The film is about sisters satsuki and mei moving to the countryside with their dad. Jose luis rebordinos my neighbour totoro because it is the perfect animated film, simple without being simplistic. Hayao miyazaki has directed ten studio ghibli films, and many more outside the company. One of the most endearing and internationally renowned films of all time, a film that roger ebert called one of the five best movies ever made for children, my neighbor totoro is a deceptively simple tale of two girls, satsuki and mei, who move with their father to a new house in the countryside. Later in the movie, mei, the younger sibling, goes missing, and satsuki, the oldest, looks for her. Jun 02, 2017 my neighbor totoro has inspired a cult international following since its 1988 release.
Apr 17, 2017 after the film s release in 1988, my neighbor totoro was voted as readers choice for fans of the anime magazine animage. My neighbor totoro is a 1988 japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by hayao miyazaki and animated by studio ghibli for tokuma shoten. Theres a childlike innocence that permeates the film on the surface, it appears to be a message of hope and optimism explored through fantasy in times of hardship. Mei meets totoro, but she is the only one able to see him. But as roger ebert notes, totoro is based on experience, situation and exploration not on conflict and threat.
Oct 01, 20 miyazakis films include spirited away, winner of the 2002 academy awarda for best animated feature film, as well as castle in the sky, my neighbor totoro, kikis delivery service, princess mononoke, howls moving castle, and ponyo, all of which have received great acclaim in the u. Tonari no totoro, the totoro nextdoor is a 1988 japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by hayao miyazaki and animated by studio ghibli for tokuma shoten. Its a film powered by situation and circumstance, steeped just as much in reality as it is in imagination. My neighbor totoro jbfc edu jacob burns film center. An established classic in japan, this animated family fantasy is a recommended gateway drug to the rich, bright, handdrawn universe of director hayao. One of the studios most iconic films is my neighbour totoro, a tale of two girls in the countryside that meet a giant, cuddly cat named totoro. I have selected this poster created by marko manev mainly because of its ability to convey what the film is about. My neighbor totoro is a heartwarming, sentimental masterpiece that captures the simple grace of childhood. Sometimes you just dont see a movie at the right point in your life. My neighbor totoro is the truest film ever made about childhood, it bridges the gap between what it felt like to be a kid, and what it is like to be a kid. Never had i ever heard of a totoro and so even by the title i couldnt guess what it was about.
Apr 15, 2018 h ayao miyazakis my neighbour totoro was released in japan 30 years ago to little fanfare. Theres a persistent rumor, one which weve talked about ourselves, that claims theres a dark side to feelgood anime classic my neighbor totoro. As it began, the first thing i did notice was how beautiful the imagery was. Its because the lack of plot, the film becomes dependent more on the animation and characters in order to keep the movie from becoming boring. In fact, my neighbor totoro wasnt widely available in my formative years as a cinephile, as the film was a victim of those strange years when blockbuster lumped all japanese animation into the. Scary truth behind my neighbor totoro someordinarygamers. My neighbor totoro is now available in a 2disc bluraydvd edition. My first memory of seeing it is as a fiveyearold, though ive been told i was even younger on my first viewing. Aug 18, 2012 no other film produced by the studio ghibli animation company has come to define the studio in its creative aims and ideals more than its 1988 film my neighbour totoro directed by hayao miyazaki. Kids and adults alike love the story of two sisters in the idyllic japanese countryside with magical creatures. In this video essay, harry explains how the film depicts the experience of young children during a tough time in their family life through an exploration of the relationships within the. A film guide that looks at my neighbour totoro 1988, a sweet, imaginative animated fable about a girl and her sister who move to a forest which is full of friendly spirits.
My neighbor totoro 1988 letterboxd social film discovery. The film is directed by master animator, hayao miazaki whose film spirited away won the academy award for animation in 2003. When young sisters satsuki and mei arrive at their new house in the country, they encounter soot sprites in the houseindicating a supernatural presence. Over the summer, i was on a bingewatching mode with studio ghibli films and my neighbour totoro was clearly one of my favourites. H ayao miyazakis my neighbour totoro was released in japan 30 years ago to little fanfare. The film doesnt feature a grand sweeping story or a plot with great peril, instead the movie is more a reflection of tiny events that envelop the audience in the wonderful world of a childs imagination and the world of the. My neighbour totoro hayao miyazakis my neighbor totoro is widely regarded as one of the most iconic pieces of japanese animated film. Mar 11, 2010 when my neighbor totoro was in the planning stages, miyazaki wrote that he wanted to make a happy and heartwarming film, a film that lets the audience go home with pleasant, glad feelings. The social impact and the religious elements of my neighbor totoro made it one of the most important films establishing hayao. My neighbor totoro has become one of the most beloved of all family films without ever having been much promoted or advertised. I loved studio ghibli films as a teenager, nausicca valley of the wind was my favourite but i just didnt like my neighbour totoro, until 10 years later when i saw it with my 4 year old nephew. Misjudged by financiers and shoehorned into a double bill with isao takahatas muchanticipated grave of the fireflies, totoro trod water until slowly, surely, it became one of the most beloved animated feature films of all time coming into the world two days before totoro arrived in cinemas, i. Since then, totoro has gone on to become one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world. His lovability is showcased to great effect in the most famous scene from the movie.
For fans of miyazakis later work who havent had the chance to check out his classics, this is a perfect movie to start. Totoro and catbus are the clear creature stars of my neighbor totoro, but the animators lavished just as much attention on everyday, real critters like toads and insects. Films has world premiere on japan 16 july 1988 same day as grave of the fireflies. What really gives this film power and fame is not just the mysterious and magical world it has or the cute character that.
What drama that does exist feels natural and unforced. This becomes clear in the lovely extended sequences involving totoroswhich are not mythological japanese forest creatures, but were actually invented by miyazaki just for this movie. My neighbor totoro is not well known or readily available in. This guide is useful for exploring topics including moving image arts and pshe education in addition to highlighting themes. It follows the story of two young daughters of a professor and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural japan.
We also have an inciting event of another nature when we learn their mother is in the hospital. Now, miyazakis anime has inspired plans for a theme park, too set to open in japan in 2020. I had never seen this one before so didnt know what to expect just that it was the favourite. Although some might have found this film strange due to simplicity and anticlimactic plot i believe that is what helped it reach different crowds from around the world. Rereleased and dubbed in english for a wider audience by disney, the movie introduced americans unfamiliar with anime to miyazakis signature themes. My neighbour totoro is not only his most famous film but also his most personal and greatest achievement as a director. How miyazaki persuades his audience to accept his idea on a new relationship between humanity and nature has not been fully explored and appreciated. Apr 09, 2020 when it comes to totoro what a great character. There are very few examples of animation films apparently addressed to children that manage to be so adult. They soon befriend these totoros, and have several magical. Jun 14, 2015 two young girls, satsuki and mei, move with their father into an old house in a rural part of japan sometime during the second half of the 20th century. Meis voice actress, chika sakamoto, also returned for the short. Analysis of hayao miyazakis film my neighbor totoro51 words 6 pages hayao miyazaki has directed ten studio ghibli films, and many more outside the company.
Tonari no totoro, 1988 is studio ghiblis second feature film and the fourth animated feature directed by hayao miyazaki the first being the castle of cagliostro a little cycle truck putters down a rural road in postwar japan, carrying fouryearold mei, her older sister satsuki, and their father professor kusakabe to a new home in the country to be closer. Two young girls, satsuki and mei, move with their father into an old house in a rural part of japan sometime during the second half of the 20th century. Outside of the japanese academy awards, which historically ignored animated films until 1998s princess mononoke 1997, my neighbor totoro won an award from every major japanese film awards including best film from both the mainichi film award and kinema junpo, as. Not only is the company now represented by the images of the creatures found in the film, it is the perfect blend of naive idealism and alternative. Despite these limits, my neighbor totoro is a gentle and affirming film. Jun 09, 2018 thirty years after the release of my neighbor totoro, we explore why the bouncy and cozy totoro has become hayao miyazakis most beloved creation and everyones dream neighbor. It is better to watch the movie before reading this. My neighbor totoro has inspired a cult international following since its 1988 release. They soon discover that the surrounding forests are home to a family of totoros, gentle but.
A psychological interpretation of my neighbor totoro the looking. Everything i say here has been covered by the attached video my neighbor totoro is a japanese animation film that once you watch it, you fall in love with it. A film guide that looks at my neighbour totoro 1988, exploring its key topics and themes through informal discussion. When my neighbor totoro was in the planning stages, miyazaki wrote that he wanted to make a happy and heartwarming film, a film that lets the audience go home with pleasant, glad feelings. Thirty years after the release of my neighbor totoro, we explore why the bouncy and cozy totoro has become hayao miyazakis most beloved creation and everyones dream neighbor. The film was also nominated for best genre video release saturn awards. A n established classic in japan, this animated family fantasy is a recommended gateway drug to the rich, bright, handdrawn universe of director hayao miyazaki. Hayao miyazakis my neighbour totoro was released in japan 30 years. Satsuki and mei discover that the nearby forest is inhabited by magical creatures called totoros pronounced toetoero. Their mother isnt with them shes very sick, and is in a hospital nearby. I cant remember when it was i first saw the film, but it has always. The filmwhich stars the voice actors noriko hidaka, chika sakamoto. Misjudged by financiers and shoehorned into a double bill with isao takahatas muchanticipated grave of the fireflies, totoro trod water until slowly, surely, it became one of the most beloved animated feature films of all time.
Hayao miyazakis my neighbor totoro is a film inextricably linked with my childhood. Lovers will feel each other to be more precious, parents will fondly recall their childhoods, and children will start exploring the thickets behind. My neighbor totoro tonari no totoro, one of the most beloved animated films in japan, is my mothers favorite film. But i grew up in the 2d animation age, with the films of the disney renaissance era shaping my youth and teenage years. Most of his films include a form of uncertainty, some of which include technological ambiguity, moral ambiguity, and the ambiguity of age. In this essay there will be a semiotic analysis of a five and a half minute section of the japanese animated feature film my neighbor totoro. The version i watched as a child was the old american dub made by 20th century fox, which doesnt entirely hold up today, but has its own charms and worked well enough for me as a kid. This is the first of several analyses examining the works of japans most popular animation studio.
Beautifully animated fantasy about friendship fit for all. My neighbor totoro is a film with hardly any conflict, no villains, no major character arcs, no twists or turns, and barely even a semblance of a traditional plot. First off the art of the movie is really beautiful, each background is its own watercolor which provides stunning detail and color. My neighbor totoro is considered miyazakis breakthrough film. Two young girls, 10yearold satsuki and her 4yearold sister mei, move into a house in the country with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. Not only is the company now represented by the images of the creatures found in the film, it is the perfect blend of naive idealism and alternative animation with the depth and genuine family drama. I couldnt agree more, especially regarding my neighbour totoro. On paper it may sound saccharine and lethally sentimental, but my neighbour totoro is nothing but wonderful and honest. Somehow many adults, especially mothers, love this film, although it attracts its original target audience of young children as well. Tonari no totoro, 1988 is studio ghibli s second feature film and the fourth animated feature directed by hayao. Analysis of my neighbor totoro 1862 words bartleby. The film my neighbor totoro, with all the religious elements and the social impact it had established the director miyazaki as one of the best animators not just in japan, but around the world.
The animation is so well constructed that every time i rewatch this movie i notice something new. On the internet movie database, its voted the fifth best family film of all time, right behind toy story 2 and ahead of shrek. Studio ghibli producer kills theory of death subtext in my. My neighbor totoro is based on experience, situation and explorationnot on conflict and threat. Analysis of the film my neighbor totoro 2176 words 9 pages. Analysis of the film my neighbor totoro 2176 words.
Bonus features include a series of brief interviews with hayao miyazaki talking about the inspirations for the film, the characters and totoro himself and an extra on dubbing the film into english. Design analysismy neighbour totoro studio ghibli movies. My neighbor totoro directed my hayao miyazaki is the heart warming story of a family who moved to be closer to their sick mother to a home surrounded my spirits. No other film produced by the studio ghibli animation company has come to define the studio in its creative aims and ideals more than its 1988 film my neighbour totoro directed by hayao miyazaki. My neighbor totoro was also awarded best film at the mainichi film concours and ofuji noburo award in 1989. Analysis of hayao miyazakis film my neighbor totoro 51 words 6 pages. My neighbor totoro makes us question if it necessary to have an enemy or major conflict in order to make a great movie. Spooky at times i know for sure if id have seen this as a child id have been scared. Jul 28, 2016 in fact, my neighbor totoro wasnt widely available in my formative years as a cinephile, as the film was a victim of those strange years when blockbuster lumped all japanese animation into the. Unravelling the disturbing theory behind ghiblis totoro.