My Neighbor Totoro :: Education by Design Store

Editorial Review
My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.

Customer Reviews

Best Movie of All Time

2008-10-02
I love this. I've never felt more joy from a movie. It's great to watch when you're just bummed, or sick. SO cute.

Great birthday present

2008-09-30
Made a great gift for an 8-year old who has everything! Beautifully illustrated, nice story.

Original vs Disney

2008-09-08
The disney version changed some of the language from the original version. It is still a wonderful movie. Yet, if you liked the original don't get the Disney. My 4 year old noticed the differences right away.

Disney version not as good as older version

2008-09-06
New DVD by Disney has new voices and wording for the characters. We were used to the older voices and the colloquial wording. Sad to see the change.

"Totoro TO-toro, la la la la..."

2008-08-29
I just loved this movie - and I'm an adult. It really is a very cute touching film, even if it is a bit slow. I personally found it to be very entertaining, and I'd recommend it as a family film.

Miyazaki has done a great job of making the sisters seem believable as real children and also likeable - they're not too sweet/cute, but not too bratty. I also loved how elements of reality and fantasy were nicely interwoven - such that the appearance of the Totoro(s) felt believable, yet still cute(and who doesn't want to give the big Totoro a good squeeze?). The film also suceeds in presenting everything from the perspective of the children. Why don't we know exactly what's wrong with their mom? Because they don't exactly know. The information given is what the children perceive, thus we see the world through their eyes.
I also ejoyed thier portrayal of the father. He seems to be a very patient, loving father who actually spends some time with his children despite having to work alot. It's very refreshing to see a film portrayal of the loving sensitive father (we could use more of that). For this reason I think the film has a very positive portrayal of family, thus making it a good family film (there's also a nice lack of violence and swearing, for those with small children). My only complaint is that there should have been more bonus features, like a making-of and maybe some interviews with people who actually made the film. However, this is a fault of the dvd release, not the film itself.

Overall, this is an excellent whimsical fantasy tale as well as a good coming of age tale. I highly recommend it both for children and adults.

P.S. I can't stop humming that catchy ending song. "Totoro, Totoro..."

Good, but not great like the others.

2008-08-17
My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.

Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon

Shinto for the Kindergarten Set 2008-07-31
Don't tell anyone, but there is animist Japanese religion all over this perfect animated movie. Does that make it animated animism or animist animation? I don't know and does it matter - NO! This movie is sweet and beautiful with a marvelous soundtrack. It is gentle without putting you to sleep. How come the only good Disney movies come from other studios these days? Because there were never any good Disney movies. (Oops, tipped my cards). Bottom line: buy this for your kids and it won't be long before Porco Rosso makes a crash landing at your sty.

Great movie for kids going through divorce 2008-07-31
There's lots of reviews about what a great family movie Totoro is. I'm in the middle of a divorce right now and watch it with my 3 year old almost every night. The fact that the two girls are living with just their dad and the mom lives some place else is a great opportunity for us to talk about things and help him understand that what's going on in his life isn't unique.

Superior to Disney Re-Release in Spite of Shortcomings 2008-07-19
For all of its well-documented shortcomings, this version of the movie is far SUPERIOR to the more recent re-release for one compelling reason: the English dub version actors are flat out better than the big names hired by Disney to re-do it. They have an innocence and charm that the newer release tries (and fails) to mimic. I waited a long time for a widescreen release and was sorely disappointed when I discovered the new audio track. My advice is to accept the shortcomings of this otherwise simply delightful and still superior dvd.

A fantastic animated film that none should miss-make sure to get the right version. 2008-06-25
Beautiful art, easy to interpret but meaningful story, likable characters, and a certain magic and love to it, yup this is a Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli film. The soundtrack tot he movie is also fantastic. The only problems are that the Miyazaki DVDs have been pretty lackluster in extra features, and the Disney version of the DVD has new, irritating, voices that are in no way as good as the original. Go check out the other version offered here on Amazon: My Neighbor Totoro (Full Screen Edition) by 20th Century Fox rather than Disney, it has the original voices. Fantastic movie that people of all ages should love, remember, and cherish.