The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat (2026): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2026, The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat is a drama film directed by Yukihiro Morigaki, running about 125 minutes.

What it’s about. It is the year 1988. Yamabuki is an eight-year-old little boy growing up in a traditional family where every family member has problems and secrets they try to hide from each other. The father runs a failing construction company and has an intimate relationship with another woman. The mother is struggling with severe depression, as she cannot cope with the death of her youngest child. The grandfather, who used to be a construction engineer, hopes to start building an amusement park, but to no avail. The grandmother runs a small store where she sells items of forged origin. Yamabuki's big sister Beni is fed up with the lies of her predecessors and is looking for a way to run away from home. In the midst of all this chaos, Yamabuki has started to find solace in patting an imaginary dog.

Who’s in it. The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat stars Mahiro Takasugi, Marika Ito, Mai Fukagawa and Yuko Ando, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 3.0/10, The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.