The Cat Returns

"It's not so bad being a cat, now is it?"

2002 1h 15m JA

👍

7.1

SOLID

🍅

88%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

7.1

IMDB

★7.1TMDB · 2,545🍅88%Rotten Tomatoes●70Metacritic★7.1IMDB · 71,500

AdventureFantasyAnimationDramaFamily

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Young Haru rescues a cat from being run over, but soon learns it's no ordinary feline; it happens to be the Prince of the Cats.

“It's not so bad being a cat, now is it?”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Chizuru Ikewaki
Haru Yoshioka (voice)
Yoshihiko Hakamada
Baron (voice)
Aki Maeda
Yuki (voice)
Tetsu Watanabe
Muta (voice)
Yousuke Saito
Toto (voice)
Takayuki Yamada
Lune (voice)
Hitomi Sato
Hiromi (voice)
Kenta Satoi
Natori (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Hiroyuki Morita
Writers: Reiko Yoshida, Hiroyuki Morita
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 24 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Hiroyuki Morita, shot by Kentaro Takahashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Yuji Nomi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Megumi Uchida shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Chizuru Ikewaki and Yoshihiko Hakamada and Aki Maeda carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "It's not so bad being a cat, now is it?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0347618 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Hiroyuki Morita directs. Kentaro Takahashi behind the camera. Yuji Nomi scores. Megumi Uchida cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 24 years ago.
3Directed by Hiroyuki Morita, shot by Kentaro Takahashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Yuji Nomi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Megumi Uchida shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Chizuru Ikewaki and Yoshihiko Hakamada and Aki Maeda carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "It's not so bad being a cat, now is it?".
8IMDB entry: tt0347618 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 27 themes, including "chase", "cat", "self-discovery", "maze".
10Released under 15 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kentaro Takahashi
Original score: Yuji Nomi
Editing: Megumi Uchida
Sound: Makoto Sumiya
Runtime: 75 min · 1h 15m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $54,016,370
Original language: JA
Certification (US): G
IMDB: The Cat Returns (2002)
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 70/100
IMDB rating: 7.1/10 · 71,500 votes
MPAA: G

Awards

1 nomination total

Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Division Excellence Award
Animation Kobe Theatrical Film Award

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Hiroyuki Morita

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Alunauwie2025-09-30
★ 7/10
The Cat Returns delivers a whimsical and imaginative tale about a girl drawn into a secret feline kingdom, supported by charming animation and a light-hearted tone. While the plot is engaging and accessible, certain character choices and missing narrative details slightly weaken the emotional impact. Still, it remains an enjoyable watch, especially for cat lovers and fans of fantasy adventures. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)

Production companies