VR Animation 'If You See a Cat,' Nominated at Venice International Film Festival, to Be Globally Distributed on Steam and Meta Store from April 3rd!

The VR animation 'If You See a Cat' (English title: IF YOU SEE A CAT), produced by Kodansha and planned/produced by Kodansha VR Lab, is set to begin worldwide distribution on Steam and Meta Store from Friday, April 3rd, 2026.

'If You See a Cat' is an ambitious work that tackles the issues of mental healthcare in Japan, and it garnered attention after being nominated in the 'Venice Immersive' section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival last year.

In Japan, where one in twenty people are said to receive treatment for some form of mental illness, the field of mental healthcare faces various problems stemming from historical backgrounds, the inherent difficulty of mental healthcare itself, and distortions arising from structural issues in medical care. This can also hinder the recovery of individuals with mental illnesses.

In this work, a boy who sees his deceased pet cat as a hallucination is diagnosed with a mental illness and hospitalized solely because he 'sees a cat.' In VR, the player takes on the perspective of the 'hallucinated cat,' observing the boy's experiences in the hospital. Because it can be witnessed intimately, it is truly a work suited for VR, allowing viewers to realistically feel the problems of mental healthcare, the relationship between mother and child, and what salvation means for the boy.

This work is a project that teams up animation director Atsushi Wada, who won the Silver Bear at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival for 'The Great Rabbit,' and Kenji Ishimaru, who has produced numerous highly acclaimed VR videos. The script, based on meticulous research, combined with Director Wada's unique animation expression, has resulted in a work that deeply resonates with the hearts of those who experience it.

Audio is available in both Japanese and English. In the Japanese version, actor Ryuya Wakaba passionately plays the main character, the boy 'Naoki,' and Ryoko Yuui plays the mother, 'Midori.'

To commemorate the worldwide distribution of 'If You See a Cat,' a limited-time 20% off launch sale will be held on Steam for two weeks, from Friday, April 3rd to Friday, April 17th.

[About 'If You See a Cat' Distribution and Launch Sale]

Distribution Start Date: Friday, April 3rd, 2026

Distribution Platforms:

Steam: https://s.team/a/4458990

Meta Store: https://vr.meta.me/s/2i5ixSRp1AecLsn

Sale Period: Friday, April 3rd, 2026 - Friday, April 17th, 2026 *Steam exclusive

Sale Content: 20% OFF the selling price *Steam exclusive

[Cast Introduction]

◉Ryuya Wakaba

Born June 10, 1989, from Tokyo.

In 2016, he received the Best New Actor Award at the 8th TAMA Film Awards. In 2024, he won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 120th The Television Drama Academy Awards, the Supporting Actor Award at the Tokyo Drama Awards 2024, and the Newcomer Award at the 49th Elan d'or Awards. Recent film appearances include 'On the Street' (21'), 'The Ex-Convict' (22'), 'Lightning in Love' (23'), 'Ichiko' (23'), 'Penalty Loop' (24'), 'Laughing Bugs' (25'), and 'You Are Beyond the Summit' (25'). His co-starring film 'Street Kingdom: Play Your Own Sound.' is currently showing.

Comment

"I am very happy to be approached by a team trying to do something new. I feel joy in having comrades who fight with new things in a conservative era. Please experience the unexperienced."

◉Ryoko Yuui

Born August 10, 1976, from Tokyo.

Debuted in the drama 'Shizukanaru Don' (Nippon TV). Since then, she has been widely active as an actress in dramas, films, and stage productions.

Her representative works include the dramas 'Shirakawa Nagashi' and 'Code Blue -Doctor Heli Emergency Lifesaving-.'

Recent major appearances include the film 'Cells at Work!' and the dramas 'Asakusa Last Boss Grandma' and 'Love Battle Royale.'

Comment

"One day, when told that there was a cat that should have died, and seeing her child talking to a cat that she couldn't see, what should a parent do? What should a child do if told that the cat in front of them is invisible to anyone else? The correct answer may differ for everyone, and there might not even be a single 'correct' answer. This work allows you to watch the parent and child from the perspective of the cat. I hope you can see and feel what is important in the world of VR."

[About Director Atsushi Wada]

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1980. Studied film at Osaka Kyoiku University, Image Forum Institute of the Moving Image, and Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School. Began producing animation around 2002, continuously creating works with 'ma' (interval/space) and 'comfortable movement' as major themes.

[Work Overview]

Title: If You See a Cat (IF YOU SEE A CAT)

Running Time: Approximately 37 minutes

Genre: VR Animation

Planning/Production: Kodansha VR Lab

Production: Kodansha

Languages: English, Japanese (Subtitles: English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese)

[Main Cast (Japanese)]

Naoki: Ryuya Wakaba

Midori: Ryoko Yuui

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. Studied film at Osaka Kyoiku University, Image Forum Institute of the Moving Image, and Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School. Began producing animation around 2002, continuously creating works with 'ma' (interval/space) and 'comfortable movement' as major themes.

[Planning/Production: About Kodansha VR Lab Inc.]

Established in October 2017 by Kodansha, a comprehensive publishing company, and Polygon Pictures, Japan's largest digital animation studio, this studio plans and researches new entertainment centered on VR. It explores "what content can best utilize the latest technology?" and is shaping and disseminating it to the world.