The Cat Returns (2002) - 4/5
This movie is exactly the sort of adorable modern fairy tale we’ve come to expect from Studio Ghibli. It’s cute and funny, and has the lyrically anomalous pacing emblematic of the Ghibli line. It’s directed by Morita, but if you like Miyazaki movies and haven’t seen it, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.
Closest comparison: It’s somewhere between Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro and My Neighbor Totoro.
Setting: Fairy Tale/Modern
Plot: Adventure
Tone: Fairy Tale Adventure