Chainsmoker Cat

Plot

Set in a modern-day world where human-animal hybrids, known as "beastfolk", co-exist with humans, the series follows the daily misadventures of catgirl Yaniko, a beastfolk who lives in a small apartment building in Nyagamihara (based on Sagamihara), Japan, and is addicted to smoking, regardless of the damage to her environment, her psyche, or her family. The series also features her interactions with her oddball neighbors, each with their respective issues, and their cranky human landlord who tolerates their antics.

Characters

Main

Yaniko Sato (佐藤 ヤニ子, Satō Yaniko) / Yanineko (ヤニねこ) / Yanikasu (ヤニカス)

Voiced by: Yūko Natsuyoshi (Japanese); Rebecca Wang (English)

A freeter with a morbid addiction to cigarettes, but no financial literacy or everyday skills. Almost all money Yaniko receives goes towards buying new cigarettes, and when she cannot buy new packs, she often resorts to reusing spent cigarette butts or salvaging loose smokes off the street. Her need for nicotine often leads her into absurd and humiliating situations, and her attempts to quit never last long.

Oya Otani (大谷 おう也, Ōtani Ōya) / Landlord (大家, Ōya)

Voiced by: Tetsu Inada, Yui Tsukada (young) (Japanese); Michael Sorich (English)

The landlord of the apartment building where most of the main cast lives. Despite his intimidating appearance and gruff demeanor, he is a caring man, though he is often the victim of his tenants' actions. He has a dog-like sex doll in private, and he often experiences erections due to certain things happening while he is around female beastfolks.

Imoko Sato (佐藤 妹子, Satō Imoko)

Voiced by: Rina Honnizumi (Japanese); Reba Buhr (English)

Yaniko's younger sister who is a respected and responsible high school student. She often takes care of Yaniko's well-being despite her constant frustrations.

Yakuko Etsushimaru (越司丸 益子, Etsushimaru Yakuko) / Yakuneko (ヤクねこ)

Voiced by: Misato Matsuoka (Japanese); Colleen O'Shaughnessey (English)

A beastfolk who has looked up to Yaniko as her senior since her high school days. Among all the residents of the apartment, she is the one Yaniko hangs out with most often. She secretly uses harder drugs in her apartment, including marijuana, though she always vehemently claims to be sober. It is also implied that she is an ex-convict. Despite this, Yakuko is much more social and well-adjusted in her life outside of her drug use.

Supporting

Yomuko Kaku (賀来 詠子, Kaku Yomuko) / Jikakineko (字書きねこ)

Voiced by: Niina Nakabayashi (Japanese); Natsuki Henderson (English)

Imoko's classmate who dreams of becoming a professional writer. She frequently visits the apartment building where she asks Saori and Yaniko for advice, though she often claims her work is written by her "friend" due to insecurity, and she spends more time on social media than she does with her creative writing.

Kazushi (カズシ)

Voiced by: Minoru Hirota (Japanese); Doug Stone (English)

The yakuza-esque editor-in-chief of Nyan Magazine, in which Saori's work is serialized. He has known Yaniko ever since she was a child, and sees her as a daughter.

Lani (ラニ, Rani)

Voiced by: Mariya Ise (Japanese); Sarah Natochenny (English)

The chief of Alpha Tribe, a local primordial beastfolk tribe that cultivates tobacco. She has two tails akin to that of a nekomata.

Nazuna Kujou (九条 ナズナ, Kujō Nazuna) / Penpenneko (ペンペンねこ)

Voiced by: Yū Kobayashi (Japanese); Kaitlyn Robrock (English)

A homeless beastfolk who lives in a tent near a river. Claiming to be one with nature and often speaking in an aloof, philosophical manner, she is very sensitive and emotional in private. After her original tent is swept away by a flood, she squats in the yard of Oya's apartment building. It is later revealed that she actually comes from a wealthy industrialist family, but she ran away to seek freedom.

Shizue Sato (佐藤 静江, Satō Shizue)

Production

The members of the pen name group NyanNyanFactory first met on a Discord server. While talking about smoking, they came up with the idea of Yaniko as a character and found her concept funny. They hid their identities when they first met and began posting Chainsmoker Cat as a web manga on Twitter in November 2022, where it gained popularity among a niche audience. After being contacted by several manga magazines, NyanNyanFactory chose Kodansha's seinen manga magazine, Weekly Young Magazine, in part because of its high manuscript payouts.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by NyanNyanFactory, Chainsmoker Cat started in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine on February 20, 2023. Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes, with the first one released on August 4, 2023. As of August 6, 2026, thirteen volumes have been released.

In February 2025, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it had licensed the series for English publication, with the first volume released in December that same year.

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced on February 2, 2026. The series was produced by Bibury Animation Studios and directed by Taku Kimura, with Takashi Aoshima writing the scripts, Riki Matsuura designing the characters, and Keiichi Suzuki composing the music. It aired from July 3 to September 25, 2026, on Tokyo MX and BS11. The series was released in two versions: the clean "On-Air" version for terrestrial TV broadcast, and the uncensored "Evil Dragon Unleashed" version, which began airing on the premium TV channel AT-X on July 26, 2026, and was released on selected Japanese streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, AnimeFesta, and Anime Times; the latter two carries both the clean and uncensored versions. The opening theme song is "Nanmonee" (なんもねえ; lit. 'Nothing at All'), performed by Wasureranneyo, while the ending theme song is "Kemuri to Blue" (煙とブルー; lit. 'Smoke and Blue'), performed by Necry Talkie. For episode 11, Necry Talkie and Wasureranneyo performed the covers of the theme songs. The episodes will be collected on a Blu-ray Disc box set, scheduled to release in 2027.

Netflix began streaming the series outside of Japan on July 2, 2026. OceanVeil is also streaming the series uncensored. Medialink initially licensed the series in Asia-Pacific for its Ani-One Asia YouTube channel. However, it was later pulled mid-season to "comply with local government regulations in relevant markets."

Reception

The series ranked 12th in the ninth Next Manga Award in the print category in 2023; it ranked 13th in the 2024 edition in the same category. The series ranked 18th in Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga of 2024 for male readers.

The anime ranked first on Niconico's Top 10 Summer 2026 Anime Mid-Season Ranking (counting period from July 1 to August 17). It ranked third on Netflix Japan's weekly ranking of July 6–12, 2026.

The anime series has been praised by Japanese creatives, including Makoto Shinkai, Tsutomu Mizushima, and Yukito Ayatsuji.

Bans and censorship

A viewer complaint about the anime was sent to the Japanese Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization and examined on July 28, 2026. The committee member in charge deemed the anime to be within the bounds of freedom of expression. They reasoned that the late-night time slot demonstrated the creator's thoughtfulness and that it was unclear whether any characters used illegal drugs. Another member agreed, reasoning that the animated nature of the show would have a smaller negative impact than a live-action representation. One member expressed concern about a scene in which a character uses a syringe, stating that such depictions should be avoided during a time when illegal drug use is a social issue. However, the complaint did not move to debate.

Due to its depictions of "tobacco advertisements, including repeated clear displays of tobacco products and brand names", Hong Kong's Department of Health warned that the anime adaptation violated the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, which bans online ads for smoking products. Bahamut Animation Crazy, one of the platforms streaming the series in Hong Kong, complied with the order and suspended its broadcast on August 17, 2026. Medialink also announced the series would no longer be available to watch on its Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.

An official from Taiwan's Health Promotion Administration said images from the series might contravene the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, and the agency had asked local health departments to investigate the issue. On August 21, 2026, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said the series failed to comply with the guidelines. Several local streaming platforms subsequently removed the series.