February 22 is a special day in Japan: it’s Cat Day, known as 猫の日 (Neko no Hi)! While International Cat Day apparently falls on August 8 every year, in Japan, people have the opportunity to celebrate their feline companions almost half a year early. In Japanese, cats say ニャー (nyaa) or ニャン (nyan) – equivalent to “meow” in Spanish. The choice of February 22 as 猫の日 (neko no hi) is due to a play on words! In Japanese, February 22 is written as 2月22日 or 2/22. Since the number two is read as “ni”, 2/22 can be read (jokingly) as ニャーニャーニャー (nyaa nyaa nyaa) or ニャンニャンニャン (nyan nyan nyan).
But the celebration of Cat Day is not limited to real felines. Fans of the anime industry are also getting in on the fun, but with a twist: instead of sharing illustrations of cats, they share illustrations of nekomimi, a term that refers to “cat girls,” meaning those with ears and cat’s tail. On this special day, social media is flooded with these adorable images, created by amateur and professional artists alike.
Under the commemorative hashtag “#猫の日,” fans share their favorite illustrations of anime characters with cat ears and tails, adding a dose of cuteness and fun to the Cat Day celebration. From classics like “Nekopara” to iconic characters, social media becomes a visual feast of nekomimi for anime lovers to enjoy and celebrate this unique day.
Enjoy Cat Day with these adorable and fascinating nekomimi illustrations shared by the anime community in Japan and beyond!
Source: Twitter
Credits:Kudasai
