This July season saw the debut of the TV anime adaptation of the manga, "Yanineko," and its recent broadcast has absolutely blown up on X (formerly Twitter) in Japan.
The show's brutally realistic and grimy portrayal of smokers' lives has left many viewers declaring they've "completely lost the urge to smoke." Some even joked, "They should just make it an official recommendation from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare!" calling it the ultimate anti-smoking anime.
First serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine "Weekly Young Magazine" in February 2023, "Yanineko" currently boasts ten tankobon volumes.
The protagonist, Yanineko (aka Nikuko Sato), is a cat-girl with a severe smoking addiction. Living in a cramped apartment in modern Japan, she's utterly hooked on cigarettes, oblivious to the damage she inflicts on her environment, health, and even her family. Almost all her cash goes to buying smokes; if she can't get them, she'll even resort to picking up discarded butts.
The initial buzz kicked off with a post from X user dragoner, who described "Yanineko" as an anime that makes you "want to smoke less and less the more you watch it," suggesting it should just be an official recommendation from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
He jokingly added that if Japan's anti-smoking campaign posters simply used scenes from "Yanineko," they'd be far more effective than current ones. He even quipped, "Anyone who still wants to smoke after watching this should probably be put on a dangerous persons list (lol)." This comment immediately resonated with countless netizens.
Many viewers believe "Yanineko"'s biggest draw is its high-quality animation, which unflinchingly depicts the chaotic and squalid lives of smokers. One person described it as: "An anime that uses incredibly beautiful artwork to portray incredibly filthy lives." They laughed, admitting they never expected the anime to open with a scene of explosive, shotgun-like diarrhea.
Other viewers reported feeling nauseous for the first time ever because of an anime. "It felt like cigarette smoke was actually wafting from the screen; the whole thing made me incredibly uncomfortable," one said. However, they also acknowledged that this discomfort was precisely why the animation and direction were so successful.
Some even shared anecdotes of friends who not only quit smoking after watching the anime but also cleaned up their rooms. Many believe the show's genius lies in its lack of preachy messaging, instead allowing viewers to organically grasp the connection between smoking and lifestyle habits.
Other netizens noted that "Yanineko" successfully subverts the often romanticized image of smoking typically portrayed in anime and manga. They joked, "This one show single-handedly dragged the image of cool smoking scenes in all anime down to negative points."
Interestingly, this season also features another anime about smoking, "Futsuri," which has a completely opposite vibe. Many netizens joked, "Watch 'Yanineko' and put down your cigarette; watch 'Futsuri' and pick it right back up." Others described it as "setting yourself on fire and then putting yourself out."
Some even quipped that watching the two shows alternately would leave viewers constantly oscillating between "wanting to quit" and "wanting to smoke."
While "Yanineko" isn't explicitly intended as an anti-smoking campaign, its unvarnished portrayal of smokers' lives, addiction, and environment has unexpectedly been hailed online by many viewers as "the most effective anti-smoking anime."
However, some argue that the characters' enjoyment of smoking might still appeal to certain viewers, leaving it up to individual interpretation whether it's "the best quitting aid" or "another form of cigarette promotion."