‘A Whisker Away’ delivers teen angst and cute cats

Posted on June 26, 2020

By MARK VIOLA

I’m definitely a cat person. I’m also a big fan of Japanese anime. So, when I heard that Netflix was releasing the new anime feature film, “A Whisker Away,” about a girl who turns into a cat, I was more than a little intrigued.

The film was originally set for a theatrical release in Japan earlier this month, but with theaters still closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it was eventually sold to Netflix for distribution. Although Netflix does release a pretty wide selection of anime television series each year, it doesn’t get too many “original” anime films.

“A Whisker Away” is an odd little movie, mixing teen melodrama with a mystical storyline to create an overall compelling experience, although the pacing is a little off at times, especially in the third act.

The Netflix release is in Japanese with English subtitles. A notice that plays briefly when the film starts states that Netflix was unable to provide an English dub track due to the outbreak and the resulting safety concerns. So, if you’re not a fan of reading subtitles (and don’t speak Japanese), you may want to wait for this one.

Subscribe to our e-Edition and read the rest of the story. Already a subscriber? Click here to sign in.