First, there was Neko Atsume in real life. Now, there will be a Neko Atsume movie. AMG Entertainment announced that it’s making a live-action Japanese film based on the addictive and adorable mobile game in which you literally just buy toys and food for cats. Titled Neko Atsume no Ie (House Of Neko Atsume), the film centers on Katsu Sakumoto, a best-selling, award-winning young author who gets a terrible case of writer’s block, forcing him to seek solace in quiet new lands. One day, a cat appears in his garden, and Katsu tries to speak to it, as one does. But the cat walks away, not giving a single fuck, as cats do. Katsu becomes depressed that not even a cat will support him in this time of need. That night, he leaves food in the garden for the cat. In the morning, it’s gone. Katsu becomes intrigued and starts writing again. Neko Atsume is born.
Is it just us or does the Neko Atsume movie sound dark as shit? Now that we’re thinking about it, the game does evoke a sort of existential loneliness. There’s no way to really interact or play with the cats. The cats probably don’t even like you. You just buy them stuff, they use it, you watch, and then you do it all over again, hoping the cats are grateful enough to leave extra fish so you can save up for that sick but ultimately meaningless garden renovation. (Katsu better get that art deco upgrade at some point in the movie.) The folks behind this movie have taken quite the unexpected route by turning the fluffy game into what sounds like a heady, subtle emotional drama. Will Katsu encounter live-action versions of some of the game’s rare cats? Fingers crossed for a Lady Meow-Meow appearance. If anyone can snap Katsu out of writer’s block funk, it’s that fabulous diva.
The film will star Atsushi Ito as Katsu and will be directed by Masatoshi Kurakata. It’s set to premiere in Japan in 2017.
[via Siliconera]