The beauty of She and Her Cat: Everything Flows lies in its utter simplicity. It takes what we often take for granted, puts a nicemetaphorical spin on it, and connects to us on a deep and heartwarming level that you would never expect in a million years. In the short 7 minutes it has the story manages to tug at your heartstrings leaving you in between your heart racing and shedding a tear. It shows the hardship of a single lady doing her best to achieve her goal and the struggles along the process.
Kanojo (or Miyu), the main character of Everything Flows, is a college student who is just beginning to face the real world. As with many other independent college students, she is facing some tough times, but what makes her situation all the more interesting is how she is being bombarded with incessant change. She just recently moved out of her childhood home, her friend/roommate recently left the apartment that the two of them split the rent for, and she’s had her applications rejected in her endless search to get a job. Needless to say, things are not looking too bright for Kanojo.
The only one thing that has remained steady and consistent in Kanojo’s life is her cat, Daru. Kanojo’s mother found Daru when Kanojo was still a young child, and, although initially rejecting Daru, she learns to tolerate him. Over time, they grow together and form a deep relationship with each other. Their relationship has now developed up to a point now where Daru recognizes the hardship that Kanojo has to endure. Although there is not much that Daru can physically do, it is clear that he empathizes with her deeply.
It should be noted that the entire story line is told from Daru’s point of view, but it isn’t isolated to just that. By incorporating a number of flashbacks and cleverly integrated metaphors throughout the story, the screenwriters of this 4 episode series have created something that has just enough impact to leave an impression yet still not sound overly sappy. It’s truly just right: a masterfully crafted balance, as I would say.
As for the art and sound, they are both well done. An easy, breezy OP & ED and well-timed music to leave an emotional impact – what’s there not to like? The animation and art are very consistent and does the trick for this show. Overall, it’s a great watch. 28 minutes in total may not seem like much, but it does the trick for the context of this show. The simplicity of this show is its strongest selling point, and after watching this I’m sure that it’ll leave you thinking about your own life too. Makoto Shinkai makes everybody empty inside.
「The Only Shinyuu Site」 