I have seen the movie in Japan last week-end and loved it! The movie can be summarized as "simple is best" as far as the story goes and "humble" when it comes to the technical aspects, none of which is meant in a negative way, quite the contrary actually.
It's a simple but endearing story. (Heck, the trope of a cute kid/pet/hero lost and wanting to go home is one of the oldest in the book! Even E.T. the Extraterrestrial can be summarized in that way!). Still, as the story goes along, some nice and unexpected, if not sometime heartbreaking twists are added. If courage, determination in face of adversity, friendship are (as usual) emphasized, so are education and knowledge.
The production is "humble", if only as having cost only 6 (yes, that's S I X) million dollars, which is quite a stretch from the usual 100 - 175 Mio dollar range expected in the movie business, but well, this is a Japan CG movie for you! Still, the animation is clear, warm and detailed enough to make you feel like you "are" in Japan together with its characters. In this case, buying a movie ticket is a much cheaper alternative to a plane ticket to experience Japan.
The character-designs do perfectly reflect their owners: cute, but vulnerable (Rudolph), ruff and tuff with a story (Ippai attena), hyper-active (Butch), etc. The designs also allow for the change of perception on certain characters as the story goes on.
Based on a series of books which are well-known in Japan, it's a movie with its heart in right place, which knows its limitations and avoid all the noisy razzmatazz and show-off which are so common in today's movies to tell a good story the way it should be told.
Full of feline humanity, a movie for cat lovers (a given!), movie-goers perhaps with more simple tastes in search of a good story, for parents and kids (especially those with a dislike for school and studying).
Well recommended.
