The bonds that tie them together.
What They Say:
She and Her Cat -Everything Flows- follows the life of a college student and her black cat.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
I wasn’t surprised in the slightest that the first episode of this four episode series delighted me simply because it hits so many things that I like – but wouldn’t want in a larger and fuller series. With its smaller focus and being about the moment and the feelings, She and Her Cat gave us a good look at this young woman and her cat as they go through their days and the changes that happen. I do like that they make it clear at the start here that he can’t understand what she’s saying but figures they’re likely thinking similar things simply because of how bonded they are in Darus’ view. Taking us to the story of how the two met certainly is something that builds on that idea.
Watching as the younger version of her was given Daru and seeing a smaller Daru as well is delightful since it’s not overplayed but rather given a more relaxed approach. Whereas we might normally get a hyperactive Daru or a really problematic version of her, instead both are kind of mellow, especially as she struggles with having to go to school and other basics of life. There’s a loneliness to her at this point that feels real and interesting and it stems back to things related to her father. Daru brings a little more life into things as time goes on and we get the slow progress of how she starts to connect with Daru, though it’s not something that happens quickly or easily. The natural way of working it is definitely the more interesting way, partially because it makes you feel for her all the more. So seeing what she goes through here and how she prefers to be alone, to the point of giving up Daru, definitely hits hard on both sides.
In Summary:
Understated is what I expected from this series and it delivers it in spades along with some great atmosphere with the animation and design, particularly with the color palette. The dynamic between people and their cats is endlessly interesting since cats are so different from other domesticated animals and seeing how these two play against each other in past and present speaks volumes about the importance of one to the other. The exploration of what came before is well done here, especially in the voice acting, giving the show an even greater richness overall.
Grade: B+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.
