As you may have comprehended from my previous opinions on Studio Ghibli movies, I am a huge fan of anime, or Studio Ghibli in particular. Once again, I watched a Studio Ghibli movie and I am here to share my opinion with you. This time, however, it might be a little different from what you were expecting.
The Cat Returns was a movie that I was reluctant to watch. Don’t get me wrong; I love cats (Though I do not have any) and I do love returns, but I had a feeling that this movie might be a little different since animals are directly involved in the plot. And that can sometimes be problematic as watching a movie completely about animals can be boring at times. Yes, funny, yet boring. Then I realized… Those animal movies belong to Hollywood. This is not Hollywood. This is Studio Ghibli. And so I watched.
Well, my theory was partially correct.
Before I assess certain aspects of the movie, I would first like to familiarize you with the plot. The story is about the a girl named Haru – a young, shy, high school student who is kind to cats. Unfortunately, this kindness leads to some major problems. One day, Haru saves a cat from being overrun by a truck. This cat turns out to be Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom. In return for this good deed, Haru is given gifts by the cats, including mice and catnip, which cause her some trouble. Later, Haru is asked to marry Prince Lune. The cats take her confused and vague reply as a yes, and make preparations to take her to the Cat Kingdom and wed her to the Prince. Haru then decides to go to the Cat Business Office to gain help to solve her issues.
The name of the movie can be quite confusing as there is nothing about a cat returning somewhere. Actually, the Japanese name of this film is Neko no Ongaeshi, which means The Cat’s Repayment. This makes better sense as it refers to how the cats decided to repay Haru for her actions. Since I did not know this while I watched the movie, I was puzzled. However, this is insignificant as my opinion of the movie would have remained the same.
Let us begin with plot. Unlike other Ghibli movies, this one was comparatively short at about 80 minutes. Usually, it takes about a 100 minutes to deliver a fully satisfying experience. Due to this short time, I felt as if the movie was rushing a bit. There wasn’t enough time to immerse myself in the story or the environment, which by the way, was not very satisfying. The first half of the film was set in the city, while the second half in the Cat Kingdom. Since city life is nothing new, there was hardly anything fascinating there. I could relate to high-school and the life of the student, but I was expecting a greater emotional experience. When Haru goes into the Cat Kingdom, we see a little about the lifestyle of the cats there. But then again, the movie could have shown a lot more. We briefly see the houses and only a little part of the palace. This isn’t like Studio Ghibli, which normally gives the viewers a lot of visual pleasure with creative, immersing environments. A lot of work could have been put into the world to make it better.
The art style on the other hand, was of mixed proportions. At times, it was great and detailed, while at other times, I felt it lacked specialty. For example, Haru’s character design is very well done, but some of the cats could have used a little ‘brushing up’. Then again, they were cats and not much can be done about their features. But that is what I meant by animal movies being problematic. I don’t mean to say that all the cats were poorly drawn though. The King looked quite good and his expressions were great. I enjoyed his part in the film due to his movements, design and flow of expressions. But I still feel that both the plot and art style could have been greatly improved.
Another complaint I had with the film was that it had a weak soundtrack. In fact, none of the tunes caught my attention, which is quite a shame as I’m always searching for good music in a film. In my last opinion (Castle in the Sky) I had noted that the soundtrack was not great, yet it was still good enough. ‘The Cat Returns’ fails in that area.
This was a new experience for me. As a Studio Ghibli movie, I mean. Every other Ghibli movie I watched was emotionally moving, either directly or indirectly and had a good soundtrack. And none of them had city life. ‘The Cat Returns’, however, was different. As I already said, half the movie was set in the city. I don’t feel the need to elaborate on that, as you may have already envisioned it. As for the emotional part… I was disappointed. But that disappointment was abated by the humour that was packed in this movie. Yes, instead of triggering emotions inside of you, this movie gives you a few laughs. All in all, this was a very carefree film. It was funny, comparatively short and fast, without a very deep story. I don’t know if this is counted as emotionally moving, but I did like the part in the very end of the film, which shows Haru as a changed person. Maybe it was… inspiring? I can’t seem to find the right word for it, but most Studio Ghibli movies have me feeling that way in the end. Even then, this one had a smaller effect.
It was also very predictable. Right after the cats assumed that Haru agreed to marry the Prince, and she goes looking for the Cat Business Office, I predicted how the rest of the movie would turn out. Surprise, surprise, my prediction turned out to be correct. Usually, I expect some twists and turns, or a simple story with no clear ending. I don’t like being able to read the future halfway through the film.
Overall, the film was good. By good, I mean a 6.5/10. If I were to rate the movies in my previous opinions, I would give them an 8.5 or a 9. The Cat Returns does not feel like a Studio Ghibli movie. It lacks serious emotion, the story is easy to foretell and the soundtrack is flimsy. But at the same time, the film is quite funny and gives you a few good laughs or a some chuckles here and there. There is a lack of insight into the Cat Kingdom, but what little detail there is, is good.
If you’re expecting a proper Ghibli movie, do not watch this. It might not be the experience you are looking for. Instead, watch this while telling yourself that it’s just another random anime movie you picked up.