This New Anime Is a Full-on Gross-Out Experiment – Here's Why You Should (Or Shouldn't) Watch It

The summer anime season began with a provocative premiere: in early July, Bibury Animation Studios, known for seinen titles featuring strong female leads, released Chainsmoker Cat.

While the project was initially praised for its opening, it was facing criticism for its repulsive plot just a few episodes in – it's a truly gross affair that has sparked controversy among viewers.

What Is 'Chainsmoker Cat' About?

Yaniko Sato is addicted to nicotine and lives a marginal existence – she has no job or personal life, only a pack of cigarettes. People steer clear of her not because of her personality, but because of her stench.

She reeks so strongly of stale smoke and alcohol that even her sister visits her wearing a hazmat suit. Yaniko constantly vows to quit smoking, only to take another drag a moment later.

Sato spits on her neighbor's head, fishes cigarettes out of excrement, and struggles to cope with bouts of diarrhea. Her days are monotonous: she spends her time either on the balcony or in a filthy room where a sheet serves as her bed.

Never Before Has an Anime Opening So Thoroughly Defied Viewers' Expectations

The anime's opening, which has received much praise online, comes across as pretentious – shots of characters smoking are intercut with iconic scenes from cinema, such as Trainspotting, Blade Runner, In the Mood for Love, and The Breakfast Club.

After such a start, viewers expect a coherent plot and deep subtext, but the whole thing turns out to be a tease. Over the course of the episodes, Yaniko does little more than flick cigarette butts off the balcony, beg friends for cigarettes, and make two half-hearted attempts to find a job.

While the first episode sparks interest and a smile, subsequent episodes become tedious due to the repetitive nature of the action. The creators get too caught up in the slice-of-life aspect and lose sight of what matters most: character development and plot progression.

'Chainsmoker Cat' Is Grossness for the Sake of Grossness With No Depth

New female characters are introduced, and Sato interacts with each of them in her usual fashion, either looking for a drink or borrowing a cigarette. Initially, these girls offer little value – even in their presence, Sato fails to reveal new facets of her personality.

The title also neglects world-building regarding the coexistence of animals and humans – the animal cast consists solely of cats, and no other species appear in the series. Over several episodes, we learn only that these creatures receive rabies vaccinations and aren't given surnames at birth.

There is no real dramatic depth either: why does Sato live alone? What is the nature of her relationship with her sister? What trauma might she be hiding? None of these questions are answered.

Chainsmoker Cat is a trashy title not meant for binge-watching. Consuming it in small doses, like a collection of sketches, allows you to turn off your brain and cringe at the latest gross-out humor.

However, the anime fails to live up to its potential – the creators could have elevated the comedy beyond toilet humor, but they chose the easy way out.

What Did Viewers Think of 'Chainsmoker Cat'?

• On IMDb, the anime has a score of 6.9/10.

Where to Watch 'Chainsmoker Cat'?

Chainsmoker Cat is available to stream on Netflix.