Ghost Cat Anzu

Japanese culture’s rich tapestry of mythological creatures and demons provides the background for the 2024 film Ghost Cat Anzu, directed by Yoko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita. Fifth-grader Karin has lost her mother and her ne’er-do-well, debt-ridden father has left her in the care of her grandfather, a priest at a Shinto shrine. Of course, the shrine has a live-in walking, talking, scooter-riding cat named Anzu. Upset at being dumped with her grandfather and missing her dead mother, Karin convinces Anzu and his supernatural buddies to take her to the Buddhist underworld so she can bring her mother back. They succeed, but this sets off a madcap chase with a group of Japanese demons that results in a surprisingly happy ending. In the words of Kevin Cormack from Anime News Network, “Ghost Cat Anzu is bonkers, and I love it for that.”

Watch the trailer here.
NR; 94 minutes

Welcome to Anime Fest at the Modern! See the full schedule and more information here. This year we feature two films by Naoko Yamada, one of Japan’s leading anime directors. To showcase her amazing work, we are excited to present Yamada’s award-winning classic, A Silent Voice (2016), and her newest feature film, The Colors Within (2024). Three additional films—Satoshi Kon and Kô Matsuo’s Millennium Actress (2001), Yôko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita’s Ghost Cat Anzu (2024), and Makoto Shinkai and Yoko Suzuki’s The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)—highlight the range and depth of twenty-first century anime. Whether you are a longtime fan or new to anime, this selection invites you to explore the captivating worlds and intricate storytelling that these films offer.

All film screenings will be held in the Modern's auditorium. Tickets are $10 and $7 for Modern members. Cinephiles who plan to enjoy the weekend’s entire selection of films will receive a discount for pre-purchasing all of their tickets at once.

Dr. Marc Hairston, a research scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas, will introduce each film. A professional space physicist, part-time anime scholar, and Fort Worth native, Hairston has hosted annual Japanese animation festivals at the Modern since 2012. He is one of the founding editors of Mechademia, the first academic journal focused on anime and manga studies, and has written numerous scholarly articles about anime. With Dr. Pamela Gossin, also at UT Dallas, he has co-authored two books about anime and manga aimed at high-school-age readers, Cultural Guide to Anime and Manga (2023) and Exploring Anime and Manga (World of Art) (2024).