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My Neighbor Totoro (Two-Disc Special Edition)




  • ( a ) Picking up on Napier's shojo definition in terms of its liminality , ( b ) I will explore the space between supernatural vs . the fantastic , leading into , ( c ) an examination in terms of magical realism and the emancipation through flight . Residing in this liminal shojo space has really less to do with Mei but more to do with Satsuki . As the crush of the rather nervous young neighbor , we are introduced to Satsuki in a voyeuristic fashion . We know the young neighbor is somewhat smitten by her and yet she seems oblivious to the whole thing . This sort of innocent eroticism is played out - arguably to hint that Satsuki is well on her way to becoming a woman - but not yet . As Mei is left to her own devices , she chances on the bucket with the hole and eventually finds herself falling into the hole in the camphor tree - where she finds Totoro . The wonderful thing about Anime is that the transitions between the real , the surreal , the fantastic and even the magical realism is so seamless as to appear natural . As Mei , in a move reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland stumbles into a rabbit hole of sorts , finds herself in the realm of the unreal , or is it ? When she is found in the forest by Satsuki - in a really imaginative move , Miyazaki keeps Satsuki in the liminal shojo space by making her see the things that only children see . We get this , in a real sense , when the cat bus is approaching both Totoro and Satsuki and she wonders how come no one else can see . Even if the father believes both Satsuki and Mei - he never really sees anything . Is the experience of Satsuki and Mei merely a hallucination or is it something supernatural . Once again , to borrow from Napier , something supernatural is still within the realm of the real . Taking the tack that the movie is about stress and children inventing realities to cope with such stress , Napier describes a facet of Miyazaki's work - that of the realm of the enchanting ( Napier , Anime From Akira to Princess Mononoke 126 - 132 ) . Back to the original premise of transcendence from that liminal characteristic of shojo . . . I find myself transported back to Milan Kundera who writes in The Book of Laughter and Forgetting : And then suddenly they were all singing the three or four simple notes again , speeding up the steps of their dance , fleeing rest and sleep , outstripping time , and filling their innocence with strength . Everyone was smiling , and Eluard leaned down to a girl he had his arm around and said , A man possessed by peace never stops smiling . And she laughed and stamped the ground a little harder and rose a few inches above the pavement , pulling the others along with her , and before long not one of them was touching the ground , they were taking two steps in place and one step forward without touching the ground , yes , they were rising up over Wenceslaus Square , their ring the very image of a giant wreath taking flight , and I ran off after them down on the ground , I kept looking up at them , and they floated on , lifting first one leg , then the other , and down below - Prague with its cafes full of poets and its jails full of traitors , and in the crematorium they were just finishing off one Socialist representative and one surrealist , and the smoke climbed to the heavens like a good omen , and I heard Eluard's metallic voice intoning , Love is at work it is tireless , and I ran after that voice through the streets in hope of keeping up with that wonderful wreath of bodies rising above the city , and I realized with anguish in my heart that they were flying like birds and I was falling like a stone , that they had wings and I would never have any . I intuit a sense of escapism in Miyazaki's work . I think there is something to Miyazaki's movies in terms of escape - from the everyday to a liberating space . On the subject of liberation . . . it is common to see flight in Miyazaki . Laputa we see nothing but flying . In Kiki's Delivery Service , it is arguably learning to fly that liberates Kiki . Miyazaki's oeuvre is filled with imagery of flight - Tonari no Totoro is no exception . To transcend being human , being a child , as Kiki escapes her liminal status as shojo and into womanhood so does Satsuki as she and Mei take flight in the cat bus . And I realized with anguish in my heart that they were flying like birds and I was falling like a stone , that they had wings and I would never have any . Miguel Llora
    • 002 4  This is an excellent childhood story unrivaled by any since Peter Pan . The plot involves Satsuke , a girl on the cusp of womanhood , moving into the country with her father and younger sister Mei , where she discovers a child's realm of wonder and make-believe running in parallel to the adults ' mundane everyday existence . The family's rickety cottage is filled with easily frightened dust bunnies , and deep within the tangle of roots and branches , in a safe hiding place only a child can access , Totoro , a benign forest creature , makes its lair . The story is a real jewel , simply , elegantly told . The art is of extremely high quality , excellently detailed , bright and clean . The characters are especially well-depicted , complete with expressive body language and realistically animated . In part because of the excellent dub , they are all sympathetic and deeply human , instantly recognizable as real people around us . Especially evocative is the portrayal of the children's make-believe world , full of things and places that are there only if you believe in them , like the giant Totoro and his entourage of two tiny , roly-poly furballs , and the magnificent cat-bus with great shining eyes and two mice announcing the next stop - the exact place you want to go . A fantastic , enchanting examination of a child's mentality , that is also a mainstay family film .
    • 018 4  It is depressing to have thoroughly enjoyed a film or book , and find that it is has become fashionable to pan the work because of the packaging and skip over its contents . That Fox chose to treat ' My Neighbor Totoro ' as a children's film , fitting it into the television aspect ratio and providing dubbing that was aimed at that audience , will displease some purists . However , it isn't going to displease many children who suddenly have access to a beautiful work with strong positive values and a marvelous insight into Japanese culture . Speaking as overweight , over aged child , it didn't displease me either . If you are a purist , however , be warned . This is a production intended to be viable at the price of a children's video . If you are expecting the benefits of a general audience DVD , you will be disappointed . Satsuki ( 10 ) , Mei ( 5 ) , and their father have moved into a rural setting so that they can be close to their mother , who is ill ( tuberculosis ? ) , and is resting at a nearby hospital . The film talks about the girls experiences , mundane and magical as they wait for the time when their mother can return . Part of writer / director Hayao Miyazaki's brilliance is in not turning this into a tragic story or morbid story . Instead , we see the children's excitement in their new home , and the close affection that interpenetrates their family life . Only then does Miyazaki introduce the theme of the mother's illness . This helps us to keep focused on the children's strength , rather than any sense of impending doom . When Mei chases a strange animal that looks like a cross between a rabbit and a teddy bear into the woods , she falls down a hole ( just like Alice ) and find a giant fluffy creature called a Totoro , who may or may not be ' the lord or the forest , ' but in short order is the lord of our hearts . The Totoro is magic at its best , soft enough to sleep on , able to fly about the forest , grow giant trees and summon a cat bus that will always take you where you need to go . As a child's imaginary playmate should be , the Totoro is playmate , friend , and protection . For the two children , the Totoro and its other spirit friends are the creatures that shout love , the powers that keep things from falling apart . The film is quite honest about the feelings of these children as they cope with their own fears for their mother . It is rare that a film speaks genuinely for children in this predicament , and attempts to set an effective coping model . This is special . It lifts the story to the level where it has something important to say to such children without making it the least bit preachy . In thinking over the film , I find that what is really magic isn't the Totoro's amazing powers , but the relations between the human characters . They are many and all think nothing of helping each other and sharing . Perhaps the real message isn't about Totoro's that live in trees , but the Totoro's that live in our hearts and the hearts of our friends . Highly recommended .
    • 035 4  I'm of two minds about FOX's Totoro release . On the one hand , this is truly one of the great animated classics of our time , a fun , beautiful , and imaginative story , sure to be enjoyed by children from pre-school to post-grad . ; ) I highly recommend it to any parents with young children , as it is very easily enjoyed by both parents and kids watching together . On the other hand , as a serious collector of Miyazaki's work , I find the release to be slightly substandard . Full-screen-only , dub-only , and lacking in the neat special features that highlight Disney's releases , this film might disappoint the serious viewer . In short : if you have kids , buy it , and buy it soon . But if you want the best , most collectable and complete version of this film , import the Region 2 DVD .
    • 050 4  My neighbor Totoro is an animated feature for all ages . The animation in this film is of such a high quality it puts most other animation to shame ( including Disney and Pixar ) . The high level of detail in the animation extends to both the characters and their surroundings . Each frame of the animation is like a piece of artwork . You see shadows on the walls and floors and in the water you see ripples and reflections . The backgrounds are full of everyday items and objects like desk clutter and kitchen items , the sort of items that everyone takes for granted and yet is so often left out of animated features . The artwork and attention to detail all add to the realism of the story . The story line is simple enough for younger children to follow and yet has elements to keep grownups interested . The story follows the lives of a Japanese family over the span of about a month . It's a nice family story with a few fantastical characters like the Soot sprites and the forest spirits . It's a fresh wholesome and upbeat story with no villains or protagonists , family fun at its best . It is a true classic . Buy this movie because no matter what your age you will love it . I can't honestly think of anyone that would have any issues with this movie it's a great movie .
    • 077 4  Having just watched Totoro for the first time , I'm an instant fan . Between this and Princess Mononoke , I am coming to the understanding that Hayao Miyazaki is a major talent in animation - - a fact others have known for years . I think no film , with the possible exception of Wizard of Oz and parts of ET , so effectively captures the breathless excitement of childhood . Watching Totoro , I felt as though 10 years had been taken off my own age . One scene in particular - - the scene in the bus stop , in the rain - - is absolutely classic , and has quickly become one of my all-time favorites . An obvious theme in Miyazaki's work is a reverence for nature bordering on worship . But Miyazaki's nature is not a cuddly , huggable world of wisecracking animal sidekicks - - it is big , and intimidating , and sometimes frightening . Totoro himself , though unquestionably cute , does not mug for the camera . He has his own life and his own preoccupations , and one senses that one must approach him with respect . The little girls ' reactions to him and the Alice-in-Wonderland-esque Catbus often border on fearfulness , which is exactly the right note to hit - - fear and wonder are very closely linked , and Miyazaki understands this . And then there is the craftmanship of the animation . The attention to the smallest human gestures , the careful observation of facial expressions and posture and other silent behavioral cues - - mixed with the stunning vistas of the natural world , rendered in beautiful watercolors . This film is a pure delight .
    • 081 4  My Neighbor Totoro , a film by Miyazaki Hayao is many things on many layers - one vital layer concerns loss and coping with the real possibility of loss . Satsuki , Mei and their father move to the countryside owing to the illness of their mother . As is common in Miyazaki films , the film centers on the concept of Shojo . According to Susan Napier , Shojo literally means little female and originally referred to girls around 12 and 13 . Over the last couple of decades , however , the term has become a shorthand for a certain kind of liminal identity between child and adult , characterized by a supposedly innocent eroticism based on sexual immaturity , a consumer culture of buying cute ( kawaii ) material goods , and a wistful privileging of a recent past of free-floating form of nostalgia ( Napier , Anime From Akira to Princess Mononoke 118 ) . I will do 3 things in this review : ( a ) Picking up on Napier's shojo definition in terms of its liminality , ( b ) I will explore the space between supernatural vs . the fantastic , leading into , ( c ) an examination in terms of magical realism and the emancipation through flight . Residing in this liminal shojo space has really less to do with Mei but more to do with Satsuki . As the crush of the rather nervous young neighbor , we are introduced to Satsuki in a voyeuristic fashion . We know the young neighbor is somewhat smitten by her and yet she seems oblivious to the whole thing . This sort of innocent eroticism is played out - arguably to hint that Satsuki is well on her way to becoming a woman - but not yet . As Mei is left to her own devices , she chances on the bucket with the hole and eventually finds herself falling into the hole in the camphor tree - where she finds Totoro . The wonderful thing about Anime is that the transitions between the real , the surreal , the fantastic and even the magical realism is so seamless as to appear natural . As Mei , in a move reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland stumbles into a rabbit hole of sorts , finds herself in the realm of the unreal , or is it ? When she is found in the forest by Satsuki - in a really imaginative move , Miyazaki keeps Satsuki in the liminal shojo space by making her see the things that only children see . We get this , in a real sense , when the cat bus is approaching both Totoro and Satsuki and she wonders how come no one else can see . Even if the father believes both Satsuki and Mei - he never really sees anything . Is the experience of Satsuki and Mei merely a hallucination or is it something supernatural . Once again , to borrow from Napier , something supernatural is still within the realm of the real . Taking the tack that the movie is about stress and children inventing realities to cope with such stress , Napier describes a facet of Miyazaki's work - that of the realm of the enchanting ( Napier , Anime From Akira to Princess Mononoke 126 - 132 ) . Back to the original premise of transcendence from that liminal characteristic of shojo . . . I find myself transported back to Milan Kundera who writes in The Book of Laughter and Forgetting : And then suddenly they were all singing the three or four simple notes again , speeding up the steps of their dance , fleeing rest and sleep , outstripping time , and filling their innocence with strength . Everyone was smiling , and Eluard leaned down to a girl he had his arm around and said , A man possessed by peace never stops smiling . And she laughed and stamped the ground a little harder and rose a few inches above the pavement , pulling the others along with her , and before long not one of them was touching the ground , they were taking two steps in place and one step forward without touching the ground , yes , they were rising up over Wenceslaus Square , their ring the very image of a giant wreath taking flight , and I ran off after them down on the ground , I kept looking up at them , and they floated on , lifting first one leg , then the other , and down below - Prague with its cafes full of poets and its jails full of traitors , and in the crematorium they were just finishing off one Socialist representative and one surrealist , and the smoke climbed to the heavens like a good omen , and I heard Eluard's metallic voice intoning , Love is at work it is tireless , and I ran after that voice through the streets in hope of keeping up with that wonderful wreath of bodies rising above the city , and I realized with anguish in my heart that they were flying like birds and I was falling like a stone , that they had wings and I would never have any . I intuit a sense of escapism in Miyazaki's work . I think there is something to Miyazaki's movies in terms of escape - from the everyday to a liberating space . On the subject of liberation . . . it is common to see flight in Miyazaki . Laputa we see nothing but flying . In Kiki's Delivery Service , it is arguably learning to fly that liberates Kiki . Miyazaki's oeuvre is filled with imagery of flight - Tonari no Totoro is no exception . To transcend being human , being a child , as Kiki escapes her liminal status as shojo and into womanhood so does Satsuki as she and Mei take flight in the cat bus . And I realized with anguish in my heart that they were flying like birds and I was falling like a stone , that they had wings and I would never have any . Miguel Llora
    • 082 4  I've got a dozen or so movie and educational videos for children in my collection . My twin three year olds ask for this video most often . They quote the characters and pretend to fly around the room clutching onto the Totoro's chest as Tsatsuki and Mei do . The plot does develop slowly , and they can get a little restless a half hour into it , but it is made up for by the charming , furry Totoro creature . They are engrossed in the story once the Totoro enters the plot . I had read the plot review , which described two young girls moving to the country with their father , and thought thematically it would apply to me , a single father sharing equally and separately in raising my children . The mother , however , is not absent but sick in the hospital waiting to return home . I'm afraid I may have prolonged the hope of my children that their mother will return to my home . This is probably not a concern for most people however . The animation is simply beautiful . I don't mind watching this video with the kids because of the gorgeous scenery . This is not another kids movie cranked out bya money-making studio . You can tell that the work behind the movie was a labor of love and skill - all the more reason to buy the video .
    • 086 4  Tonarino Totoro is 3rd movie for Miyazaki . In Japan roadshow , the movie was showed with [ Hotaruno Haka ] . I like latter movie in the point that expressed the real story , the poverty of World War2 . But the person's favorite movie will be different by individual tendency . I had the tendency that liked documental and truth story than fantasy story . Off course for young children or the person that like fantasy , Totoro will be the best movie . The two movie before Totoro was fantasy but war and agressive movies . Totoro was a first movie that there was not war scene . When we watch such a point , the movie will be safe movie that child can watch . And the character of Totoro is also very cute and unique , Totoro off course , [ Neko bus = cat bass ] etc . But Mr.Miyazaki did not forget to include his messages to this movie . Maybe foreigners would feel unique things in the movie atomospher , for instance , big forests or secret paassages etc . But there was such scenery in Japan in fact . And the sketch was done in Tokyo . Though I have lived in Tokyo more than 20 years , I have not cared about such scenery . Off course though what nature is losing will be truth , but in addition to that , I think that Miyazaki want to tell us that we should notice the nature , even if here is downtown city . The movie that Miyazaki make is included the important messages . Even if watcher is not Japanese , will be able to think about the messages . That is to say , nature is one of imoportant things for human . And I am surprised that many U.S , A people knew Miyazaki's movies . I can understand the reason that is said that Japan is anime country . I am sorry for my poor English .
    • 111 4  This animation is about two young girls who meet up some spirits from the local forest . It deals with the beliefs ( and realities ? ) of children , especially with a loving father who is happy to share their young outlook on life . I have shown this movie to a group of 13 adults ( including one critic who likes to analyze every film that comes along ) who end up with tears in their eyes and who came up to me later and told me what a great film they thought it was . The characters were very real to me . The nanny is old and ugly , but has an incredibly kind heart . The children act like the real children I've known - mostly responsible , but sometimes messing up . It was so easy to forget this was a cartoon and to identify with these people ! I love the style of animation . It reminded me of some of the early Disney animations . When people laugh their mouths are too big , or steps are too long , or those things that exagerate and communicate something that realistic detail can't do . It is a full length feature film with plot , character development and it runs you up and down the emotional tone scale ( from very sad to very happy ) several times .
    • 135 4  My Neighbor Totoro ( Tonari no Totoro as I'm familiar with ) was such a satisfying , delightful movie that I recommended it to my parents and other friends . Thought anime was going in a wrong direction ? Watch a Miyazaki film . When I rented it , my parents told me I'm not for kid movies anymore , but a Hayao Miyazaki film is for everyone . I recommend it to anyone who just wants to watch an excellent film , more or less a little masterpiece in its own way . At first , watching the opening few scenes got me thinking that it was going to be a movie strictly aimed towards children , but as the movie progressed , I found it to be touching and full of delight . Unlike Disney movies , there are no lyrical songs needed to give light to the story or to lengthen the plot . Also , the movie is just a simple plot about two young girls who befriend a spirit of the forest , Totoro , after moving into a new house . The story won't stumble or lose the viewer because My Neighbor Totoro is a tangible dance all the way . The characters are colorful , charming , and most of all , imaginative . You'll be entranced when you see Totoro and his buddies , especially that awesome 12 - legged cat bus . Everything in this movie brings out the wonder of enchantment and belief . You can't enjoy an animated picture without the eye-candy . Miyazaki's trademark use of beautiful vibrant colors are all here . It's just nice to look at . The music adds much , too . The film was scored by Joe Hisiashi , who pretty much scored all of Miyazaki's works . This is one admirable soundtrack . The Totoro theme song will surely get you boppin . From beginning to end , Totoro is a well-made animated picture that will make you thank yourself you saw a Miyazaki film . This is visual imagination that is Disney-caliber and more . If you're a parent try to pick this one up because your kids could fall in love with it ; everyone in-between will enjoy it as well . Savor every moment . . . it's such a satisfying film to watch . Kid movies rock .
    • 143 4  Since the first theatrical release in Japan , I have been a devoted fan of this film , and Totoro and two sisters ' wonderful , magical , fascinating tale in rural Japan is my all-time best . And if you think this film is just for kids only , trust me , it is not . Now I'm a grown-up , but still can enjoy watching it . Two lovable sisters are always well-drawn and credible while three furry monsters Totoro s ( lovely creatures , indeed ) are nothing but charming . And these things many fans have said rightly . Now I could add some reasons for the enormous popularity , especially popularity in Japan . As you know after watching the opening scenes , this animation uses the countryside of Japan as its background . Sadly , these beautiful country is now becoming a past memory even for Japanese people . We no longer see conducters ( guides ) on local bus service ; no good old three-wheeled trucks can be seen ( on which sisters ' father was seen ) , and school buildings are modernized so little chance for you to see Satsuki's school in reality . These facts , beside its good story telling , make the film all the more charming for us , Japanese . On top of that , many adult viewers surely remember the way they acted like spies when they were kids ; made their own story of adventure , fought against imaginary creatures , and so on . Yes , we see even our autobiography in it sometimes . Have you ever experienced a childlike . thrilling sensation of finding a hidden passage in a house where you newly moved ? Have you lost your way amid the places you had never been , and felt scared of the coming sunset as a child ? I have , and all those memories would spring back to my mind vividly while watching Totoro . Of course , kids enjoy this film , but it is something more as director Hayao Miyazaki's films always are . Creatures are cute , 12 - legged cat-bus is infallably the favorite and wonder for kids , and three Totoro s always steal your eyes . Now remember , Totoro is much more than that . Kids can enjoy it , and so can adults . Definitely . By the way , something about sisters ' names . Satsuki is the old , elegant way of calling the fifth month of the year ; hence , meanig May . So , the sisters ' names mean virtually the same thing , the best time of year of Japan .

  • 011 4  I couldn't wait for My Neighbor Totoro to be released on DVD . When I finally received the DVD , what a disappointment . Its full screen ( pan scan ) and the audio is sub par . Fox rushed this out only to capitalize off of Spirited Away's success . Its basically the Videotape edition transfered to disc . Anyone who appreciates the advantages of viewing DVDs and the artistic genius of Miyazaki will be greatly let down . Disney has done a beautiful job on Spirited Away , Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky . I only hope Fox will rerelease a better edition of this masterpiece .
    • 037 4  Someone recommended this movie to us and reluctantly we rented it . WOW ! I have 5 children , and although my oldest being 18 is too old to enjoy it , the other 4 sure did ! From age 4 to 11 they were enchanted ! Older children may not want to admit it , but I'll bet they will be very interested , and it is a difficult movie to walk away from ! Lots of happy sounds and catchy music ! I have since bought Kiki's Adventure ( another one they love ) and am looking for Castle in the Sky !
    • 092 4  My two-year-old speaks Japanese and English . He absolutely loves this movie ( watches it almost every day ) !

  • 012 4  I recently watched My Neighbor Totoro in its original Japanese language , in widescreen , with nearly perfect subtitles . It was a great movie , possibly Miyazaki's best in my opinion . Unfortunately , it was a bootleg copy and the respective studios got no money from my purchase . 20th Century Fox lost my money to bootleggers by issuing a substandard DVD aimed at kids . While I don't have an issue with them targeting children rather than older anime fans , they needn't have made a dumbed down release to do so . The only explanation for making a fullscreen-only version is that they meant for this to be viewed by kids , who are customarily distracted by the black bars . This could easily have been a two-sided disc at little extra cost , and they would have sold probably twice as many copies . The dubbing / subbing debate is less crucial , but since the Japanese language track already exists and the script has already been translated into English , it would have been a negligible amount of work to add subtitles , and would have satisfied picky anime fans like myself . I will buy this movie from Fox when they decide to release the real version .
    • 004 4  I must concur with the other reviewers of this DVD . . . I love this movies , and indeed bought a DVD player that could play the Original Japanese DVD release . This ' Fox ' release is a poor substitute for the original film . In specific this production is Pan Scan , and while you might be able to follow the plot , the beauty of the Miyazaki film is lost . Indeed the trimming of the picture often makes the color composition off . Also the DVD seems to be a bit over saturated , and a little off to the red side . Other basic things lacking : captions ( of any form - even English ! ) , other languages ( Spanish , French would have been nice - this is a region 1 DVD after all , likewise it would have been nice to have the Japanese - some kids out there are learning this language ) , and indeed any extras . Given all of this the DVD is quite poor , but the story is wonderful . . . So get the best copy you can afford and enjoy .
    • 041 4  After reading a couple of negative reviews , I rented this expecting to wince at the voiceovers and was pleasantly surprised that I thought it was very well done . I was only interested in this movie because of Hayao Miyazaki , having seen Spirited Away and falling in love with it . Once you understand that the originating language was not English , you can see how difficult it is to make English dialogue fit in properly . English does tend to sound American quite often , heh , and , English speaking children relate to it , I believe . It's too bad that in the first page on Amazon , the negative reviews pull up toward the top . I know there's a programming reason for that , but , isn't it sad that there's always a focus on criticism . Try this and form your own opinion and I think 99% of viewers will just LOVE it . The other 1% can buy something else .
    • 067 4  Wonderful film . I'm a fan of many Studio Ghibli films , even the darker ones for older audiences , but this one is pure joy that's appropriate for even quite young kids . The Cat Bus is absolutely great , and Totoro's pretty cool too . I don't know about the differences between the Disney and the Fox version in terms of the dubbing - which some reviewers seem so well versed and opinionated about - but don't let those concerns stop you from seeing this film . It's great .
    • 071 4  Ok , I'm a Miyazaki fan , we all know this movie is a masterpiece so there's no reason to bring that up . The movie easily gets 5 stars . The main concern here is the DVD . 20th Century Fox had very little to work with when they did this DVD . For those who don't already know , Disney has owned all of Studio Ghibli's movies since 1996 . This includes My Neighbor Totoro in widescreen , Japanese , and anything they could hope to call an extra . That's why Disney is redubbing the movie and that's why this DVD has almost nothing on it and why they couldn't even remaster it . They worked with what they had and did the best they could . Of course , when Disney releases their version , it will have many more features ( thought I don't think they will ever top this flawless dub unless they work their magic like they did with Spirited Away . )
    • 072 4  This film is one of my personal favorites . It is far above being an average kids movie . It is wonderful as a children's movie ; it is a charming and clever work of art enjoyed by adults as well . It is also a favorite among the many fans of its creator , Academy Award winner Hayao Miyazaki . Such a shame , then , to see the DVD presented so poorly , in TV aspect ratio and in English only . The Region 2 version of this DVD is much nicer , offering widescreen format , multiple language selections , subtitles , and extras including a map to the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo . Why , then , must we in Region 1 settle for such a lazy , lousy package ? Why bother with the DVD ? This is like having a videocassette . If you just want something to pop in to keep the young kids out of trouble , you can't go wrong with this fascinating , magical yarn . If you are a film lover , DVD collector , or if you are looking to pad your experiences with the art of Hayao Miyazaki , I reccomend considering the fact that there are alternatives to this poor treatment , such as the Region 2 version .
    • 073 4  The movie wasn't meant for 4 : 3 . If you want to buy a [ n inexpensive ] DVD for your kids , and if you only have a 4 : 3 analog TV set , this US region 1 release is absolutely fine . ( The English dub is excellent . ) Otherwise , stay away from it . Anamorphic widescreen versions , with English dub and / or sub , are available in other regions .
    • 074 4  Yes , I agree with my fellow reviewers in saying that I think the movie itself is practically perfect , filled with beauty , joy , wonder and hope . However , the DVD was indeed put together very poorly . The extras were only previews of old children's movies ( one of them from when I was a kid 20 years ago ) . I would have liked a widescreen option and also the option to view it in the original Japanese with English subtitles , not to mention any possible extras , about the movie , in English . I think it was still worth buying and I would buy a better DVD again if it existed . Also , my nearly three year old daughter loves this movie as much as I do and watches it over and over with great enthusiasm .
    • 075 4  No Japanese , no widescreen option , mediochre image quality , no extra features except some previews for other Fox movies , and that tacky illustration on the cover . . . Fox needs to take a tip from Disney about giving some respect to Miyazaki's work in a DVD edition . This is one of the best children's films ever made in any language . It's a shame this DVD edition doesn't do it justice .
    • 107 4  I'm not sure how the Studio Ghibli will release its movies outside of Japan , but if they are anything like the Japanese release , one is in for a treat . The Japanese ( Region 2 ) contains two disks . The first disk contains the movie , with Japanese in 2 channel stereo ( the sound is excellent ) and English in Mono . There are also subtitles in Japanese and English available . The picture is also excellent , and in 16 : 9 letterbox format . On the second disk is the movie again , but you can switch between the movie and Miyazawa's beautiful conte storyboards : you can play the storyboards like a movie with the original soundtrack underneath like a narrated picturebook . It also contains previews of other Ghibli movies , a featurette on Miyazaki design ( Japanese only ) and original artwork . I hope that this release of Tonari no Totoro is released in the US . Until it is , and you have a DVD player that does region 2 , you can order from amazon.co.jp .
    • 137 4  When I was in my Japanese class along time ago we watched this movie . I didn't know any Japanese at all . Just by watching the movie alone and not understanding any of it I feel in love with the story . A few years later I went to Japan and learned Japanese and bought he movie . I love the movie even more . This is one of the greatest animei I have seen . Good for all ages and a cute story .
    • 152 4  I was surprised that Disney would produce another English translation since one had been done earlier by 20th Century . However , Disney's translation is a little better versed and the sound has a better quality . For those who have not seen Totoro , this is a must-have video for anyone interested in animated stories . After The Castle of Cagliostro , this is Hayao Miyazaki's greatest work . It is pitched for the delight of smaller children , but it easily captures the imagination of an adult . All of Disney's Studio Ghibli translations are worth owning . However , if I had to make a choice , I would chose Totoro over all the others .

  • 013 4  Where is the Japanese ? I have not been so dissapointed in a long time . It is absolutely disgusting that with all of the versatility of the DVD format Fox films would not include a Japanese track on this film . The movie was already in Japanese ! There is no good reason whatsoever that they would remove the Japanese track . I am amazed and shocked . I advance ordered it because the whole point of DVD's is that the problem of not being able to find a copy of a foreign movie in the original language was supposed to have been solved years ago . I never would have possibly guessed that they would go to all of the trouble to remaster the movie for DVD and then step back into the stone age like this . This movie absolutely should have included both an English and a Japanese track . This is one of my favorite movies . I have been looking forward to this release for a long time . I am astonished . I am near to tears . Do not order this edition of this movie , please . Send Fox Films a message . Just order something else please .
    • 008 4  This is one of the most heartwarming films of director Hayao Miyazaki's collection . I have seen practically all of Miyazaki's movies , and I love every one of them . I'd highly recommend this movie to anyone . However , if you want to experience this movie as it was intended to be seen , please wait for a better DVD release . This DVD , by Fox , is missing the Japanese language track ( in order to watch it subtitled ) , and it is full-screen only , meaning the image has been cropped . Disney is set to re-release this movie , perhaps in 2005 , so do yourself a favor and wait until then . In the meantime , there's nothing wrong with renting this version of Totoro !
    • 025 4  I am extremely disappointed that there is not even a Japanese language soundtrack . Totoro is a beautiful movie , but I wanted the DVD so that I could have the Japanese language version with subtitles .
    • 147 4  Unfortunately , this DVD is a poor-quality pan-and-scan release . Needs to be indicated on the product description .
    • 148 4  I made the mistake of removing the wrapping before looking at the details on this DVD , so I can't return it even though I haven't watched it and won't . I also made the mistake of buying this without checking out the reviews . This is not the original version of the film . It's dubbed ( no original audio ) and equally bad , it's been violated with the completely unnecessary pan and scan . Come on , America , even on my 9 - inch TV , I'd rather see a film in its original aspect ratio . This goes into my white elephant heap .

  • 044 4  In a career full of animation masterpieces this may be Hayao Miyazaki's best film.Less complicated than his other films but still very inventive it follows 2 lonely young girls who befriend magical creatures of the forest.When their sick mother in the hospital doesn't come back home they try to reach her with the help of their new friends.Purposely slow and saturated with a love of nature the film perfectly captures the feel of lazy sunny days and beautifully lush green forests.Gorgous old fashioned animation has a warmer feel than all the computer animation nowadays.For an animated film the girls are very believable and despite some bizarre sights like the chesire cat bus the film never turns goofy.Miyazaki has made more complex action packed films in his career but to me this love poem to nature , family and magic is his most satisfying .
    • 052 4  Beautiful movie with great imagery and a sweet story line . Appropriate for and should be seen by kids of all ages ! All of Miyazaki's films are wonderful and unique , particularly if you are sick of the same old in all other animation where good fights bad , good wins , and everything is wrapped up neatly in the end . Sometimes things just are .
    • 068 4  A marvelous , wonderful film . Soundtrack , cinematography , everything . Just so folks know , the setting is early 1950s Japan , before the old landscape was destroyed to make way for urbanity , which was the calculated solution for the political turmoil . This was also a time in Japan when the incidence of tuberculosis was increasing dangerously . Miyazaki's mom was in the hospital with TB , so this film is slightly autobiographical . But the world it depicts is , sadly , mostly gone - - gone with Totoro's wind .

  • 054 4  Totoro is an excellent film for all ages , it's the story of love discovery and dealing with an ill parent . It's fantastical and magical with enough realism to make kids understand what's really happening . Adults will enjoy watching this one with their children over and over , I know I have .
    • 117 4  We think Totoro is very cute , and maybe he also think us cute . I want to meet him to say he is quite hilarious and ride on him .

  • 057 4  My wife , 4 year old daugthter and I all liked Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery service , and so a friend recommended this movie to me . He said it was a great family movie . It didn't sound that interesting so I didn't purchase it right away . Finally , one day when I saw a link about it on Amazon , I decided to go for it . We had no idea what we were in for , but not one of us was disappointed . If fact , the whole family has watched Totoro at least 10 times since we bought it only a 2 months ago . My daughter espcially cannot get enough of it . It is very fun , heart warming and humorous . We recommend every family get a copy of this movie . You won't regret it . We have since collected 5 of Miazaki , and Studio Ghibli's films , and we plan to purchase more in the future . BTW , if you like this , also check out Wisper of the Heart , another great Studio Ghibli film . Have fun , we know you will if you watch this movie .
    • 094 4  I know it's silly , but I just can't help myself . I would have thought I would have gotten sick of this movie , but it stands up well after repeating viewings . I haven't tried the English language track as yet but I am use to watching it with subtitles and wouldn't want the characters to sound different . A double bill of this followed by Spirited Away would be an excellent rainy day activity . I want my Catbus !
    • 104 4  This was my second delving into Miyazaki after Spirited Away , and while Spirited Away was the superior film , this was still a very enjoyable movie . This film excels most as a story for small children , one of the best children's movies I have ever seen , in fact . As a parent , one element I love about this movie is that are no typical American clichés to be found . There are no villains , fight scenes , and no disbelieving parent or malicious siblings . While the plot may be to simple for adults , it's still charming , and absolutely perfect for children . My only complaint about this DVD has nothing whatsoever to do with the film . FOX has really treated this badly as it's only in pan and scan , there are absolutely no extras , and the sound could use some work . Don't be put off by the cover art either , that's another FOX blunder . The actual film is very visually apealling and doesn't have the garish , cartoony look of the cover art .

  • 060 4  Leaving questions of fidelity to the original aside , there is simply no comparison to this film for the amount of delight and wonder it has brought into my 3 - year-old son's life . We're lucky enough to live next to a 100 - acre wood and our walks in it are enhanced by his hopes of seeing a Totoro under every tree . Miyazaki-san is unarguably the greatest genius working in children's animation today , and his visions are both sweet and richly detailed about the complicated relationships between humans and nature , light and dark , love and fear . Don't hesitate to enjoy this film in whatever format you can find . There are some loud noises , but otherwise it's totally suitable for small children . Kids over 4 or 5 might feel some concern for Satsuki's fears about her mother , but those are put into a warm and reassuring context . The Catbus is , without a doubt , the single most enchanting creation in animation .
    • 023 4  Don't buy this 2.0 stereo no caption no Japanese sound
    • 063 4  Don't waste your money on the fox version . The region 3 version is widescreen and in original Japanese with english subtitles .

  • 078 4  What has always amazed me about this film is its lack of standard film conventions . For example , the film lacks the usual diabolical villains that stand in the way of the heroes quest . In fact , Totoro even lacks a heroes quest , not to mention any sort of obvious conflict that you would find in any other children's animated film or dumb teen comedy.And that is because My Neighbor Totoro is not just any other animated film or story , it is a revolutionary work that explores the essence and wonder of what it's like to be a child again . From getting lost in an enchanted forest to creeping up a stairway that leads into a dark and dusty attic , Hayoa Miyazaki creates an unbelievably magical feel that will make you take a second look at the everyday environments that you might usually take for granted and perhaps even give you a new found respect for them . There is one scene in here which has received some concerned criticism mostly from parents in the United States . In it , a father and his two daughters share a hot bath together , which was common in Japan during the time period [ circa 1950 ' s ] . Many viewers who considered this scene overtly sexual and perverse have tried and lobbied to edit this scene out , without success . Miyazaki , who was stunned that anyone could mistake a completely innocent moment between a father and his children to be sexual , had this to say [ and I'm paraphrasing ] It is sad that a culture has come to a point where any interaction between a man and a child can only be viewed as a sexual one . Which is true , and which is why only a non-American director could make a film without a shred of moral corruption or cynicism and still make it enjoyable .
    • 155 4  This movie is absolutely adorable and beautiful . My husband and I find it hard to find movies that are sweet natured and enjoyable for our young daughters , but this one is perfect . Just buy it .

  • 112 4  The English dub for Disney's new 2 - disc version is a pale shadow of the superior original dub done by Fox / Troma . Even my 20 - month old daughter could immediately tell the difference , and she insists on the Fox version ! If you hear the original dubbing , you will NOT want to buy the Disney version . True , the new release is visually stunning ( digitally enhanced animation ) but after a while what sticks with you is the audio quality and it's definitely NOT worth it . The songs and the script were completed re-done and are so bland and lifeless ! Disney took the heart and soul out of this script , even with the start-studded cast . Having watched this movie over 100 times ( it's my daughter's favorite film ) , the new script dialogue is so dull and the actors sounded like they were just reading aloud . Dakota and Elle Fanning may be little girls in real life but they were awful at animation voiceovers . The grown-up cast wasn't any better . . . totally dull as dishwater . . . Are critics just afraid of panning Disney and it's big-named cast ? ! I can't believe I paid money for this one . . . and it was even more expensive than the Fox version . In fact , I will buy an extra Fox version ( before it is discontinued ! ) because my daughter watches it so much , it's sure to wear out .
    • 006 4  As parents , we've been buying lot of Disney animated movies for our kids ( 9 and 2 year old ) . Then one day we saw this cute litle creature on the cover of this Japanese video cover , I decided to buy it and what an investment that was . From that momemnt on we fell in love with every single charecter of the movie , yes , there is no need for a villain in this movie , no bad guys , and the movie still great , Disney should take note of this . Totoro came into our family life such as a fresh breeze and gave us a total new look on kid's movie , more magical than any Disneyesque stuffs we saw in the past . The story was so original , the rural Japan backgound and the school scene reminded me Viet Nam of my youth ( yes , Viet Nam , when there was no fighting nearby ) . I wept when the kids cried and laughed throghuout the movie , specially my 2 year old . She must watch it every night before she can sleep .
    • 038 4  This movie is a favorite of my daughter age 2 ( who is normally an Elmo addict ) , and her cousins 6 and 8 . It is sweet and simple , creative , enchanting and beautiful . The characters are so lovable . The love between the sisters is so moving and sends such a powerful message . The visualizations are energetic and fun , and the silly voices of the girls and the funny things they say , make my daughter laugh out loud . This is probably one of my favorite if not favorite family films , and I never really liked animae , but this is such a treat !
    • 095 4  Warm characters and imaginative creatures . Every picture is detailed and unique in it's view . Definitely entertaining because it's so different from other animation !
    • 154 4  A wonderful story full of fantasy ! Miyazaki again uses animals and creatures to tell his amazing story . Every kid should see this and also every adult who needs a reminhder that fantasy can be real . . . . . if you just believe ! The voice talent is great too .

  • 118 4  May is a young girl , who with her family , has moved into a new house . Her mother is in a hospital for an extended stay so May , her older sister and father must make do in the new environment . Right from the start they know things will be different . First there are the fish in the stream . Then the acorns in the house . Then the fuzzy black things that dart into hiding . But most of all there is the giant camphor tree that seems to be the home of a giant furry spirit known as Totoro . May meets Totoro and becomes friends with the powerful creature . Eventually her sister also meets Totoro and some of the other strange things in the area . But things really heat up when May becomes worried about her mother and tries to run off to the hospital . The whole community unites to search for her and eventually her sister appeals to Totoro for help . This is a wonderful and magical tale filled with spectacular animation . Its only real weakness is that some of the translations from the Japanese are a little clumsy . But aside from that this is a wonderful story that can be enjoyed by all ages .
    • 019 4  I saw this for the first time recently , what a warm and truly wonderful film . But when I went to find it on DVD I was appalled to find it only in pan-and-scan ( ! ) I'm shaking my head that the studio feels they need to dumb down the format to appeal to preschoolers and their babysitters . I can hear the Totoro crying as I write . . . So what did I do ? I went to Ebay and found the all-region Japanese pressing , in letterbox , with both English and Japanese audio . Don't encourage the studios by buying their full-screen monstrosities ( sorry Amazon ) .
    • 021 4  The DVD is going back unopened - I'm not paying for this poorly executed product ( but , it's Fox , so I'm not surprised that it is an inferior product ) . I was so ecstatic to see that Totoro was finally on DVD that I didn't look at the details . I am not slamming the movie - I adore it . But my reasons for the one star , expecially notable for film lovers : 1 ) It isn't widescreen . How can any studio in this day and age offer only fullscreen ? It wouldn't have been that hard to offer a two-sided disc , folks . 2 ) An English dub is must for kids ( and it should always be an option ) - but adults , and young adults , should be able to expect , and should demand , the movie in its native language with proper , readable subtitles . I mean , honestly , the movie is already Close-Captioned , which means the text already exists . So does the Japanese language track . How hard would another five minutes of work have been , Fox ? Or was paying that minimum wage worker for the extra time going to cut into the profit margin ( of course , my returning this piece of junk will cut further into profit margin than that could ever do ) . 3 ) No extras ! There are absolutely no extras ! Not even a trailer ! Come on , Fox ! This isn't brain surgery . This isn't even making cake from a boxed mix ! I'll be more than happy to write a new review when a proper DVD release comes out . Until then , I'm going to have to look for a better version from Japan . . .
    • 024 4  I can't add anything to the other reviews here about the movie itself . Yes , it's really that good . Possibly even better . As the old saying goes : if you have a child , are a child , or ever were a child , you need to see this . I can , unfortunatly , say a few less than positive things about the DVD that Fox / FHE has put together here , and I have to dock a star here , and considered docking more . It's excusable that this is a no-extras release : it's bargain-priced , and I'm sure that the age of the film and the language barrier would make assembling a supplements package difficult . It is NOT excusable that the film is presented ONLY in pan-and-scan format , with ONLY the ( admittedly good ) English-language soundtrack . This film is a work of art , and the only ( legal ) way to see it right now in the US is in a form that's been vandalized , and that's a pity . That said . . . buy it anyway . Your kids won't notice the difference , and hopefully if this disc sells well someone at Fox will notice and put together a proper edition for the enthusiasts .
    • 087 4  I love this film , and the english dub is actually quite good . If you have not seen the film , watch it ! BUT . . I believe Fox has misjudged its audience and created a DVD that I find lacking . Sure , its animated and made for children but I'm in my mid 20 ' s and do not have any children and could not wait to get this DVD . I was EXTREMELY disappointed to find that there was no original Japanese language track on this DVD . I know this sounds like previous reviews but I was so disappointed about the missing Japanese track that I had to add my voice here .
    • 101 4  I own the first English dubbed version , as well as the new version . I absolutely love this film . I recommend this to everone I know . If we had more gentle entertainment like this , we would be a much happier world . I have one negative about the newest version , the voice talents . I find the new vesrsion of the whole audio track dull ! I much prefer the old version of the voice and music . I do like the restored visuals . It has made a beutiful animation stunning ! Highly recommend this one !
    • 122 4  Under the less-than-knowledgable assumption on the part of FOX Home Video that this is a less-than-average kids flick , they have taken a monumental family movie and reduced it to the shelf space of Barney ( the purple dinosaur ) . One has to ask why ? I'm not necessarily asking for deleted scenes or any of the nice attributes that the Japanese release had , but don't we ( the American consumer ) at least deserve the widescreen version as an option ? Come on FOX get with the times .
    • 134 4  Ok , I am a snob , I know that , you know that , etc . But I think that it is MY choice whether to watch a movie in chop + hack ( ie pan and scan ) , not the choice of the DVD publisher . I think very poorly of FOX for putting this hack-job of a version on DVD . Translation : be forwarned , though a wonderful film , the original technical specs for this film include an aspect ration of 1.85 : 1 , however , this is the pan-and-scan 1.33 : 1 version . Ok , end of snobbery , end of rant . . .

  • 136 4  This is another example of a Miyazaki masterpiece , that combines a interesting plot with a family orientated theme that is also appealing to the older viewer . This is because the film contains many subtle points that will be readily grasped by the adult viewer . The story centres on the friendship that develops between two children and a forest spirit . While their mother is critically ill the children are made to feel happy due to their exploits . If you have seen any other examples of Miyazaki's work such as Laputa , Warriors of the wind , Grave of the fireflies , then you will understand the attraction in these animes . Fans of violent Mangas should look elsewhere , however if you enjoy a good story with competent dubbing , suitable music and memorable characters then Totoro is the answer .
    • 017 4  This is a wonderful film that everyone will embrace . The characters , especially Totoro himself , are beautifully drawn and charming . The story is endearing and joyful . This is my second favorite animated film . ( All dogs go to Heaven is my first ) . If only more children would watch these kind of films instead of raunchy trash like Scooby-Doo One , The Cat in the Hat , and Rugrats Go Wild . Unlike Totoro , these kind of movies completely resort to potty humor and have no gentle tone or magic . While films like those be long forgotten , Totoro will go on into the hearts and minds of all film-lovers forever . It is a masterpiece . . . pure and simple .
    • 091 4  Buy it , buy it , buy it ! If you are keen to detail and your sense of humour is a bit off . . . . you'll love this . The creativity is amazing . . . . . my teens still watch this over and over !
    • 110 4  If you have children or love animation , you must see this movie ! Totoro is one of the best japanese animated movies of all time and even surpasses Disney ! We become immersed in a beautiful , innocent and simple world . Through the characters of May Satsuki we experience their magical discovery of an invisible ( to grownups ) guardian named Totoro who helps them go through a tough period of their lives . Magical , wonderous , uplifting amazingly animated !
    • 125 4  Here's another great one from Hayao Miyazaki ! Two little girls move to the country with their father and discover magical creatures in the woods around their house . That sounds so dumb and boring ! you may say . Well , it's NOT ! This is not just a kid's movie , not by a long shot . If you watch it , without any kids around , I guarantee you'll be smiling at the end and nodding your head to the closing song . This may not be one of Miyazaki's more epic movies , but it certainly belongs high on the list of good anime movies .
    • 157 4  Totoro is a great family film , but even I enjoy it without the kids . Beautiful , stunning animation makes this film a piece of art in itself . The characters are entertaining , the story keeps you interested . If you have little ones , or are a collecter of fine animated films , do not hesitate to buy .

  • 145 4  As a child , I adored Totoro . So it was no surprise that I was more than eager to see the new 2 disc set of it . However , what I got was not all that I'd hoped for . Totoro is a classic children's movie , and one of the best . The story is touching , and the characters endearing . But what was sorely missing from this re-release was a surprising lack of vocal talent . While the supporting cast was great , poor Satsuki and Mei were grossly miscast as Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning . I wonder if Disney even auditioned children for these roles or just thought to themselves , Hey , who is a popular child actor that might bring in money ? Satsuki ( voiced by Dakota Fanning ) sounds about 3 or 4 years too young for her age , and half the time she sounds dead . The other half of the time she delivers several of her lines very oddly and inappropriate for the scene that they are in . A good example would be when Satsuki offers an umbrella to Totoro , telling him to hurry and take it because her sister ( whom she is carrying ) is slipping . Ms . Fanning delivers this line in an excited , almost giddy manner , despite the fact that her character is currently shifting around the weight of a small child on her back . It just sounds odd . And Mei is just plain annoying . Half on Elle Fanning's lines are screeched out in such a high pitch voice it practically makes your ears bleed , and the other half of her lines are , literally , high pitched screams . These two young ladies ruined what would have been a decent dub ( with the exception of the newly dubbed Catbus which is also disappointing ) . My advice to you is to either buy a copy of the original dub of Totoro , or watch it in Japanese if you buy this version .
    • 042 4  Somewhere in the countryside two sisters ( voiced by Dakota and Elle Fanning ) with their father have just moved to a house closer to the hospital where their sick mother is . The little sister Mei discovers nearby the house a large tree that contains special creatures called Totoros whom are friendly monsters that kids can see and grown-ups can't , the two girls have many adventures with the Totoros and are shown the way of life . A neat and wonderful animated Japanese fantasy from master animator Hayao Miyazaki with a nifty ecological theme and excellent animation to it . It's one of those animated movies that have the power to appeal to both children and adults alike , this movie was originally brought here to the U.S . by Troma in a dubbed version but now Disney has bought the rights into a brand new dub featuring the voices of Elle and Dakota Fanning , Tim Daley and Pat Carrol . This 2 - Disc set has sharp picture and sound quality with both the new English dub and the original Japanese language version with subtitles for the first time in America ! there's some decent extras like a Behind The Microphone Featurette , Trailers , a full length storyboard presentation of the film and TV Spots . A must have for the animation lover !
    • 069 4  A lot of times whenever I see the words family film , it usually means that the film is perfect for kids but adults would merely find it tolerable , as if it's not that entertaining but it's not a bore either . Recently my sister had a kid's show on TV that she loves yet I felt kind of meh about it . Well Miyazaki films are perfect since they're colorful and imaginative for the kids but they're quite entertaining for the adults too . Satsuki and Mei are 2 girls who have just moved into a new house with their dad . Mei takes a trip to the nearby forest and runs into a Totoro , a forest spirit who resembles a giant rabbit . Soon Satsuki also finds it and the 2 have fun with it . Only thing is is that their mom is in the hospital and Mei does something drastic to go see her . Watching Totoro , you get the sense of you're watching something that fits perfectly with whatever situation you're in . If you're a parent with kids it's perfect but if you're just buying it to watch it that'll work too . Unlike Nausicaa or Mononoke which were maybe a bit too adult , Totoro fits for everyone who just wants to be entertained for an hour and a half . It's certainly an imaginative film but it doesn't have that out-there craziness like other films had . There's no guy with a pig head or giant . . . . bug things or a giant talking wolf . It does have one very odd addition : a bus shaped like a multi-legged cat . But the imagination in a way seems a bit more tamer . In fact , Totoro doesn't show up right away , neither does the Cat Bus and they're not in the movie that much anyway . One thing is that kids might be slightly turned off by the fact that it's not one of those everything's perfect kid films where the only badness comes from the bad guy . There's no song singing and when Totoro isn't smiling ( kind of creepily I might add ) , he's roaring like crazy . Do yourself a favor and watch the japanese version . It reeks of stunt-casting syndrome that animated films have been doing lately which is to just cast a big star for whatever role you feel like instead of matching the character to the voice ( the only 3 I ever liked were Patrick Stewart and Alison Lohman in Nausicaa and Christian Bale ) . The extras are kind of disappointing since being a 2 - disc set you're expecting some huge ensemble of documentaries but there's not a whole lot here . Is it watchable ? Definately . Whether or not your kids will love it though depends on what they like . If they prefer big rousing songs and endless comic relief . . . they might not like it . Imagination and colorful animation ? Then they will .
    • 070 4  I see a lot of people complaining about the dub of this film , but quite honestly I couldn't tell you anything about that ? Why , well because I can't see anything topping the original Japanese voices . First of all , we have Shigesato Itoi . If you know that name , then you are my best friend , because you probably recognize him as the genius behind Mother , Mother 2 ( EarthBound ) , and Mother 3 , the absolutely legendary RPG's . He was the voice of the girls ' father , and quite honestly I can't see anyone doing a better job . He alone makes the original version superior in my opinion . While I realize that Miyazaki wishes that people might watch his movies in their own language so that they might spend their time looking at the art work rather than the subtitles , but honestly , I still prefer the Japanese . Now wile I do prefer subs , I'm not entirely biased , for example , I think that Spirited Away and Monoke Hime have very very well done dubs , but I still believe that subs are generally the way to go . So in the end , it's a fantastic movie , with a fantastic Japanese language track . If you really want a good English dub , then I would recommend you trust the other reviews , but if you want to see the movie the way it was written , the way it was intended , the better way , I would have to recommend sticking with this one .
    • 108 4  Whoa . I am amazed that I gave this movie five stars , but I have to . It has a Cat Bus in it . For those of you who don't know him , CatBus is a Bus that's a Cat . . . or a Cat that's a Bus . . . phew . . . that alone is worth five stars . Ok , now that you know about the CatBus let me say a thing or two about the rest of the movie . This is great animation with an excellent story for kids , immature adults , or anyone who is in a really bad mood . If you are over the age of 30 and you want to regress quickly into childhood just watch this . Or , better yet , if you have children and want to give them something good to watch instead of All Dogs Go to Heaven 4 : Rex and the Right Hand of God then I would say buy this movie . I wish I had watched it when I was younger . . . but I guess Lethal Weapon was a suitable replacement . . .
    • 133 4  The Movie is a five-star masterpeice that must be seen by anyone who can . There is no better living Film director than Miyazaki and with every feature it grows truer and truer . Totoro is a wonderful film the whole family can enjoy and it has the incredible ability to lift spirits at all times . The Fox edition of this DVD is shabby and worthless . There are no special features , it's in Full Screen ( which is not it's original theatrical aspect ratio ) , and the english dub A . Blows and B . Is the only available viewing option . This is a travesty and a diservice to this great film . Fear not however because Disney is releasing a new two-disc special edition in the same veign as Porco Rosso , The Cat Returns and Nausicaa . If you can't wait to get your Totoro fix then i reluctantly recommend this DVD , but it's not a fair representation of this beautiful film . I bought it for five dollars at borders ( After I used a coupon that gave me 25% of the purchase . ) Other than that sort of circumstance do not buy this DVD . . . especially not so close to the Disney release ( They did a spectacular job with the afformentioned films and Spirited Away . . hopefully they will be re-dubbing Totoro with better actors . )
    • 159 4  We've weaned our toddler from the dreck of Barney / Teletubby , & to select films from this director . A great film in its own right - imaginative , nuanced , warm . Warrants repeated viewing by adults .

  • it was the last important film by Miyazaki that I had not yet seen , and I was saving it for a special occasion . I love seeing again films that I have loved the first time through , but there is always a special magic to seeing a film for the first time . Unfortunately , I now no longer have any Miyazaki films to see that I haven't already seen ( at least until he finishes his work-in-progress , which has been given the tentative English title HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE ) . Fortunately , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was worth the weight . How does this film compare with Miyazaki's finest films ? This is a hard question , because he has a large number clustered at the top , all of them excellent . I would be hard pressed to say this was better or worse than any of a number of others . However , each film is distinguished from the others by the mood and tone of the film . MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO may be the gentlest and most peaceful of all his films . True , the girls have moved to the countryside with their father because their mother is in a nearby hospital recovering from a rather vague illness , and the forest is haunted , but the illness is never perceived as especially worrisome ( except near the end , when a slight cold prevents her making a brief visit home , provoking a crisis with her daughters ) , and the spirits in the forest are remarkably benign and benevolent . There is nothing like the ecological apocalypse in THE PRINCESS MONONOKE and NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND , or the parents who have been transformed into swine or threatening spirits of SPIRITED AWAY , or the armed conflict in CASTLE IN THE SKY . The world in this film is a loving world , all the way down to a remarkable creature that is a cross between Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat and a school bus ( literally ) . Miyazaki's animation is truly in a league of its own , and I mean that as strongly as possible . It has been decades since the Disney studios were capable of a fraction of the more challenging sequences that Miyazaki seemingly animates with ease . For instance , the wind and storm the first night the children spend in their new home display effects that Disney hasn't attempted since the more marvelous scenes in BAMBI . The way the wind is portrayed as moving through the tops of the trees , the hint of spraying mist , the manner in which the wind moves like a wave over the grass , the shuttering of the house under the assault of the air , are all things of remarkable artistry . Even more remarkable is that after this brief display of mastery , Miyazaki doesn't feel the need to build a huge storm with rain and lightening , but has the wind subside and give way to brilliant white clouds sailing across a moonlit and starry black sky . Of all Miyazaki's extraordinary gifts as an animator and a storyteller , his greatest virtue might be his patience , and this is something he holds in common with many of the Japanese animators . American animated films are almost always frenetic affairs , in a great rush to fill the screen with activity , and in a hurry to get to the next part of the story . American animated films seem to be more interested in where they are going than in how they are getting there , while for Miyazaki the journey is the far more important part of the film . Certainly one reason for this is the distrust of the American film industry of the patience of the viewers , as if they are in abject terror of small children squirming in their seats if the story doesn't get a move on . Miyazaki , on the other hand , respects his viewers , and is confident that they won't give up on a film simply because the story moves at a steady pace . In MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO , one of the sisters will begin to enter a room , look from one side to the other , take a step , look around again , and gradually and slowly discover what is inside . In many American films , a child would simply explode into the room and that would be it . As a result , every moment of the film becomes a discovery of marvelous and wonderful things . I would say that this is a very special film by a very special filmmaker , except for the fact that for Hayao Miyazaki special seems to be the norm .
    • 003 4  I have been a huge Miyazaki fan for nearly twenty years now , but I am ashamed to admit that I have only now seen MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO for the first time . The reason is a good one , as reasons go : it was the last important film by Miyazaki that I had not yet seen , and I was saving it for a special occasion . I love seeing again films that I have loved the first time through , but there is always a special magic to seeing a film for the first time . Unfortunately , I now no longer have any Miyazaki films to see that I haven't already seen ( at least until he finishes his work-in-progress , which has been given the tentative English title HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE ) . Fortunately , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was worth the weight . How does this film compare with Miyazaki's finest films ? This is a hard question , because he has a large number clustered at the top , all of them excellent . I would be hard pressed to say this was better or worse than any of a number of others . However , each film is distinguished from the others by the mood and tone of the film . MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO may be the gentlest and most peaceful of all his films . True , the girls have moved to the countryside with their father because their mother is in a nearby hospital recovering from a rather vague illness , and the forest is haunted , but the illness is never perceived as especially worrisome ( except near the end , when a slight cold prevents her making a brief visit home , provoking a crisis with her daughters ) , and the spirits in the forest are remarkably benign and benevolent . There is nothing like the ecological apocalypse in THE PRINCESS MONONOKE and NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND , or the parents who have been transformed into swine or threatening spirits of SPIRITED AWAY , or the armed conflict in CASTLE IN THE SKY . The world in this film is a loving world , all the way down to a remarkable creature that is a cross between Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat and a school bus ( literally ) . Miyazaki's animation is truly in a league of its own , and I mean that as strongly as possible . It has been decades since the Disney studios were capable of a fraction of the more challenging sequences that Miyazaki seemingly animates with ease . For instance , the wind and storm the first night the children spend in their new home display effects that Disney hasn't attempted since the more marvelous scenes in BAMBI . The way the wind is portrayed as moving through the tops of the trees , the hint of spraying mist , the manner in which the wind moves like a wave over the grass , the shuttering of the house under the assault of the air , are all things of remarkable artistry . Even more remarkable is that after this brief display of mastery , Miyazaki doesn't feel the need to build a huge storm with rain and lightening , but has the wind subside and give way to brilliant white clouds sailing across a moonlit and starry black sky . Of all Miyazaki's extraordinary gifts as an animator and a storyteller , his greatest virtue might be his patience , and this is something he holds in common with many of the Japanese animators . American animated films are almost always frenetic affairs , in a great rush to fill the screen with activity , and in a hurry to get to the next part of the story . American animated films seem to be more interested in where they are going than in how they are getting there , while for Miyazaki the journey is the far more important part of the film . Certainly one reason for this is the distrust of the American film industry of the patience of the viewers , as if they are in abject terror of small children squirming in their seats if the story doesn't get a move on . Miyazaki , on the other hand , respects his viewers , and is confident that they won't give up on a film simply because the story moves at a steady pace . In MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO , one of the sisters will begin to enter a room , look from one side to the other , take a step , look around again , and gradually and slowly discover what is inside . In many American films , a child would simply explode into the room and that would be it . As a result , every moment of the film becomes a discovery of marvelous and wonderful things . I would say that this is a very special film by a very special filmmaker , except for the fact that for Hayao Miyazaki special seems to be the norm .
    • 009 4  Japanese animated feature about two young girls who meet a supernatural creature , or spirit , named Totoro . Director Miyazaki's talents shine in this movie with beautiful animation and simple pleasures . The story is set in the late 1950 ' s when a college professor moves to the country with his two daughters who are approximately five and eight years of age . The family is happy for the most part , but their mother is confined to a hospital for an illness not identified in the story . The girls are enchanted with their new home , an old spacious house situated in the country , surrounded by farms and forests . Unusual events begin to take place with mysterious little creatures running around the house and strange winds and noises outside the house at night . Eventually the girls discover Totoro , a large mythical creature who looks like a cross between a bear and rabbit ; he's big ! Mei , the youngest of the two girls , meets him first and she's the one who names him Totoro . Satsuki , the older sister , meets Totoro later in the film while waiting for her father at a lonely bus-stop during an evening rainstorm , which is probably the most enjoyable scene in the movie . With Totoro are his two little brothers , miniature versions of himself , and a giant cat who looks like a bus . Totoro and the giant Catbus come to the rescue when Mei is lost in the country after running off in anguish to look for her mother at the hospital , and Satsuki is in dispair trying to find her sister . The story is simple and it's enchanting . Disney fans may love it or hate it for being a different form of animation and story-telling . I personally enjoy it very much because it's an original story and it's a nice break from American animated features that always seem to have inanimate objects dancing around and singing to a Hollywood soundtrack . The American-released VHS version has an english-dubbed voice-track that is pretty well done , unfortunately it is not letter-boxed and the music soundtrack has been muffled for whatever reason . The original Japanese version is letter-boxed , providing Miyzaki's original vision , which is quite good , and the instrumental soundtrack is at full-strength , which adds a lot to the movie . Unfortunately there are no english subtitles available . Hopefully a DVD release will give American customers the best of both versions soon .
    • 010 4  I want to thank the reviewers who warned against this version on the grounds that it offers nothing over the VHS version . If you are an adult who loves the beauty of Miyazaki's films , you'll be disappointed by the unnatural English sound track of poorly translated Japanese dialogue and cutsified kiddie voices that sound like an amateur version of Saturday morning Smurfs . ( the ONLY Miyazaki movie that recieved professional treatment in the English version was Princess Mononoke - 5 STARS ! ! ) For those of you that have REGION CODE FREE decks ( or computers with software like region free that kills the code ) , I recommend buying the films from the Japan Amazon site . . . . Although slightly more expensive , ALL DVDs contain English subtitles and often they have the goofy soundtracks as well . They are also widescreen - not letterbox . Another plus is you don't have to wait - They're all available Now - even the newest Sento Chihiro no Kamikakushi - spirited away , which includes English Subtitles ) Make no mistake . Miyazaki's movies are NOT DISNEY . Miyazaki does not paint his villains and heroes in black and white . Just as in real life , he shows that there is no such thing as pure good - or pure evil . Often the scariest character in his story becomes a subtle hero . In short , I would recommend Miyazaki's movies 100 percent . However , for some reason , his best work is not being presented to the foreign consumers in its full glory .
    • 033 4  As promised , this DVD contains contents that exactly match the previous VHS release by this studio ; namely Pan Scan only , English dub only , no extras . The film is wonderful , and surely deserves to be presented as Miyazaki intended it to be seen , not cut up . Those of us who want to see that will be disappointed with this disk .
    • 034 4  An enchanting movie - - we owned it already in VHS , but wanted it in DVD to last longer - - we have 3 children ages 11 to 6 , and they all love it . We expect to watch it for years to come .
    • 098 4  this movie is one of the best ghibli creations . and contrary to others opinions i really think it can be loved by both children and adults , as with most great films . aside from the artwork which is beautiful , it is about childhood , family , and a respect for your surrondings . i think myazaki did a wonderful job of portraying this story and reminding us of what its like to be a kid .

  • My Neighbor Totoro ( DVD ) My opinion only , but fans of animation must bow down to Hayao Miyazaki . In fact , fans of movies , in general , and of art must give Mr . Miyazaki his due propers . I've seen his recent stuff ( Princess Mononoke , Spirited Away , Howl's Moving Castle ) and am left awestruck . The man is a genius in his purview , and he works hard . Simply remarkable , the craftsmanship and soul and depth fused into these pictures . Having fanned myself into an addiction for more of Mr . Miyazaki's works , I've started to backtrack and catch up on his older films . MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO , released in 1988 , was my intro to his more classic stuff . Not too surprisingly , I really enjoyed it . Most folks consider MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO ( or TONARI NO TOTORO ) to be a masterpiece , and who am I to argue ? Set on a more intimate scale than Mr . Miyazaki's other , more grandiose efforts , it's one of the best family films around , particularly in terms of portraying the family interrelationships . The way in which the two young girls connect to each other is disarming and a sheer pleasure to watch . Too , I like that their father isn't an absent parent by default , or one who's too busy or prone to misunderstanding and distrusting his kids ( like in most American family films ) . When the youngest girl , Mei , tells her father ( and her older sister ) that she'd just encountered a totoro he doesn't dismiss her out of hand . He listens and even ventures an explanation . And it doesn't come off as condescending . In fact , the same thing happens earlier in the film , when the family was just moving into their new home and the girls glimpse the soot sprites . Dude's a cool dad . The plot , real quick : Two young girls ( with their dad ) move to rural Japan to be closer to their ailing mother , who temporarily resides in a nearby hospital . Along the way , the girls - the pre-teen Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei - meet Totoro , a large but benign forest spirit , whom only children can see . Totoro would become their friend and guardian . This is a rare film in that it contains neither villains nor violence . Mr . Miyazaki renders his supernatural world so benevolent and wondrous that it elicits delighted smiles , and not shudders . The scary moments instead stem from the girls ' overriding fear that their sickly mother might not get better , that she might even die , a truly frightening prospect for children . And , because of Mr . Miyazaki's attention to detail and development of his characters , this concern becomes valid to us . You ache for the girls . Real people , real concerns . Visually , technically , emotionally , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a beautiful film . No surprise then that Hayao Miyazaki writes , directs , and draws this thing . There's an enchanting simplicity here , with a leisurely pace and a narrative which isn't rushed . Again , respect to Mr . Miyazaki's attention to detail . We learn much of the Japanese culture ; specifically , we gain an insight into Japan's agricultural way of life and the farmers ' affinity with their environment . As usual , Mr . Miyazaki injects his cast with an appreciation and respect for nature . And nature reciprocates in the form of the forest spirit Totoro , whose simple pleasures are sights to behold , from his lazy enjoyment of an afternoon nap to his infectious glee at the raindrops pelting his umbrella . There's a joy in the sisters ' interactions with Totoro . There's something quite moving about this mysterious creature guiding the girls in a mystical rite to make their slow-growing acorns shoot up into mature oak trees . And there's something so right about Satsuki and Mei waking up later to realize that their planted seeds hadn't grown to full bloom after all , but that they did , however , finally begin to sprout . And , when , earlier , Totoro soared the night skies on his magical top , with the children and the little totoros crazily clinging to him , what a truly glorious and uplifting moment . A bit now on the dvd special features ( from the Disney presentation ) . Disc 1 not only has the movie but also the following : Behind the Microphone - a segment featuring the English voiceover actors ( Dakota and Elle Fanning are a delight ) ; the Opening & Ending Title Sequence Art ; and the original trailer . Meanwhile , Disc 2 , if you have it , offers the original Japanese storyboards for the entire film . If there's one truly melancholy note here , it's in the thought that there'll come a day when Satsuki and Mei won't be able to see Totoro anymore . But , at least , in 2002 , Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli came out with MEI AND THE KITTENBUS , a 13 - minute-long follow up to MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO which demonstrates that at least Mei hasn't been deprived of hanging out with otherworldy company . Now if only Studio Ghibli will let us see the damn thing . As ever , Mr . Miyazaki's humanity and perceptiveness shine thru . And this I can't emphasize enough : The film has appealing magical creatures , yes . And the film presents several stunning magical sequences , sure . But the true magic lies in the sisters and how they relate to each other , and sometimes get annoyed with each other , yet continually care for each other . Satsuki and Mei are simply irresistible , wonderfully realized characters . The self-sufficiency and warmth of Satsuki . The cute stubbornness of Mei ( maybe an ear of corn CAN cure maladies ) . Gentle and whimsical and enchanting , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is recommended for the young and the young-at-heart and even the cranky-at-heart . So get on board for this one . I'm certain that crazy , big-grinning Cat Bus has tons of room . Next on my to-watch list : Kiki's Delivery Service , Porco Rosso , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , and Castle in the Sky .
    • 001 4  This is not only one of my favorite childrens films , it's one of my favorite films period . This movie is truly magical . It achieves what Disney movies never do - - a wonderful story without the need to resort to evil villains or wise-cracking side kicks . In fact , two of the things I find most striking and refreshing about My Neighbor Totoro is the use of images rather than dialogue to propel the plot and the slower , almost contemplative , pacing of the action . ( This is one children's movie that won't blare from your TV or yammer at your children ! ) The first time I saw this movie I watched a friend's pirated VHS tape in Japanese . I was instantly mesmerized and was completely able to follow the story , despite the fact that I did not understand a word the characters said . And don't be put off because it is japanese animation . This is not your father's japanese animation . The images of the tranquil countryside are sumptuous . Miazaki's attention to the little details of life , like a leaf floating in a stream or raindrops tapping an umbrella , evoke the simpler , purer times of childhood . The children's discovery of the totoro spirits in the old camphor tree recalls a time in every child's life when magic seems possible in the mundane world . As with other Miyazaki films , there is a thrilling flying sequence . However , this film is more appropriate for younger viewers than most of his other works , some of which are decidedly adult in nature despite the fact that they are animated . As the mother of a toddler , I really appreciate the refusal to rely on cliche villians to keep the plot moving . However , I should warn other parents considering this video that the conflicts used to keep the plot moving - - the children's discovery of and search for the dust bunny and totoro spirits and Mei's desire to see her sick mother in the hospital which causes her to lose her way in the countryside - - might be upsetting to the littlest viewers without some parental company and discussion . Otherwise , I wholeheartedly recommend this movie whether you're 2 or 200 .
    • 014 4  I had heard good things - - great things - - about MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO for years . I still avoided it . ( I tend to avoid anime . My husband puts some on : I leave the room . ) Plus , it looked as if it were for kiddies . I am an idiot . I could not have been more wrong . To summarize it - - well , look around . The reviews are full of that : Father and two daughters of the Kutsakabe family move to countryside in Japan ( circa 1950 ' s ) while their mother is recovering in a hospital ( from some unspecified ailment , maybe TB ? ) and the girls discover they are neighbors to magical trolls - - totoros - - three of them , small and medium and very large ! They learn the wonders of their new environs with the Totoros and they get a happy ending regarding their family situation , but in a way that will make you both smile and get moist in the eyes . Nothing complex . It's what the writer / director / artists do with this simple premise that adds up to soooooooooo much more . This film taps into the warmest , most human , most loving , gentlest , dreamiest bits of my young self that still hides inside my middle-aged self . It reminded me of what it was like to ~ have a dad I adored and who cared selflessly for me ~ be young and see enchantments in the world ~ explore and be carefree physically ~ have fun with the simplest , new things , like a fresh bit of produce from a a plant in a pot or from someone's garden - - which seemed like magic to me when I was young ) , or from a bath or from climbing a tree ~ be young and lost and afraid without family nearby ~ worry a beloved parent might die ( as I feared when I was very , very young , like Mei , and my Papi was hospitalized . ) I understand some of the critique about the vocals , but , geesh , get past it . It's hardly an issue in light of the amazing animation ( just watch the girls , the little things , the details , that so absolutely prove that the artist ( s ) have observed young kids very , very carefully ) , the playfulness , the delights of the Totoros ( I can't watch Chibi Totoro and not giggle . Physically unable to stop myself from just letting loose with a cascade of heeheehees ! ) . It's a movie which opens with slow , establishing scenes of this new place for the family , but which soon utterly enraptures you with these darling girls and the weird but lovable Totoros and the kind , distracted Papa . The scene with Mei on Big Totoro's furry tummy is pure perfection . Watch her legs , the way she lays there and plays with Totoro's face . The way she scoots . The gorgeous bonding the ensues . The restfulness . And the scene at the bus stop / catbus stop : Wow . Look at the way the shadows and light are done . The hilarity of O Totoro and his leaf hat . The joy of raindrops on an umbrella . The sweetness of sleepy Mei and the unselfishness and kindness of Satsuki . The scene with the night ride : Oh . Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh . Who wouldn't want to be five or six again and ride on a Totoro's tummy through a moonlit night , over rice fields and camphor trees ? If you have high BP , this movie will settle it down , it's such a bit of grace pouring on you . If you want something beautiful that fills you with a sense of nostalgia : This is it . Feel young again . Feel magic . Feel joy . Watch MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO .
    • 015 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( DVD ) My children who love this movie are 4 1 / 2 and 6 1 / 2 . This is most likely their most favorite Studio Ghibli movie . They love how the children interact , and love to see Totoro in all of his glory . My husband and I liked it from the first viewing ; however as we watched it again and again , we found ourselves stopping whatever we were doing , sitting down and watching it with our kids . And each time we found something intriguing , endearing or something that we had not noticed yet . I have found that with two loud children , I use subtitles a lot in order to get the gist of the movie . In doing so , I have come across 3 different English subtitles on this movie , and each will give you a different meaning . My husband and I have enjoyed the English subtitles that belong to the Japanese audio immensely , as you get a better idea of what the original intentions were of the film maker ( So we use the English Audio with subtitle track 3 ) . As for the voice overs , we have not had an issue with it , as we have not heard the previous English version . I have listened to the Japanese audio , and it's enough . Most important about this movie is the story . Don't let the nay-sayers sway you . This is a wonderful family movie . There is one scene that freaked us out a bit the first time , which is the bath scene . It has a bit of nudity , but it's harmless . We were just your typical uptight American parents ! : D I hope you enjoy this movie as much as we did .
    • 016 4  My children who love this movie are 4 1 / 2 and 6 1 / 2 . This is most likely their most favorite Studio Ghibli movie . They love how the children interact , and love to see Totoro in all of his glory . My husband and I liked it from the first viewing ; however as we watched it again and again , we found ourselves stopping whatever we were doing , sitting down and watching it with our kids . And each time we found something intriguing , endearing or something that we had not noticed yet . I have found that with two loud children , I use subtitles a lot in order to get the gist of the movie . In doing so , I have come across 3 different English subtitles on this movie , and each will give you a different meaning . My husband and I have enjoyed the English subtitles that belong to the Japanese audio immensely , as you get a better idea of what the original intentions were of the film maker ( So we use the English Audio with subtitle track 3 ) . As for the voice overs , we have not had an issue with it , as we have not heard the previous English version . I have listened to the Japanese audio , and it's enough . Most important about this movie is the story . Don't let the nay-sayers sway you . This is a wonderful family movie . There is one scene that freaked us out a bit the first time , which is the bath scene . It has a bit of nudity , but it's harmless . We were just your typical uptight American parents ! : D I hope you enjoy this movie as much as we did .
    • 020 4  What more can be said about MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO ? Get this movie . Immediately . Without a doubt one of the best animated features ever made , Japan or otherwise , TOTORO is an outstanding original creation from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli . It's about two sisters - - Satsuki and spunky little Mei - - moving with their somewhat scatterbrained but loving father to a new home in the Japanese countryside . But the place isn't just deserted ; wonders galore lie within their household . Tiny , fuzzy black balls of soot ( Soot Gremlins ) scatter every nook and cranny of the walls , frightened away only by laughter . A tall , luscious camphor tree towers above the other trees in the back yard . And , lastly , the Totoros themselves , absolutely adorable little creatures who look like a cross between a raccoon , rabbit , owl , and guinea pig ( a personal bias here , since I used to own one who reminds me so much of the Totoros here ) , live in this very forest , carrying acorns , making huge trees grow at night , and playing ocarinas on the branches of the trees . There is even one really BIG Totoro who sleeps under the tree , so cuddlesome and gentle that you'll swear that he's the equivalent of your pet . Of course , he doesn't just allow Mei to snuggle on his chest . He lets out thunderous roars , shake the ground by jumping with full force , grins as wide as a Cheshire cat ( albeit with warmth and generosity ) , helps others when they're in trouble , and gives acorns wrapped in bamboo leaves in return for gifts . The story isn't all hearts and flowers , however . An emotionally charged subplot involving the sisters ' ailing mother ( shades of Miyazaki's personal life here ) gives TOTORO a dramatic edge . This is particularly evident in the third act , when the girls receive a distressing telegram about their mother . Both Satsuki and Mei are extremely traumatized by this as any real child would be if such a situation occurred in their lifetime . What follows is a tearjerking sequence that builds to a truly happy ending . This mixture of real-life situations , emotions , and magical discoveries found in your nearest back yard make TOTORO feel authentic ( even with its fantasy elements ) . One cannot help but find this quality in any of Miyazaki's films , this one included . MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was not a box office success in either Japan or America , but the film has won over millions of children around the world as well as animation buffs for its gorgeous animation style ; the backgrounds are lavishly detailed and imagination is galore in much of the sequences . ( It was KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE that would catapult Miyazaki's animation company , Studio Ghibli , into box office success status . ) The movie was originally dubbed into English by Carl Macek and his infamous company , Streamline Pictures in 1993 . Believe it or not , this was one of the best dubs they've ever produced . As Disney has acquired the rights for Ghibli's movies , though , it was inevitable that they would produce their own version . This has infuriated many , but as someone who fell in love with TOTORO with the Mecak version , I have to say that this new Disney production is entertaining in its own right . The script is a fresh new translation from the original Japanese ( clarifying the origin of Totoro's name ) , and remains faithful to the meaning of Miyazaki's screenplay , despite a few line changes here and there ( nothing major , though ) . At first , I was a little worried about hearing Dakota and Elle Fanning as Satsuki and Mei , but both ended up captivating me from the start ; personally , I think it was great for Disney to cast two actual sisters to play the young girls - - it helps their chemistry come alive . The other actors , including a warm , understated Tim Daly , and delightful Lea Salonga provide similarly top quality work . My favorite performances ? Pat Carroll , displaying maternal charm and whimsy as Granny ( not sounding anything like her most-famous role , Ursula from THE LITTLE MERMAID ) , and Frank Welker , who does outstanding vocal foley for both Totoro and the Cat Bus . The OP and ED songs retain the same lyrics , but are sung by someone else ( Sonya Isaacs ) , which may please some and annoy others . ( The new OP is a little bit off-color and gung-ho at times ; the ED is fairly well handled . ) I'm sure that there will be many who will draw comparisons between the two dubs to the very bitter end , but I think it's great to have more than one adaptation of a beloved story , especially when done by folks who obviously love Miyazaki's works . FOX's initial release of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was a pan & scan DVD which contains only the Streamline dub and zero extras . The first two-disc DVD set from Disney provided a widescreen presentation of the film as well as the original Japanese language track . So in a way , it seems curious that a * third * DVD release is planned . What really makes it worthwhile are the extras on the second disc - - this is the most that TOTORO has ever had in any of its DVD incarnations . Of course , if you already own either DVD release , then this newest edition may not be necessary . Either way , however , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is far from just another kid's story . With a little bit of luck , grown-ups ( and those who consider themselves too sophisticated for cartoons ) will enjoy it too .
    • 026 4  This is my favorite Studio Ghibli film , and therefore my favorite animated feature . Absolutely perfect , and recommended for everyone , all ages . ( One of the spotlight reviews is about the Disney version , not this version . )
    • 027 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( DVD ) My mother got My Neighbor Totoro on VHS for my son several years ago . I always liked the movie , and reading the reviews here made me curious enough to buy the full-screen DVD . The first thing I noticed was how much of the original film was cut from the VHS tape - I had always thought of the story as being a little vague and with a very sketchy plot - for instance , the father was nearly nonexistent in my old version , and appeared distant and uninvolved when he was in the movie , which turned out not to be the case at all . The true beauty of the film unfolded and for the first time I saw why My Neighbor Totoro is such a well-loved classic ! The original Japanese soundtrack , with the inflections and cute little voices of the children ( especially Mei's ) really add to the film , even though I don't speak Japanese - the inflections are so much more genuine , and the subtitles are very easy to follow . I plan to get my hands on more Studio Ghibli films right away . If you've only seen the full-screen , dubbed version of this movie , you owe it to yourself to watch the original , subtitled version .
    • 030 4  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 , or have to go on some stupid adventure to save the world . 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 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 . They have 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 . 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 . 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 .
    • 043 4  My Neighbor Totoro has always been a favorite movie of mine ( which is fortunate as my youngest son watched it hundreds of times growing up ) , ever since I bought the VHS version which was released many years ago . I have been waiting a long time for a US DVD release which I finally received last week . I was surprised to find that the movie has been re-dubbed , featuring the voices of Dakota and Elle Fanning as the sisters Satsuki and Mei . The original English dub on the VHS release is far superior . Unfortunately the English dub in this version has been completely Americanized , losing much of the charm of the original . You can see the difference if you turn on the English soundtrack along with the English subtitles . The subtitles are a much better reflection of the original Japanese language script . At least you can watch the dvd in Japanese with English subtitles , bypassing the poor dub . It's a shame Disney apparently felt that Americans would not appreciate a real Japanese flavored film , which to me is a big part of this movie's charm . That said , My Neighbor Totoro is still a wonderful film , for children and adults and it's great to finally own a widescreen copy on dvd .
    • 048 4  This film is satisfying on several levels : 1 ) animation is done with extreme care ; 2 ) plot is leisurely and well scoped ; 3 ) the relationships - human and non-human are done very well . 4 ) original and a very nice break from Disney I recommend this film to anyone with a child or even a child's sense of wonder . For those who prefer a gritty plot , explosions , and relationships fraught with trauma this is not your film . Many films both animated and regular place children as horrible stereotypes which this film does not . Not too sweet nor too jaded - a good balance is struck here for all the characters involved . I recommend this film in particular to people who have daughters . Studio Ghibli has always done wonderful work with females as lead characters . Female characterization by Ghibli is the most solid of all the anime studios and alas , many regular film studios . The female characters are done with depth and a certain understanding that is rare . You see this further in such films as _ Kiki's Delivery Service _ , _ Castle LaPuta _ , and _ Porco Rosso _ . I have yet to come away from a Ghibli film that the word , wow , was not attached . If you are fortunate and get a chance to truly see the animation say this to yourself , this was all drawn by Miyazake and not a stable of artists or computer generated ( except for parts of Princess Mononoke ) . If you are fearful of the accusations and stereotypes of Japanese animation being too stylized , stiff , or lacking in plot that is sensible then see _ Totoro _ or any Ghibli Studio product and see if they say the same thing afterwards . Further , take a look at the reviews from non-anime fans . It says something that they are moved as well . For parents I would say that this work will cause a sense of wonder and enjoyment for their young children . Get used to your children drawing the catbus and questions ( children will ask where is Totoro and the dust bunnies ) . Not a bad tradeoff in consideration the alternative is Pokemon ( blech ! ) As anecdote - - my co-worker thought my Totoro doll was hellaciously weird and ugly . Time passes and now a gray Totoro graces her desk . Watch and enjoy . This quality of stuff rarely passes through our media soaked world so unscathed .
    • 049 4  I love this anime and am waiting for the Disney / Buena Vista release for the Japanese language version . I lived in Japan during the early 1960s , so much in the film reflects the country I knew as a child . As for those reviewers worrying about the bath scene - get over it . It's completely innocent . I used to bathe like that with my grandfather and my grandmother , and sometimes with my parents . They didn't bother with any false modesty based on prudish ideas . When I first saw that scene , I felt no worry or upset , but warm nostalgia . I talked with my sons about it , and how things were back then , and they haven't become twisted . The Japanese countryside really did used to look like Miyazaki's backgrounds ; my grandmother used to wear the same kind of over-all apron when she cooked . I will often watch the anime just to remember back to my childhood and the Japan I remember . I don't know of any other film that so truly captures the joys ( and heartaches ) of being a child as well as My Neighbor Totoro does .
    • 055 4  A lot of people are on here giving this movie low marks because of the Disney re-dub of the English soundtrack . They complain that the original is better . Folks , the original soundtrack is in Japanese ! What I notice most of the complaintants are NOT mentioning are the story and the fantastic animation . This film is standard Miyazaki fare - which is like standard Michaelangelo fare , or standard Mozart fare or standard Shakespeare fare . Miyazaki ( and the fine people at Studio Ghibli ) is an artist of that same caliber . His films should not be missed ! My Neighbor Totoro is a wonderful film that everyone can enjoy . I , like many others here , put off watching this film because Totoro looked too cute . I expected a standard , Americanized saccharine-sweet story . I never expected what I got . As with virtually every other Miyazaki film , the characters are portrayed exceptionally well , very three dimensional and very human . I almost felt I was watchinng my own two daughters . The story is delightful , human and interesting . The animation is a feast for the eyes . Whichever version you watch , please do watch My Neighbor Totoro ; you will not be disappointed !
    • 058 4  I'll recheck this but ( as Amazon states ) I'm certain the two-disc set contains original Japanese language with an English subtitle option ( along with English dub ) . The debates about this video seem to focus on this issue . Amazon tends to print the same reviews for differing versions of a same title and it can get really perplexing at times - - in one case two entirely different movies that happened only to share the same title shared reviews . I wrote to Amazon about this but never received a response . With that out of the way ( and I think with little need to stress the fact that this is a spectacular family film ) , let me be an advocate of one approach here . Even if you're showing this to children ( and please , watch this with them , you'll be delighted ) , make every effort to watch it in the original Japanese , with subtitles , and read for them if needed . Reasons are : A ) As much as I hate to admit it , I now never find much merit in American dubbings of any film . The reason is that once a foreign film gets into the hands of American producers , they feel a need - - sometimes a subtle and well-intended one - - to Americanize the film . There's nothing innately bad about this but almost always , if you go to the original and listen very carefully to the emotions and inflections of a language you may not even understand , you'll find that the original film makes much more emotional sense than the American version . Anything Disney does is particularly suspect since it tends to operate ( to its financial detriment , we've noticed ) in High-Power Marketing Mode nearly all of the time so it will try to go for names in dubbing rather than pay strict attention to artistic needs * . I've worked with Disney on some projects and frankly they need someone to talk to them and help them get back to another world of magic entirely . B ) Kids , more than anyone , pick up on the emotional content of language and will , if you give them the chance , find more of value in the original language films , even if subtitles may be a minor barrier . This is also the best way to start them on a path of appreciating other cultures and non-American film product which ( even I'm now realizing ) is often of finer artistic merit . C ) The Japanese , with an ancient theatrical traditional , field spectacular actors and the voice talent that turns up in these movies is often as good as can be hoped for . This particular film is beautifully acted . In what I've encountered , Japanese actors generally portray finer ranges and nuances of emotion and manage gentleness and innocence particularly well . Your kids will pick up on this . * The recent Howl's Moving Castle used Billy Crystal for the voice of the Fire Demon . Listen to the original and compare . Crystal was brilliant in Monsters Inc . - - the part being pretty much written for him - - but here he's sadly under-utilized and his wise-crack delivery is more than a little out-of-place . Disney really tried too hard to pack this one with names .
    • 061 4  Miyazaki-sama ! There just aren't the words to convey how much respect I have for this man's work , and the rest of the folks at Studio Ghibli as well . Totoro is the story of two girls , whose father relocated them to the countryside to be near an ailing mother who must stay at the hospital . As will most of Miyazaki's film , Totoro dances lovingly around the edges of fantasy and reality , as the two sisters develop a friendship with the other-worldly creatures who live nearby . The story to this film is just so sweet . I babysit for the 2 year old daughter of my best friend , and when it's raining outside , or the world has us a little blue , Totoro is a movie we both enjoy . Great in its own right , there's NOTHING like watching the face of a young child light up when the cat bus appears . The DVD - unfortunately - is of inferior quality . There is apparently no widescreen version , no choice of Japanese with sub-titles ( which is how I prefer to watch Japanese films , as with all releases in other languages ) . There are no extras , but extras aren't usually my selling point . I highly recommend this movie - as well as Kiki's Delivery Service - to parents who are looking for something beyond Bob the Builder to share with their children . Utterly beautiful , this movie is obviously crafted with love .
    • 065 4  First off i would like to say , i own both copies of the movie . I enjoyed this movie fully . It's widescreen presentations was flawless and full of color . It also had a number of extras on this dvd . Next debate , the new dub . Ok , I completely understand why people dont like this dub . . . i dont like it as well as the Fox Totoro dub either . Before this was out all anyone could do is complain about the acting on the Fox Totoro , now everyone prefers it . I watched My neighbor Totoro when i was young . It was my favorite movie . We only rented it though . Then years later ( about a year or two ago ) . I found the Fox version in a walmart bargain bin of dvds . I couldnt believe my eyes , memories rushed back as i grabbed it and bought it . I really loved watching it . Then a few years later this one comes out . Disney does a great job at these Ghibli movies . So i did not hesitate to buy the movie again . Not only is it widescreen , but it has the original japanese version . I am not big on Japanese versions , but its always nice to run through once . First thing i thought . . . They redid the song . Same words new vocals . It was nice . then Wow they sound older than they look . . . I know Dakota Fanning is a great young actress , but she sounded older than the previous one who played her . I also noticed a lot of dialouge changes . I dont know anything about japanese so i dont know which was more accurate . But it kinda made me feel bad . . . They arent soot gremlins they are dust bunnies . I have known them as dust bunnies all my life , then they change it to soot gremlins . . . . . . . . . that makes me sick . . . . . . Even when i first saw spirited away i said Look its the dust bunnies . Course they called them soot sprites . . . which still sounds better than soot gremlins . That is the only real thing i hated about this movie . I picked up my fox dvd for only $5.50 at wal mart . This one for $20 at wal mart . Both i love , disney for the quality , and Fox for the original dialogue and voices i have grown to love . I still give this 5 stars despite the soot gremlin horror . If the dub bugs you that much . I would buy the fox version . What i do , is since i have a ps2 and a dvd player . I put one in each , wire the disney video , and the fox sound together with the cables and then start them at the same time . That way i get my favorite dialogue and good video .
    • 066 4  My Neighbor Totoro is great fun for adults and children alike . It also gives one a glimpse of 1940 ' s era Japan , replete with scenic rice paddies , fashion , culture and tradition . Satsuki packs an oishii ( delicious ) lunch box for her family as she helps her father , a professor at a local University cope with the illness and absence of his wife . Meanwhile a mystical Neko-bas ( cat buss ) gives the eldest daughter and her little sister ( Mei ) a ride to see their mother in the hospital . This tale is filled with delightful Totoros ranging from the smallest ( kototoro ) to the largest ( ototoro ) who greets the children with a mighty roar , however let's them fall asleep on his belly . . . Simply charming . The film maker , Hayao Miyazaki , contributes a valuable new addition to the world of animation comparable , yet distinct from Disney's finest classics . Jyodeki ( very good ) .
    • 079 4  Six stars for Totoro , zero stars for Disney's hachet job on a beutiful movie averages to three stars in my book . If you're a Miyazaki vet reconnecting with Setsuki , Mei , the dust bunnies and Catbus , this is * not * the version you're looking for . Search elsewhere on Amazon for the version distributed by Fox . Disney has re-voiced this instant classic with Dakota Fanning and Pat Carroll . No offense to their acting abilities , but Disney's tried to crank out a Mona Lisa using paint-by-numbers and have largely succeeded . If you're new to Totoro , my advice holds . To call this an instant classic sell it short on so many levels . The webslog family is four in number , with our kids largely corresponding in age to Setsuki and Mei . This movie has become a part of our family's unspoken list of Media that we want our kids and their kids and so on to experience right up there with Richard Scarrey , Bugs Bunny and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends . The Fox version ( even with voiceovers ) put me in rural Japan so firmly and completely that I wish I lived there . The illustration , landscapes , etc . are lush to a fault , and the VO actors selected in the Fox version fit the age and innocence of the children to a T . FWIW , the lit crit geek in me guesses that we're in post-Nagasaki Marshall-plan Japan ; Mom's in the hospital for radiation poisoning , and I'm not altogether sure she'll make it out of the hospital , making the entire story that much more poignant .
    • 080 4  Yes , the extras are poor . The dubbing is substandard . Nevertheless , this long-awaited release is well worth owning . Even if only for the opportunity to view this classic film as it should always be presented : in true widescreen . The only time I switched to the English-language audio was during the opening and ending sequences , so I could hear the singing in English . Odd that some of the credits are subtitled , but the most entertaining aspect - - the lyrics - - were not . After that , I had no interest in hearing anything but the Japanese soundtrack . From the subtitles , I can understand the dialogue . But to hear only the dubbed soundtrack is to ignore the original performances . Even the most sympathetically created dubbing inevitably obscures the intonation and emotional nuances created by the actors , guided by the director : these are ( at least ) as important to the rendering of character as the visuals . Only those fluent in Japanese are capable of fully comprehending every aspect of the work . With subtitles , some meaning is altered , but less so than if one is hearing Hollywood actors pretending to be Japanese characters . Even with my limited understanding , I could detect a few moments when the subtitles seemed not to be faithful to the script . But unless the translation is extremely poor , I prefer subtitles . If another version's soundtrack dubbed in English is superior , many parents of small children will seek it . I've stated my opinion . But I don't intend to impose it as the one and only way , nor to spoil anyone else's enjoyment of the movie . The more choices , the better . It rankles , a bit , to read the back-cover copy : . . . one of the most delightful and charming family films ever . . . I would not qualify my praise . This is one of the best films ever . Of any kind . My Neighbor Totoro is a small gem - - reflecting the wondrous everything is new experience of childhood - - grounded in reality , with elements of magic applied sparingly ; a tone neither grim nor overly cute . Evocative of Japanese rural life and simple everyday pleasures . The world of the film is suffused with a Shinto-inspired sense of the consciousness of all things , of joyful respect for ' kami ' . Everything is alive : in both the material and spiritual realms . It is unfortunate Disney chose not to include those extras available on the Japanese DVD . This , I suspect , was intended to save a few dollars : to avoid having to provide additional translation and subtitles . ( This immense media conglomerate must watch every penny , lest it fall behind the competition ? What competition ? Disney waits impatiently - - for the day they are certain will come , inevitably - - when they own every character , every story . ) The popular preconception is that films for children should not be subtitled . Are there no children hard of hearing ? Are all children incapable of reading subtitles ? We underestimate both their needs and their abilities . Why the interminable delay between the time Disney licensed the work of Studio Ghibli , and the date the DVDs were released ? Immersed in a corporate culture which insists Disney is synonymous with feature-length animation - - or promotes the delusion that Disney is the only player in the field - - some executives might have been attempting to prevent Miyazaki's works from being released at all .
    • 084 4  In my mind , there are only two films that truly capture the essence of a child's imagination . One is Danny Boyle's vividly beautiful Millions , and the other is Hayao Miyazaki's sweet , tender , and utterly gorgeous My Neighbor Totoro . The story is of two young girls who move to the Japanese countryside with their father while their mother is being treated in the hospital . After settling in , these two children discover that where they live is anything but ordinary . They find a hidden path into the forest , and soon meet Totoro , a giant , furry , and loveable creature . The film is told strictly from the point of view of these two children . What adults may see as harmless and silly , the children see as amazing and very much real . When the children go on about how they can see Soot Gremlins and Totoro , the adults simply say that they saw them when they were children as well . This formula is certainly one we've seen before , but thanks to the genius of Hayao Miyazaki , My Neighbor Totoro takes on a feeling of unbridled imagination never before seen on celluloid . The world he creates is an intimate yet expansive one . The fact that this is one of Miyazaki's most beautifully animated features certainly doesn't hurt this . Everything is gloriously vivid , colorful , and bursting with life . The manner in which Miyazaki presents the narrative is nothing short of brilliant . The whole time watching the film , we as an audience realize that the girls ' mother is suffering from some kind of serious affliction , but this is never really addressed directly . The children don't think about it that way , so the film doesn't approach it that way . This subplot never really develops at all until a sequence near the very end of the film , and this is a very powerful sequence . In order to avoid spoilers , I won't reveal the details , but it certainly struck me with its bittersweet honesty . However , this is still a tender family film through and through , and the ending is one that is sure to bring a smile to your face . And unlike most family films , My Neighbor Totoro is sweet , but never reaches the point of being saccharine . It's an honest , beautiful masterpiece , and I give it my highest recommendation to anyone who can still manage to keep in touch with their inner child from time to time .
    • 085 4  Before kids , I watched this movie about once a year or so , or whenever I was feeling down . It is a pure , sweet , innocent joy to watch , and seeing it always made me feel a little happier . What was even better was introducing it to my 3 year old and discovering that we could enjoy watching it together . There are no guns , no violence , no bad words , no loud obnoxious songs or characters ; but lots of quiet spaces , beautiful and inspiring animation ( if you've read a little about Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki you know that Disney animators revere him , and even use his films to draw inspiration ) , realistic and 3 dimensional characterization ( Mei and Satsuki act age appropriate - ! ! ) , and a story that really draws you into caring for this imaginary family . Responsibility and respect for others , for family , for the world around you is embedded so deeply in this movie that I feel a little less bad about letting my son watch it so much . Fox has done a wonderful , respectful dub of this movie , but their DVD release is nothing but a simple transfer from the VHS . If you are looking for any extras or the original japanese , you'll just have to wait for the Disney take on it . If it is going to be anything like the other releases , it will have the original japanese audio on it . When they do , don't forget to check out the original japanese theme songs . Too cute ! Speaking of Disney , it truly boggles my mind that now that it has the distribution rights for this movie , it has not gotten its act together and done a proper release . I was all set to buy the DVD back in June 2004 ( when I first noticed it scheduled for release ) , then in August , then in February . But then Totoro was abrubtly , and inexplicably taken off of the release schedule , and _ The Cat Returns _ put in its place , which is a semi-sequel to * another * as yet to be released Ghibli movie ( huh ? ! ) by Disney to the US . ( Incidentally , _ Whisper of the Heart _ , the predecessor of _ The Cat Returns _ , is my favorite Ghibli movie , and I am curious to see how they deal with the particular difficulty of translating it since it is soooo Japanese ) If Disney were smart ( but they're not , they're mercenary , and don't like Miyazaki's old classic material eclipsing and eating into the profits of their latest and worst sequels to mediocre movies - what's next , Hercules 2 ? Ack ! ) , they would have set the release date for these movies closer to the holidays . In delaying the release of Totoro , yet again , they are just giving more money to Fox , as irritated fans buy the DVD because their VHS copy is wearing a little thin from the repeated viewing . If Disney were * really * smart , they'd actually release this movie in theatres . It would make me so happy to have this movie be the very first movie I could take my son to see . And then a week later , and then a week later , and then a week later . . . etc . . . . Please , someone at Disney , hear my plea . . . wide release Totoro . . . wide release Totoro . . .
    • 097 4  Family movies don't get much better than this . No double-entendres , no sex / violence , and yet most ( mature ) adults will find it most enjoyable . Miyazaki's animation style is always a welcome touch . There are Japanese cultural references so the uninitiated might be confused at times , however , the story transcends most boundaries and is simply a good friendly spirit movie . Kids will enjoy Totoro and his friends as well as the fact that the children are the focus and stars of the movie . Adults will find the family situations strikingly realistic and will easily identify with ( and get a chuckle out of ) several conversations between parents and their children . This is one of those movies from which you will get the warm fuzzies . Share it with others in your family !
    • 099 4  Totoro , in classic Miyazaki tradition , brings the fantastic into the realm of everyday occurrences . The underlying story is rather pedestrian : a Japanese father moves into the countryside with his two daughters , and they adjust to their new pastoral environment while waiting for the mother to be released from the hospital . We are not explained exactly why the mother is bedridden , but the ambiguity plays an effective role in keeping the dramatic tension taut throughout the film . However , the plot is driven mainly by the imagination of the two children whose experiences with the magical create the driving mechanism behind the film . Without giving anything away , MY NEIGHBOR , TOTORO is a heartwarming film that inspires both the young and the old alike . Watching the film again several years after seeing it in the theaters , I realize that the story works NOT because it is about fantastic and magical characters but rather it involves everyday struggles . In TOTORO , we see Miyaki revisiting the same themes ( i.e . familial harmony , nature , environmental awareness , courage , etc . ) that he further develops in his later works . Nevertheless , the mastery and the imagination behind his craft keeps the story fresh . Despite what the Box Office report card may indicate for MY NEIGHBOR , TOTORO , this is a film sure to be a hit with the family .
    • 100 4  Finally the widescreen version is available . I have my own previous dvd from FOX , 4 : 3 format . But what disappointment when listening the English version , lack , poor , slow , no feeling . Even the opening and ending theme are bad , extending some high voice notes . The only good things for this dvd version are : 16 : 9 format . The soundtrack . Original Japanese language track . Subtitles ( English and Japanese ) For Miyazaki collectors , this dvd must be on your own dvd library . Still the old dvd version is far better on English language track . Again the Disney mafia destroyed the magic of this beautiful film . My advice is to watch this movie on Japanese language and English subtitles . Studio Ghibli = A Disney = F
    • 102 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( Full Screen Edition ) ( DVD ) My Neighbor Totoro is one of the most charming animated films ever made . This DVD has no extras , no wide-screen option , and the image could be a bit sharper , but it is still pretty good . The artwork is superb - - with beautiful countryside scenes , rippling water , rainy busstops , and trees blowing in the wind wonderfully done . The fantastic spirit creatures ( especially the totoros of varying sizes and the Catbus ) are charming and clever . The human characters are warm and real - - in their concern for each other and in their hopes and fears . I liked the suspense that built up when the 4 - year-old Mei tries to visit her mother in the hospital , gets lost , and the whole neighborhood searches for her . Of course , her older sister , Satsuki , turns to King Totoro for help . I also liked the magical , dream sequence when Totoro's acorns grow into a giant camphor tree and the children fly with Totoro to the treetops . Hayao Miyazaki produced a great film for children and their parents to enjoy together . If the DVD was a bit better , I would give it 5 stars .
    • 103 4  My Neighbor Totoro is one of the most charming animated films ever made . This DVD has no extras , no wide-screen option , and the image could be a bit sharper , but it is still pretty good . The artwork is superb - - with beautiful countryside scenes , rippling water , rainy busstops , and trees blowing in the wind wonderfully done . The fantastic spirit creatures ( especially the totoros of varying sizes and the Catbus ) are charming and clever . The human characters are warm and real - - in their concern for each other and in their hopes and fears . I liked the suspense that built up when the 4 - year-old Mei tries to visit her mother in the hospital , gets lost , and the whole neighborhood searches for her . Of course , her older sister , Satsuki , turns to King Totoro for help . I also liked the magical , dream sequence when Totoro's acorns grow into a giant camphor tree and the children fly with Totoro to the treetops . Hayao Miyazaki produced a great film for children and their parents to enjoy together . If the DVD was a bit better , I would give it 5 stars .
    • 106 4  at first I was thinking that it is only a cartoon for the kids . I was not that interested in his works before I was forced to see them for my presentation in the class . I finally watched this yesterday and it was so great . I found it like a book because books bring us the different feeling depending on your mood and your age . I watced this for the first time , when I was at elementary school and I remember that I found this movie very cute and I felt that I wanted to meet totoros in the real . However this time , I was moved more . Hayao Miyazaki often has a lot of hidden messages in his works , which sounds a little difficult for the children ( though they will receive these messeges naturally , when they watch this , without telling that they have received ) like identities , environment etc . This work has some hidden messeges also . For example , first of all , of course it says the importace of living with nature . IF there was no nature like that , they were never able to meet totoros . Secondly , the character of father refers to someone like a teacher , who teaches the importance of having dream and of believing what they do not see . We live in the tech world and we tend to think that the technology is the best thing in the world , instead of dreaming of something . He never said that the totoros would not exisit in the world ( but this is said by a lot of adults now , sad to say . ) he rather said that he hoped that they could see them . There might be more hidden messages in this work . But it is up to you , how and where you receive it !
    • 113 4  I don't know why I decided to get this movie . To say that I rented it on a whim would even be understatement . In fact , this movie was prehaps my most random find ever , and what a find it was . Mei , age 4 , and Satsuki , age 8 , are two ( very ) energetic girls . They just moved out to the country to live in a rickity old house , without a telephone , under a camphor tree . Some people said that the house was haunted , but really , a lot of black soot just hang around there ( very similar to the soot in Spirited Away ) . The girls ' mother is in a hospital ( presumably with spinal tuberculosis ) and their loving father , a professor ( I presume ) , lives with them . Mei meets a troll . Now , this ain't your big ugly Lord of the Rings troll or the mean , sly under-the-bridge troll : this is Totoro - the single coolest creature to ever be painted onto the silver screen . He is adorable , yes freaking adorable , but tough looking , and his tail , oh man , what a tail . It is difficult to transcribe into words how much I love Totoro and want him to be my neigbor . The animation is amazing . Nothing short of it . Just like in Spirited Away , some of the paintings look like very beautiful nature photographs . Totoro looks awesome . The girls ' emotions are captured perfectly with the pen and easel . Now , typically , I hate kids in movies . They whine complain and say stupid things or act more mature than the adults . These children do neither . They act like real kids . They have real emotions and real problems . They have vibrant imaginations , but realistic problems . In other words , no movie I have ever seen before , better portrayed children . Get this movie .
    • 114 4  My Neighbor Totoro is a wonderful story about what happens 2 young girls and their father move into a country house to be closer to their mother , who is in a nearby hospital . The animation is stunningly done , with both people and fantasic creatures coming alive to make the story hum . Voice acting in the original Japanese is great and the english dub is not far behind . This is one of the best dubs I have heard , with the English voice actors obviously ' getting ' their characters and the writers did a good job of not changing the lines except where required . My wife and I both enjoyed this a great deal and was well recieved when given to a family with two daughters , age 6 and 2 . ( Causing them to buy a number of other Ghibli films ) Highly recommended .
    • 116 4  Aaaargh . Being a Studio Ghibli fan , I had preordered this from Amazon as there are few of the Studio Ghibli films available on DVD . Unfortunately , what the Amazon listing doesn't make clear is just how technically bad this DVD release is . It is a hacked-down 4 : 3 version , with only a 2 - channel English audio track ( no Japanese or other audio ) . There isn't even a subtitle track ( not even english for the hard of hearing ) . The video and sound quality isn't good either . Also , don't expect any extras relevant to the film . As the other reviews ( obviously from other editions ) say , this is a great film . However , this is not a DVD to get .
    • 120 4  My daughter and I have been watching My Neighbor Totoro for years . We loved it , and even though we've seen it about a million times I have yet to feel like I have watched it too much . I love just about everything Studio Ghibli has put out . I am very happy that I have the old Fox version . It will continue to be the version watched in my home since it has the dignity that I believe the original My Neighbor Totoro has . Put more bluntly , you'll get the Fox version from my cold dead hands . This Disney dub is very disappointing . The first thing that I've noticed is how much of the reverence for nature has been stripped out . It's lost most of the magical beauty that was in it . The Fox version may not be as visually stunning , but the translation is so much better , as is the voice acting . This dub took me back to the bad old days of dubs when the lip movement did not even come close to the voice over . It's also been very Americanized . One example would be when Mei finds the bottomless bucket and calls it stupid , as if it were now useless . In the Fox version she simply says It has no bottom ! in wonder . Children can find so many different uses for things most adults can not . It's part of the wonder of childhood , and that wonder is normally very well expressed in Studio Ghibli films . In hearing the translation differences between the Fox version and the Disney version I wonder how badly mangled other Disney dubbed versions of Ghibli movies are . My daughter pointed out each and every time when something was different . In our family we have used the illustration of when Satsuki calls Mei stupid for why we never should call people stupid . In the Disney version , that lesson is totally gone . The Disney version also dumbs down the English vocabulary . In the Fox version the word pollywogs is used rather than tadpoles in the water . It's an old term for tadpoles and I was just plain ecstatic about the big words . I love in Kiki's Delivery Service that the word dirigible was used rather than blimp . Neither of these words are too hard for children to learn or say . My daughter was two when we first viewed each of those films and saying both words and knew what they meant ! If you asked her if she wanted to see a tadpole she'd look at you blankly , but ask her if she wanted to see a pollywog she would light up ! The special features on the Disney DVD don't make up the cost of this film . The features amount to one whole DVD with the original story boards set to the * new * dubbing , a behind the scenes of the recording of the Disney dubbing , and an un-restored trailer for the movie . Oh , there are ads too . I do so love to buy ads .
    • 126 4  My family enjoys all of the Miyazaki movies . This one is great for kids . As a parent , I can firmly say that adult brains won't turn to mush watching it . Nice story and character development . Clean and sweet without being cloying or syrupy . Occasional repeat viewings are enjoyable ( I rarely watch movies more than once ) . Fun fun fun . P.S . other reviews will be more than happy to fill you in on the plot and other Miyazaki movies . . .
    • 128 4  Hayao Miyazaki's 1988 film surely broadened the fans of his animation style from avid anime fans to wide range of ordinary audience . Also it is well-made marriage of his adventure-oriented animation and real-life oriented vivid one probably influenced by his long-time friend Isao Takahata . The drama setting seems to be during 50s when the landscape like Totoro's home was pretty unhurt . Satsuki and Mei ( both meaning the fifth month of the year ) moved from the city to suburban Kanto Area somewhere near Tokorozawa where Seibu Stadium ( home to Seibu Lions a newbie Major league player Daisuke Matsuzaka formerly belonged ) is located . Until the mid stage the drama turns bitter twist . Their mother's illness seems really bad . Little Mei tries to meet her mother in the hospital mountains away but gets lost . Then Totoro finds amazing way to search for Satsuki's stranded sister . Totoro must have come from legendary ghost but don't bother . Totoro is too cute to be a goblin . Miyazaki's work has well-made balance to avoid the drama turning so unreal . And the place used for the drama is almost intact and totoro fans now try hard in their National Trust Movement to preserve the home of Tororo . Verdict : Probably the nice introduction to Miyazaki / Ghibli works . Rating : 98 out of 100 Recommended for : Wide range of movie goers .
    • 129 4  How wonderful it is to be able to experience what is surely a cherished family classic for a generation of people from another country . This version of My Neighbor Totoro features excellent video quality as well as a very well done English audio track for those who wish to avoid reading subtitles . As with all Studio Ghibli productions the animations and the artwork are a pure joy . What is different are the story elements and lack of PG material commonly found in the other Studio Ghibli titles . This is not so much a rousing adventure as much as it is a fanciful look at the imaginations of young children set against a backdrop of Japanese folklore and mysticism . My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this film and highly recommend it to anyone who finds joy in seeing the world through the imagination of children .
    • 131 4  This just shouldn't have happened . What were they thinking ? Frankly , I didn't think the Fox English dub was perfect . The voice actors seemed a little too earnest . Let's just say I thought it lacked subtlety , but in what is basically a children's movie , this is quite forgivable . The new Disney English cast changes the way we perceive the characters , and not for the better . It makes Totoro somehow darker . There are dialogue changes ( compared to the Fox edition ) which simply do not work for me , apart from issues with the voice acting itself . The Disney version is still a charming movie , but the Fox version is more charming . The Fox dubbing makes it more sincere , in a way .
    • 132 4  Miyazaki is being treated with much more respect in the Western world thanks to gifts like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away - both were released in America with minimal success and a strong fanbase . My Neighbor Totoro ( Tonari no Totoro ) follows two young girls as they move into a new home with their father . They help him around the house , and soon discover that they can see what other's can't . They see Totoro . What is a Totoro ? I hope you watch for yourself to find out . Like most of Miyazaki's work , this movie is rooted in Shintoism ; a religion consisting of over 8 million gods . These spirits are characterized and appear childish , but the films depth shines through the shoddy marketing if you give it a chance . It's a great movie , for kids & adults and I'm very glad it's getting a DVD . However , I'm pretty disappointed in the DVD . It's got a sticker proudly saying that it's a two disc edition , but that second disc , like Nausicaa , is the storyboard . Only the storyboard . I'm not sure even the director would watch the ENTIRE storyboard of this film . Basically , the second disc is worthless . The Behind the Microphone is nice , but runs less than 10 minutes and tells nothing that we don't know about Miyazaki from other halfassed documentaries on various Miyazaki DVD's . The film is great , and highly recommended . I just can't get behind this DVD . It's nice to see it released , but with nothing to look forward to besides the Japanese language track , it's pretty embarrassing . In Japan , most Ghibli films get proper respect ( Princess Mononoke got a 3 disc box set ! Come on ! ) , but it seems that another company will have to get ahold of these rights before we see Miyazaki immortalized with those big three letters .
    • 138 4  Nobody captures the magic of childhood and bottles it into movie form quite like Hayao Miyazaki - - and one steller example of this is My Neighbor Totoro , an enchanting little film about two little girls who encounter strange , wondrous things in the woods . There's not much actual plot , but the journey is the truly lovely part , and the lush animation and weird creatures ( catbus ! CATBUS ! ) finish off the perfection . Satsuki and her toddler sister Mei move to the countryside with their father , so they can be close to the hospital where their mother is being treated ( apparently for tuberculosis ) . The girls are immediately taken under the wing of an old lady , and discover that the countryside is filled with strange and magical creatures - - especially little balls of soot that dance through uncleaned rooms in their house . What's more , while waiting for a bus Satsuki ends up standing next to a giant grinning bunny-creature - - whom Mei learns is called Totoro - - who boards a giant leaping cat-bus . The girls soon befriend the trio of Totoro , who take them on magical adventures involving giant fast-growing trees , flying with umbrellas , and riding in the cat-bus . But after the girls learn that their mother has become ill and can't visit , Mei vanishes without a trace - - and Satsuki may need Totoro's help to find her . My Neighbor Totoro is sort of a fantasy slice-of-life story - - it's basically a few days in the life of two chipper little girls , who happen to be living in a Japanese countryside filled with genial spirits and magical happenings . There's no real plot at the center of it , but such is Miyazaki's skill that you never really care . You just want to see if things will turn out all right in the short term , and revel in the innocence of being little kids in the countryside . To that end , Miyazaki spins up a magical little world - - houses are filled with bug-eyed sootballs , a tunnel in the bushes may lead to a Totoro's lair , and a vegetable garden can sprout into a vast towering tree . It's all painted in lush , vibrant colors and great detail , and Miyazaki does a good job emphasizing the little moments of everyday life ( Mei showing up at Satsuki's school ) and interweaving them with the more fantastical stuff ( Totoro flying across windswept fields with an umbrella ) . But he never forgets that real life has its bumps in the road - - there's a genuinely touching subplot in which the girls hear that their mother is ill again , and there's a genuine sense of fear . It's not too harsh ( it's a kid's movie , after all ) , but it taps into a very primal fear that every little kid has . The characters are all rather simple , but they're still quite likable , with upbeat personalities and loud laughter . Satsuki is particular is a realistic kid , staying positive most of the time but occasionally blowing up at Mei or crying out of fear that her mother will die . The only character I didn't understand was the boy in the cap , who seems troubled and shy , but who is never fully explored . While it's more obviously aimed at kids than many of Miyazaki's movies , My Neighbor Totoro is an enchanting little story with a warm heart , and Hayao Miyazaki perfectly captures the innocence of childhood . Plus , it has a big , furry , grinning bus .
    • 140 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( DVD ) My opinion only , but fans of animation must bow down to Hayao Miyazaki . In fact , fans of movies , in general , and of art must give Mr . Miyazaki his due propers . I've seen his recent stuff ( Princess Mononoke , Spirited Away , Howl's Moving Castle ) and am left awestruck . The man is a genius in his purview , and he works hard . Simply remarkable , the craftsmanship and soul and depth fused into these pictures . Having fanned myself into an addiction for more of Mr . Miyazaki's works , I've started to backtrack and catch up on his older films . MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO , released in 1988 , was my intro to his more classic stuff . Not too surprisingly , I really enjoyed it . Most folks consider MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO ( or TONARI NO TOTORO ) to be a masterpiece , and who am I to argue ? Set on a more intimate scale than Mr . Miyazaki's other , more grandiose efforts , it's one of the best family films around , particularly in terms of portraying the family interrelationships . The way in which the two young girls connect to each other is disarming and a sheer pleasure to watch . Too , I like that their father isn't an absent parent by default , or one who's too busy or prone to misunderstanding and distrusting his kids ( like in most American family films ) . When the youngest girl , Mei , tells her father ( and her older sister ) that she'd just encountered a totoro he doesn't dismiss her out of hand . He listens and even ventures an explanation . And it doesn't come off as condescending . In fact , the same thing happens earlier in the film , when the family was just moving into their new home and the girls glimpse the soot sprites . Dude's a cool dad . The plot , real quick : Two young girls ( with their dad ) move to rural Japan to be closer to their ailing mother , who temporarily resides in a nearby hospital . Along the way , the girls - the pre-teen Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei - meet Totoro , a large but benign forest spirit , whom only children can see . Totoro would become their friend and guardian . This is a rare film in that it contains neither villains nor violence . Mr . Miyazaki renders his supernatural world so benevolent and wondrous that it elicits delighted smiles , and not shudders . The scary moments instead stem from the girls ' overriding fear that their sickly mother might not get better , that she might even die , a truly frightening prospect for children . And , because of Mr . Miyazaki's attention to detail and development of his characters , this concern becomes valid to us . You ache for the girls . Real people , real concerns . Visually , technically , emotionally , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a beautiful film . No surprise then that Hayao Miyazaki writes , directs , and draws this thing . There's an enchanting simplicity here , with a leisurely pace and a narrative which isn't rushed . Again , respect to Mr . Miyazaki's attention to detail . We learn much of the Japanese culture ; specifically , we gain an insight into Japan's agricultural way of life and the farmers ' affinity with their environment . As usual , Mr . Miyazaki injects his cast with an appreciation and respect for nature . And nature reciprocates in the form of the forest spirit Totoro , whose simple pleasures are sights to behold , from his lazy enjoyment of an afternoon nap to his infectious glee at the raindrops pelting his umbrella . There's a joy in the sisters ' interactions with Totoro . There's something quite moving about this mysterious creature guiding the girls in a mystical rite to make their slow-growing acorns shoot up into mature oak trees . And there's something so right about Satsuki and Mei waking up later to realize that their planted seeds hadn't grown to full bloom after all , but that they did , however , finally begin to sprout . And , when , earlier , Totoro soared the night skies on his magical top , with the children and the little totoros crazily clinging to him , what a truly glorious and uplifting moment . A bit now on the dvd special features ( from the Disney presentation ) . Disc 1 not only has the movie but also the following : Behind the Microphone - a segment featuring the English voiceover actors ( Dakota and Elle Fanning are a delight ) ; the Opening & Ending Title Sequence Art ; and the original trailer . Meanwhile , Disc 2 , if you have it , offers the original Japanese storyboards for the entire film . If there's one truly melancholy note here , it's in the thought that there'll come a day when Satsuki and Mei won't be able to see Totoro anymore . But , at least , in 2002 , Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli came out with MEI AND THE KITTENBUS , a 13 - minute-long follow up to MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO which demonstrates that at least Mei hasn't been deprived of hanging out with otherworldy company . Now if only Studio Ghibli will let us see the damn thing . As ever , Mr . Miyazaki's humanity and perceptiveness shine thru . And this I can't emphasize enough : The film has appealing magical creatures , yes . And the film presents several stunning magical sequences , sure . But the true magic lies in the sisters and how they relate to each other , and sometimes get annoyed with each other , yet continually care for each other . Satsuki and Mei are simply irresistible , wonderfully realized characters . The self-sufficiency and warmth of Satsuki . The cute stubbornness of Mei ( maybe an ear of corn CAN cure maladies ) . Gentle and whimsical and enchanting , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is recommended for the young and the young-at-heart and even the cranky-at-heart . So get on board for this one . I'm certain that crazy , big-grinning Cat Bus has tons of room . Next on my to-watch list : Kiki's Delivery Service , Porco Rosso , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , and Castle in the Sky .
    • 141 4  My opinion only , but fans of animation must bow down to Hayao Miyazaki . In fact , fans of movies , in general , and of art must give Mr . Miyazaki his due propers . I've seen his recent stuff ( Princess Mononoke , Spirited Away , Howl's Moving Castle ) and am left awestruck . The man is a genius in his purview , and he works hard . Simply remarkable , the craftsmanship and soul and depth fused into these pictures . Having fanned myself into an addiction for more of Mr . Miyazaki's works , I've started to backtrack and catch up on his older films . MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO , released in 1988 , was my intro to his more classic stuff . Not too surprisingly , I really enjoyed it . Most folks consider MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO ( or TONARI NO TOTORO ) to be a masterpiece , and who am I to argue ? Set on a more intimate scale than Mr . Miyazaki's other , more grandiose efforts , it's one of the best family films around , particularly in terms of portraying the family interrelationships . The way in which the two young girls connect to each other is disarming and a sheer pleasure to watch . Too , I like that their father isn't an absent parent by default , or one who's too busy or prone to misunderstanding and distrusting his kids ( like in most American family films ) . When the youngest girl , Mei , tells her father ( and her older sister ) that she'd just encountered a totoro he doesn't dismiss her out of hand . He listens and even ventures an explanation . And it doesn't come off as condescending . In fact , the same thing happens earlier in the film , when the family was just moving into their new home and the girls glimpse the soot sprites . Dude's a cool dad . The plot , real quick : Two young girls ( with their dad ) move to rural Japan to be closer to their ailing mother , who temporarily resides in a nearby hospital . Along the way , the girls - the pre-teen Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei - meet Totoro , a large but benign forest spirit , whom only children can see . Totoro would become their friend and guardian . This is a rare film in that it contains neither villains nor violence . Mr . Miyazaki renders his supernatural world so benevolent and wondrous that it elicits delighted smiles , and not shudders . The scary moments instead stem from the girls ' overriding fear that their sickly mother might not get better , that she might even die , a truly frightening prospect for children . And , because of Mr . Miyazaki's attention to detail and development of his characters , this concern becomes valid to us . You ache for the girls . Real people , real concerns . Visually , technically , emotionally , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a beautiful film . No surprise then that Hayao Miyazaki writes , directs , and draws this thing . There's an enchanting simplicity here , with a leisurely pace and a narrative which isn't rushed . Again , respect to Mr . Miyazaki's attention to detail . We learn much of the Japanese culture ; specifically , we gain an insight into Japan's agricultural way of life and the farmers ' affinity with their environment . As usual , Mr . Miyazaki injects his cast with an appreciation and respect for nature . And nature reciprocates in the form of the forest spirit Totoro , whose simple pleasures are sights to behold , from his lazy enjoyment of an afternoon nap to his infectious glee at the raindrops pelting his umbrella . There's a joy in the sisters ' interactions with Totoro . There's something quite moving about this mysterious creature guiding the girls in a mystical rite to make their slow-growing acorns shoot up into mature oak trees . And there's something so right about Satsuki and Mei waking up later to realize that their planted seeds hadn't grown to full bloom after all , but that they did , however , finally begin to sprout . And , when , earlier , Totoro soared the night skies on his magical top , with the children and the little totoros crazily clinging to him , what a truly glorious and uplifting moment . A bit now on the dvd special features ( from the Disney presentation ) . Disc 1 not only has the movie but also the following : Behind the Microphone - a segment featuring the English voiceover actors ( Dakota and Elle Fanning are a delight ) ; the Opening & Ending Title Sequence Art ; and the original trailer . Meanwhile , Disc 2 , if you have it , offers the original Japanese storyboards for the entire film . If there's one truly melancholy note here , it's in the thought that there'll come a day when Satsuki and Mei won't be able to see Totoro anymore . But , at least , in 2002 , Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli came out with MEI AND THE KITTENBUS , a 13 - minute-long follow up to MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO which demonstrates that at least Mei hasn't been deprived of hanging out with otherworldy company . Now if only Studio Ghibli will let us see the damn thing . As ever , Mr . Miyazaki's humanity and perceptiveness shine thru . And this I can't emphasize enough : The film has appealing magical creatures , yes . And the film presents several stunning magical sequences , sure . But the true magic lies in the sisters and how they relate to each other , and sometimes get annoyed with each other , yet continually care for each other . Satsuki and Mei are simply irresistible , wonderfully realized characters . The self-sufficiency and warmth of Satsuki . The cute stubbornness of Mei ( maybe an ear of corn CAN cure maladies ) . Gentle and whimsical and enchanting , MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is recommended for the young and the young-at-heart and even the cranky-at-heart . So get on board for this one . I'm certain that crazy , big-grinning Cat Bus has tons of room . Next on my to-watch list : Kiki's Delivery Service , Porco Rosso , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , and Castle in the Sky .
    • 146 4  First off , I just want to say that I love Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's work tremendously . And for the most part , Disney's done a good job bringing their films to America . But , they were bound to screw up somewhere . This is where they did . My Neighbor Totoro is a wonderful film with a great story and lovable characters . It's one of my favorite Studio Ghibli movies . So , if you're reading this , you're probably asking yourselves Why only two stars ? . Well , I saw this version of the movie on Turner Classic Movies ( TCM ) with their celebration of Mr . Miyazaki . I was appalled . Most of you probably know that this film was released in the US once before by Fox . Except for the fact that they didn't release it in wide-screen format , they had it down . Disney went and trashed a wonderful film . For starters , the lead character , Satsuki , is voiced by Dakota Fanning . Her performance was by far the worst . Sometimes Satsuki would be moving her mouth , but no words were coming out , if only for a second . At other times , she had too little emotion in her voice to do justice to Satsuki's current actions . And Dakota's sister , Elle , voices Satsuki's sister , Mei . Mei is supposed to be four years old , but the way Elle portrays Mei doesn't make her sound that way . Both girls voices sound too American and not believable . This is probably my biggest argument with Disney's release of Totoro . Next up , we have everybody else's voiceovers . For starters , Pat Carroll as Granny . I'd say that she was okay , but definitely could've been done much better . Then Tim Daly as the Father . Again , it was okay , but still could have been better . And yes , Frank Welker as Totoro and the Catbus . One is the title character , and the other is probably the most imaginative character in the story . For Totoro , Frank made him sound too ferocious . He is the king of the forest , but he's still cuddly ! And he takes good care of Mei and Satsuki . I think he should have made Totoro sound a tad more friendly . As for Catbus , when I heard it my jaw dropped and I screamed for mercy . It sounded a lot like Stitch , from the movie Lilo and Stitch , ( and in Lilo and Stitch 2 we hear Dakota again and sounds nothing like Daveigh Chase , the original Lilo , but that's another matter ) , and it made Catbus sound way too creepy and weird . I think the only voiceover I can agree with is the Mother , voiced by Lea Salonga . Lastly , I just can't see why Disney couldn't have kept Fox's voiceovers . They were great quality and believable , and if you watch both versions you'll probably agree with me . Whoever decided to do this movie again with these horrible voiceovers was probably one of the following . 1 ) He / She was deaf . 2 ) He / She is a Dakota Fanning fan . 3 ) He / She was high , drunk , or both . I just pray that John Lassetter or Hayao Miyazaki will see this and file a lawsuit . The only logical reason you should buy this DVD is either because you're getting it for a three year old who can't talk and won't care , or because you want the Japanese version of the film , also on this set . I'm buying this DVD for the second reason alone . If you don't care about watching this in Japanese , then I suggest scouring the internet for the discontinued Fox edition of the film , which is my plan .
    • 149 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( DVD ) Hayao Miyazaki's movies all have a magical feel to them and My Neighbor Totoro is no exception . This animated feature follows ten year old Satsuki and her four year old sister Mei on their adventure in the Japanese countryside and encounter with the Lord of the Forest , the giant but very cute Totoro . You can read the other reviews to find out more about the plot ; in this review I want to focus on what I really liked about this movie ( I also liked the plot as well , but no use retelling it here ) . The animation , like all of Miyazaki's movies , is first rate . I must point out that I've seen both the original version of the DVD released in America , done by Fox Video , and the Disney version . Do yourself a favor and buy the Disney version - it is way better than the sorry Fox version . I would highly recommend watching it in the original Japanese language with subtitles ( assuming you don't understand Japanese ) . The movie flows so much better that way and you get nuances that are bludgeoned by the English dubbing job . Even the music and the background sound effects are different , with the English version being way too heavy handed . The Disney version also has the movie in the original widescreen aspect ratio whereas the Fox version has the pan and scan altered ratio . As for the movie itself , Satsuki and Mei act very natural ( as natural as cartoon characters can be , that is ) . They don't act precocious , they don't act bratty , they aren't made to be overly cute or lovable , they are simply made to be real and believable . All in all , this is a charming story with excellent production values , and I am thankful that someone released it in its original aspect ratio with the original language and soundtrack . Only this version does this great movie justice . By the way , a bit of trivia - Ken Jennings , the Jeopardy wonder-guy , has a Totoro on his keychain for good luck .
    • 150 4  Hayao Miyazaki's movies all have a magical feel to them and My Neighbor Totoro is no exception . This animated feature follows ten year old Satsuki and her four year old sister Mei on their adventure in the Japanese countryside and encounter with the Lord of the Forest , the giant but very cute Totoro . You can read the other reviews to find out more about the plot ; in this review I want to focus on what I really liked about this movie ( I also liked the plot as well , but no use retelling it here ) . The animation , like all of Miyazaki's movies , is first rate . I must point out that I've seen both the original version of the DVD released in America , done by Fox Video , and the Disney version . Do yourself a favor and buy the Disney version - it is way better than the sorry Fox version . I would highly recommend watching it in the original Japanese language with subtitles ( assuming you don't understand Japanese ) . The movie flows so much better that way and you get nuances that are bludgeoned by the English dubbing job . Even the music and the background sound effects are different , with the English version being way too heavy handed . The Disney version also has the movie in the original widescreen aspect ratio whereas the Fox version has the pan and scan altered ratio . As for the movie itself , Satsuki and Mei act very natural ( as natural as cartoon characters can be , that is ) . They don't act precocious , they don't act bratty , they aren't made to be overly cute or lovable , they are simply made to be real and believable . All in all , this is a charming story with excellent production values , and I am thankful that someone released it in its original aspect ratio with the original language and soundtrack . Only this version does this great movie justice . By the way , a bit of trivia - Ken Jennings , the Jeopardy wonder-guy , has a Totoro on his keychain for good luck .
    • 151 4  Miyazaki's films always amaze me with the grasp on scenery , detail and the depiction of human nature . Everything is just so well orchestrated in this film , right down to the catchy music that plays white the Totoro is flying . I have to admit something however . For years I hated most anime and foreign animation in general . It was just in the last few years that I've opened up to more of it . This was mostly out of my desire to appriciate all forms of animation ( myself an aspiring cartoonist ) . I discovered in this time that the reason I wouldn't give any of it a chance was not the fault of the cartoons or their animators , but rather of the fanboys . Not fanboys in general , but the ones that hate all other forms of animation other than anime simply because other animation isn't anime . I'm sure if you went to high school in a heavily populated area , you know exactly what I'm talking about . Please , don't let annoying people keep you from enjoying the animation of other cultures . Almost every area of the world has great animated features that get overlooked ( Triplets of Belleville is good for example ) . You will be amazed at how much more enjoyable a great cartoon is once you have seen the different ways it is utilized for storytelling . It's very inspiring . And inspiring is the word that I think best suits how I feel about My Neighbor Totoro , This was the second full length anime movie I ever sat down and watched ( Spirited Away was first ) . Immediately I was blown away at the attention to color , atmospheric sounds , just everything . The film really conveys the feeling of the world it depicts . What really impressed me was the depiction of people . They aren't vicious or melodramatic or stupid for the sake of comedy . The little girls are portrayed as two happy , laughing kids enjoying life . The kinds of kids you might yell settle down to . The problems they face in the film affect them in ways that they might affect normal kids . Then there's the Totoro's . I swear , the animators this an amazing job of making the main Totoro look lovable and warm and fluffy , yet intelligent somehow . You don't really get too much background on the Totoro or the wonderfully designed catbus , but the characters all fit very well in their respective scenes . The story itself is kind of different . It follows the standard hero arc in a sense , but in a much more subtle way . This movie follows a few days in the lives of two girls , in which they experience a kind of growth ( as symbolized by the growing of plants , etc . in the movie ) . There is no physical villain or epic battle to speak of . Just a sweet and good hearted story . If you don't really get it while you're watching it , don't worry , it will grow on you in the days to come . All of this said , while this film is definately a really good one , it's not Miyazaki's best . But it's a great start if you're looking for an introduction to his style or even just a good movie you can watch with the kids or by yourself or whatever . Five out of five in any case . - Matt
    • 153 4  Set in what I would estimate to be the late 50s or early 60s in rural Japan , My Neighbor Totoro is the story of a family who relocates to the country and the wonderful mystical creatures they meet and the adventures they have . The older daughter , Satsuki , is forced to be the woman of the house and watch her younger sister Mei ( pronounced May ) while their mother is in a tuberculosis sanitarium . Their adventures start with discovering Soot Sprites while moving in the house but the greatest discovery is their neighbor , Totoro , a giant furry forest spirit . Totoro takes them on adventures with the magic seeds and helps Satsuki find Mei when she runs off and gets lost . The girls are learning to face their fears and growing in the process . This is a short description and I don't want to spoil the plot too much . However , my favorite scene has to be when Satsuki meets Totoro standing in the rain at the Bus stop and gives him an umbrella . Totoro discovers the loud sounds created when large drops fall off of tree branches . In order to make more , he jumps up and down and brings down a deluge from the trees . It makes me laugh just thinking about it . This is probably the cutest of the Studio Ghibli releases and was my ( and I am sure many others ) original introduction ( in 1995 ) to the work of Hayao Miyazaki . This early Studio Ghibli work helped set their high standard of excellence in animation . The Disney release includes an English language version with the voice talents of Lea Salonga , Pat Carroll , Tim Daly , Dakota and Elle Fanning , and the Japanese language version with subtitles . As is the case with most Studio Ghibli American releases , the translated Japanese dialogue is better than the English dialogue . Besides being a cute story , My Neighbor Totoro gives a good glimpse of rural Japan from that time period . From the three wheeled truck and the house with the sliding wood doors to the family all riding on the bicycle and bathing together , this is what rural Japanese life was like and I have to say that my wife finds it a little nostalgic . Now , why did I give it only four stars . There are two American releases for this DVD and the Amazon site posts reviews made for one version version at both links . The two releases are Disney and Fox . I give 4 Stars for the Disney release . Compared to the Fox release , the dialogue is only okay and I do not think the voice talent ( the Fannings in particular ) is as good as the voice talent in the Fox release . Also , some of the music is literally straight out of Hanna Barbara . ( This background music may be from the original Japanese release . ) The additional features , particularly the Japanese language help make up for it in part but overall , I prefer the Fox version for sheer viewability . That having been said , I give the Fox release 4 stars as well . I like the added features and the ability to watch the Japanese dialogue of the Disney release and these features are lacking from the Fox release . Overall , the Fox release is easier to watch in my opinion . Keep in mind , the Fox release is out of print but you may still be able to find a copy . This is a cute story and I consider it excellent for children as there is no violence and the creatures , while strange , are not particularly scary . It usually draws rave reviews when I show it to children and adults enjoy it , too . I highly recommend it .

  • My Neighbor Totoro is just an amazing animated film which I first watched back in 1993 ( in Japanese , no subtitles ) and at the time , although I didn't know what was going on , I was simply in awe with the animation . Of how beautiful the artistic backgrounds were . The village and its lush green , to the painted detail on the trunk of the trees to even the ground during rainy weather , I was impressed . Now , the film is 22 - years-old and watching it again , the film still holds up remarkably well today . The film is presented in widescreen ( 1 : 85 : 1 ) - enhanced for 16 × 9 televisions . Colors are vibrant and one can only hope that Disney releases the film via HD on Blu-ray . As for the audio , audio is clear and understandable . The film is presented in English Dolby Digital Sound and also includes the Japanese and French language tracks . It's important to note that fans of the film have heard two different English dubs of My Neighbor Totoro , the FOX Streamline dub and the current Disney dub . Both are well-done but the difference is that in the Fox dub , the characters of Mei and even Kanta sound much older . While in the Disney dub , Kanta sounds a bit more younger . It's a matter of preference as both English dubs are done very well but its important to note that the Fox / Streamline version is out of print long ago and the DVD never came with the Japanese track or special features . Nevertheless , for those new to My Neighbor Totoro , I'm sure they will enjoy the voice acting by the Fanning sisters . Subtitles are in English and French . SPECIAL FEATURES : My Neighbor Totoro comes with the following special features on a second DVD disc . Included are : * Original Japanese Storyboards - ( 1 : 26 : 16 ) - Watch the entire film but this time with the video showcasing the original storyboards . * Creating My Neighbor Totoro - ( 2 : 59 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about how he came up with the concept of My Neighbor Totoro . * Creating the Characters - ( 4 : 22 ) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about the characters of My Neighbor Totoro and how E.T . was an influence . * The Totoro Experiencing - ( 2 : 00 ) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about how the film didn't do well in the box office but when it aired on television , it did remarkably well . * Producer's Perspective : Creating Ghibli - ( 1 : 22 ) Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki talks about how the named Ghibli came about . * The Locations of Totoro - ( 28 : 34 ) An excerpt from a Japanese documentary on My Neighbor Totoro and visiting the areas that inspired Miyazaki to create the village of Totoro . * Scoring Miyazaki - ( 7 : 17 ) A featurette about Joe Hisaishi's scoring Miyazaki films and more . * Original Japanese Trailer - ( 1 : 50 ) The original Japanese theatrical trailer . * Behind the Microphone - ( 5 : 41 ) Featuring the English dub voice talents talking about their role , their appreciation for Miyazaki and his films . Also , behind-the-scenes of the talent recording their voices . * Ponyo - Creating Ponyo - ( 3 : 56 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the creation of Ponyo and wanting to create a film for young children . * Kiki's Delivery Service - Creating Kiki's Delivery Service - ( 2 : 27 ) Hayao Miyazaki discussing the creation of Kiki's Delivery Service and what inspired Miyazaki for the creation of the city in the film . * Castle in the Sky : Character Sketches - ( 2 : 37 ) Miyazaki talks about the characters of Castle in the Sky and discussing how his audiences are loyal to his films over time . * Enter the Lands - Visit the land featuring various small animated Studio Ghibli characters ( from all films ) . Click on a character from that film ( note : only Ponyo , My Neighbor Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky are available ) to get a Q & A or a small video info . of that film and its characters . EXTRAS : Also , included is a postcard featuring Satsuki and Totoro at the bus stop . JUDGMENT CALL : I absolutely love My Neighbor Totoro . From when I first saw it in Japanese ( which I didn't understand at the time ) at a Japanese animation club screening back in 1993 and now watching it over 15 - years-later and watching it alongside with my son . There is this captivating quality with Miyazaki's characters , his enjoyable to sometimes serious screenplays and Studio Ghibli always delivering when it comes to quality . And when you consider how a lot of animated films today are 100% CG animated , when you see a Miyazaki film , you know that he doesn't follow the mainstream . He makes the kind of films that he wants and for the most part , every film that I have seen from Studio Ghibli , I've been more than satisfied . I remember watching My Neighbor Totoro and enjoying the lively moments from the beginning but having seen his animated films Nausicaa , Laputa : Castle in the Sky and even Kiki's Delivery Service , as his films are happy and humorous , by the final half of the film , the story definitely shifts to a serious tone and in this film , it does get a bit serious when both Satsuki and Mei facing the probability of their mother dying in the hospital . These are genuine emotions that these two young girls feel but at the same time , what transpires afterward was captivating and how the film ends , Miyazaki definitely knows how to wrap up a film and make you feel content and satisfied with overall story . My Neighbor Totoro is a wonderful family film and by no means is it scary . For the parents , this film is among the more lighter-toned Miyazaki films out there . Miyazaki has mentioned in interviews that he created My Neighbor Totoro for the children while his latest film Ponyo was more of him wanting to create a film for even younger children . But for the most part , if you want to introduce a Miyazaki film to your children , My Neighbor Totoro is a great place to start . But the big question for many people is if My Neighbor Totoro is worth the investment , especially if you own the 2002 and 2006 DVD releases . If you own the 2006 Disney DVD , there are a large number of special features on this 2010 release that are not included in the 2006 DVD but if you are not into special features , then its probably not worth buying it again . But for those who have never owned the DVD , let alone only have that old Fox / Streamline VHS or DVD , then yes its definitely worth it ! I know there are some fans who prefer the original dub from the old Fox / Streamline years but that release was pretty much barebones . Yes , I still have my old copy of My Neighbor Totoro and I did enjoy the original dub a lot but personally , with this newer release , you get the Japanese audio track and plenty of special features that were not included in the 2006 DVD release as well . Overall , this 2010 My Neighbor Totoro DVD release is fantastic . A great film with a lot of new bonus content . Highly recommended !
    • 031 4  Hayao Miyazaki , the most prominent Japanese filmmaker who has created animated films that not only broke Japanese box office records but has created animated films that reflect upon nature , technology , family and more . Compared to the accomplishments of Walt Disney , Miyazaki is a filmmaker who has amassed a respect from his fans worldwide and his animations studio , Studio Ghibli , continues to be one of the most appreciated and respected animation and production studios in the world . In 1988 , wrote and directed the animated classic My Neighbor Totoro ( Tonari no Totoro ) which won the Animage Grand Prix Award in 1988 and was brought over to the United States from Fox Video / Streamline on VHS in the ' 90s and on DVD in 2002 . When their rights expired , Disney picked up the rights to the many of the Studio Ghibli films and redubbed the film featuring major Hollywood talent and re-released the film on DVD in 2006 but this time with both an English and Japanese audio track . Here we are in 2010 and with Miyazaki's latest film Ponyo being released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 2nd , Disney will also re-release Studio Ghibli classics such as Kiki's Delivery Service , Castle in the Sky and My Neighbor Totoro special editions on DVD . VIDEO & AUDIO : My Neighbor Totoro is just an amazing animated film which I first watched back in 1993 ( in Japanese , no subtitles ) and at the time , although I didn't know what was going on , I was simply in awe with the animation . Of how beautiful the artistic backgrounds were . The village and its lush green , to the painted detail on the trunk of the trees to even the ground during rainy weather , I was impressed . Now , the film is 22 - years-old and watching it again , the film still holds up remarkably well today . The film is presented in widescreen ( 1 : 85 : 1 ) - enhanced for 16 × 9 televisions . Colors are vibrant and one can only hope that Disney releases the film via HD on Blu-ray . As for the audio , audio is clear and understandable . The film is presented in English Dolby Digital Sound and also includes the Japanese and French language tracks . It's important to note that fans of the film have heard two different English dubs of My Neighbor Totoro , the FOX Streamline dub and the current Disney dub . Both are well-done but the difference is that in the Fox dub , the characters of Mei and even Kanta sound much older . While in the Disney dub , Kanta sounds a bit more younger . It's a matter of preference as both English dubs are done very well but its important to note that the Fox / Streamline version is out of print long ago and the DVD never came with the Japanese track or special features . Nevertheless , for those new to My Neighbor Totoro , I'm sure they will enjoy the voice acting by the Fanning sisters . Subtitles are in English and French . SPECIAL FEATURES : My Neighbor Totoro comes with the following special features on a second DVD disc . Included are : * Original Japanese Storyboards - ( 1 : 26 : 16 ) - Watch the entire film but this time with the video showcasing the original storyboards . * Creating My Neighbor Totoro - ( 2 : 59 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about how he came up with the concept of My Neighbor Totoro . * Creating the Characters - ( 4 : 22 ) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about the characters of My Neighbor Totoro and how E.T . was an influence . * The Totoro Experiencing - ( 2 : 00 ) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about how the film didn't do well in the box office but when it aired on television , it did remarkably well . * Producer's Perspective : Creating Ghibli - ( 1 : 22 ) Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki talks about how the named Ghibli came about . * The Locations of Totoro - ( 28 : 34 ) An excerpt from a Japanese documentary on My Neighbor Totoro and visiting the areas that inspired Miyazaki to create the village of Totoro . * Scoring Miyazaki - ( 7 : 17 ) A featurette about Joe Hisaishi's scoring Miyazaki films and more . * Original Japanese Trailer - ( 1 : 50 ) The original Japanese theatrical trailer . * Behind the Microphone - ( 5 : 41 ) Featuring the English dub voice talents talking about their role , their appreciation for Miyazaki and his films . Also , behind-the-scenes of the talent recording their voices . * Ponyo - Creating Ponyo - ( 3 : 56 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the creation of Ponyo and wanting to create a film for young children . * Kiki's Delivery Service - Creating Kiki's Delivery Service - ( 2 : 27 ) Hayao Miyazaki discussing the creation of Kiki's Delivery Service and what inspired Miyazaki for the creation of the city in the film . * Castle in the Sky : Character Sketches - ( 2 : 37 ) Miyazaki talks about the characters of Castle in the Sky and discussing how his audiences are loyal to his films over time . * Enter the Lands - Visit the land featuring various small animated Studio Ghibli characters ( from all films ) . Click on a character from that film ( note : only Ponyo , My Neighbor Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky are available ) to get a Q & A or a small video info . of that film and its characters . EXTRAS : Also , included is a postcard featuring Satsuki and Totoro at the bus stop . JUDGMENT CALL : I absolutely love My Neighbor Totoro . From when I first saw it in Japanese ( which I didn't understand at the time ) at a Japanese animation club screening back in 1993 and now watching it over 15 - years-later and watching it alongside with my son . There is this captivating quality with Miyazaki's characters , his enjoyable to sometimes serious screenplays and Studio Ghibli always delivering when it comes to quality . And when you consider how a lot of animated films today are 100% CG animated , when you see a Miyazaki film , you know that he doesn't follow the mainstream . He makes the kind of films that he wants and for the most part , every film that I have seen from Studio Ghibli , I've been more than satisfied . I remember watching My Neighbor Totoro and enjoying the lively moments from the beginning but having seen his animated films Nausicaa , Laputa : Castle in the Sky and even Kiki's Delivery Service , as his films are happy and humorous , by the final half of the film , the story definitely shifts to a serious tone and in this film , it does get a bit serious when both Satsuki and Mei facing the probability of their mother dying in the hospital . These are genuine emotions that these two young girls feel but at the same time , what transpires afterward was captivating and how the film ends , Miyazaki definitely knows how to wrap up a film and make you feel content and satisfied with overall story . My Neighbor Totoro is a wonderful family film and by no means is it scary . For the parents , this film is among the more lighter-toned Miyazaki films out there . Miyazaki has mentioned in interviews that he created My Neighbor Totoro for the children while his latest film Ponyo was more of him wanting to create a film for even younger children . But for the most part , if you want to introduce a Miyazaki film to your children , My Neighbor Totoro is a great place to start . But the big question for many people is if My Neighbor Totoro is worth the investment , especially if you own the 2002 and 2006 DVD releases . If you own the 2006 Disney DVD , there are a large number of special features on this 2010 release that are not included in the 2006 DVD but if you are not into special features , then its probably not worth buying it again . But for those who have never owned the DVD , let alone only have that old Fox / Streamline VHS or DVD , then yes its definitely worth it ! I know there are some fans who prefer the original dub from the old Fox / Streamline years but that release was pretty much barebones . Yes , I still have my old copy of My Neighbor Totoro and I did enjoy the original dub a lot but personally , with this newer release , you get the Japanese audio track and plenty of special features that were not included in the 2006 DVD release as well . Overall , this 2010 My Neighbor Totoro DVD release is fantastic . A great film with a lot of new bonus content . Highly recommended !
    • 115 4  CAVEAT : As a first-time watcher , I can't compare the 2 English dubs . The 2006 release with Dakota Fanning seemed perfectly natural to me . I have no complaints , which I know is unpopular these days . Now with that out of the way . . . REVIEW : This is a wonderful , magical movie . My Neighbor Totoro ( MNT ) shows life in Japan in the 1950 ' s from the perspective of 2 likable sisters , ages 10 and 4 . Their Mother is in the hospital , and the whole family harbor silent fears that they'll lose her , so they show those fears in different ways . The portrayal of this family is believable , and multi-dimentional . The magical element to this film is added when forest spirits ( soot sprites , Totoro and his family ) are discovered by the girls . What amazed me the most about this movie is it's portrayal of magic : How ' un-Disney it is . There's no Pixie Dust , no chimes playing on the soundtrack , only a display of wonder or awe in the faces of Satsuki ( the older sister ) and Mei ( the younger one ) when they see something that's fantastical . In addidtion , the timing of the magic is : Few and Far Between . While that may seem like the scenes without magic would be boring , it only serves to heighten the girls ' ( and the audience's ) wonder and excitment when magic does occur . It is similar in pace to Kiki's Delivery Service . I give this film my highest recommendation . NOTE : This movie is rated G , but American audiences will be surprised to see the family bathing ( yes , nude ) together . It's a completely innocuous scene , done with an eye to authenticity in Japanese family life in the 1950 ' s .
    • 119 4  Forget the old FOX VIDEO DVD release ( cropped & dubbed ) look for this new upcoming Disney DVD release . Here is their press info : February 2006 : 1.85 : 1 ( 16 : 9 enhanced ) , Dolby Digital 2.0 ; 2 - Disc Special Edition , Original Japanese audio & new English dub , storyboards , behind-the-scenes .

  • My Neighbor Totoro [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape ) Since the first theatrical release in Japan , I have been a devoted fan of this film , and Totoro and two sisters ' wonderful , magical , fascinating tale in rural Japan is my all-time best . And if you think this film is just for kids only , trust me , it is not . Now I'm a grown-up , but still can enjoy watching it . Two lovable sisters are always well-drawn and credible while three furry monsters Totoro s ( lovely creatures , indeed ) are nothing but charming . And these things many fans have said rightly . Now I could add some reasons for the enormous popularity , especially popularity in Japan . As you know after watching the opening scenes , this animation uses the countryside of Japan as its background . Sadly , these beautiful country is now becoming a past memory even for Japanese people . We no longer see conducters ( guides ) on local bus service ; no good old three-wheeled trucks can be seen ( on which sisters ' father was seen ) , and school buildings are modernized so little chance for you to see Satsuki's school in reality . These facts , beside its good story telling , make the film all the more charming for us , Japanese . On top of that , many adult viewers surely remember the way they acted like spies when they were kids ; made their own story of adventure , fought against imaginary creatures , and so on . Yes , we see even our autobiography in it sometimes . Have you ever experienced a childlike . thrilling sensation of finding a hidden passage in a house where you newly moved ? Have you lost your way amid the places you had never been , and felt scared of the coming sunset as a child ? I have , and all those memories would spring back to my mind vividly while watching Totoro . Of course , kids enjoy this film , but it is something more as director Hayao Miyazaki's films always are . Creatures are cute , 12 - legged cat-bus is infallably the favorite and wonder for kids , and three Totoro s always steal your eyes . Now remember , Totoro is much more than that . Kids can enjoy it , and so can adults . Definitely . By the way , something about sisters ' names . Satsuki is the old , elegant way of calling the fifth month of the year ; hence , meanig May . So , the sisters ' names mean virtually the same thing , the best time of year of Japan .
    • 005 4  First , let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of My Neighbor Totoro and the works of Miyazaki . I will let the other reviews speak to the merits of the film . Having said that , I could not have been more disappointed with this DVD . Here are some of my complaints : 1 . No letterbox ! I want to see the whole movie in its full glory , not cut up to fit our television screen space . On the cut version is presented on the DVD . Maybe some people would prefer non-letterbox - - if so , why not offer both ? 2 . No Japanese ! Another major flaw in the presentation is that there is no language option where you can listen to the original Japanese voices with subtitles . Considering this is a DVD , both options should have been offered . 3 . No extra materials ! How about some extra content , including some pre-production drawings ? Or some information regarding the original production . I am glad that this movie has been released in the U.S . , but shame on Fox for producing such a shoddy product . I think consumers have come to expect certain features to be available on a DVD that is not available on VHS . The three things mentioned above are very simple things that would have tremendously improved the quality of the movie . I would recommend the movie highly to anyone who have not seen it . However , I have to rate the DVD only 3 stars because of the lack of content .
    • 028 4  My mother got My Neighbor Totoro on VHS for my son several years ago . I always liked the movie , and reading the reviews here made me curious enough to buy the full-screen DVD . The first thing I noticed was how much of the original film was cut from the VHS tape - I had always thought of the story as being a little vague and with a very sketchy plot - for instance , the father was nearly nonexistent in my old version , and appeared distant and uninvolved when he was in the movie , which turned out not to be the case at all . The true beauty of the film unfolded and for the first time I saw why My Neighbor Totoro is such a well-loved classic ! The original Japanese soundtrack , with the inflections and cute little voices of the children ( especially Mei's ) really add to the film , even though I don't speak Japanese - the inflections are so much more genuine , and the subtitles are very easy to follow . I plan to get my hands on more Studio Ghibli films right away . If you've only seen the full-screen , dubbed version of this movie , you owe it to yourself to watch the original , subtitled version .
    • 039 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( Full Screen Edition ) ( DVD ) I agree with the reviewer below . I was holding out on purchasing this film on VHS , wanting it on DVD instead . I was excited when Amazon.com alerted me to this release . I expected it to be the same as the marvelous 2DVD , Region 2 release with full-screen presentation , bi-lingual audio and subtitles and an extra DVD full of special features . I was extremely disappointed in receiving this full-screen , pan-and-scan version with only an English audio voice track ! No special features ! The folks who released this should be ashamed . Miyazaki deserves better . . .
    • 046 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( Full Screen Edition ) ( DVD ) The DVD version available right now is from Fox . It's a pan scan version and contains no extras . While the movie itself is wonderful , hold off buying this edition . On August 31 , 2004 it will be re-released as a 2 - disc set like the other Miyazaki movies ( Spirited Away , Kiki , Castle In The Sky ) . It will have an all-new English language cast , widescreen presentation and a second disc of bonus features . Two other films will be released the same day - Porco Rosso and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind . I know I'll be replacing my Fox p s version of Totoro then .
    • 064 4  Another fine example of anime butchering . Unremastered sound : ( Pan and Scan ONLY : ( No extra fetures : ( No Japanese audio : ( and many other things that is wrong in this DVD The movie is excellent . I was thrilled to be informed by Amazon that this is available in DVD , but after I've read the ratings , I did not bother buying this . Might as well buy the VHS if the quality is about the same . I don't mind paying extra if I'll get superior quality . With this DVD you get what you paid for . . . Save you money instead . This is good only for rentals .
    • 121 4  I was going to give this review 1 star but that many would think that I'm dissing the movie but I only docked one star from the DVD for one really big reason , its not the features or the lack of widescreen presentation but the audio . I have a DVD Home Theater sound system and I have heard some good Dolby Surround Stereo soundtracks on DVD , but this has to be the worst . When you listen to the track there are hints of crackling noise in the soundfield , the kind of sound you hear on old vinyl records . Chances are this is probably because the movie is 14 years old , and I don't know how old the English audio dub is but I'm guessing it was redone for the 1993 video release and that's most likely the reason . The audio is 10 years old and it wasn't even remastered . I know FOX didn't want to pay buckoo bucks on this edition because their rights for this film will go to Disney in 2004 and they didn't want to make a release just to have Disney come out with another one , but come on , chances are Disney is going to redo the English audio ( I hope not , but that might be what happens ) and Fox could have remastered the soundtrack and put it into Dolby DIGITAL 2.0 or maybe even a 5.1 soundtrack , but no here is the final report card on the DVD so you can see what you'll be getting : Movie itself gets : 10 / 10 Picture quality : 6.5 / 10 Sound quality : 1.5 / 10 Fox Flix Previews : 0 / 10 The DVD is okay if you can't wait until ' 04 to get a good DVD release . But if you have a multi region DVD player , go to any anime import online store and buy the Region 2 2 - disc special edition which has 5.1 audio , 1.85 : 1 anamorphic widescreen , and another disc with bonus features . But those who don't want to pay $ . . for an import disc , just pick this up and enjoy it , hopefully it will go out of print soon . Plus , people are complaining about the video image , despite being in fullscreen , the coloring and everything looks just the way it did on VHS and the image didn't suffer anything during the transfer . It's pretty much just the VHS version on DVD . Plus its at a good price !
    • 139 4  This movie can make me feel better no matter what the status of my life . In fact , most times it not only makes me feel better , it usually brings tears of joy to my eyes . It's a remarkable film and my favorite of Miyazaki's works and that is saying more than anything else I might . The plot is relatively simple . Two young girls , Mei ( 4 ) and Satsuki ( 10 ) movie into a new house with their father . The house seems to be swarming with spirits of the Dustbunnies and the like . However , Mei finds herself a new friend in the cuddliest spirit of them all , the King of the Forest , Totoro . Totoro is an endearing creature , resembling a largish bear-bunny hybrid , and he befriends the girls and helps them with various things . That being said , some people complain about the DVD's lack of features . Indeed , it is a tragedy that we're not privy to the savory Japanese release , something I was fervently awaiting myself , but it's not as if we're being robbed . It's a ten-dollar DVD ! The same price as the VHS and it lasts longer and I've yet to hear of a problem with this edition of the DVD ( as with the Neon Genesis movie ) . Disney really takes the films for granted ( almost refusing to release the amazing Spirited Away for a time ) , but the fans with wear them down I believe and we'll see a special edition soon . Need proof ? Disney was forced to push back the release of Princess Mononoke to DVD because there was an outcry against them for not including the Japanese language track . Take THAT Disney ! In closing , the only other thing I can offer is this : more often than not , I'm watching this without the audience of my younger siblings . Actually , they've only seen it once . I keep the treasure mostly to myself . Although I might enlist them to help me with a tree-grow dance this spring . . .
    • 142 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape ) Since the first theatrical release in Japan , I have been a devoted fan of this film , and Totoro and two sisters ' wonderful , magical , fascinating tale in rural Japan is my all-time best . And if you think this film is just for kids only , trust me , it is not . Now I'm a grown-up , but still can enjoy watching it . Two lovable sisters are always well-drawn and credible while three furry monsters Totoro s ( lovely creatures , indeed ) are nothing but charming . And these things many fans have said rightly . Now I could add some reasons for the enormous popularity , especially popularity in Japan . As you know after watching the opening scenes , this animation uses the countryside of Japan as its background . Sadly , these beautiful country is now becoming a past memory even for Japanese people . We no longer see conducters ( guides ) on local bus service ; no good old three-wheeled trucks can be seen ( on which sisters ' father was seen ) , and school buildings are modernized so little chance for you to see Satsuki's school in reality . These facts , beside its good story telling , make the film all the more charming for us , Japanese . On top of that , many adult viewers surely remember the way they acted like spies when they were kids ; made their own story of adventure , fought against imaginary creatures , and so on . Yes , we see even our autobiography in it sometimes . Have you ever experienced a childlike . thrilling sensation of finding a hidden passage in a house where you newly moved ? Have you lost your way amid the places you had never been , and felt scared of the coming sunset as a child ? I have , and all those memories would spring back to my mind vividly while watching Totoro . Of course , kids enjoy this film , but it is something more as director Hayao Miyazaki's films always are . Creatures are cute , 12 - legged cat-bus is infallably the favorite and wonder for kids , and three Totoro s always steal your eyes . Now remember , Totoro is much more than that . Kids can enjoy it , and so can adults . Definitely . By the way , something about sisters ' names . Satsuki is the old , elegant way of calling the fifth month of the year ; hence , meanig May . So , the sisters ' names mean virtually the same thing , the best time of year of Japan .

  • My Neighbor Totoro [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape ) 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 , or have to go on some stupid adventure to save the world . 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 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 . They have 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 . 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 . 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 .
    • 022 4  My short review is not about the film itself ( which is absolutely brilliant and highly recommended ) , but about this DVD : Please be aware that : 1 ) The DVD has been transferred from video and not from the original film , and thus lacks the possible DVD-quality ( when played one picture at the time the video-source becomes perfectly clear , rendering fuzzy and double pictures ) 2 ) The dubbing is ENGLISH and there is NO option for to play the original Japanese , nor are there any subtitles ( not even for the hard of hearing ) . 3 ) There are NO extras whatsoever . This should not discourage parents to buy this DVD as an excellent film for their ( English speaking ) children , but animation film lovers who buy this DVD will be utterly dissapointed that they cannot enjoy this film in its original glory ( at least I was ) .
    • 032 4  My whole family loves this movie , and were able to see it on Turner classic movies , with the Disney dubbed version . We have the Fox movies dubbed version as well . Well , you make dislike dubbing , but my only comment is that the new dialogue in the Disney dub is pretty awful . the original dub is much funnier , more clever , better word play . Example - - original Don't forget to say good-bye ! as tatsuki rushes off to school . Disney Have a nice day ! Everybody pronounces Totoro in the worst American English Totorrro , versus the more sing-songy to-to-ro befitting a Japanese creature .
    • 053 4  My Neighbor Totoro is one of the greatest animated films ever produced ( for children or otherwise ) . It is a film that devoted fans such as myself love sharing with children and friends ( I even teach it in my Children's Literature class . ) - - - - The delicacy of Hayao Miyazaki's tale of two young girls who must cope with the stresses of moving to a new house , neighborhood and school - - while their mother is kept in a hospital for a problem they do not understand ! - - is extraordinarily well-told through delightful and surprising events and beautiful animation . That the girls need the friendship and support of their father , the neighbors and the Totoros ( friendly nature spirits ) is subtly presented and then heroically answered through Miyazaki's unforgettable imagery . - - - But you'll have to trust me on that because a good portion of that imagery has been butchered away through the pan-and-scan process . Not only have the producers of this DVD version cut away much of the visuals but they have also left off the Japanese language track and given us a rather pale transfer . - - - - English speaking kids deserve to see this better-than-Disney film . They deserve to view the widescreen version and they deserve the option of hearing the dubbed version ( if they cannot yet read ) OR hearing it in it's original language while reading subtitles . A quality production would offer these things and more . - - - - This DVD offers a Masterpiece , but a badly Mistreated one - - - -
    • 062 4  I remember seeing this back in ' 95 , and after picking up the video just recently , this small wave of nostalgia ran over me . My Neighbor Totoro , directed by one of THE greatest animators of all time , has touched the hearts of millions . Hayao Miyazaki did a superb job when he adapted this movie from the children's book of the same name . Though the book only had one girl , Hayao decided to metaphorically ' split her in two ' and created an older sister , Setsuki , and a younger sister , Mei , for the anime . And it worked pretty well . Totoro is quite the strange looking creature ; he's large , has a big goofy grin on his face ( which can only be matched by Gengar's ) throughout most of the movie , he can fly , AND he's friends with a freakish looking bus called the Cat Bus . While it all sounds very childish , anyone who ever was a child can enjoy this movie . My Neighbor Totoro NEVER makes the adults look like the ' bad parents ' that we see far too often in most american children's films . In fact , the father even tells his two daughters that he believes that what they say about Totoro is true . Even the slightly-scary looking Nanny turned out to be the one of the friendliest persons in the movie . Plus , the animation is AWESOME , especially for a film that came out in the late 80 ' s . Even today Totoro's animation rivals the best animes ' . Highly recommended for those with an open mind .
    • 096 4  This review is from : My Neighbor Totoro ( DVD ) Family movies don't get much better than this . No double-entendres , no sex / violence , and yet most ( mature ) adults will find it most enjoyable . Miyazaki's animation style is always a welcome touch . There are Japanese cultural references so the uninitiated might be confused at times , however , the story transcends most boundaries and is simply a good friendly spirit movie . Kids will enjoy Totoro and his friends as well as the fact that the children are the focus and stars of the movie . Adults will find the family situations strikingly realistic and will easily identify with ( and get a chuckle out of ) several conversations between parents and their children . This is one of those movies from which you will get the warm fuzzies . Share it with others in your family !
    • 123 4  I have loved this movie for years . It's probably my all-time favorite film , and is perfect for anyone , of any age . There are two releases of this film to American audiences . The first company to have the license was Fox and the DVD they released only has an English dub track . Generally this is a huge turn-off for me , HOWEVER it is a very good dub , especially considering how often Fox butchers anime . They didn't mess it up at all , and the voice actors on that version are actually very very good . The second US release is from Disney . They obtained the rights to the original film and re-released it with a new dub track and two discs , the original Japanese , etc . etc . Lots of fancy extras . This DVD listed for sale here is the Disney Release . Once again , good voice actors were chosen , so even the dub track is done well . ( Dakota Fanning and her younger sister play the two sisters in the film so they have good chemistry together ) . My daughter is almost two years old . I first popped in Totoro ( the fox dub ) in her in-car DVD player when she was about 16 months old , during a very long road trip to visit her grandparents . SHE LOVES THIS MOVIE . OMG I cannot emphasize how much she loves this film . She brings the DVD case to me all the time at home now asking for me to put it on the TV for her . She loves the early sequence when Mai and Satsuki first explore their new house ; running around wildly and laughing . She loves Totoro , she loves the Catbus . She loves it all . She'll watch the whole thing too ! Which is incredible considering that no other movie or TV show tends to hold her attention for more then a 10 minutes . For young children , either version of the US release is good because both have very good dub tracks . For any anime enthusiast the new release from Disney is a must . It includes a very accurate subtitle translation , original music , lots of special features including the entire movie in storyboards on disc 2 , and even the dub track is still done very well .
    • 144 4  The original English dub of this wonderful film is so far superior to the Disney dub . Dakota Fanning and her sister may be cute in other films but here , their voices are not suited to the characters . The singer gets the songs wrong ( who let that happen ? ) , the Japanese-ness of the film is missing - - it's lost the charm , the warmth , the love of the original dub . Disney should not have touched this . We bought it , we started to watch it and then we turned it off . I don't expect to watch it again and will probably sell it . I would have given this film 1 star for what Disney did to it - - the film as Miyzaki wrote it is a 5 + . Avoid this dub if you can and find the original . It's soooo much better !
    • 158 4  My mother-in-law ordered this movie for my 3 - year old daughter off of netflix . I thanked her , apprehensively at first , not really knowing much about the flick , and tossed it in the DVD player . My daughter was instantly smiling as the opening credits rolled . . . yes , even the beginning theme song is fun ! I found myself being sucked into this movie , much like the first time I saw ET . The characters , Mei especially , were just so incredibly sincere and likable . I love the fact that the two sisters were so brave and had so much heart . My favorite scene , the bus stop , is just so magical . It's great to finally see a family movie that's truly a FAMILY movie . Now don't get me wrong , I love Tarantino flicks too , but Totoro is just about as perfect as it gets when it comes to a perfect family movie . . . it just blows away all of the American animated G-rated movies of late . In fact , I'd even say it's one of the better G-rated movies of all-time .

  • 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 .
    • 056 4  First of all , I am a purist when it comes to Japanese films . I have three versions of My Neighbor Totoro . The original in Japanese , without subtitles , the Fox version , and the Disney version . I would recommend viewers to just get the film , it's well worth the watch . I bought the first DVD in Japanese some years back when my daughters were very young . Both of them have been enrolled in a Japanese Immersion Program at their language school since they were 5 - years-old . They speak , read and write Japanese . I bought the second for my wife and I , [ Fox version ] and thought it was great . Also , I bought the Disney version when my young nieces and nephews visited their cousins ; since they cannot understand Japanese , they are able to listen to this version . I too am a purist ; and believe that the inflections of Japanese ; or any language in a foreign film should be the primary language listened to with subtitles . However , I also think that one can capture young children's attention - - who would otherwise stray , if they were reading subtitles . I know this from experience as a father of two young Japanese-speaking American children . Therefore , while the spotlight reviewer skewers this DVD , I would recommend the film to those who are not sure if they would like to purchase the film . All one has to do is check my film listings , and you will see that I love Japanese cinema , and have since I was a child in the early to mid 1960s . I went to many Japanese films as a kid [ Zatoichi ] and saw Mizoguchi's , Kurosawa's and Ozu's films , to name just a few film directors that I grew up watching . The film is worth the purchase : Disney or not . There are plenty of reviews of this film describing this magical cinematic treat , and you and your children will definitely enjoy the film . This film is highly recommended . [ Stars : 5 + ]
    • 059 4  As an exchange student to Japan , I saw Totoro in Japanese years ago and loved it . When I had this chance to buy the DVD for my girls ( ages 2 and 4 ) , I didn't hesitate . It is one of those shows that children adore . My husband and I enjoy sitting next to them and being a part of the magic . ( You can't say that about all children's movies . . . ) My girls aren't big movie watchers - the four-year old deems most Disney movies to be too scary to watch . But Totoro is different . They love watching Mei land on Totoro's chest , and the cat bus is fantastic . They also march around the room during the part where the girls try to get the acorns to sprout . Although we were concerned about it , it doesn't bother them one bit that Satsuki and Mei's mom is in the hospital for the entire movie . Another neat part about the show from a parent's point of view : older sister Satsuki takes care of little Mei and her Daddy during the movie - she makes lunches for the family and holds Mei at the bus stop . After we watch the show , my older daughter always wants to be like Satsuki by helping out around the house and fussing over her little sister . We've bought it several times as a present .
    • 076 4  A friend highly recommended this movie to so I rented it one rainy afternoon . I was never a fan of animation , that is until I saw My Neighbor Tororo . This movie was wonderful ! It's a touching tale of the friendship between two sister and a bunch of wonderful and friendly totoros . The soundtrack is fabulous and the animation / artwork is indescribable . I went out the next day and bought my own copy of this movie and became a collector of Totoro stuffed toys , posters , etc . . . , and also a great admirer of Hiyao Miyazaki . He is truly a master storyteller and Disney really needs to get it together and release his movies ( I believe they bought the right for American distribution ) and release his other masterpieces to the public . People of all ages will be captivated by this magical tale .
    • 083 4  The rather tardy deluxe DVD release of Japanese animation master Miyazaki's first big hit proves to be a mixed blessing of sorts . On the one hand , it's great to finally have a version with the original Japanese soundtrack , and in widescreen ( I think that is the main thing that cinephiles / serious anime collectors have been salivating for ) . However , Disney decided to record an entirely new voice-over session for the English dub track , which is , as other reviewers have astutely observed , a somewhat pointless excercise . Perhaps the company thought they could move even more units if they had the name of a current child actor du jour ( Dakota Fanning ) on the jacket ? It is also annoying that in order to obtain the widescreen Japanese version , you're forced to pay a steep price because this little 90 minute gem has now been bloated into a deluxe 2 - disc set . Personally , I find the making of documentaries on all the Disney Miyazaki releases to be fairly interchangable ( With an artist like Miyazaki , I don't necessarily NEED to know how the man behind the mirror makes the magic-I just want to experience it . ) As for the film itself-as you can glean from all the glowing reviews on this site , it's a winner . I've always felt My Neighbor Totoro to be Miyazaki's most simplistic piece ( I'm talking storyline , not animation quality , which is stunning as always ) but perhaps that explains why it remains his most universally popular family film . Most of the patented Miyazaki themes are present ( young female protagonist , respecting nature , white magic , the ability to fly ) , but it plays now like a Cliff's Notes blueprint for the more mature and complex work that was to follow . Still , this one is not to be missed !
    • 088 4  This is my first review . I was first introduced to My Neighbor Totoro about 4 years ago by a friend . It was instantly a favorite of mine and my kids . Mayazakis ' attention to detail ( Notice the bottle under the house with the marble stopper in it for instance ) as well as the way he conveys the feeling of a hot , summer day , a late afternoon thunderstorm or a sultry full moon night , is artfully and effectively accomplished . And there's no extraneous fillers or wasted moments . This movie remains not only of my daughters favorites but their dads ' as well . I'm guessing that it's resurgence in popularity indicates a re-release perhaps ? or perhaps a marketing ploy . . . ( I'd heard somewhere that Disney bought the rights . Don't know if that's true or not ) . . . I've seen both the Japanese voiced version and the English version and I feel the English voices were well cast . Perhaps , when I finally do get a DVD player , there'll be a letterbox version of this movie available and will be able to see the whole darned thing
    • 089 4  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 .
    • 093 4  My daughter loved the Fox version of Totoro and so that's the version that we tend to prefer ( or expect since we've watched it 1000s of times it seems ) so it was hard to really like this newer version . . . we still reach for the other version more often . Having said that , it's still one of my favorite movies regardless of who's doing the voices : )
    • 124 4  This movie has quickly become a family favorite in our home . My children love it because they relate to the children in the movie , and I love it because it is a wonderful and magical experience for anyone who is willing to suspend belief and allow the story to guide you through the world these two sisters and their neighbor Totoro .
    • 156 4  My Neighbor Totoro is a movie of pure joy . Although the plot is simple enough for young children to follow , it is still equally enjoyable to adults of all ages . Set in Japan , it allows an accurate and intimate look inside its culture and beautiful country , without distracting from the story or straying from universal themes that touch us all . Two young girls , and their Professor father , move to the countryside , near to the hospital where their mother is a patient . Their beautiful old farmhouse is haunted , and all three of them are delighted ! It does not take the youngest girl long to meet Totoro , the nearby spirit of the forest , who takes the two children under his wing as they struggle with their fears for their mother's health . When I leave Japan to return to the U.S . , this is the movie I will turn to to remind me of the happy times I've had in a magical country that I love .

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