Ghibli Prince: Baron Humbert von Gikkingen

Film: Whisper of the Heart (English title)
Mimi wo Sumaseba (Japanese title)
The Cat Returns (English title)
Neko no Ongaeshi (Japanese title)

Voice: Cary Elwes (English dub)
Shigeru Tsuyuguchi (Japanese) (Whisper of the Heart)
Yoshihiko Hakamada (Japanese) (The Cat Returns)

The initial plan was to do Howl for my first official Ghibli Prince entry (with Hols being an Honorary Prince) but then again, that was when I had planned the Dragons of the Heavens/Dragons of the Earth to be my first Sidekick entry so I decided to do the Baron so two characters from the same film would not appear in two consecutive entries.

The Character

Baron Humbert von Gikkingen (otherwise known and will be known from now on in this entry as The Baron) is an unique character because he is only one of two characters to appear in more than one Ghibli film (the other character is Moon/Muta who, like the Baron also appears in Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns).

The weird thing about the Baron is that in reality, he is a statue. The Baron that comes alive originates in the character Shizuku's mind as she writes the story: Whisper of the Heart. In the film, Shizuku writes the Baron more as a sidekick helping the lead character in her story find a gem. The film viewer is given shots into the story on how Shizuku writes so we do get to see and hear the Baron in how she envisions him. Although there is not much to say about him, he has all the makings of a Ghibli Prince. He is sophisticated complete with suit, top hat and cane. He talks about his lost love which shows him as a romantic and he shows intelligence.

However, it is not until The Cat Returns that we see the Baron in a fuller form where he graduates from minor Prince to major Prince. The vague characterisations that we see in Whisper of the Heart are still there but fuller. He still has his trademark suit, top hat and cane. He is very level-headed and is good at giving advice. He is a gentleman through and through. He likes his tea (with either lemon or milk) and angel food cake. He is very sophisticated and very caring. He is willing to help anyone who comes to the Cat Bureau. Also, when he fights, he keeps his hat on. What a cat!

The most interesting thing about him is when Haru admits at the end that she had a crush on him and he doesn't bring this to notice. Therefore, we never truly know whether he had feelings for him. However, I doubt he is. True, he dances with her and at one point, picks her up in his arms and runs up the stairs. How chivalrous of him! Despite that, I do not think he felt for her in any way.

The voices behind the character

There is not much to say about Shigeru Tsuyuguchi due to the few lines he has. Maybe, if he had been cast in The Cat Returns, I could give a detail opinion. However, Tsuyuguchi has a refined voice which matches the Baron beautifully. Yoshihiko Hakamada is just as refined in The Cat Returns although, when it comes to his speak, he is slightly sharp around the edges. Nevertheless, he makes a great Baron.

Cary Elwes was cast as the Baron for both Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns. I can see why. No offence to Americans but I believe that when it comes to bringing refinery to a character like the Baron, a level of sophistication is needed and in the past, Elwes has done it with a natural flair. I mean when he is a pirate in The Princess Bride, he is basically the most sophisticated pirate on screen. I see the Baron as an Errol Flynn type character and Elwes is as close to Flynn as you are going to get in modern times. Unlike Hakamada, he is able to say his lines without any sharp corners which adds to the refinery. After seeing the English dub of The Cat Returns, I knew exactly how Haru felt about the Baron because I had (and still have) a crush on him. If only he had been a human character....

Definitely one of the best English dubs in my opinion although it is a shame that earlier in his career, Elwes also did what I consider to be one of the worst English dubs for a Ghibli anime film (Donald in Porco Rosso but that is for another entry)