The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today (デキる猫は今日も憂鬱) is a 13 episode slice of life comedy series based on the manga of the same name by Yamada Hitsuji. The series originally aired over the Summer of 2023.
Fukuzawa Saku is a young, hardworking, office worker in her 20's. She comes to work everyday ready to tackle anything she is given. She comes with homemade lunches that make her the ency of her co-workers. She is the ideal employee and highly desirable as a marriage partner. Yet the seemingly confident and well put together woman is not exactly as she appears to be. Those that remember her when she first started at the company can recall how much of a mess she was. Saku has a secret that she strives to keep from everyone, unsure how to actually explain the situation she is in that will make sense to those around her. The secret is the only reason she is able to be as productive and put together and nourished as she is, is due to her cat, Yukichi.
A few years prior, Saku had rescued Yukichi from near death in the middle of winter. The lost kitten was so appalled by the horrendous state of the woman's apartment that he decided to do what ever it took to improve his living conditions. For some reason, the seemingly ordinary alley cat is highly capable of understanding human speech . Being a normal cat he can not speak himself but is capable of understanding enough to interact with humans on a rudimentary level that helps him express his intentions. Understanding that the health of his human means his health as well he begins in earnest to clean her trash filled apartment and cook nutritious meals for her. With out explanation he also grows to be the size of a small bear, standing taller than the woman who saved him. Now, Yukichi has assumed the roll of Saku's mother, seeing to her every needs for health and security. Scolding her for not being mindful and nursing her to health when sick or hungover. But having a bear sized house cat who acts like a human is really strange and Saku does everything she can to hide the truth about him from those she knows. Unfortunately...Yukichi is independent to the point where he does all of her grocery shopping, being somewhat of a celebrity at the local supermarket, where the staff and customers refuse to believe its not a strange human in an elaborate cat costume.
This is a really fun and cute low key slice of life series that takes an absurd concept and runs with it in a very mundane way. Yukichi is very much the diligent housewife, always cleaning, cooking and fusing. Saku doesn't really question how he came to be that way, grateful for his efforts to make her a better person....or at least a person who is less than a slob as she really is. Saku is incredibly lazy and self centered. Wanting nothing more than to lay around, drink, eat snacks and watch TV. She realizes that Yukichi isn't getting anything out of the situation and fears the day that he decides to leave her for a better life with someone else. She also struggles with how to explain to people that all of her merits are her cats doings. Yet she goes about happily each day, enjoying the vastly improved life her stray cat has given her.
This, along with The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, is my first real exposure to the animation studio GoHands. They definitely have a style that they like to use, for better or worse. Thankfully the worst aspects of their directing quirks are limited with this series, mostly relegated to the city-scape cut scenes. I don't have any issue with 3d CG, being a huge fan of Polygon Pictures, but man...GoHands really needs to tighten up their motion algorithms and try to make moving objects more natural. Every car looks like its fresh out of the shop with a brand new reflective wrap, quite unsettling indeed. But aside from the questionable choices, over all the artwork for this series is really enjoyable and the directing, regardless of what others say in criticism, worked well with the story. In reality there is little in the way of story, we see a progress of side character introduction and interaction but the meat of the show focuses on the daily lives of Saku and her cat. Showcasing the deftly absurd manner that Yukichi tackles tasks as if he were a human. From wearing rubber gloves when preparing food, diligently clipping coupons and taking full advantage of the supermarkets rewards program, to ensuring that Saku is ready to face every day the best she can. Meanwhile, Saku dodges all manner of perceived suspicions, while constantly questioning how long she can live like this and keep him a secret...even though most of her neighborhood is aware of his bizarre existence and brush it off. Its fun and quirky and worth the time if you like lazy slice of life stories with no drama or plot.
The series was simulcast on Crunchyroll and is currently only available in sub format.
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