On July 11, 2026, director Makoto Shinkai (新海誠) took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise the upcoming TV anime “Yanineko” (ヤニねこ), calling it “very interesting,” a comment that quickly caught fans’ attention given the show’s markedly different tone from his own body of work.
Shinkai, known for meticulously crafted, visually luminous films, wrote simply, “Animation ‘Yanineko’ is very interesting…” The post drew thousands of reactions on Togetter and X, with many fans expressing surprise that a director associated with beautiful, wistful imagery would publicly endorse a show centered on scruffy, chain-smoking cats going about their grubby daily routines. One user wrote they couldn’t understand why a director who makes “beautiful and fleeting” works would praise something resembling “a gutter.” Others speculated Shinkai may want to explore darker material, or pointed out that his own past work, such as “Weathering With You” (天気の子), also contained gritty, run-down backdrops beneath its polished visuals.
“Yanineko” is a TV anime set to begin broadcasting in Japan from July 2026 on TOKYO MX and other channels, based on a manga serialized for free on Kodansha’s Young Magazine (Yanmaga) platform. According to its official synopsis, the series follows a group of “unlikeable but oddly endearing” stray cats living a smoke-filled, laid-back daily existence. The anime is credited to animation studio Bibury Animation Studios.
Shinkai’s endorsement also inspired a wave of playful reactions from fans, some joking that they were looking forward to a “Shinkai version” of a smoking-themed anime, with several users riffing on the titles of his own films, including jokes referencing “Your Name” (君の名は。).
Who is Makoto Shinkai?
Makoto Shinkai is one of Japan’s most prominent anime film directors, celebrated for blockbuster films including “Your Name” (君の名は。, 2016) and “Weathering With You” (天気の子, 2019), both known for their strikingly detailed, luminous visual style and emotionally driven storytelling. His films have achieved major box office success both in Japan and internationally, and he is frequently mentioned alongside Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki as a leading figure in Japanese animation. Shinkai remains active on X, where he regularly shares thoughts on animation and other creators’ works.
