Trailer: ‘The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat’
By Phil Mills | Jan 10, 2026
‘The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat’ (架空の犬と嘘をつく猫) is a 2026 Japanese drama directed by Yukihiro Morigaki.
Based on a novel by Haruna Terachi, the film follows a family altered by grief after a son impersonates his dead brother, allowing a single lie to shape their lives over decades. The cast includes Mahiro Takasugi, Marika Ito, Mai Fukagawa, Yuko Ando, and Yuka Kouri.
Synopsis: After a child’s death fractures a family, the eldest son begins writing letters in his brother’s name to spare their mother from facing the loss. Over the years, this quiet deception becomes the family’s emotional foundation, influencing marriages, estrangements, and the ways each member avoids speaking honestly about the past. As time passes and the lie grows harder to sustain, its long shadow becomes impossible to ignore. [© Far East Films]
‘The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat’ opens in Japanese cinemas on January 9, 2026.
