The Cat Returns
2002 · Movie · G · 75 min · ★ 7.1 · 79% critics
A young girl saves a cat from being run over, only for it to turn out to be connected to a mysterious feline royal world. Soon, she’s pulled into a series of strange events, where help comes from fellow cats and she finds herself facing a surprising request.
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Streaming on HBO Max.
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Details
- Original title
- 猫の恩返し
- Years
- 2002
- Release date
- 2002-07-19
- Language
- Japanese
- Rated
- G
- Runtime
- 75 min
- Critic score
- 79/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.1/10 (2,455 votes)
- Box office
- $65,000,000
- Budget
- $20,000,000
About
Choose this if you want a light, offbeat magical journey with quick laughs and plenty of cat kingdom weirdness; Not for you if you need deep emotional development or slow-burn worldbuilding, like in Spirited Away.
Pros: whimsical fantasy charm; brisk, funny adventure; family-friendly wonder | Cons: plot feels rushed; emotional impact uneven; some characters thin
Themes
- chase
- cat
- self-discovery
- maze
- human animal relationship
- prince
- crow
- sequel
- anthropomorphism
- grass
- sword fight
- based on manga
- +15 more
Awards & recognition
- Animation Kobe Theatrical Film Award · 2002
- Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Division Excellence Award
Cast & crew
Chizuru Ikewaki
as Haru Yoshioka (voice)
Yoshihiko Hakamada
as Baron (voice)
Aki Maeda
as Yuki (voice)
Tetsu Watanabe
as Muta (voice)
Yousuke Saito
as Toto (voice)
Takayuki Yamada
as Lune (voice)
Hitomi Sato
as Hiromi (voice)
Kenta Satoi
as Natori (voice)
Mari Hamada
as Natoru (voice)
Kumiko Okae
as Haru's Mother (voice)
Directed by Hiroyuki Morita