Cat's ❤️ Eye (2025)
I sometimes want to talk to people I can't reach anymore. Maybe they’re gone, unable to express themselves, beyond any point of contact, or so on, leaving our questions unanswered and our minds turbulent. Sadly, regret and guilt are stronger, so we usually don't contact them when we can. So take a moment to remind yourself of those who’re important to you and spend time with them now, especially those who may leave your side sooner rather than later, and make sure all that you wish to convey and receive are cleared…
“Cat's♥Eye” is a 12-episode ONA series that aired from the 26th of September 2025 until the 30th of January 2026. Tohokushinsha Film Corporation and Grounding Lab produced it, and Studio LIDENFILMS brought it to life. The main team behind it includes Yamamoto Kou, Inamoto Sachiko, Yahata Takuto, and Nishida Hajime as Producers. Featuring Action, Adventure, Comedy, Mystery, and Romance, targeted at the Shounen demographic, which refers to content aimed primarily at young male audiences, each episode runs 23 minutes and is rated PG-13 for teenagers 13 years or older.
The anime is based on the manga series "Cat's Eye," which ran for 18 volumes from June 16th, 1981, until January 15th, 1985. Featuring Action, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, and Romance, it was serialized in Shounen Jump (Weekly) as the work of author and artist Hojo Tsukasa. It was even published digitally in English by Coamix via MangaHot, and Abrams Books has published the volumes since September 23, 2025. An alternate version of the Anime exists in the form of the 1983 TV series of the same title. It ran for 73 episodes from the 11th of July 1983 until the 8th of July 1985, produced by ImaginAsian Entertainment and licensed by Nozomi Entertainment and Discotek Media. Studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha brought it to life. This series was also based on the same Manga and featured 25-minute episodes with a similar rating.
The story centers on three protagonists, the beautiful and skilled Kisugi sisters: Hitomi, Rui, and Ai. Unknown to the outside world, these girls live a double life, where they run a café named “Cat's Eye” by day and function as art thieves by night. The trio is outstanding at what they do and never forgets to leave cards bearing the name "Cat's Eye" at every crime scene. But unlike common thieves, they only target works of art that once belonged to their long-missing father, Heinz, an infamous art collector during the Nazi regime, and the girls now dream of contacting him through these high-stakes heists. Meanwhile, a police officer by the name of Utsumi Toshio has been assigned to investigate the Cat’s Eye case, who also happens to be Hotomi’s fiancé! Unaware of his true target, Utsumi Toshio is determined to apprehend and eliminate the Cat's Eye Gang for good.
The story department is pretty straightforward: the three sisters run a cafe while also serving as elusive art thieves under the name Cat’s Eye, attempting to find their father by stealing paintings he painted alone. They keep using their unique skills and abilities to engage in this risky business to get their father to find them or get a relative to notice and lead them to their father. The oldest sister, Rui, has built a massive network spanning Japan, while the youngest sister, Ai, has the uncanny ability to craft cool gadgets for all their thieving activities. It’s also a welcome change to see more modern technology and equipment at play here, because it doesn’t necessarily tarnish its legacy and even makes the show feel more realistic in recent times, shifting the dynamics mildly without feeling forced. This remake doesn’t erase the classic; it celebrates it, polishes it, and gives it a fresh coat of paint while keeping the core magic and spirit of the original series.
The most prominent units in the Character department are the series' main couple. Hitomi, the middle sister, has a relationship with the detective Toshio, whom she manipulates to achieve her own goals. For example, every date they have at a museum is actually a plan to steal another of her father’s paintings. Using the classic trope, this terrible “detective” fails to realize that his own girlfriend is one of Cat’s Eye, even though he is presented with multiple opportunities to put two and two together. Still, the plot happens every time to make sure he remains unaware. While I found this a tad annoying, it remains loyal to the source material, so it’s fine.
On the other hand, this predicament is the main driver of Hitomi’s character development; Toshio's blissful ignorance and incompetence as a detective provide her with some growth, but I found the whole situation cringey. The plot is well-paced and mostly focuses on the couple. Rui and Ai's stories are not the focus, but they appear occasionally, so I really hope future installments expand on them more. Particularly well handled is the update to modern technology. It refreshes the series without tarnishing what made the original special, making the story feel more relatable while slightly shifting the dynamics in a way that feels new rather than forced.
The Art and Animation department is truly nostalgic, as it captures the 90s art style beautifully, with a slight modern touch-up. All the character designs reflect that aesthetic while maintaining the neatness expected of today's anime, featuring fuller figures and softer features that are easy on the eye, all set against a fairly soft palette for a show about art thieves operating at night. They clearly respected the source material and older show above all else, as seen in the art direction and attention to detail in every single episode. The backgrounds were neat, and I could feel the vibes of the heists through the screen. The animation is well-handled, even in the action scenes; you can see smooth motion in every frame, with no hint of laziness. This show is an artistic tribute to the original, celebrating and polishing it with a new coat of paint while keeping the core and spirit intact.
The Sounds and Music department is unique in that it captures the 90s style while retaining a modern touch, as with the visuals. The opening theme is "MAGIC" by Ado, and the ending theme is "CAT'S EYE," also by Ado, which are literal masterpieces by an artist who can do no wrong and a team that loves this series with passion. They both masterfully capture '90s vibes while retaining a modern touch, creating pieces that are stylish, catchy, and perfectly in tune with the series’ themes. Even the Visuals for the Ending blew me away, owing to its unique hand-tracking concept, which is creative, fun, and well-executed, so I highly recommend checking it out. It’s rare to see an ending sequence that feels so thoughtfully designed rather than just a thrown-together moving panel with text like a lot of other shows. The OSTs don't stand out as much, but they work well with the scenes, and the sound effects don't fall behind either. The Voice Actors also deliver stellar performances even though we’re dealing with a new cast, and it's safe to say they all held their predecessors’ work in high regard.
Overall, “Cat's♥Eye” is a series that pleasantly surprised me with how much it respected the source materials and the authentic vibes of 90s anime. Whether you are new to this series or not, there’s enough to enjoy here, even the minor welcome changes. The story is relatively well-connected and compact, getting better in the second half for sure, but there is much to expand upon with future seasons, so I really do hope for a sequel. This is because we end up on a cliffhanger that the narrative has built up quite well, leaving us craving a sequel. If you enjoy this show, I recommend the original 1983 anime as well.
