Synopsis
Cat Soup is notoriously hard to describe, thanks to its intense surrealism and nearly complete lack of dialogue. It functions more as a piece of art than a typical anime. While themes like the fleeting nature of human existence lie beneath the surface, the film can be appreciated without grasping them. The story itself is straightforward but not easy to follow without explanation. The protagonist, a cat named Nyatto, sets out on a quest to retrieve his sister's soul, which was torn in half when Nyatto attempted to rescue her from Death. She follows him, mentally vacant. Together they encounter a series of bizarre, mind-bending events, starting with an unsettling magic performance.
Background
It won an Excellence Prize (Animation Division) at the 2001 Japan Media Arts Festival; the "Best Short Film" award at the 2001 Fantasia Festival and; the Silver Award for Animation 2003 New York Exposition of Short Film and Video.
