Summer 2026 anime Yani Neko aired its twelfth and final episode — titled “Nya Will Smoke Even in the Finale” — on September 24, 2026 at 24:30. The beast-person anime, which pushed boundaries every single week and looked set to become a legend of the Reiwa era, has now come to a complete close.

About Yani Neko

Created by Nyannyan Factory and serialized in Kodansha’s Young Magazine, Yani Neko follows a group of beast-people who smoke cigarettes and drift through life in a world where humans and beast-people coexist. No money, no life skills, no manners — but somehow their grimy daily lives are just a little bit encouraging. At the center of it all is Yani Neko (real name: Sato Yaniko), a heavy-smoking cat-person who lives life on her own terms. Animation production was handled by Bibury Animation Studios.

Cast

• Yani Neko — Natsuyoshi Yuko
• Yaku Neko (real name: Koshimaru Masuko) — Matsuoka Misato
• Hame Neko (real name: Yurufuwa Angel Hameko) — Funato Yurie
• Kansai Neko (real name: Nishi Kaoruko) — Shimizu Ayaka
• Aru Neko (real name: Sakai Aruko) — Izawa Shiori
• Sato Imoto (Yani Neko’s younger sister) — Motoizumi Rina
• Oya, the apartment landlord (real name: Otani Oya) — Inada Tetsu

Episode 12 Highlights

O●npo Tatsuro Loses Her Serialization

Manga artist O●npo Tatsuro (real name: Tatsuno Saori), 32, who lives in the same apartment, finds herself at a loss after her series is cancelled. Yani Neko happens to pass by and treats her to a crepe, showing that even a cancelled Tatsuro is still a generous one. Voice actress Akechi Riko posted her surprise on social media: “Tatsuro-sensei is still treating people even in that situation!?”

Yaku Neko’s Spinning Bat and Strong Cat

Yaku Neko appears with a baseball bat and performs the classic “spinning bat” dizzy game before chasing it with the alcoholic drink “Strong Cat.” She tearfully reveals she was fired from her part-time job, but Yani Neko responds with her usual bluntness. Fans declared Yaku Neko the MVP of the series.

Imoto’s Big Misunderstanding

Yani Neko’s high-school-aged younger sister Imoto spots Aru Neko (age 24) hauling home a mountain of alcohol and assumes she must have abusive parents. When Kansai Neko arrives on the scene, Imoto mistakes her for Aru Neko’s mother and launches into a lecture. Fans found the whole sequence endearingly chaotic.

Jikaki Neko in a Micro Bikini

Jikaki Neko, a writer who serves as a model for O●npo Tatsuro’s illustrations, laments her lack of talent while wearing a micro bikini, prompting reactions from both viewers and fellow cast members. Tatsuro reassures her: “I think you have more than enough potential to go professional.”

Yani Neko vs. The Landlord

Exhausted from a pointless digging-and-filling job, Yani Neko picks a fight with the landlord and dumps cigarette ash from the second floor, sending him into a rage. Hame Neko livestreams the brawl as “Baldy vs. Yani Trash,” and the fight ends with a spectacular cross counter. Sharp-eared viewers caught what sounded like the landlord shouting “Universe!” — a nod to voice actor Inada Tetsu’s iconic role as Harry Ord in Turn A Gundam (1999–2000). Inada later confirmed it was a request from Osato, a manga artist in the Nyannyan Factory team.

Fan Reactions

Despite ongoing viewer concern that the show might be pulled from air, Yani Neko completed its full 12-episode run without interruption. Reactions online included:

• “What a filthy finale — and I mean that as a compliment.”
• “So glad it actually aired every single episode.”
• “Yani Neko loss…”
• “The worst and best anime at the same time.”
• “It loops right back to episode 1 — I can watch this forever.”

Cast and Staff Comments

Director Kimura Taku said: “This was my first time directing a TV series, but thanks to the incredible staff and cast we made something truly special. There are still plenty of funny chapters in the source manga that haven’t been animated — please go read it! Thank you for the yellowed youth.”

Inada Tetsu said he was glad they made it to the end and declared himself “ready for Season 2 any time.”

Matsuoka Misato wrote that the finale should have been sad but she ended up laughing the whole way through, calling it “mysterious.”

Funato Yurie shared a longer post reflecting on the challenges of playing Hame Neko: “I made sounds in front of a microphone that I’ve never let another human hear. I may have lost something as a person, but I think I grew as an actor.” She also called for a second season.

Akechi Riko posted: “It’s over… is it really over…? These three months were nothing but fun. Yani Neko will never end!”

Nakabayashi Niika (Jikaki Neko) said: “The finale was absolutely packed. I’m so happy I got to be part of this.”

Special Finale Surprise: “Nanmo Nee — Residents’ Grand Chorus Ver.”

As a finale surprise, the opening theme “なんもねえ” was released in a special “住人大合唱ver.” (Residents’ Grand Chorus Version), featuring the full cast: Natsuyoshi Yuko, Matsuoka Misato, Funato Yurie, Shimizu Ayaka, Izawa Shiori, Akechi Riko, and Inada Tetsu. A must-listen for any fan of the series.

What’s Next

For fans already suffering from post-series withdrawal, a chibi mini-anime series is still ongoing. A Blu-ray BOX collecting all 12 episodes with bonus content has also been announced.

Yani Neko aired every Thursday at 24:30 on TOKYO MX, BS11, and AT-X, with streaming available from 25:00 Thursdays on Netflix and other platforms.