Anime Review - The Cat Returns (Neko no onagaeshi)
Check in reality at the door
From the studios of Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of Spirited Away, this is another film about the fantastical adventures of a young girl who discovers a world beyond her own. This particular story, directed by Hiroyuki Morita, is based on a sequel to Aoi Hiiragi’s manga Whisper of the Heart (Mimi wo sumaseba), which was adapted into a Studio Ghibli film of the same name.
Our heroine in this particular story is Haru, a teenager with a secret ability to talk to cats. One day, she saves a cat from being run over, later discovering he is the prince of the Cat Kingdom. In thanks for rescuing the heir to the throne, the kingdom’s inhabitants bring her an abundance of presents, including mice and cattail plants, as well as the offer of the prince’s hand in marriage. To stem the tide of gifts, as well as rebuff the prince’s offer of marriage, Haru recruits some unlikely characters to help her – the Baron, a cat statue that comes to life; Muta, a large, fat white cat; and Toto, a crow gargoyle.
Despite the strange and slightly surreal aspects of the plot, the story boils down to a simple tale of a girl trying to find herself. This is also reflected in the animation, soundtrack and characterisation. The quality of the animation differs from other recent anime, with less of the 3D fast-moving sequences we saw in Spirited Away and more of a basic feel, lacking extensive detail on the drawings of the characters and fancy special effects. This is also echoed in the soundtrack, with light and pleasant music to play in the background as an accompaniment to the action. There are some graphically-impressive scenes, such as when the figurine of the Baron comes to life in a glittering array of lights, though Muta, while reading a newspaper, punctures this humorously: “Cut the theatrics and just come out!” However, these SFX scenes are few and far between.
The characters too are fairly simple. Haru, voiced by Chizuru Ikewaki in the original Japanese and Anne Hathaway in the English dub, is a kind-hearted teenage girl confused about her own sense of identity. Despite his cat-statue form, Baron, voiced by Yoshihiko Hakamada and Cary Elwes (reprising his role from Whisper of the Heart), is your typical enigmatic, brave and handsome hero. The biggest laughs in the film come from Muta (Tetsu Wantanabe and Peter Boyle), your comic relief in the form of a grumpy and fat cat with a bottomless pit for a stomach.
This is not to say that the simplicity of the film is a bad thing – rather, it works in its advantage. The sweet, if slightly odd, story wins over its audience with its charm, making it accessible and appealing for younger people as well as providing a comforting and child-like assurance for those of an older generation. Sure, there are a few discrepancies in the plot, the graphics aren’t that complex and what you see is what you get with the characters, but the film is nonetheless a touching and humorous experience that leaves you with a smile. It may not be the best anime film you ever see, but it certainly has an appeal in its own simple way.
