An anime hidden in 90 seconds featuring over 50 references from film & television, but you probably didn’t discover them all

The Anime of Chainsmoker Cat gained a lot of attention due to its opening. It is full of references to other movies and series that have been released in the past decades. 

Chainsmoker Cat connects precisely what its name stands for: chain smoking and a cat girl living in complete neglect. The anime disgusted viewers right from its first episode and even caused some to stop watching the anime. 

However, the opening is quite special. There are numerous references to other films and series that have been released since 1965. MeinMMO presents in this list all the references that you might recognize. You will find them in the order they appear in the opening.

With our table of contents, you can jump directly to the individual references:

All References from Chainsmoker Cat at a Glance 

1996 – Trainspotting

This refers to the first scene of the opening. Protagonist Renton from the film slowly sinks backwards to the ground after his drug use. In a second shot, the character’s head can be seen lying on the ground, viewed from the side. 

1965 – For a Few Dollars More

Not much happens in the scene: Yani lights a cigarette, but the exact same movement occurs in the film from 1965. In the original scene, Clint Eastwood is seen in his iconic role as the Man with No Name, lighting a cigarillo while slightly bowing his head, covered by his hat. 

1986 – A Better Tomorrow

This is a homage to the scene where Mark Lee lights a cigarette with a burning 100-dollar bill. Yani’s movement and sunglasses are identical, but instead of a dollar bill, a magazine is used. 

1982 – Blade Runner

Here, Yani is simply smoking a cigarette. The movement resembles that of the character Rachael from Blade Runner. It is the famous scene where she meets Rick Deckard and is subjected to the so-called Voight-Kampff test while elegantly smoking a cigarette.

2005 – Constantine

Again, a cigarette is simply lit. Keanu Reeves does the same in his role as John Constantine in front of a convenience store. 

1985 – The Breakfast Club

In this scene, the character Brian Johnson is seen opening his mouth to exhale smoke. The students in detention sit together in a circle in the school library smoking marijuana. The sunglasses are also visible in the opening of Chainsmoker Cat. 

1965 – Pierrot le Fou

In this bathtub shot, Jean-Paul Belmondo is seen in his role as Ferdinand Griffon. Early in the film, Ferdinand is seen smoking in the bathtub, reading a book to his young daughter who is in the room. In the anime, Yani is reading a manga. In the original, it is the volume “Histoire de l’Art” by a French art historian. 

2005 – Sin City

Here, actor Benicio Del Toro is seen in his role as the corrupt cop Jackie Boy lighting a cigarette in the car. The anime also takes on the typical black-and-white look. 

2019 – Joker

In the original, the Joker dances down the stairs in his red suit and clown makeup with a cigarette in his mouth. In the anime, although Yani is not wearing clown makeup or a suit, the cigarette remains in her mouth. 

2008 – Breaking Bad

In this scene, Walter White is seen rolling a cigarette and licking his rolling paper. Yani does the same here. 

1994 – Léon – The Professional

In this scene, Mathilda is seen with a cigarette in her hand sitting on the balcony railing and swinging her legs. Yani mimics her but drools in the process. 

The references listed here go up to second 12. There have already been numerous allusions, which are somewhat stretched in the following sections. So you don’t have to click back to page 1 to see the opening, we have embedded it on every page again.