My Neighbour Totoro
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast: Chika Sakamoto, Noriko Hidaka, Hitoshi Takagi
Length: 88 minutes
Country: Japan
With the box office dominated by summer blockbusters it would be easy to overlook the 25th anniversary release of the anime classic My Neighbour Totoro. But while Hollywood giants such as The Great Gatsby demand your attention, Totoro delicately earns it, ensnaring you in a trance of magical wonder.
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the godfather of Japanese animation, My Neighbour Totoro is a story of a father and his two daughters, Satsuki and Mei, who move to a rural village. Upon arrival they encounter little black furry creatures called Susuwatari or wandering soot sprites, and a trio of forest spirits including the famous Totoro.
Totoro is a product of Miyazaki’s rich imagination, an enormous racoon\cat\owl type creature, and probably the most huggable forest spirit you will ever see. In only 25 years Totoro has gained legendary status in Japan and his fame is now spreading with the success of other Miyazaki films such as Spirited Away and an appropriately understated cameo in Toy Story 3. Totoro’s appeal comes from the careful animation that brings such a quiet character to life. From tiny details like the metronomic drip of water onto his nose to scene stealers such as the fuzzy shiver and gigantic grin when he discovers the use of an umbrella, the presence of Totoro makes us feel just like Satsuki and Mei: joyous, warm and safe.
Totoro is a product of Miyazaki’s rich imagination, an enormous racoon\cat\owl type creature, and probably the most huggable forest spirit you will ever see
Satsuki and Mei too, are beautifully drawn characters. With their mother unwell in hospital, Satsuki has to balance her own concerns with her responsibility for her younger sister, while Mei faces a situation she can’t yet properly understand. The genius of this film comes from Miyazaki’s crafting of these characters. Instead of treating them as adults with limited language, he gives them personalities truly reminiscent of children of their age, including delicate details such as Mei copying Satsuki and trying to imitate her.
Suitably for a film of such modesty, the ideas are subtle and hidden. As with most of Miyazaki’s work, it comments on our relationship with nature. The visceral impact of the film is youthfulness and the effortless enthusiasm that we all had as children. But most interestingly of all, is the tender notion of death in the final act, an idea contemplated very differently in Japan compared to most western cultures (watch the Academy Award winning film, Departures, to get the right idea). Interpretations are varied and insightful, especially for an animated feature.
A review of a more conventional film might now discuss the villain Satsuki, Mei and Totoro are pitted against (probably in a fight for the fate of the Earth). However the film is devoid of conflict, evil and many other essentials to the typical Hollywood formula. My Neighbour Totoro favours story over plot; less sensational and dramatic, but more wholesome. In fact the film is reflective of the delicate, loving work that went into drawing each frame. It is patient, modest, never rushed and packed with enthusiasm for imagination and adventure.
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