Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat In Space [Blu-ray]

Tamala 2010 Blu-ray presents a singular anime cult classic from the two-person creative team t.o.L., blending cyberpunk sci-fi, pop art satire, and existential weirdness into a hypnotic techno fever dream. Inspired as much by Hello Kitty as Thomas Pynchon, the film unfolds across fractured timelines in Meguro City, a Blade Runner–like mega-city ruled by the omnipresent Catty & Co. corporation.

Tamala, a wide-eyed feline drifter, escapes her home world only to encounter the God of Death, crash-land near Hate City on Planet Q, and stumble into revelations about consumer culture, reincarnation, and an ancient Greek cat cult. Bowling alleys, thrift stores, and corporate hallucinations collide as Tamala’s image becomes both mascot and menace in a world addicted to products and forgetfulness.

Written, directed, and scored by t.o.L., the film’s infectious electronica and space-lounge soundtrack is inseparable from its imagery, reinforcing a savage critique of late capitalism wrapped in cute, unsettling design. Long unavailable outside Japan, Tamala 2010 arrives on Blu-ray for the first time in North America, complete with new bonus features and English subtitles.

directed by: t.o.L
starring: Béatrice Dalle, Hisayo Mochizuki, Shinji Takeda, Takeshi Katô
2002 / 92 min / Japanese

Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: Japanese stereo
Subtitles: English