Two young girls, Mei and Satsuki, move into a new home that is close to the hospital that their mother is in. In their yard is an extremely large tree which is home to three Totoros, gods of the forest. Soon after, news from the hospital comes up that their mother can't come home as promised, so Mei (the younger daughter) runs away from home to visit her mom. Satsuki then needs to turn to Totoro for help in finding her sister.
Having seen most (not quite all) of Miyazaki's (and Ghibli's) masterpieces, I can still unabashedly say this is my all-time favourite.
Is it his best? Maybe not, it didn't receive an Oscar like Spirited Away (which was last night's Ghibli-goodness), but my favourite? Most definitely!
Whether you're 4 or 40 there's something to love about My Neighbour Totoro. Ok, so I'm not 40 but both my wife and I love this movie, as do our kids aged 2 and 4! There's just something about the sweet innocence of Mei and Satsuki, the magical creature who is Totoro, and the adventures they all share... It's not for nothing that Ghibli's logo is Totoro!
Technically this production is as good as anything Ghibli has put out. The animation is the same fluid, brightly-coloured style that is so recognizable. The OP and ED are sung throughout our household which attests to how catchy they are. In reference to that, I will mention that we watched the English dub version of Totoro and it is very well done. The Fanning sisters (Dakota) do an amazing job as the two young siblings that along with their father move into a new house in the country to be closer to their mother who is bedridden in hospital.
Whether young or old, I highly recommend My Neighbour Totoro as one of Miyazaki's best! Treat yourself and watch this one - I don't think you'll be disappointed!
