The Cat Returns

The Cat Returns (Neko no Ongaeshi) is a 2002 Japanese animated family drama film directed by Hiroyuki Morita of Studio Ghibli, a spin-off of Whisper of the Heart. From the creators of the Academy Award® winning SPIRITED AWAY (Best Animated Feature Film, 2002) comes the visually stunning THE CAT RETURNS, a spectacular animated journey to a world of magic and adventure. Haru, a schoolgirl bored by her ordinary routine, saves the life of an unusual cat, and suddenly her world is transformed beyond anything she ever imagined. The Cat King rewards her good deed with a flurry of presents, including a very shocking proposal of marriage to his son! Haru embarks on an unexpected journey to the Kingdom of Cats where her eyes are opened to a whole other world and her destiny is uncertain. To change her fate, she'll need to learn to believe in herself and appreciate her everyday life. Featuring the sensational voice talents of Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Tim Curry, and Elliot Gould, THE CAT RETURNS is a magical animated adventure that will delight and inspire everyone. From the Studio Ghibli Collection. Special Features Alternative angle storyboards The making of THE CAT RETURNS Behind the microphone Original Japanese theatrical trailers Original Japanese TV spots U.S. theatrical trailer The Cat Returns Reviews “Another enjoyable fantasy adventure from Studio Ghibli.” Time Out “Computer animation may have taken Hollywood by storm, but traditional line-drawn toonery is alive and kicking in Japan thanks to anime giant Studio Ghibli. Their latest effort about a teenager's dre­amlike visit to a feline kingdom can't quite match the invention of 2003 Oscar-winner Spirited Away. But The Cat Returns is still an enchanting, magical fable with a twisted vein of surrealism that makes you wonder exactly what they're smoking over there in the Land of the Rising Sun…” BBC “Catchy entertainment for kids and adults…” Variety “..not in the class of Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, yet makes the Pokemon movies look like primary school dabblings. Haru is an ordinary schoolgirl, living with her absent-minded, over-stressed mother, who saves a cat from being run over in the street. It turns out that this blue-blooded moggie is the heir to the King of the Cats (ref: Ozzy), who, quite naturally, wants to reward his son's saviour…In this sophisticated, computer generated, Pixar-led world of modern animation, The Cat Returns looks like a relic from the period of hand-crafted slave drawings, but where it grows and grows, like Jack's bean, is in the realm of the imagination. Charm as innocent, vibrant and entertaining as this cannot be constructed electronically; it lives and breathes in the spirit of its creators.” EyeforFilm.co.uk