The Cat Returns Anime Review

The Cat Returns

Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Disney)
Movie - 75 mins. - 2 discs
$29.99 (2005)
ISBN 786936268836
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Hiroyuki Morita
Studio - Studio Ghibli

Synopsis: Haru is a typical high school girl who likes to sleep in late and has a crush on a popular boy.  She is an awkward teenager cruising through life without any real drive or purpose.  Her life changes one day when she saves a cat from being run down in the street.  The cat turns to her after the miraculous rescue and says "Thank you".  Speechless at what she has seen, Haru goes home and attempts to brush off the bizarre encounter.

Haru performs a daring rescue of a cat

In the middle of the night she is visited by a strange procession of cats and the even-stranger Cat King.  He thanks her for saving his only son and says she will receive a succession of gifts.  The next day she awakes to a field of catnip and her locker is filled with mice at school.  The gifts of the Cat King are driving her crazy, but the biggest revelation is yet to come - she is going to be married off to the Cat King's son! 

Haru meets the Cat King - I love the tuxedo cats as the King's 'secret
service' agents

Haru has nowhere to turn except the Cat Bureau where she befriends the Baron (a living cat figurine) and Muta (an obese, but very strong cat).  The wedding day draws near and Haru is whisked away to the Cat Kingdom - can her new friends rescue her?

Haru enlists the help of Muta and the Baron

Pros: Great animation and backgrounds, charming story with some humor and excitement, nice bonus features including dub cast interviews and making of featurette

Cons: Dub scripting has a few dud lines (mostly for the Cat King and Haru) and Anne Hathaway's performance is just okay, film is short at 75 minutes, subtitles are based on the English dub and not the original Japanese audio (i.e. 'dubtitles')

I don't know why, but I bet the Cat Kingdom is nearby

Mike Tells It Straight: The Cat Returns is not quite a sequel to Whisper of the Heart, another film by Studio Ghibli, although it brings back two characters from that feature - Baron Von Gikkingen and Muta (who were both shown in fictional scenes based on the main character's writings).  The director of Whisper of the Heart, Yoshifumi Kondo, passed away a few years after the release of that film and The Cat Returns was given to Hiroyuki Morita as his directorial debut.  It remains one of the few films not directed by Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata

Haru and Muta on the outskirts of the Cat Kingdom

This film is a charming addition to the Studio Ghibli works, but not one of their best efforts.  The comparatively short duration and use of a rookie director seem to be the cause of this shortfall.  The animation quality is very nice with all the lush backgrounds the studio is known.  I would have preferred a longer feature allowing the characters to develop further and the Cat Kingdom could have been explored. 

How would you like this guy as your father-in-law?  Snarf!

My biggest gripe is the dub scripting and voice actors - several lines were butchered and ended up sounding off.  Anne Hathaway's performance was so-so.  The subtitles weren't based on the original Japanese, but instead the English dub (i.e. 'dubtitles') which made watching in original language inaccurate. 

My two-year-old loves this film and it's easily an all-ages favorite, especially for those who love cats.  Overall I would recommend watching the movie, but perhaps not purchasing it unless you find it more than passably interesting.

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Macross Plus Anime Review

Macross Plus

Manga Entertainment
Complete Collection - 2 discs
180 mins. - 4 episodes
$39.98 (2005)
$29.95 (1999) Pts 1+2
$29.95 (1999) Pts 3+4
ISBN 013138200693
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Shoji Kawamori/Shinichiro Watanabe
Studio - Triangle Staff

Synopsis: It's the year 2040 and humanity has spread across the galaxy in the three decades since their first interstellar war with the Zentraedi.  On the planet Eden the U.N. Spacy is developing a new generation of valkyrie fighters to replace the VF-11 Thunderbolt. 

Kinda says it all, huh?

In deep space the reckless, but incredibly talented pilot Isamu Dyson is reassigned to planet Eden as the new test pilot for the YF-19 advanced variable fighter.  He's originally from Eden and his return is a homecoming after many years.  The rival test plane competing to usurp the VF-11 is the YF-21 piloted by Guld Bowman, Isamu's former childhood friend.  The two suffered a falling out prior to their leaving Eden to join the U.N. Spacy and harbor bitter resentments. 

Myung gets between the two former friends Guld and Isamu

Adding fuel to the fire is the simultaneous return of Myung Lone, the current producer of Sharon Apple, the galaxy's most popular music sensation and first A.I. (artificial intelligence, i.e. computer) star.  Myung is the former friend of both pilots and the cause of their falling out.  Tensions run high as the two men battle on the test field and for Myung's affections. 

The YF-21 and YF-19 battle it out on the test ground

Sharon's concert on Eden becomes a catalyst for dire events concerning the three reunited friends.  Myung sacrificed her singing career to become the voice behind Sharon until her (or its) A.I. can be perfected.  A dangerous bio-component is added to Sharon's hardware causing her to become unstable and a final concert/showdown on Earth ushers in the final resolution to the friends' conflict.  Now Macross City and the dormant Macross are ground zero for a defining battle between former friends and lovers.

Sharon Apple revives the Macross

Pros: Incredible new Valkyrie designs (at the time) for the VF-11B/YF-19/YF-21; soundtrack by Yoko Kanno is probably the best I've heard in an anime (runners up are Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain and Ghost in the Shell - all composed by Kanno as well), fascinating love triangle between Isamu/Myung/Guld (well, guess it's a quadrangle if you include Sharon), great use of CG for a 15-year-old+ anime
Cons: Characters designs by MASAYUKI didn't blow me away - the faces were too angular (especially Guld with his weird 'cheek chops'), it's too short!

Isamu enters Earth's atmosphere

Mike Tells It Straight: Shoji Kawamori and Studio Nue revive the Macross franchise in 1994 after the critical failure of Macross II in 1992 (which lacked both Kawamori and Studio Nue).  Often called the 'Top Gun' of anime this show is a spectacular showcase of imaginative variable airplane mecha, incredible soundtrack, and intense emotional characterization.  Easily one of my favorite anime of all time and a true classic.  I'm very biased due to growing up with Robotech (the American bastardization of Super Dimension Fortress Macross) as a major influence.

Guld and Isamu get up close and personal

Some people may complain about the love triangle detracting from the action and slowing down the pace, but sorry folks, the story is really about these three people's lives and the resolution of their childhood dreams.  Myung gave up her dreams to become the voice and talent behind Sharon Apple, Guld suppresses the violent nature of his Zentraedi heritage, and Isamu stays pretty much the same - a self-destructive, thrill-seeker with no consideration to the consequences.

Guld and the YF-21 battle the Ghost X-9

It's a beautiful thrill ride of mecha action while Isamu and Guld battle for supremacy on the test battlefield, but countered with emotionally charged music from Myung and Sharon Apple.  Garnered enough interest in Macross to produce a television series/OVA/movie Macross 7 (now that's a review for another day) and eventually the current Macross Frontier efforts.  Absolutely worth checking out if you like mecha, airplanes, or music. 

The Movie Edition has a few differences and I'll hopefully get a review of it up soon (check the 'browse by franchise' section for Macross).

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Magical Play Anime Review

Magical Play
ADV Films
Complete Collection - 2 discs
150 mins. - 5 episodes
$24.98 (2004)
ISBN 702727065620
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Hiroki Hayashi
Studio - AIC

Synopsis: Padudu comes to Sweetland from her home in Sea Heaven to compete and become a magical girl on Earth.  She's full of pluck and good spirits, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.  She must participate in magical battles and earn Hanamaru (stamps on an official scorecard).  She is accompanied by her animal life-companion, Uokichi, who is a fish she wears as a cloak and uses as an emergency food supply (much to his horror).

She interrupts a match in progress causing combatant Pipin to lose and earning her as a lifetime arch-nemesis.  The Dance Village police officers Ketchup and Mustard are constantly trying to arrest Padudu, but keep getting distracted by #1 criminal Nonononn.  Padudu partners up with Myu-Myu, a participant with a killer winning streak who wears two cats as a fur bikini. 

Pipin, Myu-Myu, and Padudu on their quest

Meanwhile Queen Purilun sends her lackey Zucchini to halt Myu-Myu's winning streak before she can become a threat.  Zucchini is pathetically inept and constantly distracted by Myu-Myu's nudity.  Will Padudu ever become a magical girl and fulfill her dreams despite her incompetence?  What is Nonononn's secret history with the Queen?  Join in the outrageous fun at the Forever Shopping District and the weird lunches at the Dance Village police station!

Pros: Comedy as only a zany anime like this can offer, mild fan-service with Myu-Myu's cat bikini, catchy opening theme song (ending theme is okay), Padudu eating bites off Uokichi is pretty funny, extras include clean opening/ending, character bios, previews

"I just noticed you're wearing two cats as a bikini.  Kinky!"

Cons: Weird and wacky, no real ending to series (come to think of it, nothing really happens throughout the entire series), could have been longer, 3D episode didn't fit very well with the other episodes (and the CG is outdated), second disc had the 3D episode and not much else - could have easily been consolidated onto one disc

Mike Tells It Straight: Originally webcast (an ONA - original net animation) in 24 episodes (plus a 3D special), Magical Play is a frenetic magical girl parody with equal parts nonsense and fun.  Padudu is an innocent bonehead and poor Uokichi is constantly being tortured (and eaten).  Myu-Myu and Nonononn were good characters (loved the cat bikini).  I found this show oddly compelling for the first two episodes, but then it grew tiresome in the last half when the story stalled. 

The 3D episode didn't fit continuity and was a retelling of the first part of the series (if you can call it a series).  Overall Magical Play was cute and wacky, but lacked any real story progression and will be easily forgotten.  Too bad, it had potential.

TO BUY and Recommendations: