Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Baron The Cat Returns by Aoi Hiiragi Baron: The Cat Returns by Aoi Hiiragi. The story is quite complex. Hockey stick wielding girl saves elegant cat (Lune) from being run over and is quite surprised when the well spoken cat turns to thank her for saving his life. She goes to bed that night thinking no more about it, but is woken by cats wailing outside. She is visited by the King of Cats (a hoot as a old blue cat ex-hip shagpile who arrives on a glorious litter with entourage and promises her all the gifts she could ever want for saving his son’s life, Lune, the Prince of Cats, it seems.) Our heroine is quite bemused by this, but kind of accepts it and goes back to bed, hardly even surprised that all the cats walk on their hind legs. She wakes the next morning and figures it was all a strange dream. But no, her best friend calls, thousands of hockey sticks have turned up at school, gift wrapped live mice are stuffed into her locker. It’s real. She really did save the Prince of Cats! She has a parchment from the King that explains all the things they are going to do for her, none of which a young girl could ever want. The King’s Ambassor is alarmed to discover that she isn’t happy with the mice and offers her a diffferent deal. Marriage to the Prince. 'But I’m a girl', she reminds him. But he isn’t listening. It’s set. That night they are coming for her and she will be married off! A hidden still small voice comes to her, as if from nowhere, advises her to go the Cat Bureau and save herself. Find the fat white cat at the crossroads … Well a girl has to do what a girl has to do and she heads for the crossroads… . and after much exploring of her town following the fattest cat in the world, Peter Boyle having much fun with this greedy cat, she finds herself in a wonderful European square in front of the Cat Bureau and the Baron himself, a petite dapper smoothy with keen skills at blending tea. Cary Elwes is brilliant at calm determined force as ever. Can't he be the new Bond? One must not forget the crow either, who bickers endlessly with the Muta the fat white cat. It’s a terrific adventure, filled with wonderfully sardonic, argumentative animals and it’s never cute and or afraid to go down the road of magic realism. It’s consistently inventive and witty. Home © Hackwriters 1999-2020 all rights reserved. Whisper of the Heart. A semi-spin-off film entitled The Cat Returns that focused on a minor character of the film, Baron , was released in 2002. Contents. Shizuku Tsukishima is a 14-year-old student at Mukaihara Junior High School, where she is best friends with Yuko Harada. Living in Tokyo with her parents Asako and Seiya, as well as her older sister Shiho, Shizuku is a bookworm and is keen on writing. During an ordinary evening, she looks through the checkout cards in her library books. She discovers they have all been checked out by Seiji Amasawa. She begins to daydream about this mysterious man who shares her taste in books. Being a curious girl, she aims to find out who this man is. Coincidentally, Shizuku soon encounters an annoying young man, later revealed to be Seiji, who often teases her. Finding a cat riding a train, Shizuku follows it to discover an antique shop run by Shiro Nishi. In the shop is a cat statuette, "The Baron". After Shizuku returns home, she learns from Yuko that Sugimura has inadvertently upset her, as he does not know that Yuko has a crush on him. Sugimura, confused by both Yuko's and Shizuku's anger towards him, confronts Shizuku after school. Shizuku reveals that Yuko is in love with him while Sugimura declares that he has liked Shizuku for a long time. She, however, turns him down. Shizuku returns to the antique shop and encounters Seiji there. She learns that Seiji is actually very nice and they befriend each other. There, Shizuku sings "Take Me Home, Country Roads", a song she has been translating for her school graduation, accompanied by Seiji and Nishi. Seiji is revealed to be the grandson of Nishi. Seiji shares with her his dream of becoming a master luthier. The two begins to secretly slowly fall in love with each other. Days after the two meet, Seiji leaves for Cremona, Italy, for a two-month study with a master violin-maker. Inspired by Seiji's sense of purpose with his life and feeling like she has to live up to him, Shizuku decides to test her talents as well. Discussing with Yuko, she decides to pursue her writing seriously during the two months. She asks Nishi if she can write about The Baron, to which Nishi grants his consent on the condition that he will be the first to read the finished story. Shizuku begins to concoct a fantasy story featuring herself as the female protagonist, the Baron as the male hero who is looking for his lost love, Louise, and the cat she followed from the train (who is, among other names, known as "Moon" and "Muta") as the story's villain who took her from him. Devoting her time to her writing, Shizuku eats snack food, stays up until early in the morning, and her school grades drop. Shizuku argues with her family over her grades, and as she continues to push herself into finishing the story before Seiji returns, she begins to lose heart. When her story is complete, Shizuku delivers the manuscript to Nishi. After Nishi reads Shizuku's writing and gives her his benevolent assessment, she breaks down in tears because she knows that, despite her hard work, her story is not good enough. Consoling her with udon, Nishi reveals to Shizuku that when he studied in Germany in his youth, he found his first love, Louise. They discovered the twin statuettes of the Baron and his female companion in a cafe, but they could only purchase them singly because the female statuette was in repair at that time. Nishi kept the Baron while Louise would hold onto the Baron's companion, and they and the two cat statuettes would reunite at a later time. However, the two lovers and the statues were subsequently separated during World War II and were never reunited. Deciding she wants to attend high school to learn more about writing, Shizuku is returned home by Nishi and announces to her mother that she will return to her entrance exams full-time. The next morning, she discovers Seiji below on his bicycle. He has returned a day early, and decided to finish high school before returning to Cremona to become a luthier. The two youngsters ride Seiji's bike to a lookout and watch the sun rise over the city. While they are there, Seiji professes his love for Shizuku and proposes future marriage, which she happily accepts. Character Original cast Disney English dub cast Shizuku Tsukishima 14-year-old junior high school student who loves books. Yōko Honna Brittany Snow Seiji Amasawa Violin player attending the same school as Shizuku Tsukishima. Issei Takahashi David Gallagher Asako Tsukishima Graduate student and mother of Shizuku and Shiho Tsukishima. Shigeru Muroi Jean Smart Seiya Tsukishima Librarian and father of Shizuku Tsukishima. Takashi Tachibana James Sikking Baron Humbert von Gikkingen Statue from Germany belonging to Shiro Nishi. Shigeru Tsuyuguchi Cary Elwes Shiro Nishi Owner of local antique shop. Keiju Kobayashi Harold Gould Yuko Harada Shizuku's friend at her school. Maiko Kayama Ashley Tisdale Kōsaka-sensei Nurse at Shizuku's school. Minami Takayama Vicki Davis Kinuyo and Nao Shizuku's other school friends. Mayumi Iizuka Mai Chiba Mika Boorem Abigail Mavity Sugimura Yuko's crush and Shizuku's friend. Yoshimi Nakajima Martin Spanjers Shio Tsukishima Shizuku's older sister and a college student. Yorie Yamashita Courtney Thorne-Smith Nishi's musician friends Musicians friends of the owner of local antique shop. Toshio Suzuki and Naohisa Inoue (Kita) Walker Edmiston and (Minami) Corey Burton. High School Students. Jillian Bowen, A.J. Buckley, Erin Chambers, Jacy DeFilippo, Courtnee Draper, Scott McAfee, Aaron Nelms, Ryan O'Donohue, Bradley Pierce, Deanna Russo. Additional Voices. Japanese: Satoru Takahashi, Akiko Sakaguchi, Hiromi Yasuda, Tatsuya Okada, Yoshihiro Imai, Naohisa Inoue, Sugura Egawa, Shiro Kishibe, Mitsuaki Ogawa, Toshio Suzuki English: Jeff Bennett, Doug Burch, Melissa Disney, Judi Durand, Jeff Fischer, Charles Kimbrough, Daamen Krall, Jeremy Maxwell, Paige Pollack, Noreen Reardon, Grace Rolek, Rebecca Wink. Background. Mimi o Sumaseba Manga cover. Whisper of the Heart was based on the manga Mimi o Sumaseba which was originally created by Aoi Hiiragi. The manga was serialized in Shueisha's shōjo manga magazine Ribon between August and November 1989, and a single tankōbon volume was released in February 1990. A second manga by the same author titled Mimi o Sumaseba: Shiawase na Jikan was serialized in Shueisha's Ribon Original in 1995. A spiritual sequel to this film adaption, The Cat Returns , was turned back into a manga by Aoi Hiiragi, under the name Baron: Neko no Danshaku . Production. During production, the backgrounds in the fantasy sequences of the film were drawn by Naohisa Inoue and the woodcut of the imprisoned violin- maker was created by Miyazaki's son Keisuke Miyazaki, a professional engraver. Japanese musical duo Chage and Aska's short music video, titled "On Your Mark", by Studio Ghibli was released along with Whisper of the Heart . Music. The film score of Whisper of the Heart was composed by Yuji Nomi. Various times during the film, Shizuku translates John Denver's song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" to Japanese for her school's chorus club. [2] She also writes her own humorous Japanese version of the song, called "Concrete Road," about her hometown in western Tokyo. The songs were actually translated by producer Toshio Suzuki's daughter Mamiko with Hayao Miyazaki writing supplemental lyrics. These songs play a role at various points in the story. [3] A recording of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", performed by Olivia Newton-John, plays during the film's opening sequence. The song was also performed by Shizuku's voice actress Yoko Honna. Release. Whisper of the Heart was the first Japanese film to use the Dolby Digital sound format. [4] An English dub of this film was released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment on March 7, 2006. [5] Turner Classic Movies televised both the dubbed and subbed versions on January 18, 2006 as part of their month-long celebration of Miyazaki in honor of his birthday, January 5. [6] The English title, Whisper of the Heart , was created by Studio Ghibli and used on several officially licensed "character goods" released around the same time as the film was released in theaters in Japan. The North American Blu-ray was released on May 22, 2012, alongside Castle in the Sky and The Secret World of Arrietty . [7] The Blu-Ray and DVD will be re-issued by GKIDS in 2018. Reception. Whisper of the Heart was the highest-grossing Japanese film on the domestic market in 1995, earning ¥1.85 billion in distribution income. [8] Whisper of the Heart received very positive reviews from film critics. It has an 92% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 reviews. [9] Time Out London included Whisper of the Heart in their Top 50 Animated Film list. [10] It was also included in Film4's Top 25 Animated Film list. [11] On Anime News Network, Michael Toole gave it an overall grade of A-, calling it "beautiful and evocative; a fine tale of adolescent yearning and aspiration." [12] General producer and screenwriter Hayao Miyazaki defended the film's ending, saying that it was his idea. Miyazaki wanted Shizuku and Seiji to "commit to something." [13] Spin-off. Over the course of the film, Shizuku is working on a fantasy novel that revolves around a cat figurine, named The Baron, which she discovers in Mr. Nishi's antique store. In 2002, Studio Ghibli produced a spin-off film The Cat Returns , directed by Hiroyuki Morita and again featuring The Baron in the film. References. ↑ "Yoshifumi Kondou Kondou Yoshifumi". Nausicaa.net . Nausicaa. Retrieved on 14 November 2014. ↑ "“Take Me Home, Country Roads” (Kyarypamyupamyu)". traxionary.com . traxionary. Retrieved on 14 November 2014. ↑ "FAQ // Whisper of the Heart //". Nausicaa.net. Retrieved on March 3, 2011. ↑ "Whisper of the Heart (1995)". canadiancinephile . Canadian Cinephile. Retrieved on 14 November 2014. ↑ "Whisper Of The Heart". Disney Movies . Disney. Retrieved on 14 November 2014. ↑ "Whisper of the Heart". tcm . Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved on 14 November 2014. ↑ "Whisper of the Heart Blu-Ray". Retrieved on 21 April 2012. ↑ "Kako haikyū shūnyū jōi sakuhin 1995-nen" (Japanese) . Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Retrieved on February 8, 2011. ↑ "Whisper of the Heart". Flixster. Retrieved on March 2, 2011. ↑ "Time Out's 50 Greatest Animated Films – Part 3 with Time Out Film — Time Out London". Timeout.com. Retrieved on November 1, 2010. ↑ "Film4's Top 25 Animated Film list". Retrieved on April 8, 2013. ↑ Michael Toole (November 19, 2014). "Whisper of the Heart Blu-Ray + DVD". Retrieved on November 20, 2014. ↑ Cavallaro, Dani (2006). The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki . McFarland & Co., page 119. External links. My Neighbor Totoro : Totoro • Mei Kusakabe • Satsuki Kusakabe • Catbus Kiki's Delivery Service : Kiki • Jiji • Osono • Fukuo • Ursula • Tombo Porco Rosso : Porco Rosso • Madame Gina • Fio Piccolo Princess Mononoke : San • Yakul • Ashitaka • Lady Eboshi • Kiyo • Jigo Spirited Away : Chihiro Ogino • Yubaba • Zeniba • Haku • Lin The Cat Returns : Haru • Toto • Baron Humbert von Gikkingen Howl's Moving Castle : Sophie • The Witch of the Waste • Madam Suliman • Prince Justin • Markl • Howl Tales from Earthsea : Arren • Therru • Ged Ponyo : Ponyo • Sosuke • Fujimoto • Granmamare • Lisa The Secret World of Arrietty : Arrietty • Shō The Wind Rises : Jiro Horikoshi • Naoko Satomi • Giovanni Battista Caproni. The Cat Returns.

The Cat Returns ( 猫の恩返し , Neko no Ongaeshi ? , lit. The Cat's Repayment ) is a Japanese animated film directed by Hiroyuki Morita, produced by Studio Ghibli and theatrically released in Japan in 2002 and United States in 2003. [2] It received an Excellence Prize at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival. Contents. The story follows a girl called Haru, a quiet, shy and unassuming high school student who has a long-suppressed ability to talk to cats. One day she saves a darkly colored, odd-eyed cat from being hit by a truck on a busy road. The cat turns out to be Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom. In return, the cats shower her with gifts of catnip and mice — and then she is offered the Prince's hand in marriage. Her mixed reply is taken as a yes. Immersed in desperation over this unwanted development, Haru hears a kind female voice which tells her to seek out the Cat Bureau. Haru meets Muta, a large white cat the voice told her to seek for directions, who leads her there to meet the Baron, who happens to be a cat figurine given life by the hard work of his artist, and Toto, a stone raven who comes to life much like the Baron. Soon after meeting them, Haru and Muta are taken to the Cat Kingdom by force, leaving Toto and the Baron in the human world to follow the group from the air. The Baron and his feathered friend finally find the entrance to the Cat Kingdom on Earth — five lakes forming a cat's paw. Haru is conducted to a feast at the castle of the Cat Kingdom and she begins to slowly turn into a cat — with tan paws, ears, and whiskers, though still mainly human — so that she will make a suitable bride for the Prince. At the feast, the Baron (in disguise) dances with Haru as part of the entertainment, and reveals to her that the more she loses herself in the kingdom, the more cat-like she will become, and that she has to discover her true self. When the Baron is discovered and is forced to fight off the guards, he and Haru are helped by Yuki, a white female cat who works as a servant in the palace and who had tried to warn Haru to leave the Cat Kingdom before she was taken to the castle. Yuki shows them an escape leading to a tunnel. Haru, the Baron, and Muta's escape leads them through a maze to a tower, which contains a portal back into Haru's world. The King goes through a series of efforts to keep them in the Cat Kingdom long enough for Haru to remain trapped in the form of a cat so that he can still have her as his daughter-in-law, going so far as to actually collapse the tower. Lune and his guards return to the Cat Kingdom to reveal that the King was not acting on his behalf and he has no desire to marry Haru; he has instead planned on proposing to Yuki. Also, Muta is revealed to be a notorious criminal in the Kingdom (having devoured a whole lake of fish in one session), and Yuki as being the strange voice who had advised Haru to go to the Cat Bureau. In her childhood, Haru had saved Yuki from starvation by giving her the fish cookies she was eating, and Yuki has now repaid her kindness. Eventually, Haru, Muta and the Baron escape the Cat Realm, with the aid of Prince Lune and Toto, and Haru discovers her true self and tells the Baron how she has come to feel about him. He tells her he admires her sincerity, but it is left unclear whether he returns her affections. Haru returns to the human world with more confidence in herself; upon learning that her former flame has broken up with his girlfriend, she simply replies, "It doesn't matter anymore". Origin. In 1995, Studio Ghibli released a film titled Whisper of the Heart , based on a manga by Aoi Hiiragi, about a girl writing a fantasy novel. Although the girl's life had no magical elements, short fantasy scenes depicted what the girl was writing about. The Baron was so popular that an indirect sequel was made, featuring the Baron and another girl, this one a highschool student, named Haru. Muta also returned. The Cat Returns began life as the "Cat Project" in 1999. Studio Ghibli received a request from a Japanese theme park to create a 20-minute short starring cats. Hayao Miyazaki wanted three key things to feature in the short — these were the Baron, Muta (Moon), and a mysterious antique shop. Hiiragi was commissioned to create the manga equivalent of the short, which is called Baron: The Cat Returns ( バロン 猫の男爵 , Baron: Neko no Danshaku ? , lit. Baron: the Cat Baron ) and is published in English by Viz Media. The theme park later canceled the project. Miyazaki then took the existing work done by the "Cat Project" and used it as a testing ground for future Ghibli directors — the short was now to be 45 minutes long. In the end, responsibility fell to Hiroyuki Morita, who had started out as an animator in 1999 for the film My Neighbors the Yamadas . Over a nine-month period he translated Hiiragi's Baron story into 525 pages of storyboards for what was to be The Cat Returns . Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki decided to go ahead with a feature-length film based entirely on Morita's storyboard; this was mainly because Haru, the main character had such a real feel to her. [3] It became the second theatrical Studio Ghibli feature to be directed by someone other than Miyazaki or Takahata. Baron: The Cat Returns by Aoi Hiiragi. The Cat Returns DVD Review. Japanese Theatrical Release : July 19, 2002 / Running Time : 75 Minutes / Rating : G. Director : Hiroyuki Morita. English Voice Cast : Anne Hathaway (Haru), Cary Elwes (Baron Humbert von Gikkingen), Peter Boyle (Muta), Elliott Gould (Toto), Andy Richter (Natoru), Rene Auberjonois (Natori), Tim Curry (Cat King), Judy Greer (Yuki), Kristen Bell (Hiromi), Andrew Bevis (Prince Luna), Kristine Sutherland (Haru's Mother), Katia Coe (Little Haru) Japanese Voice Cast : Chizuru Ikewaki (Haru), Yoshihiko Hakamada (Baron), Tetsu Watanabe (Muta), Y�suke Sait� (Toto), Tetsuro Tamba (Cat King), Aki Maeda (Yuki), Mari Hamada (Natoru), Kenta Satoi (Natori), Hiromi Sato (Hiromi), Kumiko Okae (Haru's Mother) Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has been directing animated films for over twenty-five years, but it has mostly been in recent years that the rest of the world has begun to widely discover and embrace his work. Miyazaki's films have been warmly received in his homeland for much of his career and a current string of record-setting box office successes there has helped him gain notoriety and acceptance in the Western world, culminating with a Best Animated Feature Oscar for Spirited Away two years ago. Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli in 1985 with Isao Takahata, the boss he once impressed. Miyazaki ( Princess Mononoke , Kiki's Delivery Service ) and Takahata ( Grave of the Fireflies ) have established themselves as legends in Japan and the two artistic pillars of their studio. But neither of them is at the helm of The Cat Returns , a pleasing little film which marks the directorial debut of Ghibli animator Hiroyuki Morita. Miyazaki did have a hand in the film as executive producer, and it was at his suggestion that brought in two characters from Whisper of the Heart , a 1995 Ghibli film for which Miyazaki penned the screenplay. Miyazaki's input, combined with director Morita's ambitious storyboard work, helped shape The Cat Returns into its final form as a feature film. But, as a fascinating making-of documentary reveals, the project originated as a short film to be made in conjunction with a theme park. The English title The Cat Returns isn't the most sensible, and it could refer to a number of things. Still, while the dapper-looking aristocrat Baron von Gikkingen has the DVD cover and perhaps the title to himself, the film is really about Haru, a teenage girl who doesn't really fit in at her private school. She's a klutz and laughingstock, with a habit at home for oversleeping. That's all that is established when Haru's life takes a drastic change. While walking with her friend, she spots a cat who is seconds away from becoming roadkill. Haru rushes and with the aid of her lacrosse stick, throws the cat to safety. In case that wasn't enough out of the ordinary antics for the day, afterwards, the cat stands up, thanks her, and promises a more proper display of gratitude is in order. Haru is shocked to learn that a furry four-legged creature can talk and that she understands him perfectly. The cat that Haru rescued turns out to be a prince, and her brush with royalty has all of the neighborhood felines bestowing her with a bounty of gifts. The thought behind the thank-you is more meaningful than the presents themselves, as Haru's not exactly thrilled to discover catnip in her garden or dozens of boxed mice in her locker. But the cats are more than grateful, they're outright intrusive. At night, they parade outside her house. Before she even realizes what she's done, Haru is expected at the Kingdom of Cats, where she is supposed to marry the prince whose life she saved. While the idea of escape sounds promising to her, the frightening and persistent cats are a bit much. Fortunately, before she is whisked away, Haru hears a voice directing her to go to the cat bureau. As per her instructions, she meets with a fat white cat who is named Muta. He takes Haru to a hidden town square where waiting at the bureau is the sophisticated Baron. The Baron becomes Haru's only ally as she is immersed into a bizarre world which is at first appealing, but soon horrifying. Calling the shots is the Cat King, an obese fellow whose eyes are different colors and often pointing in opposite directions. The Cat King, who likes to call people "babe", seems to be either disinterested or lazy, but he is rather set on Haru becoming his daughter-in-law. Soon, Haru, the girl who didn't fit in back at home, is transforming into a cat and starting to fit in. The Cat Returns is based on a comic book by Aoi Hiiragi that's translated as "Baron the Cat Baron." In comparison to Miyazaki-directed films, this one is a bit more down-to-earth and less open to interpretation. It doesn't seek to be life-altering or deeply profound, but instead works as a sweet, little story, remaining highly entertaining throughout. Fantasy still plays a prominent role; of course, it'd have to in a world of anthropomorphic cats. But the film remains accessible, charming, and "cool", a word which is often thrown about in the film in ways that it's not so much in contemporary English. There's inspiration to the English voice casting. Anne Hathaway's character Haru is quite a bit like her role in The Princess Diaries , from her clumsy tendencies and single mother to the private school where she doesn't fit in, where there's even a rooftop on which the students play. Cary Elwes plays a dashing, noble hero, a role he seems suited for and one not terribly unlike his most memorable live action performance as the well- intentioned Westley of The Princess Bride . Peter Boyle and Elliott Gould add comedy and charisma as fat cat Muta and Toto the crow, two animal sidekicks who are constantly insulting each other. Tim Curry doesn't sound very recognizable, but he conveys the grouchy Cat King quite well. Without the mysticism that Miyazaki prominently explores, The Cat Returns runs a brisk 75 minutes. It feels neither too short nor too long, but the appropriate length for an appropriately engaging story. Some may be letdown that the film isn't more, but I appreciated its solid simplicity. The Cat Returns isn't an epic, and it's not a thrill ride. It is, however, a well-written film that's more enjoyable than many recent animated movies in America. VIDEO and AUDIO. The Cat Returns is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and has been enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Like Buena Vista's other DVDs of Studio Ghibli movies, the picture is very slightly windowboxed on all four sides. The biggest drawback to the transfer was edge enhancement. There was very minor ringing around character edges and other lines throughout, at times it became more pronounced. Otherwise, this is a pretty picturesque presentation, with a terrific level of detail and an impeccably clean print. The video felt a little bit soft, but it remained consistent throughout, and one never yearns for additional or artificial sharpness. The colors are well rendered, although they look much more subdued in the feature than they do when compared to the vibrant hues seen in the trailers. Overall, you get a pleasantly pristine transfer that you'd expect from such a recent animated film; it only falls short of perfection due to some ringing that only close examination reveals. A Dolby Digital 5.1 track is offered in both the original Japanese and the new English dub. It's not a full-blown action film, so those expecting a very dynamic surround track may be a bit disappointed. But a crisp and robust audio experience is delivered. The audio is effectively engulfing when it aims to be; sound effects are well-mixed and create appropriate atmosphere. Both sets of dialogue sound the way the best digital technology will allow them to, but they're very apt to the various environments. Volume was pretty consistent, with the more active elements of late sequences of the film raising the levels a reasonable amount. The soundtrack does not feature state-of-the-art Hollywood sound design, but it serves the film well and is flawlessly conveyed on DVD. A French dub in 5.1 is also provided. BONUS FEATURES. "Behind the Microphone" is a pretty standard and enjoyable 9-minute featurette on the impressive English voice cast of The Cat Returns . In interviews and recording session clips, we hear from actors Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Peter Boyle, Elliott Gould, Andy Richter, and Tim Curry. They reflect on their characters, the experience of voicing an animated personality, and specifically using the Japanese tracks to guide their performances. "The Making of The Cat Returns " is the standout supplement. This in-depth documentary runs just over 34 minutes and is dubbed in English. It covers the interesting journey it took to get The Cat Returns to film. That journey began in 1999, when a theme park pitched an idea to Studio Ghibli to make a 20-minute short about cats. When Hayao Miyazaki heard about "The Cat Project", he gave some input including the plan to use some elements from Ghibli's 1995 film Whisper of the Heart , most notably the characters of Muta and the Baron. The project evolved into a 45- minute film to break in a new director for the studio. A young animator named Hiroyuki Morita surprised everyone with his storyboard treatment, and his project became destined for theaters. Production is covered, from the recording of the Japanese voices to the soundtrack composed at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. Among those interviewed are Miyazaki, producer Toshio Suzuki, creator Aoi Hiriragi, composer Yuji Nomi, and Ayano Tsuji who wrote and performed the film's credits theme. Under the heading "Trailers & TV Spots", we find six previews for the film. These are presented in letterboxed widescreen and Japanese, with no subtitles, so the only joy they offer to English-speaking viewers is the pleasures of montage and Japanese music. The last three are shortest, and they appear to be TV ads, whereas the first three are longer and presumably theatrical trailers. Altogether, these previews run 4 minutes and 36 seconds long. Only one bonus feature resides on Disc 2. It is the entire movie in storyboard form. You can choose to watch it this way in either English or Japanese, but the storyboards are pretty roughly drawn and I can't imagine you'd be likely to check this out more than once in full, if that. Plus, there are no chapter stops, making it difficult to see how any individual scene was conceptualized. A storyboard-to-film comparison of one scene would probably have greater appeal, but it doesn't make sense to ask for less extras, now does it? While this makes for a light 2-disc set, it's preferable to increasing compression in order to pack on two versions of the film on the same disc (like Beauty and the Beast did). MENUS and PACKAGING. The menus are 16x9 screens which are animated. The Main Menu features Haru and Muta's arrival at the Kingdom of Cats (see the fifth screencap above). The Bonus Features menu (and Disc 2's only menu) showcases the ballroom dance sequence between Haru and the Baron. Some menus aren't animated, but all of them feature a catchy, accordion-heavy excerpt of score. Each two-disc set in this second wave of Buena Vista's Studio Ghibli DVDs is packaged in a standard-width black dual Amaray keepcase and housed inside a cardboard slipcover. Inside the case, a dual-sided insert lists scenes on the front and a picture of all of Disney's Miyazaki DVDs. A six-page fold-out booklet promotes a couple of items of related Miyazaki merchandise and gives you the chance to get either Spirited Away , Kiki's Delivery Service or Castle in the Sky for just $1.99 shipping and handling, if you buy all three of this wave's releases. Skippable previews play at the start of Disc 1 for Bambi , this batch of Studio Ghibli DVDs, and The Incredibles . The Sneak Peeks menu offers these three, plus promos for Spirited Away , Kiki's Delivery Service , and Castle in the Sky . There's surprisingly no trailer for Howl's Moving Castle , Miyazaki's new film which will arrive in US theaters this June. That's a missed marketing opportunity. CLOSING THOUGHTS. Though it's far from a fully loaded set, Disney's DVD release of The Cat Returns treats the film well, with an appropriately-cast English dub, very strong picture and sound, and a couple of enlightening and enjoyable extras. Miyazaki fans should enjoy this charming tale, and so will those who aren't familiar with Studio Ghibli's anime. It's accessible and a solid 75 minutes of entertainment. Disney Movies Featuring the English Voice Cast: The Princess Diaries (Anne Hathaway) � The Last Flight of the Noah Ark (Elliott Gould) Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (Cary Elwes) � The Santa Clause (Peter Boyle) Muppet Treasure Island (Tim Curry) � The Christmas Star (Rene Auberjonois) The Cat Returns. Haru Yoshioka is a quiet and shy high school student who has a suppressed ability to talk with cats. One day, she saves a cat from being hit by a truck on a busy road. The cat she saved turns out to be Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom. As a thanks, the cats give Haru gifts of catnip and mice, and she is offered the Prince's hand in marriage. Her mixed reply is taken as a yes. Wanting none of this, Haru hears a kind, female voice, which tells her to seek Muta, a large white cat and to seek directions for the cat business office from him. Muta leads her there to meet Baron (the same Baron from Whisper of the Heart ), who is a cat figurine given life by the work of his artist, and Toto, a stone raven who comes to life much like the Baron. Soon after meeting them, Haru and Muta are forcefully taken to the Cat Kingdom, leaving Toto and the Baron in the human world to follow the group from the air. The Baron and his crow friend find the entrance to the Cat Kingdom on Earth: Five lakes forming a cat's paw. Haru is treated to a feast at the castle of the Cat Kingdom and she begins to slowly turn into a cat with tan paws, ears, nose, tail, whiskers, and for a second she gets fangs, though still mainly human, so that she will make a suitable bride for the Prince. At the feast, Baron (in disguise) dances with Haru as part of the entertainment, and reveals to her that the more she loses herself in the kingdom, the more cat-like she will become, and that she has to discover her true self. When Baron is discovered and is forced to fight the guards, he and Haru are helped by Yuki, a white female cat who works as a servant in the palace and who had tried to warn Haru to leave the Cat Kingdom before she was taken to the castle. After Yuki shows them an escape tunnel, Haru, the Baron, and Muta move through a maze to a tower, which contains a portal to Haru's world. The King goes through a series of efforts to keep them in the Cat Kingdom long enough for Haru to remain trapped in the form of a cat and have her as his daughter-in-law. Lune and his guards return to the Cat Kingdom to reveal the King was not acting on his behalf and that he has no desire to marry Haru; he has instead planned on proposing to Yuki. Muta is revealed to be a notorious criminal in the Kingdom (having devoured a whole lake of fish in one session), and Yuki as being the strange voice who had advised Haru to go to the Cat Bureau. In her childhood, Haru had saved Yuki from starvation by giving her the fish crackers she was eating, and Yuki has now repaid her kindness. Muta, or as he is known as the infamous criminal Renaldo Moon, tells Haru "I respect a woman who stands up for herself" after she rejects the King's marriage proposal outrightly and proceeds to help her escape from the King's soldiers. Eventually Baron, Haru and Muta escape the realm of cats, with the aid of Prince Lune and Toto, and Haru discovers her true self and tells Baron how she has come to like him. He tells her the doors of the Cat Bureau will be open for her again. Haru returns to the human world with more confidence in herself; after learning from her friend that her former crush has broken up with his girlfriend, she simply replies "it doesn't matter anymore." Character Japanese cast English cast Haru Yoshioka Chizuru Ikewaki Anne Hathaway Baron Humbert von Gikkingen Yoshihiko Hakamada Cary Elwes Muta/Renaldo Moon Tetsu Watanabe Peter Boyle Toto Yosuke Saito Elliott Gould The Cat King Tetsurō Tanba Tim Curry Prince Lune Takayuki Yamada Andrew Bevis Yuki Aki Maeda Judy Greer Natori Kenta Satoi René Auberjonois Natoru Mari Hamada Andy Richter Naoko Yoshioka Kumiko Okae Kristine Sutherland Hiromi Hitomi Satō Kristen Bell. Additional Voices (English) Origin. In 1995, Studio Ghibli released a film entitled Whisper of the Heart , based on a manga by Aoi Hiiragi, of a girl writing a fantasy novel. Although the girl's life had no magical elements, the film featured short fantasy scenes depicting that the girl was writing of the Baron, a character of her novel, which were so popular that an indirect sequel was made, featuring the Baron and another girl, a high school student, named Haru. Muta also returned. The Cat Returns began as the "Cat Project" in 1999. Studio Ghibli received a request from a Japanese theme park to create a 20-minute short starring cats. Hayao Miyazaki wanted three key elements to feature in the short — these were the Baron, Muta (Moon) and a mysterious antique shop. Hiiragi was commissioned to create the manga equivalent of the short, which is called Baron: The Cat Returns (バロン 猫の男爵 Baron: Neko no Danshaku , lit. Baron: The Cat Baron ) and is published in English by Viz Media. The theme park later canceled the project. Miyazaki then took the existing work done by the "Cat Project" and used it as testing for future Ghibli directors — the short was now to be 45 minutes long. Responsibility was given to Hiroyuki Morita, who had started as an animator in 1999 for the film My Neighbors the Yamadas . Over a nine-month period he translated Hiiragi's Baron story into 525 pages of storyboards for what was to be The Cat Returns . Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki decided to produce a feature-length film based entirely on Morita's storyboard; this was partly because Haru, the main character, had a "believable feel to her". It became the second theatrical (third overall) Studio Ghibli feature to be directed by someone other than Miyazaki or Takahata. Manga. Baron: The Cat Returns is a 2002 Japanese adventure fantasy manga written by Aoi Hiiragi and published by Tokuma Shoten and Viz Media. Release. Box office. The film was the highest-grossing domestic film at the Japanese box office in 2002 and the 7th highest-grossing film of the year overall. As of January 5, 2015, it is the 86th highest-grossing film in Japan, with ¥6.46 billion. Critical reception. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 90% among 20 critics, with an average rating of 6.9/10. Michael Booth of The Denver Post noted that "[Director] Morita has a slightly cruder, more realistic sense of the world and its looniness than does Miyazaki, and you can see where The Cat Returns moves on a different track even as it pays homage to Japan's current animation master."Template:Studio Ghibli.