Wata no Kuni Hoshi

Title:Wata no Kuni Hoshi
The Star of Cottonland
綿の国星
Overall:Buy
Keywords: , , , , , ,
Notables: TOMINAGA Miina
Tokio, a student who couldn't take his university entrance exams due to a cold, finds a weakened kitten on the street and takes her home. Tokio's mother is allergic to cats, but seeing how her son is invigorated by the feline, she can't help but permit him to keep the pet. Simply called Chibi Neko by her new owner, the kitten is fascinated by the world around her.
(Summary Courtesy of Anime News Network)


92 minute film released on February 11, 1984.
Animated by Tezuka Productions
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Buy 8 7 8 7 8 Ggultra2764 [series:2608#1552]
Star of Cottonland made for quite the surprising "hidden gem" for me considering the title's age and lack of attention received by many anime fans. The movie's premise does start off a little misassuming at first with Chibi Neko being a little girl with cat ears and humans seeing her as a kitten. Eventually, the movie does reveal that Chibi's human form is how she and other cats perceive themselves to look throughout the movie's run as it believably depicts how a cat would respond to its surroundings that humans would perceive as being part of the norm for their everyday lives. The movie mostly serves as a coming-of-age journey for Chibi as she learns of the joys and harsh realities that a cat can face, as well as accepting who she is when she learns of these lessons. Some of the side characters were a likable bunch as well, particularly Tokio's mom as she tries to get over her allergies out of love for the kitten. The movie does have its rough moments as Chibi's owner, Tokio, doesn't get properly fleshed out and the cat maniac, as a character, was a bit over-the-top for this kind of movie. For a mid-80s movie, the visuals to Star of Cottonland are pleasant on the eyes with beautiful and detailed scenery shots, plus character designs getting similar treatment. Overall if you are looking to get into older anime titles, especially any that are under the radar, Star of Cottonland is a solid "hidden gem" in its focus on looking into life as a cat through Chibi's eyes.

Last updated Monday, September 03 2012. Created Monday, September 03 2012.

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