My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

My Neighbor Totoro

starring Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto

directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Satsuki and Mei move into a new house with their father. Their mother isn't feeling well and is staying at a hospital several miles away. The girls soon discover that the house is haunted and that there is a creature named Totoro who lives in the woods near the house. Mei, age 4, is the first one to meet Totoro. Satsuki, her older sister by about 6 years, eventually gets to meet Totoro. They share a few adventures with the creature and towards the end are brought back together, thanks to Totoro, after Mei runs away.

Thoughts

I've seen a couple of Miyazaki's other films (Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds) but this was my first time watching this My Neighbor Totoro.

The movie is just 88 minutes long. I watched it subtitled, as I almost always do with foreign films. I bought it on Amazon streaming. I opted for the standard, rather than the HD version.

There isn't much of a plot. It is a short series of adventures. They arrive at the house and learn that it is haunted. Mei explores in the woods and meets Totoro. Mei insists on going to school with her older sister. Mei and Satsuki go to meet their father at the bus stop. Satsuki and Mei share a midnight adventure with Totoro. Mei runs away after she gets into an argument with Satsuki.

There is no explanation given as to the mother's illness or condition but I think that there is a clue in the end credits. Mei is shown with a baby. I think the mother was pregnant and maybe there were some complications with the pregnancy. This guess is based entirely on the end credits.

I thought this movie was gorgeous. The animation was wonderful. The colors were vibrant. I got a little choked up towards the end of the movie. I didn't know how it ended. I might still get choked up if I watch it again.