Studio Ghibli (Producer) & Morita, H. (Director). (U.S. release May 2, 2003). The Cat Returns. [Animated film]. United States: Viz Media.
UPC 786936268836
•Plot Summary
Haru is like many teenage girls, shy and awkward, and not entirely sure she belongs where she is. Since childhood though, she has had one aspect that made her unusual-she can talk to cats. It begins with the giving of a box of fish-shaped crackers to a starving white kitten, and the film begins with Haru saving another cat as he rolls a box across the street into incoming traffic. What Haru does not realize, is that the cat is a prince, and Lune's father offers his son's hand in marriage. When the courier misinterprets Haru's response for a yes, the King of Cat Kingdom comes to visit her. Although she declines the offer, the King won't take no for an answer, and despite Haru visiting a mysterious cat known as The Baron for aid, she is kidnapped. The Baron and his friends (Toto and Muta), must infiltrate the Kingdom in order to save Haru, who has been turned into a cat since her arrival. She begins to lose pieces of her memories, and almost accepts the offer, but The Baron, Toto, and Muta arrive on the scene. As it happens, Lune does not wish to marry Haru, and is in fact in love with one of the palace servants, Yuki. Yuki has been helping Haru from the first, whispering to her to find The Baron, and was the same kitten that Haru saved that first day with the crackers. Muta is also in disguise, a former adversary of the Kingdom who ate an entire lake of fish in one day, causing mayhem years earlier. The escape is successful, and Haru returns to her human form, finally accepting and liking who she is as a person.
•Critical Evaluation
An amusing, and light-hearted piece of work. Fantastic cast of characters, and wonderful animations. Like most of Miyazaki's films that have been adapted for U.S. watchers, this one includes famous voices (Anne Hathaway as Haru, Cary Elwes as The Baron, Elliot Gould as Toto, and Tim Curry as the Cat King).
•Reader’s Annotation
Suitable for younger views as well, this film is actually a sequel to Whisper of the Heart, which included the characters of The Baron and Muta, though one does not need to see that film to understand this one.
•Information about the author
Hayao Miyazaki was born in Japan, in January of 1941, the second of four boys. He attended Toyotama High School, and graduated from Gakushuin University, with degrees in political science and economics. Many of his scenarios reflect this combination of majors, as they include strong female characters, pacifist politics, and themes of people vs technology.
He is the co-found of Studio Ghibli, an animation studio and production company located in Tokyo. Until Titanic was released in Japan in 1997, his film Princess Mononoke was the highest grossing film in the country, and with it he won Picture of the Year at the Japanese Academy Awards.
Two of his later films, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle were both either won or nominated Japanese Academy Awards as well.
•Genre
DVD, Animated Film
•Curriculum Ties
Art
•Booktalking Ideas
Famous animators, Japanese culture
•Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 6-12/Ages 11-19
•Challenge Issues
N/A
•Why did you include this book in you’re the titles you selected?
Someone in the last class meeting mentioned that Miyazaki films were suggested to her as possibilities for this project. My daughter loves his films, and I had just requested this one via Netflix.
