The Cat Returns: anime review

Title: The Cat Returns
Genre: Fantasy, comedy
Released date: 20 July 2002
Running Time: 75 minutes
Director: Hiroyuki Morita
Animated by: Studio Ghibli
Comment: The Cat Returns was rather an extension of Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart. For those who have seen Whisper of the Heart you’d surely recognize the Baron and Muta (Moon) the fat cat. Haru was a normal high school girl before she was thrown into a magical adventure after she save a cat, later revealed to be the prince, from being hit by a car. She was then taken to the cats’ realm where she was forced to marry the prince. Haru had to find her way home and must save herself from being turned to a cat. Similar to Whisper of the Heart, The Cat Returns was a coming of age anime. It had more surreal settings but had less development, less complexity and less emotional variety. The movie was short and didn’t take itself too seriously. I believe it would be much more appealing to younger viewers. The sound and animation was up to Ghibli’s standard. Conclusion: The Cat Returns had neither significant flaws nor any distinguish quality. The movie was nice, harmless and fun to watch but when compared to Whisper of the Heart it tasted like desserts not the main dish.
Rating: B