My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Review : The Nostalgic Feeling Of Childhood Hits Differently.
Ever since I started watching anime, I've never really had a nostalgic feeling about childhood before. The ones I normally watch are either action, Isekai, or adventure, but this anime hits differently.
I was really introduced to this anime by my friend @ibet after I made my last post talking about how I found it difficult to search for movies kids can watch. She told me that this anime is also another masterpiece, so I decided to watch it.
My Neighbor Totoro illustrates the relationships between spirits and family (two daughters to be precise) and how they really coexist together, helping each other along the way. (Well, that's what I thought about the movie.).
SPOILER
The story starts when a hardworking professor, Tatsuo Kusakabe, and his two daughters, Satsuki and Mei, move to an old house that is close to the hospital where their mother is receiving treatment. As they enter the house, they encounter some spirits in the room (well, I've forgotten the name, but they called them dust bunnies). At first, they called them ghosts, which they loved. They were told that the spirits would leave the room when they saw that there was someone inside.
One day, when the girls were playing outside, Mei saw one and started playing with it, which was indeed fun, but when she woke up, she no longer saw the spirit and was pretty much upset about that. The smallest child was indeed a very playful one, so one day, their mother's discharge date was delayed due to a cold catching her, which made them worried. The whole thing disoriented the family, causing the smallest child to get lost. In the end, they seek the spirits, which help them find her and visit their mother, putting them at rest.
Every part of the story feels nostalgic, though it is not like most of those movies nowadays, where every part depends on the plot. The plot is very simple, but every part of it made me remember my childhood times, when I didn't know anything about this world, and all I could think of was eating, sleeping, and playing (Ahh, I miss those days). This movie gave me all that. It also made me remember the time we moved to our new house a very long time ago: the change in weather, the people around, and the new school. The movie made me remember all these feelings.
Of course, when I first started the movie, I was a bit awkward. You know, I've been used to action, adventure movies, and every other type of movie, so I felt a bit awkward. I was like, "Why am I watching this movie?" But then, the awkward feeling went away and was replaced with a different feeling, a good feeling during the movie.
There are various reasons why I liked this movie. The first one is that there is no antagonist or bad guy in this movie. As I've said before, I've been used to these new anime where there must be a bad guy for a film to be interesting, but this anime really changed my thoughts. It just brings a feeling of watching a movie in a peaceful environment, where everyone does their daily activities with love and laughter—no bad feelings, no hate. Another reason was that this movie was completely unpredictable. I couldn't even figure out where the movie was going, which is pretty amazing.
Though it is an old movie, the art and sound make it look like you're watching Jungle Boy (who remembers that movie?). The art is really amazing. It was very pretty and simply drawn. It's arguably not the best art I've seen, but it's still beautiful.
At the end of the movie, I had the satisfying feeling of watching a good anime. I pretty much enjoyed myself, and I thank my friend @ibet for recommending a good anime to me. Another masterpiece, indeed.
In conclusion, though the story is pretty simple, the whole concept hits differently compared to other anime I've watched, which is a testament to the great work done by the legendary Miyazaki. With this, I give it a rating of 7.5/10.
That brings me to the end of my post. I really hope you enjoyed it. See you next time. Bye 👋.
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How much nostalgia this movie brings. It is literally the one that started one of the largest and most well-known animation franchises in Asia and the world. Studios Ghibli made history with this film and marked a before and after in the way of animating at that time. An animation that is far ahead of its time and that only very few films, like Akira, have managed to surpass.
I remember seeing it several times when I was little. The story is simple, but fantastic. And the best thing is that it is short and entertaining. And, of course, the character of Totoro who ended up being an icon and great reference in the history of anime, being mentioned and praised in many current works.
Your review is very good.
It's exactly as you said it; everything really amazes me. I did not watch the movie when I was little, but I still got the feeling when watching it recently.
Thanks for stopping by 👋
I am loving the concept I think I would give it a try thanks 🫶🏻
Yes, it's soothing, and it's beautiful. It's that type of movie that, when you're tired, makes you feel comfortable and safe, thereby relieving stress. Apart from that, you'll enjoy the concept; it's cool.
Thanks for stopping by; I really appreciate that.
I adore this movie so much. The plot is not deep at all but honestly it doesn't need to, because I believe the intention is to make you feel comfortable, warm and safe by just watching a moving storie. The characters are the sweetest things ever and the animation is gorgeous
It's exactly how you said it, and I pretty much felt happy and comfortable when watching it.
Yes, they're so adorable and beautiful. Thanks for stopping by 👋.
I understand when you say that you feel some discomfort when watching it since we are used to more action, fearsome enemies and fights, but in the end we end up enjoying the film, it is undoubtedly a work of art.
An important suggestion, while it is true that you quote the source of the information you got from wikipedia, it is not advisable to copy and paste, please try not to do it for the next one, we can always say what we want with our own words.
Thanks for sharing!
Yes, it's what I felt when watching the anime, I'm happy I'm able to enjoy it in the end.
Sorry about that, I'll try to remove it, thanks.
Totoro is one of my favorites as well, it has such a unique and quiet charm that really immerses you in that childhood feeling of innocence and simplicity. What you mention about how the movie made you remember moments from your own childhood is just what makes it so special. Even though the plot isn't overly complex, it manages to capture those very nostalgic and familiar feelings that we've all experienced. It is a movie that deserves to be appreciated and enjoyed, no matter what age you are. ❤️
Yes, it's exactly as you said it, and I'm glad you really enjoyed it 👍. Thanks for stopping by
es una película muy bonita tanto en animación como temática, excelente post!
it's a very nice movie both in animation and theme, excellent post!
Yh, I'm glad you enjoyed it, Thanks for the honest reply
I'm glad I inspired you to watch this movie and make this post my friend, I really liked the movie when I saw it and even though I'm used to action I liked the quietness of this movie, sometimes it's necessary plus it's a great choice for kids!
Yes, thank you very much for introducing this movie to me; it's very interesting.