Pleasant if unexceptional.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Sep 18, 2021

Miya-san may have said "sayounara" but the films made during his time will continue to inspire and delight.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 28, 2020

This movie exhibits a craft that belies Morita's inexperience as a director.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Dec 28, 2020

While not the greatest Studio Ghibli film by any measure, I was thoroughly entertained by the creative and strange story of a young girl and her adventures in a world of cats.

| Original Score: B | Feb 28, 2019

When it comes to grand fantasy tales of little girls lost in wonderfully strange worlds, The Cat Returns is no Spirited Away. Still, it's a serviceable children's adventure film, with some memorable moments.

| Mar 7, 2018

The Cat Returns...is all fluff, but it's cute and enjoyable fluff at the very least.

| Original Score: C+ | Feb 23, 2014

The story whisks gracefully along with little saunters and pitter-patters of humour. A Princess-and-the-Cat tale that also coolly reflects the arrogant aloofness, suave superciliousness and intriguing independence of man's best-when-convenient friend.

| May 6, 2013

Undeniably sweet, but it is also undeniably slight, and not remotely as visually rich as we've all come to expect from Studio Ghibli.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Jun 16, 2010

Director Morita does an exemplary job of bringing a Japanese graphic novel to the screen.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Sep 1, 2008

Catchy entertainment for kids and adults...

Full Review | Sep 1, 2008

Interesting and watchable, but definitely not up to Miyazaki's standards.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 1, 2008

[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.

| Jun 20, 2007

...moves along at a brisk clip and features a bright, vibrant animation style...

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 5, 2006

The film has some of Miyazaki's exquisite timing, pacing and use of space.

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 26, 2006

There's little tension or opportunity for emotional involvement in the brief story, and despite competent animation the cats are rarely anthropomorphised to good comic effect. One for anime -- and animal -- lovers only.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 1, 2006

Another enjoyable fantasy adventure from Studio Ghibli.

| Feb 9, 2006

An enchanting, magical fable with a twisted vein of surrealism that makes you wonder exactly what they're smoking over there in the Land of the Rising Sun.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 24, 2005

The crescendo of craziness makes for a brisk, funny, and wholly unique 75-minute ride.

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 10, 2005

The Cat Returns is just a lovely family film.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Apr 23, 2005

| Original Score: 7/10 | Apr 2, 2005