Baron is the
mysterious cat doll in
Whisper of the Heart. It's a very detailed and
whimsical toy, and is actually based on a
statuette owned by the author of the
manga. She saw it in a shop, but couldn't afford it even though she fell in love with it. When she finally came back with
money, it was gone. As it turned out, her
boyfriend had bought it for her. They eventually
married.
Although
inanimate, Baron (and his fantasy-world counterpart) play a substantial role in the
film, responsible for much of the
magical feel of the
tale.