IF YOU SEE A CAT

A surreal VR animated film by Berlin Silver Bear winner Atsushi Wada in collaboration with Kodansha VR Lab. Step into the perspective of a boy’s hallucinated cat and witness a mind-bending and deeply emotional story that explores grief, mental health, and hope.

IF YOU SEE A CAT is a 37-minute VR animated film directed by internationally acclaimed animator Atsushi Wada, winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and one of Japan’s leading animation artists.

Combining hand-crafted animation, immersive VR storytelling, and powerful performances, this interactive cinematic experience invites viewers to witness a deeply personal story from a unique perspective.

The film has been recognized at major international festivals, including:

Venice International Film Festival (VR Section Nominee)

International Film Festival Rotterdam (Official Selection)

Feinaki Beijing Animation Week

Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival

Piccolo Festival Animazione

Carthage Film Festival XR Program

Japanese voice performances feature acclaimed actors Ryuya Wakaba and Ryoko Yuui.

Available with Japanese and English audio, plus Simplified and Traditional Chinese subtitles.

Become Part of the Story in VR

In Japan, it is said that one in twenty people receives treatment for some form of mental illness. Japan’s mental healthcare system faces various challenges that stem from historical context, the inherent complexity of mental health treatment, and the structural distortions within the system itself. In this work, a boy who sees his deceased beloved cat as a hallucination is diagnosed with a mental illness solely because he “sees cats”.

Within the VR experience, players assume the perspective of the hallucinated cat, observing the boy’s hospital experiences. This closeness allows for a vivid, immersive exploration of mental healthcare issues, family relationships, and the meaning of finding peace in oneself.

Observing events from this unusual vantage point creates a powerful sense of closeness, allowing you to quietly experience the boy’s emotional world as it unfolds around you.

The experience blends minimalist animation, immersive 360° visuals, and emotional storytelling into a unique VR film experience.

Story

After the death of his beloved cat Nyago, a young boy named Naoki begins claiming he can still see his pet.

Concerned, his mother takes him to a psychiatric hospital, where he is diagnosed with a mental illness simply because he “sees cats.” He is admitted for treatment, and the hospital attempts to erase Nyago through medication.

Inside this VR experience, you inhabit the perspective of the hallucinated cat itself, observing Naoki’s life from within his world.

Three months later, Nyago disappears. Though doctors declare Naoki “recovered,” he leaves the hospital emotionally hollow.

Back home, Naoki withdraws from the world—until one day he sees a girl playing with a stray cat outside his window. Slowly, he begins to reconnect with the world around him.

Through quiet moments of friendship and understanding, Naoki, his mother, and the memory of Nyago begin to rediscover what healing truly means.

A Visual Masterpiece from the Acclaimed Atsushi Wada

Atsushi Wada is one of Japan’s most internationally recognized animation artists.

His short film Great Rabbit won the Silver Bear at the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival, and his work has been screened at major festivals worldwide. Wada’s films are known for their distinctive style, quiet humor, and subtle exploration of human emotion.

Major works include:
My Swamp (2017)
Birds of the Peninsula (2022)
Ikimono-san (2023)