Ghost Cat Anzu (film)

Ghost Cat Anzu (化け猫あんずちゃん) is a 2024 animated film directed by Yōko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita and produced by Shin-Ei Animation and Miyu Productions. Based on the manga of the same name by Takashi Imashiro, the film stars Mirai Moriyama as Anzu, the titular ghost cat, and Noa Gotō as a young girl named Karin. The film opened in Japan in July 2024.

Premise
The 11-year-old Karin accompanies her father Tetsuya to the Sousei-Ji temple, where her grandfather lives. Tetsuya has come to the temple to ask his father for money to repay his debts and leaves Karin at the temple when he is refused the money, promising to return on the anniversary of her mother's death.

At the temple, Karin encounters Anzu, a cat who walks and talks like a human, uses a cell phone and moped, and works as a masseuse. Karin and Anzu develop a bond and travel to Tokyo in search of her father, where they are met by the God of Poverty. Karin is offered a chance to be reunited with her late mother by the God of Poverty by traveling to hell in a toilet portal.

Cast

 * Noa Gotō as Karin, an 11-year-old girl
 * Mirai Moriyama as Anzu, a seemingly immortal cat who exhibits humanlike behavior
 * Munetaka Aoki as Tetsuya, Karin's father
 * Miwako Ichikawa as Yuzuki, Karin's mother
 * Keiichi Suzuki as Osho-san, Anzu's foster parent
 * Shingo Mizusawa as the God of Poverty
 * Wataru Sawabe as Tanuki
 * Mutsuo Yoshioka
 * Shohei Uno

Animation
Ghost Cat Anzu was first filmed in live action; animation was rotoscoped based on this footage.

Music
The film's theme song, "Matabi", was performed by Chiaki Sato, and the score was composed by Keiichi Suzuki.

Release
Ghost Cat Anzu screened as a work in progress at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. That same month, it was acquired by GKIDS for a North American release the following year. The finished film premiered on May 21, 2024 in the Directors' Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival. The film was released in Japan on July 19, 2024, followed by a North American premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 21, 2024.

Critical reception
Deadline Hollywood Valerie Complex thought the animation technique of using live-action recording made the film more authentic, but also noted the film's poor pacing and lack of a cohesive narrative structure. Similarly, Cineuropa's Olivia Popp praised the "charming and warm" animation but had issues with the uneven pacing. For Screen Daily Wendy Ide, the voice acting was one of the highlights of the film.