summary: In My Neighbor Totoro, sisters Satsuki and Mei have just moved into a new home with their father. However, their mother was ill in a nearby hospital. Shortly after moving in, the sisters encountered some supernatural occurrences at home. To top it off, Mei stumbles upon an unusual neighbor, a chinchilla—a furry, raccoon-like spirit that lives in the nearby forest and plays an important role in their lives.
Highlights of My Neighbor Totoro
Visual effects: Reminiscent of earlier Ghibli works.
environment: Charming and full of magic.
music: wonderful and soothing
figure: Charming and relatable.
My neighbor chinchilla is happy
Review: I was coming of age when I watched my neighbor chinchilla first. Although this film is ostensibly for children, its energy and imagination are captivating. What other emotion could there be but joy as the Cat Bus rolls merrily in and carries Totoro away?
If all this movie had to offer was a charming parade of soot elves or the appearance of the eponymous teddy bear-like Totoro, it would still be a good movie. But where it transcends a children’s film is in its portrayal of the Kusakabe family.
Satsuki and Mei take center stage in this film, and their everyday concerns are immediately relatable. People feel endless joy at the prospect of moving into a new home and are eager for the adventures to come. During a visit to the hospital, they felt a glimmer of hope that their mother would be able to move into their new home with them. And of course, there’s Mei’s stubborn desire to stand by her sister Satsuki’s side. Never mind that Satsuki had to go to school, or that they had to wait in the rain for their father to come back.
Speaking of their father, his performance in the film, although low-key, is full of sympathy and warmth. The outpouring of support he provides his daughters throughout the film is touching. Whether he’s leaking anecdotes about the world or taking his daughters at their word when they recount their encounters with the fantastic Totoro, his interactions with Satsuki and Mei are always patient and reassuring. His behavior accurately reflects the kind of parent I want to be.
Then I became a dad. When my daughter turned three, I was able to share chinchilla Be with her.
She loved the movie immediately. The way she seamlessly resonates with the character is impressive. Not surprisingly, she sees her sister May as a kindred spirit. She’ll imitate Mei’s exploration around the new house, squeal with joy when the smaller white chinchilla appears, and even imitate the character’s movements when the chinchilla comes to help the plants grow. Yes, she cried when the two sisters argued about their mother’s illness and when May was lost.
These conflicts will up the ante enough to deliver satisfying payoffs. My daughter’s eyes light up when Totoro comes to the sisters’ aid. The girls’ journey to solve this problem fills her with joy and wonder. Sure, she might sing too much of My Neighbor Totoro’s theme, and I might have to endure her humming the “Wind” theme from Joe Hisaishi’s excellent score for days on end. But it’s a testament to Miyazaki’s vision that chinchillaIts magical quality can effortlessly move audiences young and old.
grade: very good