The Cat Returns is a Japanese movie produced by Studio Ghibli thanks to the direction of Hiroyuki Morita. The film came out in 2002 and tells the story of a high school girl named Haru Yoshioka who hates her life, only to end up in the world created by Aladdin which surrounds cats. Al Kazutsumi wrote the story based on his manga, Baron: The Cat Returns, and is considered a spiritual sequel to another Ghibli film titled Whisper of the Heart from 1995 which featured a character Baron. On the contrary to Whisper of the Heart that is realistic, The Cat Returns tells a completely different story by showing a world full of talking cats, cats with superpowers and adventure quests.
The narrative opens with a portrayal of Haru as a passive and average high school girl, which surprisingly is quite compatible with her unexceptional existence. She lacks confidence and usually feels awkward and insecure. Her life takes a dramatic change when she comes to the aid of a cat with an odd appearance who is trying to cross the street with a parcel in his mouth and is likely to be run over by a truck. To Haru’s surprise, the cat who turned out to be a prince, Lune, stood on his hind legs, bowed, and expressed his gratitude for her courage. As the events develop, Haru gathers cats led by the Cat King’s servants who tell her that she deserves thanks from the entire Cat Kingdom for her invaluable services and for that she will be treated accordingly. As the story develops, she engages in activities that turn out to be more of a source of disturbance rather than joy. For instance, she is pestered with a lot of undesired gifts including narcotic catnip, pipes she is too weak to smoke, numerous cats, and in conclusion she finds herself engaged to fight an attack from cats, seeking to make her son, prince Lune, capture her and marry him.
Feeling utterly confused and disheartened with the ridiculousness of the events unfolding around her, Haru is suddenly told by a voice inside her that she should contact the Cat Bureau for assistance. In the end, she does locate the Bureau and includes Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, who is graceful and handsome (the same dapper cat statue featured in Whisper of the Heart), Muta, a large and coarse cat whose heart is made of marshmallows, and Toto, a chattering crow for whom ‘silence’ is not an option. Baron steps in to help Haru avoid the unwanted marriage proposal and helps her overcome the adversities of her life in the Cat Kingdom.
All those plans, however great they may sound, fail in the end as Haru is sent to the Cat Kingdom, which leads to the eventual adoption of Haru’s physical features that resemble those of a cat. In so doing, Haru is rendered mired within a sphere where she is powerless to shape the circumstances around her ever again. Some of the things however, make her change enjoyable at first, but the attempt soon turns into a nightmare as she begins to comprehend the extent of loss regarding her control over her own body. The Baron, Muta and Toto clothed the Cat King as they were further stealthily traveling into the kingdom in an effort to recover the straying Haru before she is permanently transformed.
Haro is aided by the baron in a dynamic whirlwind with the Cat King where barcode successfully uses his charm to rescue Haru and get along with her. Haru, with the combination of guts, will and faith in her new friends, is able to finally bring herself to be assertive. By the end of the story, she has escaped from the kingdom, transformed back into a human, and returned to her world, assertive and self-assured.
YWAs the events of the movie unfold, Haru’s forgiving nature and loss of self, earned from the Cat forgiving map, seems to get transformed, with the marriage of the king, a bold and assertive personality seems to emerge. By the end, she steps back into her own life, now different, more confident, firm, and ready for action.
Cast & Crew
As one of the inseparable ‘family threads’ in the film’s plot The Cat Returns, the cast and crew polished its beauty making it a favourite.
Director:
Hiroyuki Morita: Hiroshi Morita, in the film, portrays as a new director in the Ghibli family. Heimburg was able to give the film a humorous and fantastical inclination; with which The Cat Returns imprinted himself in the hearts of the spectators.
Producer:
Toshio Suzuki: Being an associate of Studio Ghibli, he played an important role in the work of the film ‘The Cat Returns’ and managed the production of the film, which followed Ghibli’s narrative and production values.
Screenplay:
Reiko Yoshida: It was Yoshida’s translation of Aoi Hiiragi’s manga that gave the film its unique voice. She interspaced comedy, adventure and touching moments that children as well as grown-ups would enjoy, all of which he reflected in Haru as a person.
Main Cast (Japanese and English Voice Actors):
Haru Yoshioka: The lead character is voiced by Chizuru Ikewaki (Japanese) and the Anne Hathaway (English) Haru is the central character who shifts from inflexible and weak high school girl to a strong and confident young lady. Both Ikewaki and Hathaway warmed the role of the character so that the audience can sympathize with Haru’s quest.
Baron Humbert von Gikkingen: The Baron has been brought to life from a cat figurine. His voice is being performed by Yoshihiko Hakamada (Japanese) and Cary Elwes (English). Relevant and sophisticated and poised voice delivery was emphasized by the voice actors towards Baron who is honorable and loyal, prompting Ghibli’s most prominent character.
Muta: His character is performed by Tetsu Watanabe (in Japanese) and is portrayed in English by Peter Boyle. He is a grumpy companion but loyal to Haru. Having a straightforward manner of doing things helped out and balanced out the well-mannered baron maintained.
The Cat King: As voiced by Tetsurō Tamba, the character is translated into English by Tim Curry and Muta was the one to have Lee pushed around. Certainly a flamboyant and slightly menacing figure who creates many of the obstacles Haru has to face. In particular, in the English version Curry highlighted the King as an overly eccentric character.
Prince Lune: Haru was voiced by Takayuki Yamada (in Japanese) and Andrew Bevis in English. Prince Lune is the son of the cat king whose appreciation Haru gained is what leads her on this adventure.
IMDb Ratings
The Cat Returns has received 7.2/10 on IMDb which does not come as a surprise due to the overall positive reviews. Critics were particularly impressed with the unique storyline, funny moments, and creativity present in the film. There was a trend in both audiences and critics who did not complain about the gunnies and anomynes’ light touch in the See Your Mother Saw Us film as well as about animation – pretty typical for Ghibli studios. The wonderful atmosphere of Cat Kingdom was created by smooth animation and bright colors, special attention to details was never spoiled.
Although some of the critics pointed out how The Cat Returns does not have the same depth and intricacy as some renowned Ghibli films like Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro, some also accepted that it was something new as it had a much more relaxed focus on fantasy adventure. It is a nice and straightforward film with a time length of 75 minutes, hence making it a great American entry in Ghibli’s portfolio suitable for kids or anyone who does not want an in-depth story.
The fans also emphasize the coming of age aspect of Haru and how the film features themes of self-love and self-identity. Haru’s adventure, although it is full of fantasy, can be understood by all age groups especially those who have lost faith in themselves or feel like they don’t belong. The combination of the imagination with the ending themes is brilliant for the audience. Furthermore, the movie’s characters, especially Baron, Muta and the weird Cat King, have also attracted a lot of audiences and Baron is noted for being timeless and wise.
Conclusion
As one of the Ghibli films, The Cat Returns will always capture hearts for it is a witty, engaging story that encapsulates magic, laughter, and self-advocacy. While it may lack the heavy intellectual or environmental arguments that other Ghibli movies possess, the tale presents a new perspective on what it means to grow up — and to be strong from within. Haru has not only been through an adventure in the Cat Kingdom, but it is also a journey within hers – that of a beautiful fantasied exploration of herself. The characters that surrounds her including the Baron, Muta, and Toto characteristic of Haru’s determination to flee the Cat Kingdom paints a picture of her grappling with insecurity and in the end finding solace within herself. An inspiration to all, the film is a remarkable tale for anyone who has ever dealt with the feeling of alienation.
The film has a dedicated fanbase and has the accolades so it comes as no surprise that The Cat Returns is a great cinematic experience that showcases true feelings of awe – the power to be yourself and everything about that. Even younger generations are able to appreciate the films and its characters, evigan aparalel universes in time. Inescapable – the popularity of the film across cultures and generations is evidence of its heartwarming factors.
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