This documentary gives an interesting look at Japan's cat culture and although it's far from comprehensive, it's a great movie for relaxing on a Sunday afternoon. I'd recommend it for whenever you need to chill after a near panic attack as the cute cats will undoubtedly bring a sense of Zen and peace.

Chris Broad, a Brit expat living in Japan, provides viewers with a cat-themed exploration of Japanese culture. Cat lovers will likely enjoy the film but there is not really much to it. The trips to a couple of islands overrun with cats are interesting but most of the material, such as the story of Tamu the stationmaster cat or the history of Maneki Neko, can be found online. Broad makes too much of the presence of semi-feral cats wandering around Japanese cities or cat-themed stores in Tokyo as a reflection of the Japanese psyche. Many European cities have large semi-feral cat populations (Florence and Barcelona for example) and we in Canada (which has about the same population as Greater Tokyo) have 'cat-themed' stores, cat cafes, cat sanctuaries, etc but no one considers us a 'cat nation'. There are some fun moments and the cats are either interesting or cute (or both), so watchable but nothing special.

Cat Nation: A Film About Japan's Crazy Cat Culture, the title speaks for itself. It's a documentary about cats, in Japan, where they have a weird obsession and fascination for our furry friends. If you're a cat lover you'll probaby find it interesting to watch, probably cute and adorable as well. But if cats aren't your thing there's not much value to this documentary. I love cats so I did like it, enjoyed watching this documentary. It's well made but not exceptionally well made. It's just interesting and informative, certainly if you want to learn more about a part of the Japanese culture and customs.