Yani Neko Episode 4 Delivers Erotic Manga Artist, Bunny Kansai Neko, and a Shocking Ending

The summer anime Yani Neko continues to push boundaries with its fourth episode, titled “Nyaa’s Surroundings Are Full of Weirdos”, which aired on July 23, 2026. Fans are calling it the wildest episode yet, with reactions like “It keeps getting crazier” and “Every week it breaks new lows in the best way.”

The episode opens with Yani Neko (voiced by Natsuyoshi Yuuko) enjoying a cigarette by the river when a drowning child floats by. Unable to waste a freshly lit cigarette, she takes a deep drag, mutters “Yokkora Seven Stars!”, and dives in to save the child. The line quickly became a fan favorite, with viewers adopting it as a catchphrase. Underwater, Yani Neko transforms into a normal cat, prompting comments like “So this is her true form!”

Later, Yani Neko gets a job at a burger shop, but her habit of smoking while working leads to a cigarette butt in a customer’s burger. Her sister Imoko (Hondzumi Rina) is horrified. Fired from the job, Yani Neko becomes an assistant to her neighbor, the erotic manga artist O●npo Tatsurou (voiced by Akechi Riko). The censored pen name had viewers laughing: “What kind of pen name is that?!” and “I’ve never seen a name with a black dot in the subtitles before.”

As punishment for burning a manuscript, O●npo Tatsurou forces Yani Neko to wear a JK (high school girl) uniform for reference photos. The artist gets carried away, tearing the outfit and taking suggestive shots in public, including a public restroom. The police are called, and Yani Neko ends up arrested. Her sister later tells a friend, “My sister became a hamburger.”

With Yani Neko taken away by her sister, O●npo Tatsurou turns to Kansai Neko (Shimizu Ayaka), a Kansai-dialect-speaking college student, dressing her in a bunny suit for a photo session. Kansai Neko’s blushing and shy reactions delighted viewers: “Kansai Neko’s not-really-opposed attitude is the best!” and “Marry me, Kansai Neko!”

The episode also features a yakuza boss scene at a mahjong parlor. When Yani Neko spills a drink on him, he gets an erection (sound effect: “Bokiki”). Later, Hame Neko (Funato Yurie) appears in a crop top, and the boss’s subordinate also gets “bokiki”. The term baffled international viewers but became a meme: “Bokiki… will overseas fans understand?”

A new character, Jikaki Neko (Writing Cat), visits Yani Neko to discuss a novel on the platform Kakeyome. She rants about clichés in web novels, but when she asks for feedback on her friend’s fantasy story, Yani Neko dismisses it with “Just write an exile story.” Fans found the character adorable: “Jikaki Neko is way cuter than in the original manga!”

In a parody of Land of the Lustrous, a rival magazine editor storms the editorial office with a gun, only to be stopped by the boss’s hidden copy of Afternoon magazine, which bears the cover line “New Serialization! Land of the Lustrous 2 by Murayama Daiaki.” The fake sequel trended on social media, with fans shouting “Land of the Lustrous 2?! For real?!”

The episode’s climax comes during Hame Neko’s live stream, where she introduces her apartment neighbors. One by one, they turn out to be bizarre: Kansai Neko awkwardly greets the camera, Aru Neko (Izawa Shiori) is drunk, Yaku Neko (Matsuoka Misato) is smoking something suspicious, and O●npo Tatsurou tries to recruit Hame Neko as a model. Finally, she peeks into the landlord’s room (Inada Tetsu) and catches him in a compromising act. The stream gets reported, and viewers comment “Banned!” and “The landlord did it!”

Voice actors reacted to the episode on social media. Natsuyoshi Yuuko posted, “Every new character increases the sensitivity! Seeing the teacher’s name with a black dot on terrestrial TV is wonderful.” Akechi Riko admitted, “It’s embarrassing to say the character name out loud, so I’ll just call him ‘Tatsurou-sensei.'” Funato Yurie worried about her own account getting suspended after posting uncensored content. Matsuoka Misato noted, “Yaku Neko barely appeared this time! Please release the evil dragon version!” Inada Tetsu simply said, “This week was terrible! It gets worse every episode.”

Director Kimura Taku teased that the “Evil Dragon Release” version (uncensored) of the episode reveals more of the landlord’s scene. The episode’s eye-catch was provided by streamer SHAKA.

Yani Neko airs every Thursday at 24:30 on TOKYO MX, BS11, and AT-X. Streaming begins every Thursday at 25:00 on Netflix and other platforms. The uncensored “Evil Dragon Release” version is available on select streaming sites.

Staff

Original Story: Nyan Nyan Factory (serialized in Kodansha’s Young Magazine)
Director: Kimura Taku (Studio Lemon)
Script: Aoshima Takashi
Character Design: Matsuura Riki
Art Director: Maruyama Yukiko (Atelier Musa), Yoshino Shoutarou (Atelier Musa)
Color Design: Ota Yuiha
Director of Photography: Yonezawa Hisashi
Editor: Takemiya Mutsumi
Music: Suzuki Keiichi
Sound Director: Hamano Takanori
Sound Production: Magic Capsule
Opening Theme: “Nann mo Nee” by Wasure Rare Nee Yo
Ending Theme: “Kemuri to Blue” by Necry Talkie
Animation Production: Bibury Animation Studios

Cast

Yani Neko: Natsuyoshi Yuuko
Yaku Neko: Matsuoka Misato
Hame Neko: Funato Yurie
Kansai Neko: Shimizu Ayaka
Aru Neko: Izawa Shiori
Imoko: Hondzumi Rina
O●npo Tatsurou: Akechi Riko
Landlord: Inada Tetsu

(C) Nyan Nyan Factory・Kodansha / Yani Neko Production Committee