| Studio Ghibli has come into its own as one of the world's foremost animation houses. This latest DVD release tells the story of a young girl, Haru, who saves a cat prince from being hit by a truck. In return for saving his son's life, the king of cats changes Haru into a cat to marry his son. But everything is not as it would seem, a war rages between the cats, and Haru isn't so sure she's up to marrying the prince. Directed by Hiroyuki Morita and based loosely on the manga Baron - Neko No Danshaku by Aoi Hiragi, it serves as an unofficial sequel to Whisper of the Heart, including many of the same characters from the cat world. Softer in tone and pace than many of the other Ghibli titles such as Mononoke Hime or Porco Rosso, it is still a Ghibli film in heart and spirit. Captivating, funny, and a treat for audiences who enjoy storylines over violence and action. Filmed in wide-screen, 16:9 format, The Cat Returns has optional Mandarin, Cantonese, English and Japanese subtitles. Included with The Cat Returns is a hilarious look at childhood days of the main character who works at an animation studio with a suspiciously similar name. Called Gibri's: Episode 2, it is a powerhouse of interesting and imaginative animation. A 25-minutes short about first crushes, it's a sweet and funny addition to an already great DVD. Shot in widescreen format with optional English or Japanese subtitles. 100 minutes of great Ghibli animation accompanied by a second DVD with promotional TV sports, character boards, the making of, and great additions. An impressive 160 minutes on the second disc, making this a fantastic buy for all fans of Hayao Miyazaki!  
 
 
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