Source: Shout! Factory press release
Special Thanks to Sarah J. De Bruin

Studio Ghibli and GKIDS, with distribution by Shout! Factory, will release THE CAT RETURNS and WHISPER OF THE HEART, from the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, on March 16, 2021 in limited edition SteelBook packaging with striking new art. Each SteelBook will house a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack, presenting the film alongside hours of bonus features and a booklet with stunning art and statements from the filmmakers.

With this release, two films from one of the world’s most coveted animation collections can come home to collectors in limited edition SteelBook packaging for the first time in North America.

THE CAT RETURNS and WHISPER OF THE HEART now join SPIRITED AWAY, CASTLE IN THE SKY, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, PRINCESS MONONOKE, HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE and PONYO in a series of SteelBook releases from the Studio Ghibli collection of films.

THE CAT RETURNS (猫の恩返し, Neko no Ongaeshi, 2002)

From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO and the Academy Award-winning SPIRITED AWAY, comes a charming and magical adventure that will delight the entire family.

Haru is walking home after a dreary day of school when she spies a cat with a small gift box in its mouth crossing a busy street, and she jumps in front of traffic to save the cat from an oncoming truck. To her amazement, the cat gets up on its hind legs, brushes itself off , and thanks her very politely. But things take an even stranger turn when later that night, the King of Cats shows up at her doorstep in a feline motorcade. He showers Haru with gifts, and decrees that she shall marry the Prince and come live in the Kingdom of Cats!

Bonus Features:
· Exclusive Booklet
· Feature-Length Storyboards
· The Making of THE CAT RETURNS
· Behind the Microphone
· Original Theatrical Trailers
· TV Spots

WHISPER OF THE HEART (耳をすませば, Mimi o Sumaseba, 1995)

Discover the brilliance of this heartwarming coming-of-age classic from the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO and the Academy Award-winning SPIRITED AWAY.

A chance encounter with a mysterious cat sends Shizuku, a quiet schoolgirl, on a quest for her true talent. Together with Seiji, a boy determined to follow his dreams, and enchanted by The Baron, a magical cat figurine who helps her listen to the whispers of her heart, Shizuku embarks on a life-changing adventure that takes her beyond the boundaries of her imagination. This beautiful tale based on a screenplay from Hayao Miyazaki will delight and amaze audiences of all ages!

Bonus Features:

· Exclusive Booklet
· Feature-Length Storyboards
· Four Masterpieces of Naohisa Inoue
· Background Art from “The Baron’s Story”
· Behind the Microphone
· Original Theatrical Trailers

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About GKIDS

GKIDS is a producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored an astounding eleven Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations with THE SECRET OF KELLS in 2010, A CAT IN PARIS and CHICO & RITA in 2012, ERNEST & CELESTINE in 2014, THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA and SONG OF THE SEA in 2015, BOY AND THE WORLD and WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE in 2016, MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI in 2017, THE BREADWINNER in 2018, and MIRAI in 2019. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles SPIRITED AWAY, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, PRINCESS MONONOKE and others.

GKIDS also produces the annual LA-based film festival, ANIMATION IS FILM, which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of their work to the fullest range of expression that the medium is capable of.

About Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory, LLC is a diversified multi-platform media company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their entire careers sharing their music, television and film favorites with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s entertainment offerings serve up feature films, classic and contemporary TV series, animation, live music and comedy specials. In addition, Shout! Factory maintains a vast entertainment distribution network which delivers culturally relevant programming, movie and audio content to all the leading digital service providers in North America and across multiple platforms. Shout! Factory owns and operates Shout! Studios, Scream Factory, Shout! Factory Kids, Shout! Factory Films, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Timeless Media Group and Shout! Factory TV. These riches are the result of a creative acquisition mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Los Angeles, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.