If You See a Cat: VR Anime Wins Two Awards in Taiwan

The Japanese VR animated film "If You See a Cat" by director Atsushi Wada wins two awards at the Kaohsiung Film Festival in Taiwan. The production from Kodansha VR Lab receives the XR Golden Fireball Award, the main prize in the XR category, as well as the additional XR Spark Award. The announcement was made on October 26, 2026.

Two Awards for a VR Animated Film

As reported by KAI-YOU, "If You See a Cat" was honored out of 29 productions nominated in the XR category. The jury praises the combination of emotional impact, storytelling, and artistic design. Alongside the main prize, the film receives the XR Spark Award, a special prize whose selection is carried out by representatives of various professional fields.

"If You See a Cat" is the first VR animated film by Japanese animation director Atsushi Wada. The roughly 37-minute work was produced by Kodansha VR Lab. The team also mentions participation in international festivals, including the Venice International Film Festival. At the award in Kaohsiung, the focus lies particularly on the way the narrative uses the possibilities of an immersive medium.

The Story Is Told from a Cat's Perspective

At the center is Naoki, who sees the apparition of his beloved cat after its death. His mother then takes him to a psychiatric facility. The audience experiences how he deals with his situation from the perspective of the cat, which only Naoki perceives. The film thereby addresses questions of mental health, family relationships, and loss.

For the Japanese-language version, the production names Ryuya Wakaba as Naoki and Ryoko Yui as his mother. Besides the story, the spatial design and the viewer's position within the plot are among the project's defining features.

The award fits into the growing presence of experimental animation at festivals. With the ANIAFF 2026 in Nagoya, a Japanese film festival also focuses on new forms of animated works. A different use of virtual spaces is shown by the VR project for Chou Kaguya-hime!.

Also Available Outside Film Festivals

Kodansha VR Lab presents the film on its official project page. A release for VR users is offered, among other places, via Steam. Appropriate VR hardware is required for this. The official information lists Japanese and English-language versions as well as Japanese, English, and Chinese subtitles; a German version is not mentioned there.