My Neighbour Totoro [Blu-ray + DVD]

I must start by saying that I am a big Anime fan generally and have been for over 15 years. That and having lived in Japan for a couple of years. I have seen all the Ghibli Studio movies, apart from the most recent - Ponyo. If you are new to Anime, and you are after something for the whole family, with a great storyline, moral and something that can be re-watched over and over again, then Ghibli Studio Animes are for you. Totoro is one of the best to start with and whatever your age, is enjoyable and will leave you with a warm feeling. The characters develop well, there is the mysetry surrounding it, the fantasy involved and the massive imagination. PLUS, the animation is superb. I was lucky enough to catch the animated short of "Mei to KoNeko Basu" (Mei and the baby Cat bus) at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan earlier in the year, and it was amazing the number of people who welled up with tears during the short - based on their fond memories from the original and the wonderful continuation of this short. Although this short is never likely to be released onto DVD in the foreseeable future, as it is a museum exclusive. If you like Totoro when you watch it, and you really should watch it, then I recommend you follow it up with Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service and Pom Poko (probably, IMHO, the most under-rated Ghibli movie). On the more edgy side (with a little war, blood and guts thrown in) are Laputa, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Nausicaa, Grave of the Fireflies. Porco Rosso is a little oddball and difficult to categorise, but still good. The next release Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea will probably fall into the family, innocence, warm feeling category. So, it depends which side of the Ghibli Studio movies you want to go for first - but either way, you'll enjoy the films for their quality of story, direction, animation and feeling.

Ok, this is a Japanese animation for young children, but I defy anyone to watch My Neighbour Totoro and not fall in love with it. Watching this movie instantly transports you back to the magic and innocence of childhood. If I ever feel sad or ill, this film just fills me full of joy. I really can't recommend it enough. With no violence or conflict, the plot of My Neighbour Totoro is very slight, but its beauty is in its simplicity. Two young girls, the tomboy-ish, sensible Satsuki, and her inquisitive younger sister Mei, move into a new house in the country with their father, while their mother is in hospital. As they explore their new surroundings, they come into contact with a variety of magical creatures, including Totoro himself, who is a guardian spirit of the forest. Totoro is an enchanting creature - child-like, wise and cuddly all at once - but what really makes this film for me is the characters of the children. This may be a simple 2D animation, but you forget all that, as the children are just so true to life. The film really captures the spirit of childhood in every frame, from curious Mei toddling about delightedly after the forest spirits; to the boy in Satsuki's class who will only talk to her in grunts or by pulling rude faces, but who gives her his umbrella in the rain. So, if you are thinking about buying this DVD, I can only say DO IT NOW! This really is a timeless classic, suitable for children (and inner-children!) of all ages, and there really isn't anything else like it that I've ever seen - in fact, this film should come with a guarantee of a warm and fuzzy feeling every time you watch it.

I bought this as a present to my little niece, a month short of her second birthday, wholly expecting her to be too small to have the attention span to watch it all in one go - and her parents warned me of the same. To all our surprises she was glued from start to finish, becoming very quiet and intent, and laughing with the characters. No more reviews is needed to praise the film itself or tell more about the amazing Studio Gibli films - but this one is special. It is amazing in its rich slowness, heartfelt relationships, the theme of facing up to (very gently) scary things (cat bus and big totoro worried my niece quite a bit to start off with - as did Mei getting lost) and being rewarded - its soul food for a child. Only thing I'd say - with very young children I'd recommend that although the film seems to us adults very cuddly and safe, in my experience with my niece and other child, a three-year old: this is quite a scary film for that age group at times, especially when they are that engaged with the characters. Even the funny scene where Mei first meets Tororo - a small child is genuinely worried about what this big monster will do. (And Miyazaki knows this - playing with it, just enough but not too much. As I said: a true genious.) Its a good idea to watch this together with a child, at least the first time around, maybe sit and watch cuddling and share the experience. The end happens rather fast, and my niece being that small we also spoke about the end - how everything was now good, and how the scary cat bus had helped etc - and she was even glued to the end credits that have pictures which show happy events that follow the story. Apparently the film is now her absolute favourite - and the parents, who can trust her being pre-occupied on her own for 86 minutes at a time. If they don't feel like joining her, that is. It is remarkably adult friendly too...

I love Miyazaki, but because I always thought this specific movie was more child oriented, I never really felt the desire to watch it. Now that I have, it's my favorite Ghibli movie yet. I found 'My Neighbor Totoro' a bit "lighter" than most of Miyazaki's movies, which in no way makes it less fantastic. The story is quite simple, it follows the lives of two girls, Satsuki and Mei, who move to a small house in a rural area, together with their father, so as to be closer to the hospital where their sick mother is recovering. While playing and exploring the new area, Mei comes across very mysterious creatures, and ends up meeting Totoro. The movie is mostly about their friendship. I have to say it's one of the sweetest and most beautiful movies I've ever watched. It made me giggle like a little girl and although it might first seem primarily aimed at children (like I thought before I watched it), I really think it's good for all ages. Very magical, and still strange enough that it can hold your attention and interest (a "catbus"?). Needless to say, I really, really recommend this movie. *** DVD: SOUND: Original Japanese, dubbed English. SUBTITLES: Japanese and English. EXTRAS: Complete storyboards - Get an insider look at the film's artistry; Original Japanese Theatrical Trailer; Textless Opening and Closing Credits; Studio Ghibli Trailer Reel.

Absolutely charming animated film from a studio I adore. I'm 23 and I still enjoy this classic - the music and characters haven't got old yet and I love the colours and animated style of the artists. I recommend this move for anyone interested in Studio Ghibli or Hayao Miyazaki's work. Probably best enjoyed by 5-10 year olds but I love to watch it when I feel stressed and it makes me happy. Brief synopsis: two girls and their father move house in order to create a happy environment for their ill mother, who is in hospital but hopefully will return soon. The girls love the outdoors and discover soot sprites in their house which is the start of their adventures! Their relationship is lovely and sisterly, with the youngest striving to copy the oldest. Eventually Mai/May meets Totoro, a large bear-like furry animal. Fun ensues, juxtaposed with the girls worrying about their mother who sadly isn't well enough to come home yet.

Great movie for any Miyazaki. Visual quality is tremendous - it's something about the studio Ghibli art style which manages to pack soooo much detail into the animated media format which makes it special. As always with Miyazaki movies the Japanese culture is apparent throughout, whether it is with their storytelling tropes, or the their ancient ability to be able to tell a story within a story. As far as the visuals go for the bluray version I was entirely satisfied - no visual artifacts, no banding, no stuttering, the only thing at a stretch I could even count as a "flaw" is the variable framerate - that is, some character movement is as low as 8 frames a second, and other things like pans are a standard 24 frames a second - but this isn't actually a flaw in the technical side of things, it is just going along with the art style. The story itself also strongly hints at some slightly risqué metaphors - (SPOILER) such as the suggested theory that Totoro (the big fluffy bear), is a physical manifestation of death itself, which is suggestion based on later plot points in the movie (END SPOILER), and so on. This makes it very enjoyable for adult viewing while the whole story is light enough to be viewed as a family/children's movie overall.

Dissapointed again, perhaps because all these movies are so ridiculously over hyped. I enjoyed this one a lot, I was pleasantly entertained and I loved this world and these charcacters. That said, I kept waiting to be swept away by something and that never happened. Definitely one I’ll show to my future kids, seems perfect for the. I only say I’m dissapointed because I’ve seen anime’s before where I have been fully thrilled so I know it’s more than possible. This is he second Ghibli film I’ve watched and the second time I’ve not been blown away when it’s been made very clear I should have.

I bought this copy of 'My Neighbour Totoro' to give to a friend; I thought she ought to be able to share it with her grandchildren. This appears to have been all the success I could have hoped for; everybody liked it. There are only two things wrong with the film to my eyes - it isn't long enough, and I think the music behind the titles is a bit too hearty. Otherwise it's the best anime cartoon I've ever seen, with unbelievably beautiful background art and funny, believable, human characters. The cat bus always makes me laugh, and the dream sequence with Totoro and his minions making the acorns grow like rockets says so much about childhood, Japan, and folk belief - I love the end of it, where they all finish up right at the top of the tree, playing ocarinas! Immediately afterwards the children wake in the morning; the seeds have sprouted, and they ecstatically echo the dance they performed in the dream with Totoro. It's an unusual film as it presents so much of the action in a dual way - you can believe everything from the children's viewpoint, and you can also see the real threat to their mother's health as a continuous presence; sun and shade, often in the same scene. The continued presence of the villagers, merging in and out of the background, serves to root the story very much in felt reality. Like all Miyazaki's anime, atmosphere is there to be experienced almost at first hand; was there ever such a wet wait for a bus in the gathering gloom of night?

Avec mon voisin Totoro, comme avec Kiki la petite sorcière, petits et grands font une expérience unique. Ils plongent dans un univers tendre, poétique et drôle. Les personnages, si proches des spectateurs, vivent une vie toute simple mais non dénuée de merveilleux. Totoro, c'est l'imagination, l'imprévu, la spontanéité et la magie qui traversent l'enfance. Totoro, c'est une ode à la nature, l'enfance, la famille, la ruralité. Tout cela pourrait sembler bien plat, voire mièvre. Mais ce dessin animé est tout sauf mièvre et plat. Une fois le dessin animé terminé, on reste envouté, un peu comme à la fin d'un livre qui nous a particulièrement touché. On a un pincement au cœur à l'idée de devoir quitter ces personnages attachants. Personnellement, j'ai souvent vécu cela avec des livres, extrêmement rarement avec des films ou DA. Certains aspects m'ont particulièrement touchée en tant qu'adulte. Tout d'abord, les personnages centraux sont deux petites filles, autonomes, indépendantes et loin des clichés véhiculés le plus souvent (la princesse ou la jeune fille fragile et sans défense...). Le comportement des parents quand leurs filles expliquent qu'elles ont croisé des personnages extraordinaires. Ceux ci acceptent la parole de leur enfant, sans moquerie. Quelle preuve de respect ! Pour le reste Totoro et le chat-bus sont vraiment extraordinaires. La séquence ou Totoro attend le chat-bus à côté des deux petites filles est un grand grand moment. Vivement que nous le regardions de nouveau ! En conclusion, enfants (5.5 et 10 ans) ont adoré, ils ont ri, ils ont eu peur

There is a moment in "My Neighbor Totoro" that demonstrates what sets it apart from so many so-called family films. Four year old Mei has wandered into the giant tree chasing two little creatures called Totoros. She falls into a pit and lands near a giant sleeping totoro. Eventually she falls asleep. When her big sister Satsuki returns home she and their father discover her. Mei tells them about the totoro. A lesser children's film would have the father believe she was making it up, and the two children would soon not trust their father and go to great lengths to keep the creature a secret. But the father in "My Neighbor Totoro" believes his children are telling the truth. He believes it so much that he thanks the spirits for watching after Mei. The father can be a little absent minded, but he has such a good heart and is a kind person who loves his two daughters. When was the last time a family entertainment was about two sisters instead of two brothers, or a brother and sister? That is one of the magics of "My Neighbor Totoro". It demonstrates that family films don't have to be about children whose parents die in the first scene, or have evil villains, comical sidekicks, or even songs. (Only two songs occur at the beginning and end. One of them has nothing to do with the story.) It also has a character (a boy next door) that made me laugh not because he was acting funny, but because he behaved in the exact way that boys his age acted around girls. When I wasn't laughing at some of this film, I had a very big grin on my face. I was caught up in this family, as well as the neighbors. The totoro's completely won me over. The giant one was like a big fat cat when it sleeps. I would like to mention another scene. The father and his two girls enjoy a bath together. This was a scene I feared would cause some concern with parents I recommended the movie to at Hollywood Video. I had a response to them: In Japan it is traditional for families to enjoy evening baths together, although they take a quick shower before entering the bathtub together. It is considered impolite otherwise. The scene is interesting and something that would be very unlikely to be shown in any American film, let alone a family entertainment. Disney certainly wouldn't include such a scene. I believe it is a scene that parents could discuss with their children involving the differences between American and Japanese cultures. But in all my years at Hollywood Video not one parent ever came back showing such concern. I would like to finish by indicating that the legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurowsawa called "My Neighbor Totoro" one of the best films he had ever scene. To have such an honor given by someone who was considered at that time to be the greatest living director says a lot for any film. But for an animated film, it's truly an astonishing achievement. Seeing "My Neighbor Totoro", I can understand why Kurowsawa would say that. It is one of the best family films ever made. FOOTNOTES: Some of the review is information from Helen McCarthy's fantastic book: "Hayao Miyazaki, Master of Japanese Animation". It is available at Amazon.com (Special Update): Since I originally wrote this review, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO has been re-released twice on DVD by Disney, with an updated English dub. The other release is a re-packaged one that was put out at the same time Miyazaki's PONYO was released. This new dub features Dakota Fanning and her real-life sister Elle as Satsuki and Mei. The movie is not only flawlessly dubbed but is completely uncut with the original music and effects soundtrack. My opinion has not been changed. It is still an absolute delight all the way through.

Exactly the version I grew up with- perfect condition, no issues at all 😁

There are so many reviews of this masterful film that it is hard to justify another. But it is almost impossible not to want to tell people about this film. It is a delightful kid's film, an absorbing adult film and is therefore a member of that very small collection of art works that are truely family oriented. First, Miyazaki consistently creates the greatest girl characters that I know of. They are heartfelt, kind, independent, loving, brave and very determined. There is one scene where five year old Mei out of the corner of her eye sees a few tiny creepy crawling house spirits. Instead of running to someone for protection, she settles into this very determined look and posture and then goes off to investigate. It is a simple beautiful moment where a young child practices courage. This film is full of such moments. The animation is also full of moments of great natural beauty as well as surrealistic imagery. Miyazaki takes the time to show us beautiful forest scences or a rain puddle in a storm with a frog hopping across the screen. These moments are little haikus of animation. The totoros themselves, the CatBus and the other spirits are the work of a Japanese Lewis Carroll. This man's imagination and humanity are as timeless as Carroll's. This comes thru in all his films. Yes, I agree with the reviewer that said that the aspect ratio is bothersome (not to mention just plain stupid-how hard would it have been to give us the full ration version?). Art like this needs to be seen in all its glory. But art like this needs to be seen period. This is an easily available version at a great price. Do yourself and your kids a favor and buy this for them RIGHT NOW! Just so you know that I follow my own advice- I have a sixteen week old daughter and this is the first work of art I have bought her. I am looking forward to watching this movie many times with her.

Leur mère est souffrante et doit être hospitalisée. Pendant que le père qui travaille et doit se rendre au chevet de sa femme est absent, les deux soeurs font la connaissance de Totoro, drôle, câlin protecteur, un énorme doudou. Il a définitivement marqué notre fille toute entière Dans un autre registre, je vous mets quelques uns des DVD que ma fille et moi avons préférés pour la tranche d'âge 4-8 ans, qui changent et complètent par leur message et/ou leur présentation des grosses productions grand public: - La Boutique des pandas - Coffret animation - Les contes de la nuit + Kerity, la maison des contes + La prophétie des grenouilles - Ernest et Célestine (César 2013 du meilleur film d'animation) - Panda petit Panda - Michel Ocelot les trésors cachés - COFFRET LE CINEMA DANIMATION Volume 4 - 2 films - : L'Enfant au Grelot / Princes et Princesses - L'Illusionniste (César 2011 du Meilleur Film d'Animation) - Une vie de chat - Mon voisin Totoro - Le tableau - Ponyo sur la falaise Le Vieil homme et la mer - Le Chant de la mer - Azur et Asmar - Kiki la petite sorcière - Kirikou et les bêtes sauvages - COFFRET CINEMA ANIMATION Volune 1 : LE JOUR DES CORNEILLES / BRENDAN ET LE SECRET DE KELLS - Les Contes de l'horloge magique - Les Trois brigands - JEAN DE LA LUNE - La Sorcière dans les airs James et la pêche géante - Le Lorax - Epic - La bataille du Royaume Secret - Le Royaume des chats