight his overwhelming urge to cuddle with cats in order to survive this crazy, cat-dominated world.
Meet the Cast
The official website unveiled the cast, featuring a mix of seasoned voice actors and rising stars:
- Masaaki Mizunaka as Kunagi: A cat cafe employee with amnesia, shrouded in mystery, who must resist his feline urges.
- Reina Ueda as Kaoru: A fellow cat cafe worker who finds herself caught in the chaos of the “meowdemic.”
- Reiji Kawashima as Arata: A former track and field club member and ninja-obsessed university student who adds a unique flavor to the survival group.
- Yū Serizawa as Tsutsumi: A high school student who attends the same school as Kaoru, navigating the challenges of adolescence amidst the cataclysm.
- Subaru Kimura as Ren
- Yoshiki Nakajima as Masaki
- Hiroki Yasumoto as Tanishi
- Ryōta Takeuchi as Gaku
The cast and crew are reportedly filled with cat lovers, ensuring a passionate and authentic portrayal of the source material.
Production Team
The anime is being produced by OLM Team Masuda, with a talented team at the helm:
- Chief Director: Takashi Miike
- Director: Tomohiro Kamitani
- Series Composition: Shingo Irie
- Character Designs: Takao Maki
- Music: Kōji Endō
A Purr-fectly Unique Anime
Director Tomohiro Kamitani emphasized the unique quality of the anime, stating, “Not only the main staff but also members from every department are cat lovers. People joined the team because they wanted to work on something cat-related or because they loved cats, leading to a mysterious improvement in quality. It feels like this project is packed with everyone’s love for cats. Cats are amazing, aren’t they? I think this anime is something quite unique, unlike anything else, so I hope you’ll enjoy it.”
Crunchyroll to Simulcast
For international viewers, Crunchyroll has announced that they will be simulcasting “Night of the Living Cat,” bringing the “nyandemic” to audiences worldwide.
Synopsis
In 20XX, the world has been overrun by cats. A virus transforming people into cats upon contact has unleashed a global “nyandemic.” Can humanity overcome their irresistible urge to pet cats and survive in this feline-dominated world?
Manga Origins
The anime is based on the manga series written by Hawkman and illustrated by Mecha-Roots. It has been serialized in Mag Garden’s Monthly Comic Garden since October 2020. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes an English language version of the manga under the title “Night of the Living Cat.”
Theme Song
The anime’s theme song, “Nyaight of the Living Cat,” is composed by Kōji Endō and features Marty Friedman, former Megadeth guitarist, and Heidi Shepherd from the Butcher Babies band.
A Word from the Cast
Masaaki Mizunaka, who voices Kunagi, expressed his enthusiasm for the role: “Kunagi’s aura, reactions, and love of cats. I love everything about him and I thought it would be great if I could play him, so I was overjoyed when it was decided. Cats are gods. This is a story about people who live their lives to the fullest, with as much love and respect for cats as possible, even in the midst of a meow-demic. Please look forward to it!” When asked what he would do if a meow-demic occurred, he replied, “First of all, I would be chased by about 100 cats, and when a cat jumps on me, I’ll open my arms wide and embrace it, and become a happy cat, yes.”
Reina Ueda, the voice of Kaoru, commented, “I was very happy when I heard about the role.”
A Hilarious and Terrifying Premise
Executive Director Takashi Miike (known for Audition) commented, “It’s terrifying, but the Nyandemic can no longer be stopped. The time has come for humanity to dedicate both body and soul to cats. Resistance is futile. Accept it, sit back, watch in silence, let those little paws knead you, and find happiness. Every single staff member involved, including all the voice actors, in this project have turned into cats. Next, it’s your turn to become a cat. This laugh-out-loud, panic-inducing anime was born to bring happiness to everyone on Earth. I hope you enjoy it.”
