by Linda Kay
Original Title: Midori no neko
Directed by: Osamu Tezuka
This anime contains a severe Kitty Carnage Warning!
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Based on an entry in the Lion Book series of manga, this OVA from prolific and legendary artist Osamu Tezuka looks on the surface like an adorable kiddie program but in fact is a rather dark science fiction story in which aliens disguised as magical, wish-granting green cats corrupt the youth of the world.
Cartoon Cats: The short film begins with detective Shunsaku Ban (voiced by Kôsei Tomita and portrayed by Tezuka’s perennial character Higeoyaji, known as Mr. Pompous to U.S. fans) catching up with the young Sango Yuno (voiced by Kaneto Shiozawa) outside a scary deserted house. Shunsaku assures Sango that the green cat he is looking for is inside the house but that he must kill the creature to be free. He even gives the young man a gun to complete the task! Once inside the house Sango first encounters several stray cats after stepping on the tail of one of them in the dark. The startled cats run away.
Flash back twenty years to Chicago where Shunsaku worked with his friend Yuno who is killed by the gangsters who barge into their dry cleaning shop. The head of the gang is Susan who carries a green cat with her.
The gangsters plan to use Yuno’s son Sango as a shield and Yuno dies trying to protect the infant boy. Susan brags about how having the cat keeps her from being harmed, but suddenly the cat jumps out of her arms and runs away. Moments later Susan is gunned down by the police.
Shunsaku takes the boy and decides to return to Japan via Los Angeles. During a stop on the drive a flying saucer speeds over them. Once they continue, Shunsaku is shocked to see a green cat (voiced by Masako Nozawa) in the backseat with Sango. He wants to get rid of the cat but Sango is already attached to the animal.
Sango and the cat, whom he calls Green, mysteriously disappear on the voyage to Japan. Sango grows older and falls in with criminals but Green protects him, guiding his movements and granting his every wish. Disposing of one of the bad guys, it is revealed that Green has the power to destroy people at whim, and quite graphically we might add.
In the meantime, Shunsaku has become a detective and finally tracks Sango to Monte Carlo where he and Green are breaking the bank.
Shunsaku looks for Sango in his home but is confronted by Green who manipulates him into leaving without seeing Sango.
Meeting up with a scientist who has been studying the green cat phenomenon, Shunsaku is told that multiple green cats have been spotted, attaching themselves to children then manipulating them. The scientist is certain the cats are actually slimy aliens who take on the shape of cats to cover their true purpose. Meanwhile, Sango has a meeting with mob heads and is asked to leave Green outside the room.
Green hears Sango being attacked and burns down the door, giving Sango the strength to subdue his attackers.
Sango begs Green not to leave him and promises he will take over the gangsters territory as she instructed. She continues to manipulate Sango and keep him from Shunsaku.
Shunsaku plants a machine given to him by the scientist outside Green and Sango’s room which draws all the carbon dioxide from the air. This causes Green great distress. Shunsaku and the police try to shoot Green but she escapes and Sango is arrested.
Returning to the present day, Sango finds Green in the basement but she is hiding in the shadows. She tries to convince Sango to kill Shunsaku instead.
When Sango is unable to kill Shunsaku, Green reveals her true nature and is killed. Her death is extremely graphic like something out of Akira.
Final Mewsings: Real cats will never coerce you into being a bad person.
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