The official website for the upcoming TV anime Tabacat (Yani Neko), scheduled for release in July, has unveiled a wealth of information along with the very first teaser trailer. The project has quickly drawn attention thanks to its peculiar yet intriguing premise and its distinctive visual style.
Yanikо Sato is a cat-girl living in a cramped apartment complex in modern-day Japan, dealing with a heavy addiction to nicotine. Most of her earnings go up in smoke - literally - as she struggles to afford her next pack. When her budget runs dry, Yanikо scavenges for discarded cigarette butts or bums a smoke off strangers. The story soon introduces other cat-girls, each battling their own flaws and habits, and their long-suffering human landlord, who tolerates their eccentric behavior and endless chats about an ancient civilization of feline humanoids capable of crafting mystical tobacco blends.
The creator, known by the playful pen name NyanNyanFactory, originally began publishing the Yani Neko manga on the social platform X in November 2022. It quickly attracted a dedicated following thanks to its mix of dark humor and social commentary. By February 2023, the series had found a home in Weekly Young Magazine, where it continues to gain popularity among fans of offbeat and slice-of-life storytelling. The eleventh collected volume was released on February 6, marking another milestone in the manga's growing success.
The upcoming anime adaptation promises to expand this quirky world further, exploring themes of addiction, loneliness, and the search for belonging in a way that is both humorous and heartfelt. With stylish animation, a slice-of-life tone, and a cast of delightfully flawed feline characters, Tabacat is shaping up to be one of the more unusual and talked-about anime of the summer season.
