Learn Japanese with The Cat Returns

Anime by Japanese level › N4 to N3

How hard is the Japanese in The Cat Returns?

Ikkimi rates The Cat Returns at N4 to N3 (everyday talk). What sets its level: a film, school and fairy-tale talk. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 16 are easier and 148 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

Format, episodes, year and genres are from AniList’s entry.

The words in the title

The Japanese title, 猫の恩返し, is a first lesson in itself. Its 2 words, as a dictionary lists them:

How to learn Japanese with The Cat Returns

Ikkimi lists The Cat Returns on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

On Netflix

On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player, where your country’s Netflix has them for this title, and Ikkimi makes the line clickable. If there are none, open the Ikkimi popup, choose Find Japanese subtitles, and search Jimaku’s catalogue or load a file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome

   Get the extension from the Chrome Web Store and sign in.

2. Play the film

   Open The Cat Returns on Netflix. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.

3. Click the words you keep hearing

   The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). Keep three to five words an episode, the ones that come up again.

4. Review them later

   Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

The film runs about 1 h 15, so you can split it over a few evenings and rewatch the scenes you liked.

Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of The Cat Returns, with the most genres in common first.

Easier

• N4Kiki’s Delivery Service魔女の宅急便a film, 1 h 43Netflix
• N4Pokémonポケットモンスターmade for children, simple adventure talkNetflix
• N4Kemono Friendsけものフレンズsimple cheerful speech, animal factsCrunchyroll

Also N4 to N3

• N4 to N3Digimon Adventureデジモンアドベンチャーchildren talking, monster names that repeatCrunchyroll
• N4 to N3Spirited Away千と千尋の神隠しa film, some old-fashioned speechNetflix
• N4 to N3Dragon Ballドラゴンボールsimple adventure talk, shoutingCrunchyroll

Harder

• N3ONE PIECEloud and clear, pirate words that repeatCrunchyrollNetflix
• N3NarutoNARUTO -ナルト-clear voices, ninja words that repeatCrunchyrollNetflix
• N3Black Cloverブラッククローバーmagic words that repeat, a lot of shoutingCrunchyrollNetflix

See every N4 to N3 anime or all 192 anime by Japanese level, and read how to learn Japanese by watching anime from zero.

Questions

Is The Cat Returns good for learning Japanese?

Yes, as an early show. Ikkimi rates it N4 to N3 (everyday talk). What sets its level: a film, school and fairy-tale talk. It is a step up from the very easiest shows, and a good second or third show.

What Japanese level is The Cat Returns?

N4 to N3, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 16 are easier and 148 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

Where can I watch The Cat Returns with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists The Cat Returns on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player where they are offered, and Ikkimi makes every word clickable.

What does the title 猫の恩返し mean, word by word?

猫 (neko) means “cat (esp. the domestic cat, Felis catus); feline”; 恩返し (ongaeshi) means “paying back a favour; repayment (of an obligation, kindness, etc.)”.

How long is The Cat Returns?

AniList lists The Cat Returns as a film of about 1 h 15, released in 2002.

What should I watch before The Cat Returns?

Shows a little easier than The Cat Returns, with genres in common: Kiki’s Delivery Service (N4), Pokémon (N4) and Kemono Friends (N4).

Sources: show details from AniList; meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See Credits. Spotted a mistake? Tell us at hello@ikkimi.app.