[wodenokoto]

Cat return isn't directed by Takahata. Neither is the predecessor Whisper of the Heart, so I'm not sure which film you are thinking of, or if you've only ever watched one of his films.

I agree that The Boy and Heron wasn't a very good film. It honestly felt like an imitation.

[HideousKojima]

For some reason my brain was remembering The Cat Returns as being directed by him, my bad