A Whisker Away

is a 2020 anime romantic fantasy film produced by Studio Colorido, Toho Animation and Twin Engine. Directed by Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama, the film was released on June 18, 2020, on Netflix in Japanese. Originally slated to premiere alongside the Japanese release of the film, the English dub's release was delayed until June 28, 2020, when it was officially released on Netflix. Plot Miyo Sasaki is an unhappy 8th grader living in the town of Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture. She does not get along with her stepmother Kaoru. She always flirts with her crush, the handsome Kento Hinode, even though he has no romantic feelings for her at all, and often tends to stay away from her. One day, she receives a magical Noh mask from a mysterious mask seller, which lets her become a cat. As "Tarō", she spends time with Hinode, keeps him company while he studies Japanese pottery, and listens to his problems. She longs to confess that the cat he loves and the girl he doesn't like are the same person. One day, Miyo overhears two boys at school talking trash about Hinode and loudly intervenes by jumping off the school building to defend his honor. She hurts herself during the jump, and for the first time, Hinode shows warmth as he takes her to the nurse and shares his lunch with her. Later that evening, as Tarō, Miyo learns that Hinode's family is closing their pottery shop, as the family can no longer afford it. The need to cheer him up inspires Miyo to confess her love in a letter. In class, a boy snatches the note before she can deliver it and reads it aloud, embarrassing Miyo and Hinode. Hinode selfishly saves face by publicly telling Miyo that he hates her, and for her to stay far away from him.