I wish that I wasn’t allergic to cats. Because if that was the case, I could adopt one. And then, in addition to all the head bumps, cuddles, and belly rubs I could handle, there’s a chance that my new buddy might be a Dark Cat—a cosmic demigod who could protect me against Lovecraftian penis monsters that want to steal my soul.
The citizens of Japan are spontaneously disappearing in a puff of neon green smoke. Two kitties named Ryoi and Hyoi—who are also brothers that communicate telepathically—observe this phenomenon. Ryoi says, “We’re going to have to fight the evil spirit soon.” Then they transform into human hunks so that they can attend high school. Meanwhile, there’s trouble in paradise as classmate Aimi is going through a rough spot with Hiroki, her boyfriend. But things are about to get worse, as Aimi, Ryoi, and Hyoi witness possessed teachers being torn apart from within by blobby lifeforms with appendages that look suspiciously like dicks. As it turns out, this is all an evil plan hatched by Jukokubo, an angry Dark Cat who is out for revenge against Ryoi, Hyoi, and the human race.
It’s easy to dismiss vintage outlaw anime as gutter trash that was made for basement-dwelling chuds. But I have a different perspective. To me, it’s work of art, a mind-expanding doorway to heavenly unworlds that were crafted with an eye for beautiful design and unchecked imagination. It’s the same feeling I get when watching Folies Meurtrieres or Sins of the Fleshapoids, but on a totally different plane. So when I discover something like Dark Cat, a meow-gical 50-minute OVA (original video animation) that feels like a living embodiment of the greatest recreational drug that I’ve never tried, my feet leave the Earth. And I can only hope that they never return.
An adaptation of the manga by Naomi Kimura, Dark Cat takes time to build momentum. It lacks the thoughtful mythology of Devilman and the icky sleaze of Call Me Tonight. But so what? This movie explodes with J-pop synth jams, gross-out violence, and surreal imagery straight out of A Nightmare on Elm Street 4. It moves fast, thanks to a kinetic editing style and a plot that constantly pivots from one outrageous detail to the next. There are psychedelic dream sequences, music video montages, and a cat shaman who floats in the air. Plus! As the penis demons expand and begin to resemble Bernie Wrightson illustrations by way of David Cronenberg’s Shivers, the Dark Cats battle them to the death in Mortal Kombat-style brawls. Ultimately, the movie is about empathy and friendship, and how important it is to reject the dark side of human nature. I appreciate the thoughtful message.
I also appreciate it when a cat says: “Bullshit, you are so naive!”
