Lily C.A.T.

In 1987, the Japanese cosmic horror anime *Lily C.A.T.* was released, written and directed by Hisayuki Toriumi. The film’s monster designs were created by Yoshitaka Amano, while Yasuomi Umetsu handled the character designs. An English version was produced by Carl Macek and distributed by Streamline Pictures; after that company closed, Discotek Media acquired the distribution rights. The story draws heavy inspiration from Ridley Scott’s *Alien* and John Carpenter’s *The Thing*.

Set in the 23rd century, corporations survey distant planets for mining rights. The Syncam Corporation charters the deep-space cruiser *Saldes* to transport surveyors to a new planet. The passengers include Jiro Takagi (Japanese division), Dick Berry (Australian division), the president’s daughter Nancy, Farrah Van Dorothy, Morgan W. Scott, Jimmy, and Dr. Harris Mead. The crew consists of Captain Mike Hamilton, subordinates Dular, Walt, and Carolyn, and mechanics Guy and Watts. Nancy brings her cat, Lily. The ship allows passengers to enter hypersleep for 20 years while aging only one month biologically.

During the voyage, the ship’s computer detects debris and collects a sample, releasing extraterrestrial matter into the ship while everyone is in cryogenic sleep. Upon waking, the crew discovers two surveyors are impostors, but a greater problem emerges when Morgan dies from a mysterious infection. Dr. Mead, Lily, Guy, and Watts also die from what seems to be a bacterial infection that dissolves bodies but leaves clothes intact. Berry tries to identify the impostors by checking backgrounds.

The bacteria evolves into a hostile life-form that mimics human victims, killing Dorothy in sickbay. An unknown entity overruns the computer controls, killing Dular and Walt. In sickbay, Jiro and Berry are revealed as the impostors: Jiro is a medical student who murdered three drug dealers he blamed for his sister’s overdose, and Berry is a detective pursuing him. Berry handcuffs Jiro, but Hamilton warns that decades have passed, so no one cares about bringing Jiro to justice.

Hamilton explains that decades in cryo suspension have made him 240 years old; Carolyn is 141, and his crew ranged from 150 to 200. After missions, he returned home to find family and friends aged or dead. His own son, whom he last saw as a baby, was now older than him.