Nyaight of the Living Cat is a deeply silly show where most of the humor derives from the viewer recognising plentiful references to mainly US-produced horror and action movies. Even the individual episode titles are cat and movie-related puns, like “Commeowndo” and “Meow Am Legend.” Non-movie buffs need not apply.

At its heart, it's a feline-flavored take on zombie movies, with playful cats taking the place of shambling zombies. It's too daft to be scary, and too dumb to remain funny for long. While the show clearly doesn't take its subject matter seriously – how could it when later episodes feature cats riding and controlling elephants, giraffes, and gorillas like fleshy Gundams – for every character, the Nyandemic is a serious matter of life and death, the worry that they might harm the marauding moggies accidentally during self-defense ever-present. In this world, even before the viral outbreak that made “everything become cat”, it seems cats are adored and even practically worshipped by the population at large. Survivors huddle around their campfires at night, sharing funny cat stories to pass the time, despite the destruction of society by their beloved pets.

Our nominal protagonists are Kunagi – a tall, mysterious, cat-loving man whose perpetually haunted visage gives the impression he's Seen Some Shit, and Kaoru – a normal high school girl in a sailor uniform that never seems to tatter or become grimy despite months in a Mad Max-like post-apocalypse. We learn almost nothing about these characters; they're mere ciphers whose travels introduce us to a wide assortment of other weirdos fighting to get by in a strange new world where cats are king. Before the Nyandemic, Kunagi and Kaoru both worked in Kaoru's brother's cat cafe. Every episode features a post-credit scene set in said cafe, where Kaoru's brother gives tips on cat care, while also advising that “caring for a cat isn't as easy as you might think.” Sometimes the in-episode narrator (who is always infectiously enthusiastic) gives his own observations and tips on cat psychology and behaviour, as it relates to that episode's events. It's an extremely bizarre, but amusing element.

Most episodes follow Kaoru and Kunagi as they attempt to either escape from somewhere, fetch an item from somewhere, or defend somewhere against the advancing pussycat plague. While initially defenseless, running through dark office buildings and supermarkets zombie movie-style, they eventually work out how to “fight” back. This entails the use of dangling toys for distraction, super-soaker water pistols for deterrents, and, later, even exploding balls containing catnip to cause intoxication. It's all so gleefully bonkers. My bemused son observed that “this is the goofiest shit I've seen you watch in years, Dad,” and he was probably right.

Sometimes other characters take the limelight, and they're not always directly linked to the main plot at all. A later episode features two women running mostly unclothed through a hot springs resort, chased by cat-controlled monkeys. It's pretty wild and totally unconnected to anything else. Kaoru's friend Tsutsumi is probably my favorite supporting character. She suffers from severe allergic rhinitis whenever cats are in proximity, which makes her a perfect early warning system for imminent cat attacks. Despite drowning in her own snot because of them, she still loves little kitties. Bless.

While the central characters aren't that interesting, apart from Tsutsumi, there are a bunch of eccentric extras that come and go, leaving their mark before (mostly) becoming moggified. I particularly like the totally jacked pink-haired girl in the Samurai armor, and the only apparently sentient cat, a Devon Rex named Jones (named after the cat from Alien). One side character rigs up a translation device for him that modifies his meows into vaguely relevant Arnold Schwarzenegger/other action movie star quotes. Of course it does.

Nyaight of the Living Cat is definitely an acquired taste, especially considering its rather niche humor. Its main joke is not strong enough to base an entire twelve-episode anime around, and it suffers from chronic pacing and comic timing issues that can make it a chore to watch. It likely would have achieved more success as more tightly edited, punchier shorts. The middle of the series is a chore to keep up with, until the plot starts to ramp up towards the end with a climax that can only be described as “what if Attack on Titan, but Cat?” Yes, it's as insane as it sounds.

Sadly, the production can't keep up with the escalating madness the concept demands. It's an incredibly boring-looking show, depicted in a preponderance of dark, dull colors and limited animation. Even the action scenes are fairly pedestrian, full of shortcuts and some deeply ugly CGI. Some of the loopier aspects of the finale do make the show worth persevering with, especially the unhinged giant animals' attack. It really is one of those “WTF am I even watching?” kind of shows.

If you're a cat-lover, plus an inveterate B-movie buff who enjoys anime on the crazier side of coherent (this seems like it may be a relatively narrow demographic), then you could probably find some enjoyment from Nyaight of the Living Cat. It's unrepentantly dumb, more than a bit repetitive and janky, plus the underlying plot logic is absurd, yet it's also kind of fun at times. If you can struggle past the mid-season doldrums and survive until the bonkers climax, it may be worth your while. Be warned, though, it ends on a blatant teaser for a second season that may never come.