Every now and then, an animal comes along that’s so cute, it doesn’t even seem real—and this fluffy little creature from Japan might just be the most adorably unreal animal you’ve ever seen.
Wildlife photographer Masato Hokkaido recently captured footage of a Japanese flying squirrel that’s taken the internet by storm after it was shared by Delightful Animals. The clip shows the wide-eyed fluffball peeking straight into the camera, and viewers around the world are absolutely melting over its cartoon-like charm.
With heart-shaped black fur surrounding its huge, glossy eyes and tiny little paws barely visible beneath its round, fuzzy body, this squirrel looks like it wandered straight out of an animated movie. Some commenters even wondered if it was a real animal or an AI creation.
“Why does its nose and mouth look AI or filtered? SO cute!” one viewer commented. Another added, “It looks like AI,” while someone else said, “This is why they imagine Pokémon—because their animals are so g*ddamn cute!”
Despite the disbelief, this little guy is 100% real. Japanese flying squirrels are native to the forests of Japan and have evolved some incredible abilities. Delightful Animals explained that these tiny nocturnal creatures don’t actually fly—they glide. Thanks to a special membrane called a patagium that stretches from their neck to their limbs, they can soar up to 100 meters (328 feet) between trees.
The squirrels use their gliding skills to avoid predators and forage for food under the cover of night. Their enormous eyes help them navigate in the dark, giving them excellent night vision that’s crucial for survival in dense forests.
Delightful Animals captioned the video with the question, “What would you name this little fluffball?” Fans chimed in with suggestions like “Blink” and “Smol,” while others simply couldn’t handle the cuteness overload.
Between its fluffy face, gravity-defying glides, and larger-than-life charm, the Japanese flying squirrel might just be nature’s most adorable illusion—and proof that sometimes, real life really does look like a cartoon.