The cast of cats appearing in the TV anime "Cat and Dragon," based on a popular light novel published on the novel submission site "Let's Become a Novelist," was announced on February 22nd, "Cat Day." The cast will include Kikuko Inoue as Mama Nyan, Fuka Izumi as Shirotae, Shou Hayami as Kurobane, Noriaki Sugiyama as Hive, Maki Kawase as Cheekro, and Shinosuke Tokudome as Kurotama.
The work is told in an omnibus format, telling stories of interactions between dragons and cats, cats and humans, and dragons and humans, and the first featured key visual, which focuses on the relationships between the characters, has also been released. It focuses on the relationship between dragons and cats, and depicts a dragon-like cat dragon surrounded by forest cats. The first featured PV, "~Dragon and Cat~," which also features the relationship between dragons and cats, has also been released on YouTube.
Inoue, who plays Mama Nyan, an experienced mother cat who raises her kittens deep in the forest, commented, "I think this work is like a beautiful, warm and bountiful spring that wells up in an age where excitement and excess are everywhere. The mother cat is kind and raises all her kittens equally, but she can also be a bit of a tough mother, so that's a lot of fun ♪" and "I will do my best to portray the easygoing and energetic mother cat Mama Nyan with lots of love. I hope you will join me in experiencing the happiness of seeing this wonderful original work become an even more wonderful animation!"
Izumi, who plays Shirotae, a cat who dreams of having her own territory, said, "When I see Shirotae, she's an enthusiastic and hardworking girl, like a first-grader, the corners of my eyes melt...but she's not reckless at all, and the way she plans and acts based on her experience is what makes her so cute." She also said, "It's a warm and fluffy work that warms your heart when you touch it, and I feel like it's just like a cat. I love cats, so I'd like to share this gentle story of various cats, Uncle Feather, and humans with everyone."
Hayami, who plays Kurobane, a powerful black cat who lives deep in the forest, said, "I love cats, so I'm genuinely happy to be able to take part in this production. And it's a black cat, too. Kurobane may seem cool at first glance, but he's actually kind and caring. I quite like him." He also sent a message saying, "To all cat lovers, dragon lovers, and human lovers, please take a good look at this story, which I think goes a little beyond the realms of fantasy."
Sugiyama, who plays Haibuchi, a nosy cat who lives in the castle town, commented, "Haibuchi is a warm-hearted, kind-hearted busybody, but that psychology comes from his own kind, parental kindness, because if someone leaves something that bothers him alone and he doesn't help, he gets so worried that he can't sleep at night. I think he's a wonderful, gentle and kind-hearted kitty." He added, "It's a lovely, cute and heartwarming work that can be enjoyed by people who love cats and want to be loved by cats, of course, but even if you're not, it's a lovely, cute and heartwarming work that can be enjoyed by people who love cats and want to be loved by cats, so I hope you will take your time and enjoy this cute and wonderful story set in a gentle world!"
Kawase, who plays Kurobane's brother cat, Chikuro, said, "It's a calm and gentle story about people, cats, and dragons. There are many different interactions and connections, such as friendship and master-disciple relationships. Chikuro is a wonderful cat who loves to observe the things around him and is very knowledgeable. My own cat also stares intently at all kinds of things on a daily basis, so I feel a strange commonality between him and Chikuro. I wonder if he's observing? Maybe he's as knowledgeable as Chikuro!" She added, "I was very touched by the sight of the cats growing up under the watchful eye of the Cat Dragon and living freely and carefree. A world where cats are happy is a happiness in itself. May he always be happy... And above all, Nekoryu is... so cute...! Magic, dragons, cats, and people. Please look forward to this new fantasy!"
Tokudome, who plays Kurobane's brother cat Kurotama, said, "When I first saw Kurotama, I felt he was a very curious boy, straightforward about things he found interesting or that interested him, and with an open mind whose perspective wasn't bound by convention or conventional wisdom. I remember liking his sensibility and being excited to be able to play Kurotama." He also sent a message saying, "When I read this work, not only were the cats that appear in it so cute, but it was so fascinating, like reading about the history of cats and people in a different world! I was engrossed. It's full of cuteness and fun that you can only find in anime! I hope you'll enjoy it."
The light novel is written by Amara and illustrated by Okuma Mai. It depicts the mysterious bond between a dragon raised by a cat, a cat, and humans, and has become a hot topic after reaching number one in the daily rankings on "Let's Become a Novelist," an unusual feat for a short story. The comic adaptation has also gained popularity, with the total number of copies sold in the series exceeding 1.2 million.
The anime is directed by Oh Jin-goo and produced by OLM. Takehito Koyasu plays Nekoryu, a dragon raised by cats. It will be broadcast on TOKYO MX, BS Nippon TV, and Yomiuri TV from July.
