A Whisker Away
In A WHISKER AWAY, Miyo Sasaki, nicknamed "Muge," (voiced by Mirai Shida) is a girl with an intense crush on her classmate Hinode (Natsuki Hanae). While Muge is free-spirited and shows her feelings for Hinode in over-the-top ways, Hinode is more reserved and seems put off by Muge's overexuberance. Angst-ridden over her infatuation with Hinode, Muge meets a mysterious giant cat called "The Mask Seller," who gives her a mask that allows Muge to transform into an adorable fluffy white cat with large blue eyes. As a cat, Muge goes to Hinode's house to learn more about him in order to make herself more appealing to Hinode. Hinode immediately bonds with the cat, and names her "Taro," the same name as his recently deceased pet dog. As "Taro," Muge learns that, in spite of the opposite ways in which they behave at school, the two really aren't so far apart. At school, Muge starts using the knowledge she has learned about Hinode to get closer to him, but after a humiliation at school and troubles at home come to the forefront, Muge begins to seriously consider The Mask Seller's offer to remain as a cat for the rest of her life. As the line between her "cat life" and human life becomes increasingly blurred, Muge must find a way to stay human.
Starring
Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Hiroaki Ogi
Director
Junichi Sato, Tomotaka Shibayama