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The cat returns
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> “Always believe in yourself. Do this and you will have nothing to fear.”┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊
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Continuing my quest of watching all of the Ghibli movies, I decided to watch “The Cat Returns” as I had recently finished “Whisper of the heart”. The latter film is shaping up to be one of my favorite anime films (but we will see with the test of time) and it had a massive emotional effect on me. Therefore, it goes to say I had high expectations going into “The Cat Returns”. Now, the first thing I will say is that it's nowhere near as emotional as the first film and is barely connected when it comes to plot. I would also recommend watching “Whisper of the heart” first as it's a phenomenal film and will greatly enrich your experience.
Plot: ｡･:*˚:✧｡
“The cat returns” follows Haru as she saves a cat from being hit by a car. Suddenly, this cat is talking to her, which is strange. However, to make the situation even more bizarre he is actually the cat prince and now he wants to repay Haru for her kindness. The catch is that she is now going to have to marry the cat prince. What a mess!
Luckily, a familiar face returns from “Whisper of the heart” as the Baron helps her stop her unwanted wedding in a whimsical adventure.
This film is completely different in its focus narrative compared to Whisper of the heart. It is by no means trying to be as emotional as it is. So, as a stand alone film the story is great as an action packed adventure. I must admit, it was a little bit disappointing to know it's not like the prior film but overall I don't mind. The story was still magical and the action scenes had me on the edge of my seat.
The world building of this cat society is particularly interesting as we are introduced to many ideas and a new place. It can be a little bit jarring as the film is just like “Oh hey, by the way this baron statue can talk.” but I actually like how jarring it is. It almost reminds me of the world building in something like adventure time so you will like this if that was one of your childhood favorites.
7/10
Characters: ｡･:*˚:✧｡
All of the characters in this film are entertaining and interesting. They interact in a way that doesnt make me burst out laughing but makes me smile. I think these interactions are what made me feel so uplifted as I lay on my bed stroking my cat thinking “I wish my cat would talk to me.”
Haru: She is probably the least interesting character. Personally, I sort of saw her as a person I could project onto and imagine myself being sent into this cat heaven. That doesn't mean this is unlikable, on the contrary, I enjoy how in awe she is intrigued about everything around her. I also love how she is almost characterized as a cat as she enjoys sleeping just as much as they do. A nice touch.
The Baron: This is probably my favorite character in the film. He brings a similar atmosphere to the one that Howl brings in “Howels moving castle”. I especially love his motto “Always believe in yourself. Do this and you will have nothing to fear.” It may be a little bit cliche but I love a lot of cliche things. This cliche is one that I love! It's nothing incredibly inspiring but certainly uplifting.
Muta and Toto: I really enjoy the comic relief that these characters bring to the film. The dialogue is something that really made me smile and it's a shame we couldn't see more of Toto.
7.5/10
The score: ｡･:*˚:✧｡
The score to this film is incredibly underrated. Dare I say, it may be my favorite Ghibli score. The music in this film is truly magical and really makes me more engrossed in the whole experience. I especially like the music used during the Waltz between the baron and Haru. There is not much else to say because the numbers speak for themselves:
10/10
The animation: ｡･:*˚:✧｡
This is a highlight of the film just as much as the score is. The animation is bright and smooth. The characters are designed very well but the main event is the backgrounds. I especially love when the light refracts from the Barrons eyes and it looks like the gods are radiating the light from them. A perfect introduction to his character.
9/10
Final thoughts: ｡･:*˚:✧｡
I adore this film, I may be a little bit biased because I also adore cats but nonetheless its a lovely film. As I said it is by no means a replacement for whisper of the heart but if you are passionate about Ghibli i'm sure you will like this film as much as I do.