Ranked #314

She and Her Cat

She and Her Cat is a bittersweet short anime about a woman, her cat, their lives, and their lives together.

The plot is revealed through narration. Told through the simplistic though reflective words of the cat, it is understood that this is a story most importantly about love. In the apartment that the woman and the cat share, their days pass contentedly, sometimes not, as the cat loves and ponders after the young woman. Her story is told through the cat, and her tale is one of loneliness and heartbreak.

Art and art direction for this anime was exceptional. It is done in black and white, giving the anime a sort of starkness in its look. There are a lot of still scenes where the camera pans over them as though, yes, we're seeing into the life of this woman, but not too much, giving the apartment a feel of guarded privacy just through the use of camera angles. And also, what is seen is significant as well. Small details especially were paid close attention. For example, clothes strewn aimlessly into a laundry basket, revealing to the audience that this woman has gone through heartache but it's not as though she has given up on life. The animation is also well done. Each drop of rain on the wet surface is animated, for instance. Such subtleties do pay off in the end.

There was minimal use of background music. The lack of BGM plays in high contrast with the spoken dialogue, giving it this private, melancholy atmosphere.

As for the characters, the cat is probably one of the more charismatic narrators ever seen in anime. He has a soothing voice, a simple though unorthodox outlook on life, and lives to see the young woman live her life. The young woman seems to be part of the plot, and her character mostly reflects and reacts to what's happening around her.

She and Her Cat is very enjoyable. It rings forth a lot of themes and sends an interesting message across. It takes a brief but poignant look at heartbreak and recovery with love and support from the closest of sources.

Overall, this is well worth the watch. For a quiet, bittersweet anime that won't even take five minutes of your day away, you can surely make some time to look at the lives of this woman and her cat. read more

She and Her Cat is told from the perspective of Chobi; a cat that was recently adopted by She, an unnamed girl. Chobi is quite a philosophical little cat but his observations don't go past of what a regular cat might think. He notes how the girl cries, but does not wonder why, only that She is perfect and must not be at fault. He notes that She leaves during the day, but does not wonder where, only that the scent of the outside world comes through the door each time. He just knows that they are together, and that's all that there needs to be.

Being that there is no color in She and Her Cat adds to the OVA rather than ruins it. This could've happened because of the popular belief that cats see in black and white (they really see in color), but it really makes this 5 minute story stand out that much more. There are many freeze frames in the OVA, with the most animation coming from the background images, but this makes the story more involved and focused on and therefore it seems to fit the mood.

As with the simple, but highly detailed animation comes the sound. Chobi's voice is constant in this OVA; he gives his side of his conversations and tells everything from a narrative point of view other times. There are a few other sounds such as sound effects, but the soft background songs in it are great and soothing.

There are just three characters in this: Chobi, She, and Mimi, the cat that Chobi dates in the summer. The unamed girl She is shown as a lonely person who's only true friend in life is Chobi. While Mimi, on the other hand, is a cute kitten who wants to marry Chobi. Chobi disagrees; he thinks it is a false promise due to her just being a kitten and that he loves the more 'adult' woman instead.

Overall, She and Her Cat was delightful. Very rarely can you tell a great story in just 5 minutes, but Makoto Shinkai pulled it off very well for being his first project. While maybe a little rushed, it was still a wholesome work of art. It's short, it's sweet (yet dark on some levels), and it has just a bit of innocence everyone needs once and awhile. And even if you think you won't like She and Her Cat, just try watching it once. 5 minutes is all you need. read more

Story
There doesn't seem to be a story beyond 'I am a cat. This is my opinion of the world.' That by itself makes for a philosophical short with an interesting take on life. Anyone who's owned a cat has wondered what goes on between those ears, and I believe that if cats could talk they'd agree with everything that this cat does.

Art
The art in this OVA is rather interesting - it's done in a black-and-white, simplistic, somewhat grainy manner. Despite the fact that the human is very realistically done and the cats are simplified and 'chibi', it still maintains an intriguingly real appearance.

Sound
Perhaps I am biased, but I had a hard time with the sound. Although it is nicely done, the sound effects and music are much louder than the vocals and detract from the overall enjoyment.

Character
Although you never quite become bonded close enough to the human of the series to feel for her, you do bond very quickly with the cat and his quirky philosophy. Although the cat feels somewhat flat, anyone who has dealt with a cat will quickly recognize the "I'm so smart" face they try to put on.

Overall this is a very enjoyable, and quick watch for someone looking to have a 'Five-Minute Philosophy Break', or who is just looking for a quirky anime. read more

Story-
A simple yet sweet storyline. At first, it would seem kind of dull but the way the main character describes the world around him makes it all better. It doesnt waste time on unimportant matters and it is, in the best way possible, calming.

Art-
Extremely well drawn characters. Each one of them was shown as they personality reflects. Black and white blended the mood and the scenery in am amazing way. Its as if everything was thought out meticulously.

Sound-
No extra bit of sound was added to any scene. As the screen moves, so does the sound echoing the action.

Character-
Extremely simple. The cat reflected its way of being drawn. The girl was described in a way that seemed admirable.

Enjoyment-
I tend dislike most black and white shows but this one was better than a lot of great animes i have seen.

Overall-
Great show. It was a little on the short side but it was worth the search for it. Simple story, detailed art, geat sound, and realistic characters. This is something worth going out of your way to look and it doesnt take that long to finish. read more

Now this obviously isnt your typical anime, the story of a cat living with is owner is something im sure most companies wouldnt want to put there money behind. but this anime was actually very well executed. the story is told by chobi, a cat living with a single woman. chobi tells the story in a very simple yet intelligent way. this was what really attracted me. the idea of showing the world from a cats view was astonishingly well done.

At first the story seems quite mediocre, but after about 1 min the story kicks in. keep in my that this is nothing on an epic scale. see it more as a modest love story between pet and master. as it unfolds there are twists in the story, which given its small time frame were done very well. and as the story reaches its end you come to appreciate for more and more

The animation was also brilliant, being done in black and white made me feel as though i was watching a manga unfold, with its own sense of unique realism. chobi the cat looks like he has been drawn by a five year, (or me) lol. but he stands out from all the other pieces of art, which if that was the goal work perfectly. its short,precise, and well done. She and her cat wont dissappoint read more

She and Her Perverted Cat.
That is the title that should have been chosen for this short film. It would give the viewer a better understanding of what they're in for.
Here we have a typical Shinkai film. An attempt at being artistic, and to say "lol, look at me being deep." But it amounts to be nothing more than pretentious garbage. This time, however, Shinkai manages to make his film creepy as well. The story focuses on the life of Chobi the cat and his unnamed female owner. Chobi the cat spends his days admiring her beauty and smell. He rejects members of his own species in pursuit of a romantic relationship with her which will never come to be. While there are no “A cat is fine too”-esque scenes, the creepy factor is there and at large.
Although it’s not made clear exactly what happens, Chobi’s owner is seen crying one day, and she seems to enter a state of depression. Chobi, perhaps feeling somewhat lonely himself, is there for her, and through each other, they are both able to overcome their troubles. I felt like the ending of this movie was one of those endings that is supposed to make the viewer feel warm and fuzzy inside, but I just died a little inside. read more

wow..just wow. the animation...the sound...the black/white..the way the cat is poetic..everything--amazing. how can you capture *all* that emotion in just 5 minutes? Brilliant ^.^