BARON: THE CAT RETURNS
Aoi Hiiragi
Viz, 2005
ISBN: 1591169569

As any cat lover will tell you, felines operate under their own logic. We'll never understand why they do the things they do --- racing around as if chased by an invisible enemy, attacking pieces of lint. In BARON: THE CAT RETURNS, an ordinary schoolgirl discovers that cats really do come from their own world when she rescues a feline prince from an oncoming truck. The king of cats wants to reward Haru for her kindness, but the cats' idea of thanks (in addition to the cases of cat food that mysteriously appear at her house) is to make her the prince's bride! Only the mysterious Baron, a toy cat come to life, can rescue her from her overly enthusiastic new friends. Haru's adventure leads her into the land of cats and reunites her with a beloved former pet, but Haru must learn to let go of her old friend if she's to escape turning into a cat forever.

Everything about BARON is stellar: art, storytelling and translation. Fans of anime may recognize this manga as the inspiration for the anime The Cat Returns. BARON is part of Viz's Studio Ghibli library, which includes manga adaptations of popular Studio Ghibli anime. Unlike these other titles, which are made up of movie stills, BARON was meant to be read in comic form. The drawing, layout and pacing all work, and Haru's dramatic escape from the land of cats on a ladder of birds is particularly exquisite. Like all the best children's stories, this funny and creepy fairy tale won't just appeal to children. It's unclear whether further volumes will follow, but even on its own BARON: THE CAT RETURNS is a must-buy.

   --- Reviewed by Jen Webb

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