Kunagi is the macho protagonist who has a soft spot for cats. He worked at a cat café and has an encyclopedic knowledge of cats. His world turns upside down when cats are turning humans into cats. The cats aren’t zombie cats, so they still look adorable, and if they jump on you and touch your skin, you’ll turn. As the show progresses, audiences will learn more about the process.

“I think that one of the great things about the show is that you don’t have to be a cat lover or a dog lover to watch and enjoy it,” Douglas tells Nerd Reactor at the CatCafe Lounge in Los Angeles. “But it certainly is there for you if you are, and I think for cat lovers for sure. But if you’re a horror fan, I think this show breaks out of, at least in North America, the expectations about what an anime is. This is a show that I think potentially could find a lot of fans outside of the anime fanbase.”

Since the cats still act like normal cats, this makes things tough for Kunagi, who absolutely loves cats.

“Yeah, it’s exciting,” Delilah said of the anime. “It’s adorable because you just want to hug them. You don’t want to run. I would not survive five seconds because I would just hug them all and touch them and then I’d be a cat.”

There are a few burly guys who love cats in Nyaight of the Living Cat, and that includes Tanishi.

“What’s great about it is it speaks to [Tanishi’s] affection for cats, which I love,” Temple said of his character. “We have this burly macho alpha male, 12 pack anime abs, clearly spends time at the gym, cool faux hawk, but just cannot deny his passion for the feline. It becomes his demise and then we flash back and he’s part of the moving world.”

About Nyaight of the Living Cat

Synopsis: Run! The adorable cats are here. In 20XX, the world is dominated by cats. A virus which turns anyone who touches a cat into a cat has spread into a worldwide nyandemic. Cats rub against people, turning them into cats. Can humanity fight their urge to pet cats to survive in this cat-ridden world?

Nyaight of the Living Cat debuted on July 6, with the English dub debuting on July 20. It is streaming only on Crunchyroll. New episodes, subbed and dubbed, premiere on Sundays.

The post Why Nyaight of the Living Cat Is the Wildest New Anime of 2025 appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

The show wastes no time diving into its pitch-perfect premise: a mysterious feline plague turns humans into cats with a single touch. Survivors like Kunagi, Kaoru, and the rest of the gang aren’t just trying to stay alive—they’re battling their own cat-loving instincts. Every encounter is both life-threatening and heartbreakingly cute. As a parody, it hits all the right notes, especially for horror fans. From subtle nods to The Thing and Alien, to clever riffs on classic zombie tropes, the show is clearly the work of people who know and love the genre.

At the same time, Nyaight of the Living Cat actually builds out its world with surprising care. The apocalypse has its own logic: water wards off cats, catnip can be used as bait, and allergies function like a feline radar. It’s genuinely fun to watch the group figure out how to navigate this cuddly nightmare.

Nyaight of the Living Cat turns the zombie genre on its head with a ridiculous yet charming premise, clever horror references, and just enough heart to keep things interesting—even when it’s all about cats.

Tonally, it strikes a playful balance. It never tries to scare you—it’s more likely to surprise you with a kitten ambush than a jump scare. However, it still adheres to the structure of a proper zombie series: isolated survivors, looming danger, poor decisions with deadly consequences, and, yes, incompetent military forces. Swapping out zombies for cats gives these familiar beats new life, and it’s funny without wearing out the joke, at least not in the first two episodes.

Visually, the series leans into its absurdity. Executive Director Takashi Miike’s (Ichi the Killer, 13 Assassins) campy sensibilities are all over it. Visual elements, such as exaggerated reactions and close-ups of cats, are treated like works of art. The mix of hand-drawn and CG animation can be jarring at times, but the commitment to the bit carries it through.

With only two of twelve episodes out, Nyaight of the Living Cat is off to a surprisingly strong start. It’s a weird, witty, and wonderfully self-aware spin on the zombie genre—and it just might have enough charm (and claws) to sustain the whole season.

Rating: 4/5 atoms

New Nyaight of the Living Cat episodes premiere every Sunday at 7:15 AM PST on Crunchyroll.

The post Nyaight of the Living Cat Episode 1 & 2 Review – Cute, Clever, and Completely Unhinged appeared first on Nerd Reactor.