Disney Plus Announces ‘Cat’s Eye’ Anime Adaptation for 2025 Release

Disney Plus greenlights a new anime adaptation of Tsukasa Hojo’s ‘Cat’s Eye’ manga under its Star brand, reviving the 1980s heist thriller for international streaming. The series follows three sisters operating a clandestine art gallery by night while running a legitimate cafe by day, blending espionage with familial bonds. Production merges original source fidelity with modern animation techniques for a September 2025 debut.

Hojo, creator of ‘City Hunter’, serialized ‘Cat’s Eye’ in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1981 to 1985, spanning 18 volumes and over 4 million copies circulated in Japan. The narrative centers on Rui, Hitomi, and Ai Kisugi, who steal back artworks dispersed by their late archaeologist father during World War II. Their nocturnal exploits target the fictional Eye of Rushton diamond, a family heirloom symbolizing unresolved paternal legacy.

The original 1983-1984 TV anime aired 73 episodes on Tokyo Broadcasting System, directed by Yoshio Kuroda with character designs by Akio Sugino. It achieved peak ratings of 15.8% in Japan, spawning OVAs in 1995 and 1998. Hojo’s dual serialization with ‘City Hunter’ influenced crossover elements, including shared Tokyo settings and detective Toshio Utsumi’s unrequited pursuit of Hitomi Kisugi.

This revival features a 12-episode first cour, scripted by a team including Hojo as supervisor to preserve the manga’s cat-and-mouse dynamics. Animation studio NAZ, known for ‘Akame ga Kill!’, handles production with a $8 million budget emphasizing fluid chase sequences and 1980s-inspired aesthetics. Voice casting retains nostalgic callbacks, with Ai Kayano voicing Hitomi Kisugi in the Japanese track.

Opening theme reimagines Anri’s 1983 track “Cat’s Eye”, covered by Ado, whose viral hits like ‘Usseewa’ amassed 500 million YouTube views. English dub production at NYAV Post targets U.S. audiences, with dubs in 20 languages for Disney Plus’s 150-country reach. Episode structure allocates 24 minutes to heist setups, romantic subplots, and cliffhangers involving Utsumi’s police investigations.

Hojo’s oeuvre underscores the project’s cultural weight. ‘City Hunter’ sold 20 million volumes globally, inspiring Netflix’s 2023 live-action series viewed 28 million hours in its first week. ‘Cat’s Eye’ adaptations previously limited to Japanese home video, with no prior Western theatrical push. This iteration expands lore through flashbacks to the sisters’ training under their father, Hitomi’s ballet background, and Ai’s gadgeteering expertise.

Casting announcements include Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Toshio Utsumi, echoing his ‘Sword Art Online’ intensity. Rui Kisugi falls to Saori Hayami, known for ‘Spy x Family’s Yor Forger. Production wrapped key animation in Q4 2025 at Tokyo studios, incorporating practical stunts for cafe-to-rooftop transitions. Disney Plus slots the series post-‘X-Men ’97’ Season 2, leveraging anime’s 2025 surge following ‘Blue Eye Samurai’s Emmy wins.

The manga’s theft mechanics draw from real 1980s art heists, like the 1983 Montreal museum burglary of Picasso’s works. Sisters employ smoke bombs, grappling hooks, and coded cafe signals, evading Utsumi’s forensic pursuits. Romantic tension peaks in episodes where Hitomi disguises as a ballerina to infiltrate galas, mirroring Hojo’s blend of action and melodrama.

Global marketing ties into Disney’s IP crossovers, with merchandise lines at Hot Topic featuring Kisugi sister figurines scaled 1:6. Budget breakdown prioritizes 40% to character animation, capturing Rui’s sharpshooting precision and Hitomi’s acrobatic evasions. No second cour confirmation exists, though metrics from Ado’s theme single, released January 2025, project 10 million streams.

Hojo’s return to ‘Cat’s Eye’ follows his 2024 ‘City Hunter’ manga finale after 37 years. The adaptation avoids prior OVAs’ filler arcs, focusing on the manga’s 135-chapter core divided into three heist trilogies. U.S. premiere coincides with Anime Expo 2025 panels, where Hojo discusses thematic parallels to ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ influences.

Series arcs escalate from boutique raids to international pursuits, introducing rival thieves and wartime flashbacks revealing the father’s OSS affiliations. Sound design revives Toshiki Kadomatsu’s jazz-funk score, remastered for Dolby Atmos. Disney Plus anticipates 15 million hours viewed in the first quarter, benchmarked against ‘The Mandalorian’s anime shorts.

This project reflects Disney’s anime expansion, investing $300 million in 2025 Japanese content post-‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ success. ‘Cat’s Eye’ joins ‘What If…? Season 3′ in blending legacy revivals with fresh narratives, targeting 18-34 demographics comprising 55% of Star subscribers. Hojo’s consultation ensures fidelity to the sisters’ empowerment motif amid 1980s gender tropes.

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