Cats - Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat | Fan Animatic

Song belongs to Cats The Musical (1998)
Site: www.raehanim.com
Instagram: / raehanim
Twitter: / raehanim

[@raehanim]

I tried to shove as many song cats and chorus cats as possible in this animatic! I'm not really a pro designer but I'd be very happy if anyone could recognize some of them!! XD

[@almagomez6689]

You were so great at that, I was like: Look! Rum Tum Tugger! Cassandra! Mr. Mistoffelees! (Loved how Mugojerrie and Rumpleteazer were caught). I want a plushie of that version of Old Deuteronomy 🐱

[@raehanim]

@@almagomez6689 omg yeahhh!! You even noticed Cassandra I'm crying!! She's one of my favorites! Her design in the 1998 stage show was soooo good!!!!

[@orionsarrow1025]

I love how this animation follows the story of cats! How he’s sort of showing off his life to Old Deuteronomy^^

[@albertoromero5075]

I hope you do more I like this Cats musical version! 😄👍

[@weirdbunmi]

I know Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are always super easy to spot, but they won't stop being my favorite cats! Loved seeing them caught doing their shenanigans 😹

[@eldritch_izzy]

-Shows up -Skimbleshanks all over the place -Elaborates very much -Leaves A true legend of the railways

[@SetsuTheYena]

This PERFECTLY shows why Cats should be an animated movie. Only animation can fully adapt it, without it looking weird, cause you can actually draw and animate and singing cats and animals. They don’t have to be animals. Someone make the darn Cats: The animated musical and hire this talented person to storyboard it! Awesome job 🎉🎉

[@AniDex]

IIRC Don Bluth had done some characters designs for an animated Cats movie that never happened, and I'm eternally sad. 😭This animatic plus that old concept art 100% PROVES this movie would look so cool animated!

[@scribblemeeps]

I think the reason it was never animated was because its not just a musical but a way to show the dancing and ballet involved in the production, animation is very versatile to animate the dancing, but it would be more impressive to see the real actor dance and sing. Though the 2019 movie tried to do that it didn’t exactly go the way they hoped it would.

[@primalycia]

​@scribblemeeps the actual reason is that the author of the book/poems only agreed to license it out as a musical if it would *not* ever become an animated property.

[@Xkittyloverr1997]

T.S. Elliot actually didn't want it to be a animated film. He denied Disney the rights for that reason. Andrew Lloyd Webber had to fight to be able to make the play.

[@finpin2622]

@@primalyciathat makes sense, but there’s no denying that one of the main draws of the musical is the spectacle involved in the choreography and costuming. Even if it *was* allowed to be made into an animation, I don’t think it would hit audiences the same way, even if it would be cute.

[@FlyingSnake]

How I wish this could be an entire movie, the entire video is pure eyecandy

[@Prototype-357]

Like the animated movie Amblimation was gonna make you mean? Yeah it hurts we got a live action movie adaptation before an animated adaptation.

[@elainazimmerman5105]

I was thinking the same thing. It would have been so cute

[@DeathnoteBB]

@@Prototype-357I mean, given the amount of CGI…

[@lettuse6099]

You mean purr eye candy

[@lordgeneralmilitantdeezy7550]

Skimbleshanks runs a tight train, no Tom foolery allowed no sir

[@raehanim]

asgfhdffghs ahahah Tom, like Tom Hooper? XDD

[@Tusskie]

I had an idea to do cats but with khajiit but that was only a joke idea

[@morticiaaddams7866]

Queen foolery, however..

[@raptirboy180]

More or less

[@roxramsea]

If only this had been the movie we got. I love this SO much. It has so much charm!

[@FaithG-s1f]

We need a remake but with actual cats, animated ones, not humans in cat suits lol. Like the aristocats!

[@EdgarMohorko]

We almost did…courtesy of Don Bluth. But I forgot why it never went anywhere

[@raydgreenwald7788]

@@FaithG-s1for if you really gotta do humanized cats, go the way of Disney’s Robinhood

[@raydgreenwald7788]

@@EdgarMohorkobecause TS Elliot’s widow said no kid cartoons

[@FaithG-s1f]

@@raydgreenwald7788 yes that could work too. Anything would be better lol

[@Kataclysm]

Hooboy; Skimbleshanks is gonna have a hard time passing that keyring later. The terrified looks on Mungojerry and Rumpleteaser's faces are absolutely deserved.

[@ajmalaika1287]

“We’re crazy but this cat’s a freak!”

[@RosesSpindle]

I'm choosing to believe he learned a little sleight of paw from Mistoffelees and it's just hidden in his waistcoat or something, ha ha... ha...

[@sihyunlee4128]

1:29 Tugger pulling a Marilyn Monroe and Mistoffelees blushing in the corner is very precious to me

[@SugaryMoe]

Yeesss! It’s so cuuuute😭💗💗

[@LadyJuse]

I was instantly charmed when Skimble fixed himself up when the carriage arrived. I also like how the name on the door was for TS Elliot.

[@1805movie]

_Cats_ should've been an animated musical (especially if it's hand-drawn). It's true Steven Spielberg originally wanted to produce that version, but things just didn't work out. This video proves that it can be done with enough work around and know how. Excellent Job! I think you have a fantastic future ahead of you.

[@raehanim]

ahh thank you friend that's so flattering!! I hope this animatic leads to more opportunities as well!! 😭

[@annieboookhall]

If anything, the successes of Hazbin and that circus show ( forgetting the name rn) gives me a lot of hope for indie animated projects

[@1805movie]

@@annieboookhall "The Amazing Digital Circus"

[@spinningpeanut]

God I wish amblimation didn't die out. Imagine if we still had them around as they were in the 90s today, making odd films that become cult classics with such quality it just can't be ignored. Such a waste.

[@vickypedia1308]

​​@@annieboookhall an indie animation studio like SpindleHorse or Glitch would never have the kind of money required to buy the adaptation rights of something like this. And if they decided to just adapt it without permission they'd get copyrighted, if not outright sued. However, there's always room for original stories about animated cats. Like Lackadaisy.

[@Haze-xr9rc]

I CAN'T GET OVER HOW CUTE THIS IS like skimble quickly cleaning himself when he sees old deut, his excitement to show the cats every part of the train, his widdle face becoming even cuter when determining that he won't let anything go wrong, smiling at the kittens who fell asleep in the box, RUBBING THE LEGS OF THE CONDUCTOR OH MY GOD HE REALLY LOVES THE RAILWAY WORKERS

[@minkstar9021]

This is the reason the Cats movie should have been 2D animated. Imagine how much visual eye candy we could have gotten if they’d trusted it to talented artists like you instead of uncanny CGI hybrids! Plus the fun sense of rhythm that comes from the pace of this animation could have easily sucked the audience further into the songs! Basically, this video is a better representation of the musical than any single second of the movie❤️

[@josiebianchi3481]

Man really just took everyone straight to the Heavyside Layer huh

[@sepiasnakesigil]

Everyone shut up, I'm experiencing childlike wonder. I loved every second of this.

[@animusdraws210]

now THIS is what a Cats movie should have been

[@invisibleCrystal]

Omg, Cats the musical as actual animated cats! It makes so much sense, how did we not get this?

[@TheHeroWTF]

Because they don't want to pay animators, and people refuse to just accept ai generated garbage in its place; so they go for the next cheapest option...live action. And then blow more money than they would if they'd just hire animators.

[@pencokun]

The sad thing is that we almost did. Before the famous 1998 stage recording, there had been talks about an animated adaptation that was going to be directed by Spielberg himself but the studio that was going to animate it, Amblimation, shut down in 1997 after Balto (1995) flopped at the box office. I'm still sad about it tbh, especially after seeing the beautiful concept art..

[@pteroid11]

@@pencokun Cats screwed over by a dog, art imitates life I suppose

[@BrickBardo9782]

The youtube algorithm showed me this and honestly, im glad it did.

[@VincentMariethe4th]

I was heartbroken when I learned there were plans for Amblimation to make a fully animated adaptation of the musical, until Amblimation shut down due to a string of commercial failures.😭💔 But thankfully indie artists/animators on KZbin exist.💖 I love this so much! I don't think I ever could've come up with better staging for this song than this.

[@ching-jungyang62]

The concept art really look so cool, it’s like The Aristocats mixed with Don Bluth animation.

[@Cheesegoddess]

I LOVE that you have him jumping and leaping about a lot. It’s so in line with the performer who does it too! This was really great and I loved seeing a lot of familiar cats!

[@WhiteSwarm]

I love ALL of this! The part where Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer got jail time cracked me up

[@TrueBuddhaCat]

Dude, this looks great! Frankly this is exactly what a “film adaptation” of Cats should have been

[@javieralbadalejo6354]

This is GORGEOUS! It's painful that Cats never got a proper animated film in the 90s, where it'd shine more, because I feel like, sure you can do this in CGI and probably make it look good, but Cats in animated form calls for some form of stylization.

[@Alfreedom]

Oh my god THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!! I LOVE HOW YOU INTERPRETED EVERYTHING LIKE THE FLYING TRAIN AND AHHHH - also tugger lol that's so silly. Almost teared up at the end when he runs into the actual human conductor lol so sweet!!!

[@raehanim]

ehehehe thank you!! I was hoping someone could point out the Monroe Rugger hahaha XDD

[@siobhannoble8545]

Bravo. This is how I always imagined a Cats movie to look.

[@Dedicatedfollower467]

this is literally the way i have pictured this song since i was about six years old. like literally i owned the broadway filming of the stage production on vhs and every time i watched it i would picture this song with skimbleshanks as a little animated tabby and the old-fashioned railway car and it's literally spot-on. especially love to have the train start flying through space at the key change, it's perfect. i want the whole musical animated like this now.

[@BlackieSootfur]

Im glad im not the only one that yearns for a 2d animated Cats 😭🥹 The fantastical nature of it really lends to the 2d medium!!! The train flying into the sky is my favorite part!!

[@AnnoyingMystery]

This genuinely made me start to tear up because its sooooo good and literally the exact type of scene i’ve always wanted to see for one of my favorite musicals and longtime hyperfixations. Your art and designs for everyone are just perfect and the way the train floated through the sky in a magical/dreamlike way brought the biggest grin to my face.

[@anscerram9816]

Cats is so much better suited for animation, its a crime this hasn't been made a production yet. Thank you for your skill making that very clear. Just wow❤

[@cramerfloro5936]

Ahahaha! This is fantastic! All those background characters and happenings! And then the drift off into space! And then the return to reality, where we see Skimble just being the cat kept by the train conductor. You did so well!

[@Limpurtikles]

One thing I like about this animatic is how it makes you realize how clever the line "Funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in" is. I mean, of course a cat would think it's peculiar that humans need a whole apparatus to wash their face instead of just using their tongue and paws.

[@arisu_6635]

omg crying screaming this is so adorable! I love this whole animatic it's so goddamn cute!!!! I do love the lil details like when the kitten was having a bad dream they were making biskuits with their paws it was very cute! And just the whole thing is so cool i love seeing animatics for cats and this one is so beautiful

[@lydiarupinski9799]

Thank you for reminding us all again why Cats should be a freaking animated movie and not some creepy cgi nightmare.

[@dovefilms]

THIS IS INCREDIBLE??? THIS IS EVERYTHING I WANTED FROM A CATS ADAPTARION. WHEN THE TRAIN FLIES ????? i love this so much im sending this to my friends im obsessed

[@ReallyS0phi3]

DUDE AS SOMEONE PLAYING SKIMBLESHANKS IN CATS THIS MAKES ME SOOOO HAPPY

[@merkitten]

I have never before imagined cats the musical as a disney-esque talking animal movie but by god I was delighted and I wish it actually existed in this format. You really delivered on the premise!!! And I could definitely recognize some of the chorus cats! loved it.

[@ZayniPop_]

I've always adored this song! Skimbleshanks is so cute, you did an incredible job!

[@RadEmme]

Actual tears in my eyes from how sweet and delightful this video was, it’s just so unapologetically childlike 😭😭 I would LOVE to see a whole Cats movie done this way.

[@sondersighs]

I think its obvious, but if the whole show was done like this, A TON of people would adore it! I know I do. Thank you for putting the time and effort to make this, Im taking an animation class and I am realizing that it is not easy, but it is so satisfying

[@FreakDaMIghet]

This is what we could have had if TS Elliot hadn't denied Disney's offer to make a movie out of his poems.

[@ryderdoessomething3890]

Cats is one of those musicals that would go so hard as a animated musical but alas.

[@TheTwilitMiner]

I haven't seen the broadway production, only video essays and scenes from the movie. What. In the HECK. Please continue crafting art that you enjoy. Everyone is so expressive, the characters are so lovely?? It baffles me how one can effectively make background scenes in pieces like this work so well and feel so natural, who is doing what and all in ways that don't detract but add so much for eagle eyed viewers, this was just a treat. I may be parroting but this 100% should be picked up by a group of like-minded folk. Imagine that..

[@TheDrunkenRose]

This just proves that CATS should’ve been an animated film from the very beginning! I would love to see more songs adapted you in future! Let’s show the world how CATS should be seen!

[@hp8167]

Excellent job! I love all the little things like the background cats, the way Skimbleshanks cleans himself up before greeting the posse and his little foot kicks, I especially like how the scene moves around, it makes it feel very animated. I wish we had gotten this version of cats instead of the one that shall not be named. It makes me mourn the vision Steven Spielberg had for a CATS animated movie that never got made.

[@annaliesecancilla894]

I’m absolutely in love with so many of the small details, all the way from the background characters and what they’re doing, to the kitty in the clouds at the end. Honestly this is what Cats should have been.

[@nudgificator]

Well this is adorable. I love the designs for all of them - am I right in thinking that's Cassandra at 0:55, all sleek with no cheek tufts?

[@ValsurPal]

Oh my goodness!!!! This is by far my favourite piece of Cats fanart I’ve ever seen I’m so blown away!!! All the little details and character interactions and personalities that are scattered throughout really show your attention to detail and understanding of these characters and I’m so blow away!!! Not to mention how adorable and gorgeous your art style is I’m just AHHH I’m going to watch this everyday of my life I’m literally in tears (not joking) over how well done this is I adore it so much 😭😭😭🩷🩷🩷!!!!

[@havehope646]

Yessss you just took the words right or of my mouth😊

[@Flowerbarrel]

I love the cats dancing to the beats, especially Skimbleshanks bouncing around to the music, the cats swaying, and the two cats kneading on the bed. So cute! They’re all designed really well and I love the accessories they have. And of course the way they flew into space. Makes me think even more they’re just imagining all the more fantastical things and the humans never know how creative the kitties are.

[@erinhollow773]

This is like the opposite of what some people do with Warrior Cats

[@kendrikkahler7944]

Everything about this is pure perfection! It all looks so cute, and You captured both the energy of the song and characters beautifully with this animatic! Absolutely amazing work!🤩 This further proves that an animated adaption of Cats can work and MUST happen, and you gave us a clear vision for it! This is the type of Cats movie we DESERVE!🥲

[@raehanim]

ahh omg I'm so flattered thank you!! I do hope studios pick up Cats again and give animation another shot😭

[@kendrikkahler7944]

@@raehanim you’re welcome, you deserve it after all your hard work! And yes, I hope so too😭

[@EmilyTheManx]

This is so adorable, I love all of the expressiveness in this, and how they just went off into space at the end. 😂

[@hollum1648]

Cats does not get enough love, THANK YOU for this adorable animatic 🥲

[@BingQilin]

The part where the train rose into the sky filled me with sheer delight oh my GAWD

[@ryanshearer6548]

I don't know much about no Cats, but that's a delightful cat right there.

[@sivvak1426]

This is amazing !!! so charming and the designs are good and it has, idk the word, narrative cohesion? the two cats being put in Cat Jail and trying to get free, the escalation of the song when the train goes into space, it all feels like something that would be in an actual movie! great job w this !!!

[@toddmaccarone5973]

I know not everyone is a fan of Cats (and considering what happened with the movie... *shudders*), but this song- there's no words to describe how top-notch it is! The people who made this didn't need to go this hard, but they did, and it's the highlight of the musical and the movie, too! Bravo!

[@an_apple_a_day]

This is honest to god one of the most beautiful animatics I've ever watched 😭Your talent is actually out of this world

[@magnadraconis7316]

this gives me so much joy, the visuals, the character design, the expressiveness. this is absolutely brilliant

[@GuukanKitsune]

A think that always got me in the musical is that Skimble is one of the RELIABLE cats who takes his duty very seriously. He doesn't shirk, he doesn't goof about. When Macavity shows up in person' Munkustrap, the Protector, is the one who INSTANTLY junps in to fight him off, ues... but in the background you can see Skimble HERDING UP THE KITTENS AND GETTING THEM OUT OF THERE. He prioritized the kitten's safety over even confronting the villain, and in the filmed version he even briefly glares over his shoulder at Macavity as they leave. Then, when they're clear... Skimble is the FIRST cat to show up and back Munkustrap up. Like he got the kittens safe and IMMEDIATELY without a pause turned to go back and help Munkustrap. It is little subtleties like that that make Cats so amazing.

[@LettuceBettuce]

I LOVE SKIMBLESHANKS!! THIS VIDEO IS EVERYTHING I'VE EVER WANTED IM SO HAPPY THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND MAKING THIS!!!!

[@CelestialAgony829]

This is exactly what I pictured in my head when I saw this musical as a kid. This is so magical thank you for sharing it with us🥺

[@NanoCupcakes]

This animatic is absolutely phenominal!! When I tell people I have dreamt of an animated Cats adaptation, THIS is what i'm talking about! I loved the way you animated all the cats, and those setpieces?? The backgrounds?? The little quirks of all the cats in the tribe shining through? Truely, one of the best animatics out there for the Cats fandom!!

[@theobscurelily]

What an absolute treat this was to see! Skimbleshanks was always one of my favs, and I love how much character you gave this song. In love with this!!

[@welldonesteak_with_water]

i am now extremely interested in an animated adaptation of cats. fantastic job

[@EclipseDoesArt]

I love the way the cats move and behave in this, especially the subtle shifts between the front paws being used as paws and being used as hands! It reminds me a lot of Aristocats!

[@amplisfaust314]

Awww skimbleshanks is an absolute cutie! I remember seeing cats at my local theatre with family a few years back. Plus that ending shot with the cloud looking like cat is absolutely marvelous

[@pilferingapples1424]

I love every part of this! The hint of how it's all really a Cat's Eye exaggeration at the end, the Trouble Twins getting caught XD , everything is so fun to watch!

[@fireprometheus4]

this is amazing!! I am kind of obsessed with the transition of the train going into the sky and the whole crash. all the characters are so expressive too! really really well done, I don’t think I’ve ever seen another CATS animatic and I had just the biggest smile on my face watching this!

[@finleyforevermore]

This is absolutely brilliant!!! Cats animatics are so rare, so it's always such a joy and delight to see them! 💖💖 Not to mention this is so imaginative, creative, and fun!

[@maemadl54]

I remember when the cats musical first came out I would listen to the soundtrack and imagine it in an old Disney style. So glad there are people like you to bring the music to life the way it deserves

[@rollerdirvy]

GAHHH THIS IS THE MOST PERFECT ANIMATIC EVER The detail and expression of character-I couldn’t ask for a better storyboard

[@questionablemotivegirl6054]

Absolutely stunning! You really captured all the cats extremely well! I could tell who was who very easily! Great work! :D

[@raehanim]

that makes me so happy thank you so much!!😭

[@questionablemotivegirl6054]

@@raehanim You're so very welcome! You did simply amazing!

[@sorry_gull]

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DARLING!!

[@ladyvixle]

I love how if you know the other cats, you can literally tell who is who just by the way you drew them. Without color and everything! So well done!

[@Vick_Reis]

This is so beautifully perfect, it looks so magical and the characters are so expressive (they look really good on your style)!!!! If we ever have an animated version of Cats I hope it can be this good, this is perfect and I love it >

[@cinderheart8545]

THIS IS ALL I'VE EVER WANTED FROM CATS.

[@KSClaw]

Oh that was so fun

[@vynarellano3686]

The characterization for all the cats is so good! I could identify almost every cat om sight.

[@Izzy-xz3lr]

THIS IS SO INCREDIBLE AHHHHHHHH IM OBSESSED. EXCELLENT WORK

[@dottekip2908]

Bro I’m actually crying that was beautiful. THATS ART AT ITS FINEST!

[@enitenit2791]

STOPPPPP THIS IS SO CUTE

[@harleypowell5274]

This is so sweet and well animated and inventive! Thanks so much for making and posting this animatic!

[@DAv2003]

There is so much personality in every shot of this. Absolutely wonderful work giving the song a visual flair that captures the energy and imagination behind it. I do like the designs for the individual Cats as well and being able to spot who is who.

[@SnotRag05]

This is what i wanted the cats movie to be, ive been maladaptive daydreaming a movie in this style since i was a child!

[@MooseShower]

I’ve always wanted to make a CATS animation but I was never able to make the characters look distinct and personalized. This is so cool and jumpy and I love it!

[@spaceyfireneko]

Your designs are so perfect and the space train was such a good addition 😭

[@DanielGoldhorn]

This is so much fun! I'd watch the whole musical in this style honestly.

[@shineyluna1268]

This is my favorite song from the musical, you did an incredible job

[@RCOLLINS1446]

Love all the abstract imagery!! Feels like the perfect way to have a Cats movie.

[@Nurichiri]

This is a reminder that the original book that Cats was based on were poems for *children*.

[@kesomon]

I need a full length movie in this style omg skimbleeeee

[@Cheycartoongirl8]

This is amazing! Holy shit! I am absolutely blown away! Th different designs in the background cats, the pure imagination, it's all so beautiful!

[@king.everything1562]

this literally made me cry, thank you for doing such a great job

[@dominiqueknight6707]

This captures the delight I felt listening to cats for the first time when I was a little girl

[@TobiasFangorIsntCis]

This is adorable, and has such dynamic choreography!

[@Chill1332]

Dude! I want THIS movie. How adorable! Every moment went perfectly with the song.

[@annikaf9711]

AHH! My favorite number from one of my top 5 favorite musicals! I love this! This is so beautifully animated! Keep up the good work! 😻

[@39ocean]

Why couldn’t the movie have been like this?? This is amazing 🤩🤩

[@havehope646]

Frrrrrr

[@ananonymoushuman8258]

This is adorable. Exactly what it should be. Good job!

[@beccadrawsstuff]

Fantastic!! I love how it manages to be fanciful and magical with the flying train, only to jump back at the very end to show it's still grounded in reality. What a fun trade-off!

[@pixie5481]

This is the best thing I’ve ever seen!! Keep up the good work, this was a delight to watch. 😊👏