The anime I'm going to share with you today will undoubtedly captivate you with its simplicity and emotion. It's called My Neighbor Totoro, which was first released in 1988. This extraordinary film was directed by the famous director Hayao Miyazaki, and produced by the world-famous animation studio Studio Ghibli. It is a story of rural natural backdrops, innocent childhood imaginations, and heartwarming bonds.
The story revolves around two younger sisters, Satsuki and Mei. They move into a new, old house with their father in a village in 1950s Japan. Their mother is in a hospital. Upon arriving at their new home, they discover a mysterious forest and a strange magical creature called the Totora that lives in that forest. The Totora is the spirit of nature, a quiet and mysterious being that only children can communicate with.
Throughout the film, we get a colorful and lively picture of rural Japanese life centered around the summer season. The chirping of crickets, rice fields, ponds, forests, and rain-soaked soil all create that classic Japanese rural atmosphere of summer, which is very realistic and heartwarming. Although the film does not show traditional summer festivals, the whole atmosphere has a quiet, peaceful summer feeling.
The Totora symbolizes children's joy and imagination. Sometimes he builds a huge tree, sometimes he takes children to the world of dreams by flying the Catbus. Through this, the story teaches us that childhood is not only about playing, but also about developing a deep relationship with nature.
When this film was first released, it was not a big commercial success. But it gradually became a timeless classic. The character Totoro is used as the logo of Studio Ghibli and has become a popular symbol among children in Japan. It is not just a movie, but also gives an important message about the preservation of the natural environment, child psychology, and the importance of love in the family.
Immediately after watching the anime movie My Neighbor Totoro, I was overwhelmed with a certain inexpressible peace and comforting feelings. It was an experience of returning to a childhood, where all the pains and sufferings were accompanied by a touch of happiness, fantasy, and the environment. We have been able to look through the eyes of two kids such as Satsuki and Mei, and get a glimpse of an unpretentious but very enchanting world where the true force is love and imagination.
I enjoyed the film character of Totoro the most because he appeared as the mute friend of nature. He does not say a word, but the presence of him is somehow reassuring. The countryside, the hissing of the crickets, the rainy evening and the calm summer mood fixed all over the rice fields touched my heart.
The fact that this film does not present an artificial drama, violence is the positive feature of this film. Instead, the obstacles of the real life, family love, and the imagination of a child are depicted quite beautifully. The use of the summer nature is so realistic. Animation as well as the background score is, in one word, extraordinary.
But there are also bad sides which I encountered. An example that may evident is that the story has no straight climax or profound conflict and that to many viewers it may be slow or dull. Moreover, on the adult level, very likely, the story can be misunderstood as too naive or simply not made to be read by adults.
Nevertheless, this anime was deep and peaceful to me. It is not simply a film, but a kind of experience a childish sorcery which, nevertheless, can calm down a head.
If anyone has seen this, please comment below and share your thoughts. We can discuss this great story together.
Thank you everyone! 😊
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