Gou Gou, The Cat

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Movie: Gou Gou, The Cat
Romaji: Gou-Gou Datte Neko Dearu
Japanese: グーグーだって猫である
Director: Isshin Inudo
Writer: Yumiko Oshima (manga), Isshin Inudo
Producer: Osamu Kubota, Shinji Ogawa
Cinematographer Takahiro Tsutai
Release Date: September 6, 2008
Runtime: 116 min.
Genre: Drama
Studio: Asmik Ace Entertainment
Distributor: Asmik Ace Entertainment
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot

Asako, a comic book artist in her early forties, is devastated by the death of her precious cat, Ca Va, which kept her company for over 15 years, as her assistant Naomi watches on with concern. Naomi is a young woman in her early twenties, who has her set of worries about love and future. Then one day, Asako meets a new cat, Gou-gou, which brings new joy and vitality to her life. What is more, she finds potential for love in a man named Seiji. Like Asako, Naomi, too, embarks on a new life plan.

Notes

Based on manga series "Gu Gu Datte Neko de Aru" by Yumiko Oshima (first published November 1996 in Manga Magazine YOUNG ROSÉ).
Related titles:
1. Gou Gou, The Cat | Gou-Gou Datte Neko Dearu (2008)
2. Gou Gou, The Cat | Gu Gu Datte Neko de Aru (WOWOW / 2014)
3. Gou Gou, The Cat 2 | Gu Gu Datte Neko de Aru 2 (WOWOW / 2016)

Cast



Kyoko Koizumi	Juri Ueno	Ryo Kase	Naojiro Hayashi	Tatsuya Isaka
Asako Kojima	Naomi	Seiji Sawamura	Mamoru	Tatsuya



Suzuka Ohgo	Asei Kobayashi	Chieko Matsubara	Ai Takabe	Elisa Yanagi
Ca Va	Taisuke Yamamoto	Asako's mother	Kyoko	Erika

Additional Cast Members:

Kazuko Kurosawa - Michiko
Tomoko Murakami - Sakie
Miyuki Oshima - Kanako
Kazuo Umezu - Umezu
Karin Ono
Koichi Masuno
Marty Friedman - Paul Weinberg

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Film Festivals

2008 (13th) Pusan International Film Festival - October 2nd-10th - A Window on Asian Cinema

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Ki Mar 28 2009 11:14 pm “Gou Gou, The Cat,” based on Yumiko Oshima’s autobiographical manga “Gū-gū datte Neko de aru,” is the latest film from Japanese director Isshin Inudo. Isshin Inudo is the director of such indie favorites as “Josee, the Tiger and the Fish” and “La Maison de Himiko”. He’s also responsible for the overtly commercial stinker “Yellow Tears.” Having never seen Inudo’s “All About My Dog,” “Gou Gou, the Cat” has a unique feel compared to the other mentioned Inudo films. The movie prominently features a cat in its story line, but never relegates itself to an overly cute storyline that only die-hard animal lovers could love. Rather, the movie features a delicate human interest story that will likely reverberate with a broad spectrum of movie going fans (especially adults) long after the movie is finished.

Asako Kojima (Kyoko Koizumi) is a talented manga artist in her early forties. She’s currently experiencing a lengthy dry spell in her creative output. The cause of her dry spell goes back to the death of her cat Ca Va, who lived with her for the past 15 years. After fluctuating back and forth on whether to find a new a cat, Asako finally wills herself to enter a pet store. There she comes across an American shorthair silver tabby whom she takes home and names “Gou Gou.” Meanwhile, her manga assistant Naomi goes through a mini-crisis of her own.

“Gou Gou, The Cat” is told in a minimalistic style, usually calm & never rushed. Kyoko Koizumi’s character interprets the world in the same inquisitive manner as her cherished pet. Always observant of her surroundings she processes the world around her internally, but rarely expresses her emotions. With such a stoic character, the movie needs a counter-balance to Kyoko’s character and this of course falls on the always affable Juri Ueno. Juri provides laughs and her unique goofiness, the kind that we’ve seen in such films as “Swing Girls,” “Summer Time Machine Blues,” “Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected” and “Arch Angels.” Also, although her appearance is modest (casual clothes and not a lot of make-up), she looks as attractive in this film as anything she has done in the past. There’s also Ryo Kase, who turned in a surprisingly off the mark performance in “10 Promises to My Dog,” rebounding with a strong supporting role as Kyoko Koizumi’s love interest. There’s also ex-Megadeath guitarist & now Tokyo resident, Marty Friedman, playing a pivotal supporting role not that far off from Takeshi Kaneshiro’s role in “Sweet Rain.”

The pacing of “Gou Gou, The Cat” is always laid back, but never feels slow. Imagine if you will, laying out in the sun during a balmy summer afternoon. “Gou Gou, The Cat” uses this type of dreamy feel to tell its delicate story of a woman’s battle with loneliness and how it relates to her pet cats. However, not everything in “Gou Gou, The Cat” is a slam-dunk. The scene in the hospital with the girls performing their cheerleading routine felt flat, probably because we’ve already seen in that in “Hula Girls.” Ryo Case should have been used more and the two male musicians felt like an out of place appeal for commercialism. With that said, there’s a lot to love with “Gou Gou, The Cat.” Kyoko Koizumi and Juri Ueno are both ace in their respective roles, the soundtrack is nearly perfect, and the feel of the movie is as dreamy as anything you’ll come across this year. “Gou Gou, The Cat” is a lovely film that’s impressively refined.

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Gou Gou, The Cat

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