Why You Should Put This Movie in Your Collection

My Neighbor Totoro is truly a film for all ages. With none of the customary Disney violence, this film by master anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is truly a rare gem. The story focuses on the imagination of the two main characters, sisters Satsuki and Mei, and the wonderful cat like creature they discover in the woods near their home, Totoro.

As the father of a daughter the same age as Mei, I can say that the portrayal of the sisters, and especially Mei, is wonderful and realistic (not an idealized version of how a child should be but a heart warming view of how a child is). The adults are portrayed as patient and supportive, especially when the young girls tell about the fantastic creature they meet.

There is some dramatic tension created involving an ill mother, but that story resolves positively by the end. The father is shown as the primary caretaker, with the support of neighbors, throughout the film. Satsuki, the older daughter, helps her father and Mei, but is not without her faults when she becomes frustrated.

The artwork and creative imagination of the film and Miyaszki's vision are simply amazing. His ability to capture the essence of a moment or character is astounding and I recommend all of his films (though some are more suitable for an older youth audience). This film, however, really can be viewed by anyone age 3 to 300.

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