The Cat Returns - House Foods Ad

Publicite House Shokuhin "Le Royaume des chats"
Uploaded by tetsukyoushin

I'm not entirely sure the reasons for the collaborations between Studio Ghibli and House Foods. We've seen the studio's commercials for House from Hayao Miyazaki and Yoshiyuki Momose. Now here is an ad that ties in with Ghibli's 2002 film Neko no Ongasehi, The Cat Returns.

My affection for Ghibli leans towards their naturalist side, so it's always a thrill to see more work that follows in that vein. It's strange, isn't it, that in the year 2009, the idea of animation that captures everyday life seems so novel, so unusual?

Visually, this is one of the more ambitious Ghibli shorts, certainly matching the look and style of The Cat Returns, and is one of the highlights on the Short Short DVD. The art direction and animation is superb, as you'd expect, and we are also treated to that wonderfully catchy song from the movie. All in all, a great little showcase for the Ghibli artists.