Rating: ***
Review Date: 5/19/25
Haru is an ordinary teenage girl who is shy, awkward, airheaded, and clumsy. When she saves a cat from being hit by a car, it surprisingly stands upright and thanks her. That night, the king of the Kingdom Of Cats pays Haru a visit and showers her with gifts for saving his son, Prince Lune. The king also wishes for Haru to marry Lune and become his daughter in law. Confused by the situation, she ends up at the Cat Bureau, where the charming Baron Humbert von Gikkingen agrees to help her. Unfortunately, the cat king kidnaps Haru and takes her to the mystical Cat Kingdom, where she starts transforming into a cat. Baron and his friends, Muta and Toto, have to help Haru escape the Cat Kingdom or she will become a cat forever.
Unlike Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli films, "The Cat Returns" is pure whimsy and lighthearted fantasy. The stakes are never too high and the mood never becomes hopeless or oppressive. Despite Haru's social shortcomings, she has a strong will, a pure heart, and a desire to help people and do the right thing. Unfortunately, as Muta points out, that's what gets her into trouble. Baron is utterly delightful, but not like the other cats in the Cat Kingdom or the real world. In fact, he's a statue from "Whisper Of The Heart" (1995) who magically came to life. No explanation for his sentience is given, other than sheer force of will. Muta is a large and fat white cat, who speaks like a Yakuza thug and has a notorious criminal reputation. But underneath the tough exterior, he's a pretty nice guy.
The animation is wonderful and the cats are great, although they look overly long and creepy when they stand upright. Baron is very suave and debonair, and a perfect hero. The music score is bold and heroic, which enforces the fantasy element and reassures us that everything will be alright. It's a fun and imaginative diversion, although the narrative tends to feel a little too lightweight.