Who directed Studio Ghibli’s The Cat Returns?

Studio Ghibli’s The Cat Returns was directed by Hiroyuki Morita.

The Cat Returns follows Haru, a schoolgirl who saves a cat and is drawn into the Cat Kingdom. Morita directed the film from a screenplay by Reiko Yoshida, with story development connected to Aoi Hiiragi’s manga Baron: The Cat Returns. The Baron, a refined cat figurine, had previously appeared in Whisper of the Heart.

The film was released in Japan in 2002 and became Morita’s first feature-length directorial work. Its lighter fantasy tone and shorter running time distinguish it from the larger-scale films directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

A common error is crediting Miyazaki because he helped develop the project and wrote the story treatment. Miyazaki did not direct The Cat Returns. Hiroyuki Morita also worked as an animator on other Studio Ghibli productions before directing this film.