“Ghost Cat Anzu” is a beautifully animated, whimsical film that delves into grief while showcasing a fluid and childlike art style. This film has recently been criticized for its mature themes and toilet humor which has discouraged some families and avid anime watchers from seeing it. Nevertheless, this movie is a treat with its silly characters and adventurous plot.
The movie follows fifth grader Karin and the ghost cat Anzu, who acts as somewhat of a supernatural guardian. Karin is dumped in the countryside by her father who is on the run from loan sharks, leaving her grandfather to care for her. The viewers see as she struggles with her mother’s passing and her dad’s abandonment.
For the first half of the film, Karin and Anzu work odd jobs in the countryside while befriending raunchy forest spirits. In this world, spirits and people live alongside each other, which is why some may compare this movie to Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away.”
As the film progresses, things take a darker turn. Karin and Anzu go to Tokyo in hopes of finding her dad. Hijinks ensue, and Anzu accidentally strikes a deal with the Devil, causing hell to break loose. Karin is temporarily reunited with her deceased mother, but things take a strange twist near the end.
This is where some people might say this story becomes too dark for kids, as it is classified as a GKIDS film with the target audience being children and families, but fans of Studio Ghibli or similar studios such as Studio 4C would likely disagree. Other animated films for children like “Children of the Sea” or “Howl’s Moving Castle” also explore mature themes like identity, war and good versus evil. While “Ghost Cat Anzu” may be bold with its commentary on grief, it is still done in a lighthearted and fantastical way.
Where “Ghost Cat Anzu” goes wrong is that it is overly ambitious with the story it wants to tell, causing things to end up getting muddy and hard to understand near the end. With that being said, the beautiful art style that flows in every scene alongside the interesting and complex characters makes the movie worth watching from a purely entertainment-based standpoint.
“Ghost Cat Anzu” is in theaters at Cinemark until Wednesday, Nov. 20, with the only showtimes being 12 p.m. or 5 p.m.
