Chainsmoker Cat follows Yaniko, a cat who cannot quit smoking, through her daily life. It adapts NyanNyanFactory's manga, serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Young Magazine since February 2023, and the animation is by Bibury Animation Studios. Netflix released it worldwide on 2 July 2026, and Japanese television began airing it the following day.
The premise does not hide anything. Yaniko is behind on rent and still spends most of what she earns on cigarettes. When she cannot afford a fresh pack she relights old butts, or picks one up off the pavement. That gap between the soft art style and what is actually happening split viewers immediately: some praised a portrait of addiction that neither glamorizes nor lectures, others found the subject uncomfortable to watch at all.
Takashi Aoshima writes the scripts, Keiichi Suzuki composes, and Riki Matsuura handles character design. Episodes are short and self-contained, which makes this a series to dip into rather than binge.
An English dub has been rolling out every other week since 16 July 2026. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the manga in English if the show leaves you curious about the source.
