Highly Anticipated VR Animation 'IF YOU SEE A CAT,' Nominated at the Venice International Film Festival, Launches Globally on Steam and Meta Store from April 3!

Kodansha Ltd. has announced that the VR animation "IF YOU SEE A CAT", produced by Kodansha and planned and created by Kodansha VR Lab, will begin its worldwide distribution on Steam and the Meta Store starting Friday, April 3, 2026.

"IF YOU SEE A CAT" has already been nominated, awarded, and officially selected for screening at numerous international film festivals (see below).

"IF YOU SEE A CAT" is an ambitious work that delves into the challenges of psychiatric care in Japan. It is a highly talked-about VR animation that was nominated in the "Venice Immersive" category at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival last year.

In Japan, where it is said that one in twenty people receives treatment for some form of mental illness, the field of psychiatric care faces various problems, including historical backgrounds, the inherent difficulties of psychiatric treatment itself, and distortions arising from structural issues in the medical system. These factors also carry the risk of hindering the recovery of people suffering from mental illness.

In this work, a boy who claims to see hallucinations of his deceased beloved cat is diagnosed with a mental illness solely based on the fact that he "sees a cat," and he is admitted to a hospital for treatment. In the VR environment, the player takes on the perspective of the "hallucinated cat" and watches over the boy's experiences at the hospital. Because players can witness these events up close, they can realistically feel the issues in psychiatric care, the relationship between mother and child, and what ultimately constitutes salvation for the boy. It is truly a work perfectly suited for VR.

This project is a collaboration between Atsushi Wada, an animation director who won the Silver Bear at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival for "The Great Rabbit," and Kenji Ishimaru, a highly acclaimed producer of numerous VR works. The script, based on meticulous research, blends seamlessly with Director Wada's unique animation style, resulting in a work that deeply resonates with its audience.

The audio is available in Japanese and English. In the Japanese version, actor Tatsuya Wakaba gives a passionate performance as the protagonist boy "Naoki," while Ryoko Yui plays the role of his mother, "Midori."

To commemorate the global release of "IF YOU SEE A CAT," a launch sale offering a 20% discount will be held exclusively on Steam for a limited period of two weeks, from Friday, April 3 to Friday, April 17.

[About the Distribution and Launch Sale of "IF YOU SEE A CAT"]
Release Date: Friday, April 3, 2026
Distribution Platforms:
Steam: https://s.team/a/4458990
Meta Store: https://vr.meta.me/s/2i5ixSRp1AecLsn
Sale Period: Friday, April 3, 2026 - Friday, April 17 (Steam only)
Sale Details: 20% OFF the regular retail price (Steam only)

[Cast Introductions]
◉ Tatsuya Wakaba
Born June 10, 1989, in Tokyo.
In 2016, he won the Best Emerging Actor Award at the 8th TAMA Film Awards. In 2024, he won Best Supporting Actor at the 120th The Television Drama Academy Awards, Best Supporting Actor at the Tokyo Drama Awards 2024, and the Newcomer of the Year Award at the 49th Elan d'or Awards. His recent film appearances include "Over the Town" (21'), "Prior Convictions" (22'), "Lightning Over the Beyond" (23'), "Ichiko" (23'), "Penalty Loop" (24'), "The Laughing Bug" (25'), and "You Are Beyond the Summit" (25'). He is currently starring in the co-lead film "Street Kingdom: Sound Your Own Beat."

Comment:
"I am incredibly happy to be approached by a team trying to do something new. It brings me joy to know there are comrades fighting with new things in such conservative times. Please experience the unexperienced."

◉ Ryoko Yui
Born August 10, 1976, in Tokyo.
She debuted in the drama "Shizukanaru Don" (Nippon TV). Since then, she has been active as an actress across a wide range of dramas, films, and stage plays.
Her representative works include the dramas "Hakusen Nagashi" and "Code Blue -Doctor Heli Emergency Lifesaving-".
Her recent major appearances include the film "Cells at Work!" and the dramas "Asakusa Last Boss Grandma" and "Romance Battle Royale".

Comment:
"When you are told one day that a cat who supposedly passed away is suddenly there, and you see your child conversing with a cat you cannot see, what on earth should a parent do? What should a child do when told that the cat right in front of them is invisible to everyone else? The correct answer probably differs for everyone, and perhaps there is no 'correct' answer at all. In this work, you can watch over the parent and child from the perspective of that cat. I hope you can see and feel what is truly important within the world of VR."

[About Director Atsushi Wada]
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1980. He studied film/video at Osaka Kyoiku University, Image Forum Institute of the Moving Image, and the Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts. He began creating animations around 2002 and continues to produce works with major themes of "spacing/timing (Ma)" and "pleasant movements."

[Project Overview]
Title: IF YOU SEE A CAT
Duration: Approx. 37 minutes
Genre: VR Animation
Planning/Production: Kodansha VR Lab
Produced by: Kodansha
Languages: English, Japanese (Subtitles: English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese)

[Main Cast (Japanese)]
Naoki: Tatsuya Wakaba
Midori: Ryoko Yui
Doctor Inai: Kentaro Tone
Nurse Takato: Emiko Takeuchi
Nurse Mikita: Wataru Komada

[Main Cast (English)]
Naoki: Caleb Yen
Midori: Rosie Okumura
Doctor Inai: Doug Erholtz
Nurse Takato: Rebecca Davis
Nurse Mikita: Sean Chiplock

[Film Festival Awards]
Venice International Film Festival 2025 – Official Selection
TITAN International Film Festival – Best AR/VR Film
Animateka International Animated Film Festival – Official Selection
Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival – Official Selection
International Film Festival Rotterdam – Official Selection
Asia Digital Art Award FUKUOKA – Excellence Prize
NewImages Festival 2026 – Official Selection
One World International Human Rights Film Festival- Official Selection
New Media Festival – Official Selection
Kaboom Animation Film Festival – Official Selection

[Screening Invitations]
Feinaki Beijing Animation Week
Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
Piccolo Festival Animazione
Carthage Film Festival (JCC) XR Program
Beyond the Frame Festival

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1980. He studied film/video at Osaka Kyoiku University, Image Forum Institute of the Moving Image, and the Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts. He began creating animations around 2002 and continues to produce works with major themes of "spacing/timing (Ma)" and "pleasant movements."

[About the Planning and Production Company: Kodansha VR Lab, Ltd.]
Established in October 2017 by Kodansha, a comprehensive publishing company, and Polygon Pictures, Japan's largest digital animation studio, this is a studio dedicated to planning and researching new entertainment centered around VR. They are exploring "what kind of content can best utilize the latest technology?" and bringing it to life to share with the world.