Wata no Kuni Hoshi

綿の国星

In "Wata no Kuni Hoshi," Chibi-Neko, a small kitten who mistakenly believes she is a human girl destined to join humanity, is taken in by Tokio, a recent high school graduate who failed his college entrance exams and now faces an unclear path ahead. Chibi-Neko grows attached to Tokio and dreams of turning into a human so they can be together. Her hopes are crushed when she sees Tokio with another girl at the park, realizing he is in love with someone else. Complicating matters, Raphael, a mysterious male cat, repeatedly warns her that cats can never become human. Faced with this harsh reality, Chibi-Neko must decide what to do next.

Adapted to anime

Fantasy of a Kitten

Background

Wata no Kuni Hoshi was serialized by Hakusensha in the magazine LaLa at irregular intervals from 1978 to 1987. The series was collected in seven tankoubon volumes under the Hana to Yume imprint, and then reissued in 16 child-sized volumes. It was later reprinted in four bunkoban volumes in 1994. In 1978 received the Kodansha Manga Award in shoujo manga,category, and in 1979 it was voted the most popular series running in LaLa. According to German manga scholar Jaqueline Berndt, the depiction of cats as young girls spread to other manga series from Wata no Kuni Hoshi. It is described by Masanao Amano as not just a simple animal fable but a story in which psychological and mental states are highly differentiated. Wata no Kuni Hoshi was adapted as an anime movie that was produced by Mushi Production. The movie was directed by Shinichi Tsuji from a script by Masaki Tsuji and Yumiko Ooshima, with music by pianist Richard Clayderman. The movie was released in theaters on 11 February 1984. The movie has been praised as a "hidden gem" for its complex characterization, philosophical story, and gorgeous animation. The soundtrack of Richard Clayderman's piano music is praised by Helen McCarthy and Jonathan Clements as striking exactly the right tone for the romantic mood. The depiction of Chibi-neko's self-image as a catgirl was seen by a reviewer at T.H.E.M. Anime as a metaphor for adolescence.

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