My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.

Jess’ Review

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) is perhaps the most distinguished of Studio Ghibli’s impressive catalogue of film, so much so that Oh-Totoro (or King Totoro) has become an emblem, a brand, for the production house. It’s no surprise. The film itself is wonderful, and stands as testament to Hayao Miyazaki’s mastery in an everlasting legacy. Whilst I stand by that this isn’t my favourite piece from Studio Ghibli, the film is iconic. The premise is simple and relatively normal, essentially following two sisters, Satsuki and Mei after they move into a new home. There is a great emphasis on family, and it’s refreshing to see an animated feature that truly encompasses the everyday life and toils of a family unit. Whilst the story centres on the two girls, Miyazaki builds an entire community around them with a sincere and carefully-considered authenticity. There’s no obnoxious eccentricities to take a cheap stab at comedy, rather Miyazaki takes the time to construct genuine characters in a genuine world. It’s easy to sympathise with them, especially during the drama of the second act - which is impressive considering the absence of gimmick to shape character. Alongside the strength of the characters and their universe - which itself plays a beautiful homage to rural Japan and the culture‘s many traditions - the focal point becomes the totoros. Miyazaki is a master of fantasy, and here injects a generous helping of woodland folklore into the normalcy of the sisters’ world. Screen time of the creatures is more fleeting than I’d remembered, though I realise that this works brilliantly by further playing into the mysterious nature of the forest spirits. We’re not bombarded by them, instead left ever-more excited whenever their cute, little faces grace our screen. The totoros are fun to watch, awakening a childlike curiosity and awe. They never fully detract from the core principles of the story, and instead bolster the message with charm and wonder. The animation is beautiful of course, yet the true strength of My Neighbor Totoro comes down to the tone. On first glance, this may seem like a film aimed at children. And it is definitely child-friendly. But there is such a captivating air of wonder, that I defy any reasonable adult not to feel some kind of warmth in their chest upon viewing it. My Neighbor Totoro is a film that makes you smile despite yourself. It’s sweet. And sweet in such a sincere way that it’s truly something worth celebrating. Whilst it doesn’t have the same gravitas as some of Miyazaki’s other works, it has charm and whimsy aplenty. Beautiful in it’s simplicity, I really do consider My Neighbor Totoro to be a must-see.

8/10

---

Sam’s Review

Another Hayao Miyazaki film. I couldn’t help myself, and badgered Jess to watch Howl’s Moving Castle, intrigued to see how it would fair under our reviews. However, adamant that we would watch something at least one of us hadn’t seen before, Jess decided on My Neighbour Totoro.

It travels at a leisurely pace. We are introduced to our two young protagonists, Satsuki and Mei - Miyazaki sticking with his theme of strong female leads. He captures the innocence and curiosity of children stunningly, with them zooming around their new home in exploration, while squealing with delight. The theme of family is prevalent throughout, with the dad surprisingly nonchalant when discussing soot sprites living in the attic. Though it’s unclear if he believes in them, he’s there to spur on his children’s imagination while providing comfort. In fact, the dad seems to be incredibly understanding. This may be an insight into Japanese culture, as a lot of Western films would have the authority figure dismissing the children, setting them off on a quest for vindication.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Miyazaki film without the environmentalist theme. Totoro is not the name of the giant rabbit-like creature, but rather the name of the forest spirits. And it’s clear from the beautifully illustrated landscape, including a sacred tree, that Miyazaki holds a great respect for nature. We are also shown a perfectly subtle glimpse of how mankind ruins nature, when the girls look into the river by their new home, there is a broken bottle laying abandoned on the riverbed. Satsuki and Mei’s friendship with Oh-Totoro (known as Totoro in the film) represents the balance between humans and nature. When Satsuki offers Oh-Totoro an umbrella, perhaps a symbol for protection, he gives her seeds in return.

This was a personal film for Miyazaki. While flight was not a part of this film, as it is in his other works, Kanta gleefully plays with a toy aeroplane. A glimpse into the esteemed director’s childhood. And if you know of the director’s childhood, there’s certainly a sadness lingering behind the occasional scene.

My biggest issue is the lack of story. I waited for something to spark an adventure, but in reality, little happened. Yet, this speaks to Miyazaki’s talent that he can create such an inspired film without much happening. And when I thought on it, the lack of conflict is incredibly impressive. There is no villain who we must root against. Even so, I find myself intrigued with the film.

Unlike Miyazaki’s other projects, this does seem more child-oriented. Yet the totoro’s are adorable, and I’m more than happy to get swept up in another of Miyazaki’s worlds.

7.5/10