Watch Online: The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat (2026)

The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat is a haunting Japanese drama that explores family dysfunction, hidden truths, and childhood coping mechanisms in 1980s Japan. Through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy named Yamabuki, director Yukihiro Morigaki crafts an intimate portrait of a household fractured by secrets, infidelity, grief, and desperation—where an imaginary canine companion becomes a lifeline to sanity.

Plot Synopsis: A Family's Unraveling Secrets

Set in 1988, The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat captures the emotional turbulence of the Yamabuki household, where every family member carries their own burden. The father struggles to keep his failing construction company afloat while maintaining a covert affair. The mother battles crippling depression following the loss of her youngest child, unable to reconcile with her grief. The grandfather, a former construction engineer, chases an impossible dream of building an amusement park. Meanwhile, the grandmother operates a questionable shop dealing in counterfeit goods. Amid this web of dysfunction and deception, the teenage sister plots her escape from the home's oppressive atmosphere.

In the center of this chaos stands young Yamabuki, who discovers solace in an unusual source: an imaginary dog he spends his days petting and confiding in. As tensions escalate and secrets threaten to surface, this invisible companion becomes more than a childhood fantasy—it's a mirror reflecting his family's fractured reality and his own desperate need for comfort.

Release Date & Where to Watch

The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat is scheduled to release on January 9, 2026. Information about streaming availability and theatrical release will be updated as the premiere date approaches. Check back here to find out how you can watch online or catch it in theaters.

Full Cast & Crew

Starring: Mahiro Takasugi, Marika Ito, Mai Fukagawa, Yuko Ando, Yuka Kouri, Hiccorohee, Sawa Suzuki, Ken Yasuda, Kimiko Yo, and Akira Emoto.

• Director: Yukihiro Morigaki
• Screenplay: Tomoe Kanno
• Production Studio: Pony Canyon
• Country of Origin: Japan
• Genre: Drama
• Runtime: 125 minutes

What We Know So Far

This is a deeply character-driven family drama that promises to deliver raw emotional moments and unflinching examinations of how dysfunction shapes childhood. With a talented ensemble cast and the creative vision of director Yukihiro Morigaki, The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat appears poised to be one of 2026's most introspective and thought-provoking releases from Japan's film industry.

Stay tuned to SignalFeed for the latest updates on streaming platforms, theatrical showtimes, and complete release information for The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat. Bookmark this page to be the first to know when you can watch this compelling drama online or in cinemas.

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