Who directed The Cat Returns?
Hiroyuki Morita directed the film. This was his first and only feature for Studio Ghibli.
Questions about The Cat Returns
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did The Cat Returns release in theaters?
The film released on the 20th of July 2002. It became the highest-grossing domestic film at the Japanese box office that year.
What is the origin story behind The Cat Returns project?
A Japanese theme park requested a twenty-minute short starring cats in 1999. Hayao Miyazaki later used the existing work as testing for future directors before Hiroyuki Morita developed it into a full feature.
How does the manga version of The Cat Returns differ from the film?
Aoi Hiiragi wrote a 2002 manga published by Tokuma Shoten with minor differences including a comedic ending featuring Natoru. The manga also portrays Yuki as struck and killed by a vehicle while the film shows her alive helping Haru escape.
Why did Baron change appearance between the manga and the film?
Baron appeared as a dark gray cat with large blue eyes in Aoi Hiiragi's original illustrations. The Studio Ghibli version made him orange-and-yellow with smaller green eyes to match his design in Whisper of the Heart.