Film — The Cat Returns

This year's Studio Ghibli film suffers by the comparison with last year's Spirited Away. It's good, but is somewhat slight by comparison.

Haru, one of the chronically late for school girls that seem to populate anime, rescues a cat from traffic - and the cat stands up, bows, and thanks her for her actions. She is later visited by the King of the Cats - plus entourage, including cats-in-black who keep off the neighbourhood riff-raff - who is determined to reward her, whether she likes it or not. Including marrying her off to his son, the cat whom she rescued. But the Prince is not the first cat whom she had rescued, and aid is soon forthcoming to help her escape from the Kingdom of the Cats. Slapstick and drama ensue, identities are revealed in good Shakespearean style, and with an ending that should bring a sentimental tear to the eye, all is made right.