From the anime film, “Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu (Wanting to Cry, I Pretend to Be a Cat)”, which will be streamed worldwide on Netflix, comes images of its unique characters such as the protagonists, Sasaki Miyo aka “Muge” and Hinode Kento, their family and friends, and the mysterious “Cat Storekeeper”.
The heroine, Sasaki Miyo, is a cheerful 8th-grader, who surprises her classmates by saying things without considering the situation, which led to her nickname, “Muge (an abbreviation of Mugendai Nazo Ningen, i.e. Infinitely Mysterious Being)”.
Every day, she keeps making moves on her crush, Hinode, but never gets the attention she wants, and is actually hiding her true feelings, contrary to how people see her. One day, she gets a mysterious mask, which “by wearing it, turns you into a cat”, and starts to go see Hinode as a cat.
Shida Mirai, who plays Muge, says, “She's a nice character since she expresses her feelings honestly, which is a rare thing nowadays.”
The gap between how she acts at school in front of her friends and how she acts in her room makes her a charming character who you will want to root for.
Hinode Kento is a calm and collected boy with excellent grades who is the classmate that Muge has a crush on.
Since he is going through adolescence, he is unable to speak out his mind, and can't decide what he wants to do with his life. However, he shows some unexpected sides, such as his passion for pottery influenced by his potter grandfather, love of cooking, and showing affection towards Muge as a cat by calling her “Tarou”.
Hanae Natsuki, who plays Hinode, is said to have done a great job of portraying the character's delicate emotional changes. His solid performance is backed up by his popularity.
Hanae said, “The transformation of a boy to a young man” is the appeal of Hinode. Let's be sure to check out his change of heart in the film.
The “Cat Storekeeper” is a large cat that wears a kimono on his chubby figure and talks with a relaxed tone of voice. He is the one who gives the mysterious mask to Muge. He often visits Muge to encourage her to live as a cat and leads her to the “cat” world. There seems to be a hidden intention behind these actions of his…
Yamadera Kouichi, who plays the Cat Storekeeper, says, “It was really entertaining to play the role.” The strange yet charming and elusive character is a must-see for all audiences.
“Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu” also has various characters, such as classmates, including Fukase Yoriko (voiced by Kotobuki Minako), who stands by Muge, who is often regarded as a weirdo, Isami Masamichi (voiced by Ono Kensho), who hangs out with Hinode; Muge's complicated family members, Sasaki Youji (voiced by Chiba Susumu), the father, his fiance, Mizutani Kaoru (voiced by Kawasumi Ayako), and Muge's mother who has divorced Youji, Saitou Miki (voiced by Oohara Sayaka), to make the story more interesting.
We also can't forget about the supporting characters, such as Sakaguchi Tomoya (voiced by Namikawa Daisuke), the handsome staff member of Hinode's grandfather's workshop, and Kusunoki-sensei (voiced by Ogi Hiroaki), the homeroom teacher of Muge and Hinode's class.
The Netflix exclusive anime film, “Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu” will be streamed worldwide from Jun. 18, 2020.
(C)2020 “Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu” Production Committee
