Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu

Miyo Sasaki is an energetic high school girl who comes from a broken family consisting of her unconfident father and an overly invested stepmother, whose attempts at connecting with Miyo come across as bothersome. Seeing Kento Hinode as a refuge from all her personal issues, she cannot help herself from forcing her unorthodox demonstrations of love onto her crush.

While Miyo is unable to get Kento's attention as herself, she manages to succeed by interacting with him in the form of a white cat, affectionately nicknamed "Tarou" by Kento. But Miyo soon realizes that she cannot help Kento with the various problems she overhears in her cat form and is now caught between two tough choices. Will she continue her relationship with him as a cat, or will she reveal her identity and risk what they have in order to help him as her human self?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Sasaki, Miyo Main

Shida, Mirai Japanese

Hinode, Kento Main

Hanae, Natsuki Japanese

Cat Store Owner Supporting

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Kinako Supporting

Kitamura, Eri Japanese

Fukase, Yoriko Supporting

Kotobuki, Minako Japanese

Kakinuma Supporting

Miki, Shinichiro Japanese

Tamaki Supporting

Sakuma, Rei Japanese

Isami, Masamichi Supporting

Ono, Kensho Japanese

Sasaki, Youji Supporting

Chiba, Susumu Japanese

Sugita Supporting

Yoshida, Oolongta Japanese

Takei, Katsuhiro Producer

Suzuki, Kousuke Producer

Kannae, Masahiro Producer

Ooshima, Kazuki Assistant Producer

Reviews

Sep 14, 2025

elumizu

Recommended

They say masks reveal as much as they hide, but what happens when the mask feels more real than the face beneath it? A Whisker Away takes that question and folds it into a bittersweet coming-of-age story where fantasy blurs with reality. Centering on Miyo, a girl who escapes her emotional struggles by transforming into a cat. The premise is whimsical yet weighted, balancing lighthearted romance with darker undercurrents of identity, neglect, and the longing to be seen. Plot-wise, it flows with a mix of charm and uneven pacing, at times rushing through emotional beats that could have been explored with more nuance, but still ... managing to hold its coherence. The story’s complexity lies not in intricate twists but in its emotional layers, contrasting Miyo’s internal turmoil with the magical yet dangerous world of masks. Character-wise, Miyo’s desperation and awkward boldness make her a messy yet authentic protagonist, while Hinode, though less developed, complements her arc as the anchor of stability she craves. Side characters vary in depth. Some add warmth and grounding, others feel underutilized, but they collectively shape the emotional stakes. The worldbuilding, with its mystical mask seller and parallel feline realm, is imaginative but somewhat underexplored, as it is functioning more as metaphor than a fully fleshed-out fantasy system. Internal logic bends at times for narrative convenience, but the film maintains a symbolic consistency that supports its themes of escapism, self-acceptance, and the danger of losing oneself in fantasy. The moral core rests on the idea that true connection requires vulnerability, and that hiding behind masks, literal or emotional, can cost one’s very sense of being. Visually, the film shines with vibrant colors, fluid animation, and an expressive portrayal of both human and feline forms, though its fantasy set pieces occasionally feel less polished than its grounded everyday scenes. The music captures both the innocence and melancholy of the narrative, while the voice acting delivers raw honesty, particularly in Miyo’s unfiltered expressions of love and despair. In the end, the film may stumble in structure but succeeds in heart, leaving behind not just a whimsical romance but also a reminder that sometimes the hardest thing is not loving others, but learning to love oneself without the mask.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Apr 8, 2025

KiracTodd

Mixed Feelings

I had high expectations before watching the movie. That's why I expected something big but it wasn't very good except for the art design. The characters are very ordinary, the anime suddenly turned into a romantic comedy and then a drama, I was surprised at what I missed, I couldn't warm up to any of the characters. The story felt like it was written in 1 day, and the time skips suddenly happen and end suddenly, which is a very bad feeling in terms of watching pleasure. In short, it can be watched but there is not much going on except for the design, the ... characters are boring, the events happen and end suddenly.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jul 16, 2025

Cardboil

Not Recommended

This was by far one of the worst things I have ever seen. It gets so much praise for what? The story is bad, the characters are annoying, I had no fun watching it. Usually I can find things like this funny, but this was absolutely terrible. So much other anime movies are good, but this one? Most terrible movie in the entire world.
This does not deserve any praise and it is a complete waste of time. If I could give it a 0 star or negative star, I would.
The characters are really annoying, not good. I don't get why people praise this, ... everyone I know in real life hates this as well because it is terrible.
Do not watch.

Reviewer’s Rating: 1

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'Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu' Reveals New Preview, Supporting Cast

The official website for the original anime film Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu (A Whisker Away) announced five additional cast members on Friday. A new preview w...read more

May 29, 2020 12:09 AM by ImperfectBlue | Discuss (3 comments)

	Poll: Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) KANLen09 - Jun 18, 2020	194 replies	by Rikki_Taka »» Nov 20, 10:55 AM
	Poll: should i watch? mrjdko - May 7, 2022	37 replies	by Miryy »» Dec 10, 2023 8:59 AM
	How's the romance? DhoX - Mar 19, 2021	16 replies	by Miryy »» Dec 10, 2023 8:58 AM
	Who is that brown tabby cat? Karren_ - Jun 18, 2020	14 replies	by Animecatlover101 »» Oct 27, 2023 7:57 PM
	About mask seller..... YagamiYash - Jul 25, 2021	5 replies	by mo_lave »» Aug 12, 2023 7:04 PM