Sekai kara neko ga kietanara

The film manages to make look good the book it's based on, which had already exhausted the author's creativity in calling the protagonist's two pet cats Lettuce and Cabbage and thus sets the bar pretty low. It takes quite some liberty with regard to the book, omitting the most fun parts of it (the cat never gets to speak, the Devil doesn't wear Hawaii shirts; there are no upbeat songs in the sad scenes), and so it ends up a melodramatic mess, with wooden acting, poor character development, a soundtrack so boring and repetitive it would be unfit even for a furniture store, and a plot so foreseeable and unimaginative watching a blank sheet of paper would have been more thought-provoking and entertaining.

..."If cats disappeared from the world, how would the world change? If I disappeared from the world, who on earth would mourn for me?"...

"Sekai kara neko ga kietanara" is based on a popular novel of the same name and centers around a young postman (played by Sato Takeru) who learns that he has a terminal illness and is soon going to die. Then, a devil appears and offers to extend his life on the condition that one thing the devil picks will disappear from the world in exchange for him living one day longer.

Things which seems not essential to life turn out to be more crucial than expected, as they affect the relationship he has with his ex-girlfriend, friend and family…

As the story evolves, it reminds me to think about what is actually essential to life. Existence or essence?

The story is meaningful, and Takeru is a great cast in a great film. He perfectly delivered the role with his talents. The film is also shot so beautifully that I had to add Hakodate, the filming location, to my list of must-visit cities in Japan.

At first, I thought why I'm watching this movie! But soon I realized why! Thank you very much for making this movie!

A young man falls from his bike and at the hospital gets the news that he has only, at most, one week to live. However, when he arrives at home, he finds someone waiting for him. This someone looks exactly like him. Surprised, he strikes a conversation with this being, not knowing if it is a devil or what. The doppelganger tells him he is going to die the following day. And then offers him a bargain: the creature will give him an extra day to live in exchange for something disappearing from the world.

From here on we have our hero, played with a touch of naivety and innocence by Takeru Satoh, learning about the importance of relationships and people in life. It is not the things that may disappear, but how they help him to connect with the rest of the world. Of course, he learns a couple of things along the way.

The movie touches on what makes us human and relate to each other. It has its heart in the right place, and reminds the viewer that we are not alive just because we eat and sleep. However, on the down side, it gets cheesier and cheesier and a little bit of a tearjerker along the way, stretching the story a little bit thin.

If you like your movies with a side dish of tissues, you will love "If Cats Disappeared from the World".

I have no words to describe how I felt after watching this movie. It made me think a lot about life,relationships,ambitions and regrets. This movie is not meant for people looking for light entertainment.

Satoh Takeru has delivered mind blowing performance with dual role of the postman and the devil. A postman who unexpectedly comes to know that he is going to die due to a terminal illness.After losing one by one,items which he associates with important people in his life,he realizes that a death without people to mourn for,A life which leaves no memories on people and a life whose existence is erased,is of no use. Its OK to have a mixed past(good+bad) and not able to live long enough to fulfill dreams,yet life gives us something to cherish and be thankful for.

A movie full of insight.A must see.