Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko: Everything Flows

This mini series is both sweet and sad. It follows the life story of a cat and the girl who he loves, as they both grow into adult: their lives parallel and growing over time. It has a very slow pace and allows you to be entranced and enmeshed into the tiny details. This slow pace is critical for such a short series as it allows the watcher to feel like it is much longer than it really is.

On the border of shojo and Josei, this series is sweet but also has a lot of depth to offer if you are looking for it. ...

In such a short time the story draws you in and captures you with its innocence. Although a series of this nature is not my personal favorite, it is very well done and I enjoyed watching it.

Usually I don't have a problem with subs, but I have to warn you, it is easy to miss out on a lot if you insist on not watching the dubbed version.

I couldn't tell who was talking sometimes and they do not repeat themselves. The cat in particular has a quiet delivery and likes to practice his poetry, so I found myself zoning out a lot and having to rewind, which ironically ruined the flow. And I probably didn't pay enough attention to the visuals either.

The art is good but not flashy, sensitive topics are handled very tastefully, the story is simple and ... sweet, and the characters are really well done. I'm rating this very nicely because this would have been an amazing experience if I had known that the show would have been much better dubbed.

Shinkai's concept doesn't exactly do any favors for Everything Flows, a mini-series chronicling a young girl, her cat, and their quiet lifestyle. The downside to slice-of-life shorts is the base material often being too insignificant to confidently strike a sense of feel-good familiarity or leave a memorable impression. This is no exception, even if the broad scope of the interactions is perfectly inoffensive. Miyu struggles to establish her resolve for independence, feeling alienated from obligations and personal desires. Her cat (Daru) narrates as much as he can see without actually understanding, and the parallels between both perspectives sum up the entire premise. It's frankly a ... lot less clever than it sounds, but the alternating episodic motifs are simple yet functional. Daru's monologues describe his often disconnected relationship with the girl, they are conducive to a rift separating an animal's supposed affection from genuine interest. Similarly, her dialogue is meant for self-distraction, but most of the metaphors that are generated through subdued delivery fall a bit flat, and don't completely match up to the finale's intentions, albeit the outcome is foreshadowed multiple times in passing.

Studio Liden Films is by no means an animation powerhouse, rather they're the opposite, so their work here is marginally impressive. The changes in visual language are more effective than they initially seem, namely stark backlighting in segments that aim for symbolism. Furthermore, integrating seamless transitional directing compensates for weaker moments of Daru's consistent screen time, as he's the primary character. Character animation is on the lesser end, but most of the standout sequences exhibit solid micromovements, expressions, and minor variations in voice intonation. The art direction is easily the best aspect of the short's production values, sporting gentle colors that are easy on the eyes, although it would have greatly benefitted from incorporating urban scenery. My largest issue, however, is the score, using repeated single-instrument rhythms, and outside of the ED track, one hardly notices there being music at all. Everything Flows visualizes the subtle intimacy of pets and their owners, potentially saving both from loneliness.