MOVIE REVIEW

also known as “Tonari No Totoro”

MPA Rating:

I’m very happy to be writing this review. Why? Because “My Neighbor Totoro” happens to be my all-time favorite cartoon. It was released by Fox here in North America in 1994 and is becoming a little hard to come by. Disney will be re-releasing it in October 2002 (from what I’ve heard anyway) along with two other Miyazaki films.

Created by legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki (“Princess Mononoke,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service”), “Totoro” is a delightful romp back through childhood. It is the story of two children, one named Satsuki (age 10) and the other named Mei (age 5) and their adventures with a creature called Totoro. It is a very happy movie and terribly cute too.

Satsuki, Mei and their father (mother is in the hospital with a disease of some sort) move to a small rural area near Tokyo, and one day while Satsuki is in school, Mei happens upon a small white creature which leads her to a giant sleeping Totoro. She proceeds to fall asleep on his stomach and when she awakes he’s gone! Needless to say, Satsuki is very excited for Mei and wants very much to see Totoro herself! She gets her chance and Totoro shows them all sorts of magical things!

As for offensive elements, this film is relatively clean. There is talk of spirits (the Totoro is a spirit that only young children see), and a Bathing scene (nothing is shown).

You should talk to your children about the content of this movie, although I tend to think that the creatures exist only in the children’s imagination.

Definitely one of the best cartoons ever, “My Neighbor Totoro” will entertain all ages,seriously! There was not one member in my family who didn’t fall in love with it.