7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
Haru-chan, a normal girl in a normal town, saves a strange cat carrying a present from being overrun by a truck. In return she's going to receive lots of favors, including marriage to the crown prince of Cat Kingdom. As she finds that a bit too much, she gets into contact with the Cat Business Office. Together with CBO's owner, the Baron, she enters the Cat Kingdom to try and prevent her marriage.
Starring: Chizuru Ikewaki, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Aki Maeda, Takayuki Yamada, Hitomi SatôForeign | 100% |
Anime | 98% |
Fantasy | 58% |
Family | 58% |
Adventure | 38% |
Animation | 35% |
Comic book | 20% |
Romance | 20% |
Comedy | 17% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The Cat Returns is an interesting entry in the Studio Ghibli canon. What began as a cat-themed animated short (commissioned then unceremoniously cancelled by a Japanese theme park in 1999) soon became a testing ground for Hiroyuki Morita, who wished to graduate from animator (My Neighbors the Yamadas) to director. Working from the defunct theme park short and artist Aoi Hiiragi's corresponding manga ("Baron: The Cat Returns"), Morita developed a detailed 525-page storyboard proposal over nine months that so impressed project supervisor Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki that the fledgling filmmaker was given an opportunity to really prove himself. Miyazaki's "Cat Project" was reborn as a theatrical feature.
A loose fantasy sequel to writer Hayao Miyazaki and director Yoshifumi Kondô's very grounded Whisper of the Heart (1995), The Cat Returns found success at home, topping the Japanese box office and earning quite a bit of acclaim. Yet the film has occasionally been dismissed by international audiences as a lesser effort; its critics grumbling about everything from its comparatively lackluster animation (key word comparatively) to its simplistic story and Miyazaki-lite trappings. Nonsense. No, the film isn't as memorable, poignant or breathtaking as the studio's best, but it has more than enough heart, charm and magical delights to stand proud amongst its more universally praised Ghibli brethren.
The Blu-ray release of The Cat Returns features a solid 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation; the only caveat being the original animation, which doesn't meet the high standards of other Studio Ghibli productions. In many ways, the film resembles an animated television production rather than a theatrical feature, with inconsistent line art and character animation that's, let's be honest, a bit lacking at times. Thankfully, Disney's efforts aren't as vulnerable to criticism. Upon first glance, I suspected noise reduction may have been used in some capacity. The image is almost entirely free of grain and color fills sometimes appear a bit flat and smeared. Closer inspection, though, led me farther and farther away from that initial concern. If noise reduction has been employed, it doesn't appear to have affected detail or background textures in any significant or alarming way. If. Otherwise, there isn't much to complain about. Colors are bright, lovely and accurately saturated, black levels are deep and contrast is satisfying, and the animation is about as crisp and clean as it could be. (Softer shots trace back to the source rather than the encode.) There also isn't any notable artifacting, banding, aliasing or ringing to report. It isn't an extraordinary presentation, but it's remarkable enough to warrant a high score, not to mention it's easily the best home video presentation of the film to date.
The Cat Returns offers two lossless audio options -- Japanese and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks -- and both are commendable. Voices are clear and intelligible (though not always as grounded in the soundscape as I'd prefer), effects are playful and precise, and near-perfect prioritization leaves little to be desired. LFE output is rather restrained on the whole but, when action erupts and chases ensue, it proves its worth. Likewise, rear speaker activity is pleasant but reserved; surrounding the listener with crowds of cats, the clangs of sword fights, the pitter patter of approaching feet during maze escapes, and the crumbling debris of a collapsing tower, but, on other occasions, the film's sound design is front heavy and somewhat two dimensional. The tracks are by no means disappointing, or even average. But they also aren't as consistently immersive as other Ghibli 5.1 surround mixes.
The Cat Returns is a charming film that shouldn't be so quickly dismissed. It isn't Spirited Away, but how many animated movies are? There's real heart here, endearing characters to latch onto, and a strong coming of age tale with plenty to offer children of all ages. Disney's Blu-ray release delivers too, with a solid AV presentation and decent selection of special features. No, The Cat Returns isn't Ghibli's best, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good film. Those who give it a chance will be pleasantly surprised.
平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ / Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko
1994
天空の城ラピュタ / Tenkû no Shiro Rapyuta
1986
借りぐらしのアリエッティ / Kari-gurashi no Arietti
2010
紅の豚 / Kurenai no Buta
1992
ゲド戦記 / Gedo Senki
2006
崖の上のポニョ / Gake no ue no Ponyo
2008
ハウルの動く城 / Hauru no Ugoku Shiro
2004
耳をすませば / Mimi wo Sumaseba
1995
魔女の宅急便 / Majo no Takkyûbin
1989
コクリコ坂から / Kokuriko-zaka Kara
2011
アーヤと魔女 / Āya to Majo
2020
となりのトトロ / Tonari no Totoro
1988
1999
メアリと魔女の花 / Meari to majo no hana
2017
千と千尋の神隠し / Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
2001
かぐや姫の物語 / Kaguya-hime no Monogatari
2013
思い出のマーニー / Omoide no Mânî
2014
Classics
1996
2002-2003
未来のミライ / Mirai no Mirai
2018