Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
A peculiar girl transforms into a cat to catch her crush's attention. But before she realizes it, the line between human and animal starts to blur.
A Whisker Away is a visually lush Netflix anime film with genuinely beautiful animation and color work that elevates it above typical TV-grade anime. The premise of a girl using a magical cat mask to navigate her emotional life and unrequited love is charming, and the parallel world of cats adds a dreamy, melancholic layer. However, the plot is fairly predictable and relies on well-worn anime romance and transformation tropes, and the tonal shifts between lighthearted slice-of-life and darker supernatural stakes can feel uneven. The voice performances are competent but unremarkable. The ending resolves its emotional threads adequately but not memorably. Cinematography is the standout, with expressive character animation and atmospheric backgrounds that make it one of the better-looking anime films of its year.