STORY STUDY (GHIBLI MONTH) - MEDIUM: FILM - “My Neighbor Totoro”
For the month of September, I decided to post about the four Studio Ghibli movies that I own and love.
The films posted will be released by their chronological release date.
The first one up is My Neighbor Totoro.
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the 1988 film is about two sisters, Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe, moving to an old house in the countryside so they and their father can be closer to the hospital, where their mother is being treated for an illness.
Once they arrive, they encounter kind creatures, the first being the susuwatari, tiny dust spirits that live within the Kusakabe house.
The most iconic creature(s) are discovered by Mei, when she follows two small creatures with rabbit-like ears. She finally discovers a bigger version of the creature. The creature cannot speak, only roar. Mei interprets these roars as “Totoro.”
After that set-up, the film essentially shows the life of the Kusakabe family, from their relationships to the neighbors, to the sisters’ relationship with Totoro and the other creatures. There is no plot, no conflict (until the last 20 or so minutes); simply showing a life living.
I’ll be honest, I had no idea what to expect of the film when I first bought it. I was at a store during the time Disney was doing English dubs for a good amount of old Studio Ghibli movies. The only reason why I bought was because of the actors they had for their dub cast. (No, I’m not an exclusive dub person; I do listen to both original language and English dub cast when I have the time.) The only familiarity of the film I had was, of course, the Ghibli mascot, Totoro.
I’ve talked about films with barely a plot before, and this one is definitely falls in that category. That being said, it never lets up on its imagery. Hayao Miyazaki films showcase incredible scenes that are either strange or just fascinating to look at. For My Neighbor Totoro, it would have to be the scene featuring Satsuki, the asleep Mei, and Totoro at a bus stop in the rain. The rain animation, the character reactions, the “camera” framing, the lighting, and the sound design/Foley sound effects are all top notch.
Anyone who is curious about why at the bus stop there is only one girl who looks like combination of the Kusakabe sisters (Satsuki’s dress and vaguely Mei’s hair), that’s how the film was originally envisioned. Once production started, Miyazaki decided to split her into two characters.
My Neightor Totoro is a perfect anime film for parents to show their toddlers. Much like how the Kusakabe sisters are fascinated by Totoro (and the other creatures), toddlers will come to love these characters as well.
If it’s a rainy day, stay inside and check it out.
