is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by NyanNyanFactory. It has been serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine since February 2023. An anime television series adaptation produced by Bibury Animation Studios aired from July to September 2026.

Plot Set in a modern-day world where human-animal hybrids, known as "beastfolk", co-exist with humans, the series follows the daily misadventures of catgirl Yaniko, a beastfolk who lives in a small apartment building in Nyagamihara (based on Sagamihara), Japan, and is addicted to smoking, regardless of the damage to her environment, her psyche, or her family. The series also features her interactions with her oddball neighbors, each with their respective issues, and their cranky human landlord who tolerates their antics.

Characters Main

A freeter with a morbid addiction to cigarettes, but no financial literacy or everyday skills. Almost all money Yaniko receives goes towards buying new cigarettes, and when she cannot buy new packs, she often resorts to reusing spent cigarette butts or salvaging loose smokes off the street. Her need for nicotine often leads her into absurd and humiliating situations, and her attempts to quit never last long.

The landlord of the apartment building where most of the main cast lives. Despite his intimidating appearance and gruff demeanor, he is a caring man, though he is often the victim of his tenants' actions. He has a dog-like sex doll in private, and he often experiences erections due to certain things happening while he is around female beastfolks.

Yaniko's younger sister who is a respected and responsible high school student. She often takes care of Yaniko's well-being despite her constant frustrations.

A beastfolk who has looked up to Yaniko as her senior since her high school days. Among all the residents of the apartment, she is the one Yaniko hangs out with most often. She secretly uses harder drugs in her apartment, including marijuana, though she always vehemently claims to be sober. It is also implied that she is an ex-convict. Despite this, Yakuko is much more social and well-adjusted in her life outside of her drug use.

Yakuko's high school classmate who is a gamer and runs a livestreaming channel, "Hame Channel". Born without a legal last name due to being a pure beastfolk, she decided to register as her last name. However, a city hall worker mistook the asterisk symbol for an anus, hence giving her a rather awkward last name. Hameko gets easily angered and flustered when things do not go her way, and has a tendency to urinate when stressed.

A college student, fellow smoker and amateur comedian from the Kansai region who is one of the more put-together members of the apartment building. While passionate about making others laugh, she lacks genuine talent in comedic delivery and her attempts at humor often lead to awkward reactions. Kaoruko speaks with Kinki dialect; in the English dub, she speaks with a Southern accent.

Kaoruko's roommate, a fellow college student who is sometimes mistaken as a elementary school student due to her short stature. She is an alcoholic, spending most of the day drinking and sleeping in her room, to the point of affecting her academic performance. She also often wanders off to distant places when she drinks outside her home.

The only human resident in Oya's apartment building, as well as a fellow smoker. She works as a hentai manga artist under a pseudonym, though her manga does not sell well. Yaniko sometimes acts as her unofficial assistant.

Supporting

Imoko's classmate who dreams of becoming a professional writer. She frequently visits the apartment building where she asks Saori and Yaniko for advice, though she often claims her work is written by her "friend" due to insecurity, and she spends more time on social media than she does with her creative writing.

The yakuza-esque editor-in-chief of Nyan Magazine, in which Saori's work is serialized.

The chief of Alpha Tribe, a local primordial beastfolk tribe that cultivates tobacco. She has two tails akin to that of a .

A homeless beastfolk who lives in a tent near a river. Claiming to be one with nature and often speaking in an aloof, philosophical manner, she is very sensitive and emotional in private. After her original tent is swept away by a flood, she squats in the yard of Oya's apartment building. It is later revealed that she actually comes from a wealthy industrialist family, but she ran away to seek freedom.

The widowed mother of Yaniko and Imoko. She herself is a chain smoker as well, though she manages to hide her habit from Imoko.

Kaoruko's younger brother who enjoys teasing her.

Media Manga Written and illustrated by NyanNyanFactory, Chainsmoker Cat started in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine on February 20, 2023. Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual volumes, with the first one released on August 4, 2023. As of August 6, 2026, thirteen volumes have been released.

In February 2025, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it had licensed the series for English publication, with the first volume released in December that same year.

Volumes

Anime An anime television series adaptation was announced on February 2, 2026. The series was produced by Bibury Animation Studios and directed by Taku Kimura, with Takashi Aoshima writing the scripts, Riki Matsuura designing the characters, and Keiichi Suzuki composing the music. It aired from July 3 to September 25, 2026, on Tokyo MX and BS11. The series was released in two versions: the clean "On-Air" version for terrestrial TV broadcast, and the uncensored "Evil Dragon Unleashed" version, which began airing on the premium TV channel AT-X on July 26, 2026, and was released on selected Japanese streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, AnimeFesta, and ; the latter two carries both the clean and uncensored versions. The opening theme song is , performed by , while the ending theme song is , performed by Necry Talkie. For episode 11, Necry Talkie and Wasureranneyo performed the covers of the theme songs.

Netflix began streaming the series outside of Japan on July 2, 2026. OceanVeil is also streaming the series uncensored. Medialink initially licensed the series in Asia-Pacific for its Ani-One Asia YouTube channel. However, it was later pulled mid-season to "comply with local government regulations in relevant markets."

Episodes

Reception The series ranked 12th in the ninth Next Manga Award in the print category in 2023; it ranked 13th in the 2024 edition in the same category. The series ranked 18th in Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga of 2024 for male readers.

Bans and censorship Due to its depictions of "tobacco advertisements, including repeated clear displays of tobacco products and brand names", Hong Kong's Department of Health warned that the anime adaptation violated the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, which bans online ads for smoking products. Bahamut Animation Crazy, one of the platforms streaming the series in Hong Kong, complied with the order and suspended its broadcast on August 17, 2026. Medialink also announced the series would no longer be available to watch on its Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.

An official from Taiwan's Health Promotion Administration said images from the series might contravene the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, and the agency had asked local health departments to investigate the issue. On August 21, 2026, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said the series failed to comply with the guidelines. Several local streaming platforms subsequently removed the series.

Notes

References

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