The Cat Returns Reviews

Okay, first of all—why did they make the cat so attractive? 💀 And no, I don’t mean physically, but the voice, the confidence, the charm—why does Studio Ghibli keep making non-human characters oddly compelling love interests? They did it with Haku in Spirited Away, and they’ve done it again with the Baron here. I know I’m not alone in this. That said, onto the actual review: The Cat Returns was a light, whimsical watch, and while it didn’t quite reach the emotional depth or narrative richness of Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro, it still stood on its own as a charming and cozy adventure. It doesn’t try to be profound—and honestly, it doesn’t need to be. There’s something refreshing about a film that leans into the absurd and embraces a kind of dreamlike humor without over-explaining itself. As a cat lover, I found myself saying “aww” every few minutes, completely taken by the animation and the cat kingdom’s quirky charm. Haru, the protagonist, felt incredibly relatable—especially her offhand thought about becoming a cat to escape the stress of daily life. The way she casually accepted the idea of being rewarded without trying to be overly modest? So real. And I appreciated her growth over the course of the film. By the end, she was noticeably more grounded and self-assured, which added an emotional weight to what is otherwise a pretty breezy story. One part that lingered with me, though, was the quiet sadness of her dynamic with Muta (Fatso). The way she didn’t seem to fully acknowledge him at the end felt like one of those unspoken shifts—from connection to distance—that hit harder than expected. From friends to strangers is wild, and kind of melancholic. Of course, the animation was beautiful, as expected from Studio Ghibli, and the voice acting—particularly in the English dub—was excellent. The film balances whimsy with just enough emotional depth to make it feel memorable, and I can see it being a comforting rewatch for many.