Amazon.com essential video: My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.
Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon
A delight for all ages! I'd wanted a copy of this version ever since I first saw it...years ago. Not being sure if it was as good as I'd remembered, or if I'd enhanced it in my imagination, I got a used copy. It's still wonderful! The detail in the graphics is supurb, the storyline is captivating, and the insight into Japanese lifestyle of that era is fascinating. We got the DVD version for our great granddaughter who is seven. Her mother said that they both were glued to the TV during the entire viewing, and it's definitely going to be one they'll be enjoying again and again. All the positives that the other reviewers mentioned are accurate. I'd recommend it for all ages...and so would my retired husband!
Charming anime but plot a bit too simple A very charming anime for young children. Two sisters move to the country with their father to be closer to their mother who is sick in a hospital. They meet and befriend the local spirits who ultimately help them. The only gripe that I have about this movie is the plot seems overly-simplistic and the movie ends rather abruptly. It would have been much better if the movie were longer and there is more plot.
A cute movie, the only problem is the ending. This movie was very cute and sweet and captured the wonders of childhood beautifully. However, the ending is very abrupt. It was very unsatisfying and made me feel like I had wasted my time. A thumb in the eye, you know? Otherwise, I would have given this movie four or five stars.
love this movie! I used to watch this movie all the time as a kid, and just had to get it for my son to watch. He likes it too!!! Its amazing!
A truly sublime film from the master of animation. In recent years, many "family films" have not been enjoyable for the whole family. Instead of making them so that both the kids and the parents can enjoy them, they are often made so only the kiddies will enjoy them (I'm lookin' at YOU Nickelodeon). These films are loud, obnoxious, rude and simply unbearable. However, there are also a few family films that have been enjoyable for all ages. The most prominent examples being the films of Pixar and Studio Ghibli. Out of all of these films, this little gem, "My Neighbor Totoro", may just be the finest family film of all. The premise is simple: Two little girls with a sick mother move out to the country with their father, exploring the surrounding forest and interacting with the spirits that inhabit it, such as the big furry Totoro. That's pretty much it. While it doesn't sound like engaging cinema, it has a warm, touching atmosphere with an emphasis on the importance of family togetherness. While it is a fine family film, it is also a wonderfully experimental art film. Instead of relying on a conventional plot, it explores it's world with a childlike sense of wonder, taking life one step at a time. The human characters have surprisingly real personalities, and are somehow able to get along with each other for the most part. The spirits also fit surprisingly well into the realistic world, as if they really did exist. This film also has the most detailed and beautiful backgrounds you'll ever see in a film. The beautifully crafted plants make you want to go outside and explore nature (after you're done watching the movie, of course). One thing that really irks me however, is that many fans give this wonderful film one measly star, simply because they didn't like Disney's dub. Many people seem to prefer Fox's dub from the early nineties, but I don't see why. I haven't seen the whole film with the Fox dub, but all I know is this: The girls are voiced by adults (adults never sound like authentic children), the father has a deep, scratchy voice (COMPLETELY out of character), and Totoro and Catbus don't even have voices (SERIOUSLY?!? They had voices in the Japanese version, why don't they have them in the Fox dub?!?). Also, the cover art makes it look like one of those Disney musical rip-offs that were so common in the nineties. These are my opinions, anyway. One reason why I would say that Disney's dub is a better buy, is that it includes the original Japanese audio track, while the Fox dub does not. That way, if you really do dislike Disney's dub, or just hate dubbing in general, you can watch the film in it's original language without having to buy an overpriced import from Japan. Also, I don't think Disney's dub is as bad as anime snobs let on. This really is one of Hayao Miyazaki's best works.
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