The thumbnail for the anime ‘The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today’ was what caught my eye first: a normal office lady next to a massive cat standing on two legs, which looked both exciting and slightly suspicious in a “is this going to be too weird?” way.
The idea of a cat that big, walking upright, and in an apron, sounded strange enough to be off‑putting at first. But it strangely makes your imaginary furry ears wiggle! The show turned out to be a laid‑back slice of life, cozy anime that cat fans will likely enjoy and might even make them wish their own cat was half as useful as Yukichi.
Plot
The story follows Fukuzawa Saku, an office worker who seems absolutely perfect at work. She’s fast, capable, admired by coworkers and juniors, and her daily bento looks so beautiful and delicious that everyone assumes she’s a brilliant cook and future ideal wife material.
Reality is the complete opposite. Saku is, relatably, bad at being a functional adult – lazy, exhausted, and hopeless at basic life-skills, and her apartment is basically a trash pile. Everything changes after she takes in a black stray kitten from a park on a snowy day and names him Yukichi. Over time, this fragile kitten grows into a huge Maine Coon, even taller than Saku. Now, he’s repaying the favour by single-handedly running her life. Moreover, he turns out to be a true dekiru neko – a cat that can do anything.
What Makes It Different?
Yukichi– from stray to full‑time caretaker! At first, when Saku brought Yukichi to his house, little Yukichi was shocked by Saku’s house and her dysfunctional adult life. He initially wanted to run away, but because Saku was kind to him, brought him to a safe place, gave him cat food, so he finally tried to stay for a few days to help her out with her messed-up apartment, to repay the favour. Gradually, it continued until his body grew very large and indeed, in Saku’s house, he was the one who took care of it. So, it’s the story of two characters: “Saku,” an exhausted office lady and “Yukichi,” a giant cat that she raises. While watching each episode, you will wonder who is raising whom!
By the way, Yukichi is also a big fan of the Idol group Umyu-Sea – a cutesy side of adorable Yukichi!
Characters
Yukichi – no ordinary cat, a Dekiru Neko! Not only is he a giant furry cat, but he also does things that ordinary cats don’t. He uses his wisdom, abilities, and the abundant skills he received as a blessing to become a Dekiru Neko and take care of this “useless human” in gratitude for helping him continue to live in this world. If she hadn’t taken him in, he might have died. So, his main duty is to take care of her so she can survive and thrive in her everyday exhausting life!
Saku – office worker and the giant cat’s owner. She has become a human being that even cats find tiresome. In Yukichi’s words, she’s “a worthless human being.” She can’t cook, likes to turn the house into a pile of garbage, and wonders how the company could hire such a worthless person, given that she keeps complaining about wanting time off or quitting. Inevitably, she’s a kind human being, and Yukichi feels very grateful to Saku for rescuing him. He witnessed her messed-up lifestyle and saw that she was a good-for-nothing, so he took it upon himself to look after her.
As Yukichi explains… all of this was done for the “canned cat food” tomorrow.
The Rest of the cast: Good supporting cast – Saku’s colleagues, her boss, her neighbours, Yume and Rio make Saku’s and Yukichi’s daily life more interesting, especially Yukichi’s daily tasks quest!
Episodic flow
This 13-episode anime series deliberately avoids a strict plotline; instead, you witness glimpses of everyday life, punctuated by the appearance of a giant cat in handling household duties.
Early episodes focus on Yukichi’s intro and his exceptional skills for cooking, cleaning, and managing Saku’s very understandable lazy habits.
Midway, the focus shifts to coworkers noticing Saku’s new vitality, her cooking and Yukichi being a helpful neighbour.
Later episodes uncover the reality that every human is living in their everyday life. Hints of loneliness, immense gratitude, and what true companionship looks like when you’re just trying to survive adulthood.
From offbeat to slice of ‘everyday-life’ humour
It’s an offbeat anime, and the concern was actually about romance between a cat and a human. Thankfully, the author limited their relationship to a master and pet. It turned out to be more like a family bond. The only romance hinted at in the anime was between Saku and her manager, but their relationship wasn’t really explored. But the manager knows Saku very well, and his niece seems to have got close to Saku and Yukichi that we see in the later part of the anime.
Returning to the main characters, we can see how Saku really loves Yukichi. Yukichi is often annoyed by Saku and her behaviour, but he is also lonely when she isn’t around. Yukichi is also spoiled like a cat, sleeping on Saku’s bed, deliberately sleeping on Saku (feels like finally a cat) when he is upset, which makes breathing very difficult for her. As a masterful cat, he’s also concerned about Saku’s health. He keeps track of her weight and her drinking habits, and cooks accordingly. In this anime, Saku is sometimes very annoying because she comes off as a hopeless case; still, given Japan’s work culture, it’s understandable, but not an excuse to not work on her life quality. That’s why Yukichi also often sighs in resignation, seeing his master’s behaviour.
The story is a comedy that turns the daily life of a master and a slave ( a masterful cat and a corporate slave!) into something funny, cute, and heartwarming, making it very interesting to watch. The visuals are beautiful and well-executed, and the animation is smooth; however, there may be minor glitches and slightly weird camera angles (expected from GoHands studio 🤭), and it can still evoke the audience’s emotions.
The Final Rating: 3.5/5 – Cat lovers should not miss it at all
The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today (Dekiru Neko wa Kyou mo Yuuutsu) or The Depressing Story of a Capable Cat, is an anime series that might make you feel envious of Saku, who has a noble cat like Yukichi at home.
The pacing is subtle, yet immensely satisfying. Scenes may feel slow at first, but they always wrap the viewer in a deep, satisfying sense of calm.
It may not be your thing if you like fast-paced action and can’t tolerate characters who barely improve over a whole season. But it is still a worthwhile addition to the homily anime pack.
Staff & Studio Notes*
- Studio : GoHands
- Chief Director: Susumu Kudo
- Director: Katsumasa Yokomine
- Series Composition: GoHands
- Screenplay: Tamazo Yanagi
- Character Design: Takayuki Uchida
- Music: Ryosuke Kojima
- Original Creator (Manga): Hitsuzi Yamada
- Aired : July to September 2023
- Opening Theme: “Ureu Kado niwa Fuku Kitaru” (憂う門には福来たる; “Fortune Comes to a Worried House”) was performed by Somei.
- Ending Theme: “Hakai Zenya no Koto” (破壊前夜のこと; “Night Before The Destruction”) was performed by asmi
- Starring: Hiroki Yasumoto, Yui Ishikawa, Ai Kakuma, Katsuyuki Konishi, M.A.O, Ayana Taketatsu, Yōko Hikasa, Jun Fukuyama, Satomi Satō, and Miyu Irino.
*All information presented in this section of the article has been compiled from publicly available sources and official materials to the best of my ability. However, some details may be incomplete or subject to change. If you notice any inaccuracies or have verified updates, feel free to share them. Your inputs are always welcome.
- Have you watched The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today? Do you relate more to Saku or to Yukichi?
- Are you also a ‘Person’ who needs a masterful cat?
- If you had a cat like Yukichi, what’s the first chore you’d hand over?
Let us know in the comments! 🚀 SYA!
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