Netflix continues to emerge as one of the best anime streaming platforms, and this year has only solidified its position by giving fans an adult anime whose dark comedy hides a sad tale underneath. This highlights the platform’s exclusivity, something even Crunchyroll is struggling to match. With the recent release of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 on the streaming platform as well, Netflix is winning in every aspect of the anime industry. As a streaming platform known for including special series that don’t shy away from depicting dark elements that strangely mirror real life, this was a notion that had long been missing in anime.
However, Chainsmoker Cat has been filling that void, emerging as a special installment currently airing on Netflix during the Summer season. Ever since it was teased back in February earlier this year, with a premise that seemed to be nothing more than a catgirl who loves to smoke, fans viewed it as a bizarre anime adaptation. They were then taken aback by the quality of the adaptation it received. Now, as new episodes continue to release, Chainsmoker Cat is emerging as an underrated gem that reflects a sad tale beneath its dark comedy and bizarre premise, while also mirroring reality.
Chainsmoker Cat‘s latest episode highlights that the beastfolk in this world face numerous restrictions, including being unable to pursue professional careers such as becoming doctors, lawyers, or other professionals. This confines them to minimum-wage jobs, as society is actively pushing them into secluded regions instead of granting them the same privileges as everyone else. This also explains why almost every beastfolk depicted in the series struggles with addictions, ranging from smoking and drinking to even drugs. Perhaps this is why the main character, Yani Neko, no longer cares much about living, enjoys smoking because it helps her relax, and only works minimum-wage jobs whenever she needs money.
In the latest episode, there is also a moment where Yani says she just wants to “complete this game,” implying that she wants to die as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the second major character, Yaku Neko, who arguably has even worse addictions than Yani and is also addicted to drugs, subtly hints that she was abused in the past and remains traumatized. The latest episode depicts that whenever someone calls the number “12,” Yaku immediately becomes attentive and responds with, “Yes, sir.” This indicates that she was probably the victim of experiments conducted on beastfolk in the past and was subjected to drugs and other tests that eventually led to her addiction.
The latest episode completely reframes the series, revealing that the dark comedy it has been depicting all along stems from a poignant foundation lying underneath. Sadly, the anime also captures the harsh reality of the world’s financial system and how some people are pushed into becoming part of a broken system rather than choosing that path themselves. With every new episode, Chainsmoker Cat continues to emerge as a masterpiece, with layers of depth that may not be immediately apparent but, once realized, transform its bizarre dark comedy into one of the saddest adult anime on Netflix.
