The cat returns whisper of the heart
They both share a “gentle giant” kind of charm that is second to none. Boyle’s performance as Haru’s “babysitter” was so reminiscent of Dom DeLuise’s voice for cat sidekick Tiger from the American Tail franchise that, until this very moment, I was convinced they were the same person. Muta may be Peter Boyle’s only voice credit, but he made it count. Like co-star Chizuru Ikewaki, Yoshihiko Hakamada is not a voice actor, his most recent work being a film called Ibuki (2019).
THE CAT RETURNS WHISPER OF THE HEART MOVIE
Elwes’ equally charming Westley from The Princess Bride (1987), with his quips and swashbuckling skills, comes to mind.Įlwes also lent his voice to the original Baron in Whisper of the Heart and Donald Curtis in the earlier Ghibli film Porco Rosso (1992), his last major voice role being Aquaman in the direct-to-DVD movie Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2011). In a similar vein to Anne Hathaway’s Haru, Baron’s voice actor Cary Elwes clearly took influence from previous roles in crafting his character. I’m willing to bet that the charming knick-knack raised a lot of girls’ standards a la Haru with his chivalry. Baron Humbert von Gikkingen: Cary Elwes/Yoshihiko Hakamada Ikewaki’s single voice credit aside, her latest works include the films Another World and Tora-san, Wish You Were Here (2019). The talent behind Haru’s original voice, Chizuru Ikewaki, is actually not a voice actress. Since then, Hathaway’s animated roles have been kept to a minimum, her most recent voicework being for deuteragonist Jewel from Blue Sky Studios’ Rio (2011) and Rio 2 (2014). This particular set-up has to be one of, if not the reason, why Anne Hathaway was cast in the role.Ī year prior to The Cat Returns, Hathaway had just made her debut as Mia Thermopolis of The Princess Diaries series, a role that also required her to play a teenage girl thrust into change. She’s kind and thoughtful, albeit a bit frustrated with her everyday life (and to a lesser degree, her unrequited feelings for a classmate). It is the unassuming Haru’s decision to save a cat that sets the film in motion as well as that of her own journey to self-discovery. So, what have they and the original Japanese cast been up to since that fateful day in the Cat Bureau? Why don’t we take a look and see… The Big Cats of The Cat Returns Haru Yoshioka: Anne Hathaway/Chizuru Ikewaki
For all the celebrity miscasts of Disney past, the cast of The Cat Returns carry their weight, voices “worn on sleeves.” Price of admission for this scene alone, as it confirms what many of us often suspect about our feline partners’ secret lives.The story and worldbuilding were not the only things that stood out to my younger self, however the English voicework was dynamic, fitting, and fun, a stark contrast to some of the other Disney-dubbed and redubbed Ghibli movies. OF THE HEART, THE CAT RETURNS is a light-hearted fantasy infamous for its adorable, if bizarre ‘Cat Parade’ scene, wherein scores of cats awkwardly shuffling through the streets on their hind legs ahead of their king. The third Studio Ghibli feature to be directed by someone other than Miyazaki or Takahata. To change her fate she’ll need to learn to believe in herself, and in the process she will learn to appreciate her everyday life.
Her good deed is rewarded with a flurry of presents, including gift-wrapped mice, and one very shocking proposal of marriage - to the Cat’s King’s son! Haru embarks on an unexpected journey to the Kingdom of Cats where her eyes are opened to a whole other world and her destiny is uncertain.
Haru, a schoolgirl bored by her ordinary routine, saves the life of an unusual cat, and suddenly her world is transformed beyond anything she’s ever imagined.