Customer Reviews

Catnapped! The Movie

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

CATNAPPED! is one of a very few anime titles that is genuinely a children's story. This delightful tale is perfect for anyone from pre-teen to toddler, but probably a bit too simplistic for older children. Adults will enjoy it as a throw-back to simpler, more innocent times.

The story revolves around a young boy, his younger sister, and a kidnapped pet dog. Well, actually, the dog hasn't been kidnapped, he's been CATNAPPED! The poor pooch has been shanghied to an alien world inhabited entirely by cats. How our intrepid hero and heroine, with their entourage of catlike allies, rescue their pet and save the CatWorld is the bread and butter of this tale.

CATNAPPED! is animated in a simpler style than most anime films. It is far more cartoonish than its near computer-graphic quality cousins. However, this is a plus, not a minus. The characters and scenery are simple, bright, bold and colorful, sure to hold a younger viewers attention. While the action is non-stop, there is no violence, strong-language or sexual content of any kind.

If you are looking for a gentle, fun film to share with your children, or to help you enjoy a few minutes reclaiming your own childhood, CATNAPPED! is an excellent choice. It won't please the Dragonball Z, martial arts crowd, but for simple, colorful entertainment, it hits the mark. Highly recommended.

Take a couple of Japanese children, mix in a lot of cats, add a little YELLOW SUBMARINE style, wrap it together with a race against the clock, and you get one of the more original animated films to come along in years.

CATNAPPED! was originally released theatrically in Japan in 1995 as TOTSUZEN! NEKO NO KUNI BANIPAL WITT. The story begins in Japan, with Toriyasu, a young disgruntled boy whose dog has mysteriously disappeared, and his little spunky sister Meeko. One day, on the way to school Meeko catches a glimpse of a cat dressed in a coat slipping through the shadows. All this eventually leads a very reluctant Toriyasu and an enthusiastic Meeko journeying with three strange cats in their craft to the magical world of Banipal Witt. There they discover their dog Papadoll has somehow turned into a huge flying monster under the control of the bratty evil sorceress Buburina. With Chu Chu's help, Toriyasu's task is to help turn Papadoll back to normal and bring his dog and his sister home before the sun rises again in Banipal Witt. If they don't make it, Papdoll will stay a monster forever!

The backgrounds and architecture seems straight out of a children's dream with a strange hybrid of toys, balloons, trains and more. It does a great job of explaining all the characters' motivations throughout the film, and it is great to see the development Toriyasu undergoes from his start as a mean, downtrodden kid. The audience is led to cheer on and care for the heroes, but even the antagonists are not completely evil and you can feel a bit for them too. There is enough action to keep you involved throughout the film, starting from the initial warping to Banipal Witt until the ending climax.

CATNAPPED! is a fun and wild ride for both the young and the young at heart.

After neglecting his dog Papadoll, Toriyasu loses him and doesn't know where to find him. Will Papadoll even want to come back to Toriyasu, after he neglected him before? Catnapped (1995) is zany and crazy; the backgrounds are very colorful, but strange. The scenery is gorgeous and it really reminds me of Little Nemo. Both boys and girls would like it. I got interested in it when I found out it was directed by the same director as Akira, Takashi Nakamura.

What I like most is the really good-looking character animations; they're wonderful. They are beautiful anthropomorphs. They're cute, but not babyish. The music is good. The animated frame rate is as good as you can get for an anime, it never seems stiff. As a university student, the overall tone is a little childish, but it is really hilarious and entertaining, so that makes up for it. Monster Papadoll is hysterical; he's cute but freaky. It's light-hearted and there is action, but not violence. If you are looking for a movie that's dark or scary, this will not do. The DVD is bilingual and it includes character information. By the way, it's normal for kid shows in Japan to have swears, so note there are some swears in the subtitled format. Catnapped is an unexpected anime and it's very creative and original. I'm glad I own it.

I have the regular DVD version of Catnapped. My kids (especially my 7 yr old daughter) love to watch it. You can't go wrong purchasing this for adult or child viewing...it's really that good.
I just need to know what the Geneon version offers that is not on the regular version? Is there a commentary track? What exactly is different?

I got this for my friend for a Christmas present 'cause she wanted it. When she said she wanted to watch it I was going to put on a happy face and put up with it. To my surprise, the movie was interesting, cute, and all-around fun. And I would actually recomend this movie.(Not to mention would love to see it again!) one thing you should be aware of is in the Subbtitled version they seem to say "damn" a lot which suprised me, since it's advertised as a kids movie.

Catnapped is a masterpiece. I have seen twice. it fascinated me. The seen when they warp from Japan to Banipal witt is truly Worth seeing. The music at the ending credits is fascinating. The one I recommend is the subtitled version. A film I had difficulty obtaining. But well worth money. Get it before it vanishes forever.

I saw this at an Anime festival in 1996 and never knew the name. It has been stuck in my head and I've asked every single friend from Japan if they knew what it was and if they knew the name. Everyone seemed to recognize the theme, but no one knew what it was called in English. The bright amazing colors, fun yet psychadelic story, lovely yet simple animation style. It obviously impressed me enough to have looked for it the past 9 years, so I would highly recommend this to any Anime fan who appreciates more than just the traditional graphic style of most Anime films. And it's definitely great for kids!

I love this movie. It may not be the best, but I thought it was very cute.The movie was full of color and great animation and the plot was unique, but the three cats who had kidnapped the children at the beginning seemed to drift into the background once they arrived back in their world. The cat's names are said so fast or so little that it's hard to catch them. They never really show what happens to Buburina at the end and the images of the boy abusing his dog were, to me, disturbing. Once the girl, Meeko, gets accidently separated from her brother she does her own thing which isn't much, except for making the villian (Buberina) REALLY angry. This movie has a silent, "be kind to your pets" message which I thought was rather nice since it lets kids know it's not nice to abuse animals because once they're gone they wont get the chance to make amends.Apart from little things, like not being able to quite catch the cat's names, this was an enjoyable, fun film. I highly recommend this movie because it's unique, fun and whimsical.

I recently saw this movie at a local Anime convention. I have to admit that it is one of the cutest movies I've ever seen! This movie teaches valuable lessons in how to treat eachother and the family pet. It is a great addition into any video collection!

Catnapped! is playful, beautiful, rowdy and hilarious. I had no expectations toward it and I loved it. Directed by Takashi Nakamura, it's a crazy and incredible animated film full of engaging characters and rowdy worlds.

Catnapped! is the story of 10-year old disgruntled Toriyasu and his energetic little sister Meeko. Their dog Papadoll has disappeared, and Toriyasu pretends not to be bothered. However, when three characters from the cat world Banipal Witt ask for their help, they find themselves taken to this colourful world (where they themselves turn into cats) that exists in another dimension. Papadoll, their pooch has turned into a mad monster on the loose. Perhaps an even greater threat is the unscrupulous princess Buburina who turns everyone who annoys her into balloons by touching them. Toriyasu and Meeko have to bring Papdoll back to normal before the sun strikes the next day, or they will go mad like him.

Once you see Catnapped!, you will never forget it, even if you have seen many Japanese animated films. Its world is like a crossing between Discworld and the most lavish carnival you could ever imagine, populated by anthropomorphic cats in hot-air balloon contraptions. The visual style of the movie is great. All the animation is excellent, and the characters are wonderful (my favourite is Hoi Hoi, the moustachioed pilot).

The story is also excellent and has many layers. It is wildly unpredictable and told in a very satisfying manner. There is indeed more to Toriyasu and Papadoll's relationship than meets the eye, as indeed is there more to the princess (and not everything works out right, for you pessimists out there!).

Some people dismiss this film as being too cute. I digress, and find no grounds for the criticism. Catnapped! is a colourful film overflowing with character, action and humour. It's one of the best animated films I've discovered in a long time, and its age isn't even showing, 15 years on!