The animation was a reminder of my childhood. As I experienced in my childhood, many children watched this animation and developed their imagination. Director embedded children’s hope and creation into the animation. The scene such as acorn seed grew dramatically fast with the magical power of Totoro, shows that those imaginations listen to children’s wishes and make them happen. Modern parents tend to underestimate the importance of creation and imagination education on young children. They always force children to grow up as an “answer.” But the director tells us throughout the animation what good parenting is. We need to pay close attention to the animation’s background factors. The time period of the animation is 1955 and Japanese culture, belief, life style were well depicted. Inside of the house, people’s shoes, and farmland are very good aspects that describe the time period. As well as, the shamanism was constantly emphasized on the animation. When the family paid respect to the big and old tree, we could anticipate their nature-friendly culture.
In My Neighbor Totoro, one thing that stood out to me was the background. The scenery was beautifully drawn but it was very detailed compared to the characters. There were also some parts that seemed a bit awkward since the characters were moving around while images in the background were very still. Despite this contrast, I really enjoyed the film and it was really cute. I noticed that some of the moving pictures are actually bigger than they first appear in the scene. For instance, first the film shows an image of Satsuki and then the frame opens up so show her little sister, then the background. The artist also drew a bird’s eye view of the family leaving after paying their respects to the “keeper of the forest”. This created an affect that Totoro and the other spirits are watching over the family. I found this impressive since I believe that it is difficult to draw a bird’s eye view picture.
Having never heard of "My Neighbor Totoro," I was caught off guard by my friends’ shocked reactions when I told them I had never seen a film that was apparently such an integral part of their childhood. Somehow, Japanese animation managed to slip through the cracks of my childhood experience, so rather than watching it with a fond nostalgia, I’m stuck viewing it through a hyper-analytical lens that can’t help but constantly compare/contrast it with images from the movies I grew up watching. Surprisingly, however, it was much easier to draw parallels to American children’s animations than it was to point out differences. Several images seemed more than coincidentally familiar: most obviously, images of “Alice in Wonderland” kept popping up: for example, a young girl chasing a small, cute animal down a hole, or a “catbus” that immedietely brings Carroll’s “chesire cat” to mind. Similarly, I would venture to guess that most Western viewers connect the image of children clinging to a flying, black-umbrella carrying Totoro with Mary Poppins. Even sounds triggered connections with American animations: in the scene where the young girl sees a black “dustbunny” up close for the first time, there is a brief, playful flute playing in the background that reminded me immedietely of Peter Pan. That even the slightest cue was able to awaken memories from images/sounds from over a decade ago speaks to the lasting influence and general importance of children’s movies. While on one hand, films like Totoro are just fantasies that happen to reflect certain realities of childhood (fearless exploration, vivid imagination, comically oversized adults), on the other hand children’s fantasy as a genre has the potential to wield great influence in shaping reality. Children’s fantasy films do more than entertain us: they play an important role in teaching us not only how to make sense of the world in which we live, but also in constructing the ideal worlds for which we strive. In Totoro, for example, images of children living happily with their father, eating raw vegetables and exploring nature, contribute to an idealization of rural life in the film, which may have the power to change the way children (and adults) feel about post-war Japan and the rural experience in general.
Unrelatedly, I’m adding this to the catalogue of “absent mothers in East Asian films,” though I have no idea what to make of it.
The 1988 animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki titled My Neighbor Totoro follows a family that moves into a new home and meets friendly tree spirits. Although sections of the film seemed like it was just going through the motions, I thought it was very enjoyable. There have always been characteristics that I have found appealing about Studio Ghibli animated films. One of them is the detail put into animations and audio. Characters in the film have big swift movements, such as when Satsuki and Mei run around exploring their new house, but they also have small actions, such as the effort of opening sliding doors or Totoro’s breath blowing Mei’s hair and dress. Both instances seem to have a lot of care to them. The sound effects sound clean and fit really well like the sound of flowing water or the footsteps pounding on wooden floors. The music in certain sections and the marches heard in My Neighbor Totoro also sounds jolly and playful in a way that reminds of old school Disney. At the same time, the film has its own musical themes that feel mystical and usually occur when Totoro or the tree spirits are around. With this mix, and for some reason, the film gave off a sort of nice nostalgic feeling for me.
Compared to other Japanese animations, I like how the film stays grounded while finding different ways of being otherworldly. Some animes can be really over the top by filling the screen with bright colors and a lot fast cuts or transitions into little “cute” forms. However, My Neighbor Totoro does not use any of that. It starts out relatively normal at first, but when Totoro shows up abnormal stuff just starts happening. Characters start flying, gigantic trees sprout, or freaky cat busses appear, and the characters themselves just end up going with it too. The result that the film makes I think is a fantasy that is fun to watch.
Hayao Miyazaki did it right in this wonderful Japanese animation that took me back to the days when I did not have to worry about how my bills would be paid. Being born in the year this was made makes it seem a little more special to me. I could relate a lot to the seemingly carefree lifestyles these children had, but who were carrying the weight of a loved ones sickness on their shoulders. It was great that the film made you unsure if things were a dream or a reality. Often times we, as people, dream of things that we want in life and wake up wishing it had happened, but nothing has. Some elements of this movie did disturb me. The black soot monsters seemed to have no purpose except to be cute and eerie. I also noticed that the voices sometimes disappeared as the people were still talking as it was changing to a different scene. When Satsuki said something about them being the wind while flying with Totoro, it made me think of all those times I asked my parents where the air we breath came from and why I couldn't see the wind or who created it. It made me happy to think a big, strange faced, fuzzy creature was controlling it. I did wish that Totoro had a real voice, but you can't expect too much from mystical spirits. In terms of animation quality I thought it looked pretty good for when it was made. I used to watch Japanese Anime religiously and many of them did not look as crisp as this. I enjoy the Japanese style of Animation much better than other countries and movies like Totoro, Nauica Valley of the wind,Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle are some of the reasons. Maybe it could just be that Hayao Miyazaki is a good writer.
Movie 'My neighbor Totoro', has a tendency to make audience into very peaceful mood. If something is not going well, there is a person or something supernatural that can solve the problem like Totoro. This fact can really relax people. In addition, its background place is rural area where most of people work on agriculture and live all together. Furthermore, I think worshiping and praying to temple is Japanese animation movie's own characteristic. I have never seen scenes like praying to temple in any another country's movie. I think this is because Japan is not only one-God religious country. In addition, by making Totoro animal shape looking like cat, children can feel more friendly to Totoro because it is common pet that simultaneously live with human. But I was not able to understand why Totoro only show up to Mei and Satsuki. It doesn't make sense. I believe that Totoro is tree spirit that exist since long time ago, but why even all the children who lived in the rural community didn't know about Totoro.
My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki seems to reflect a coming of age story when Satsuki grows up and takes on the responsibility of loosing her young sister Mei. This can be seen in contrasting scenes like where the sisters are playing in their new house which captures Satsuki's innocence and Satsuki searching for Mei which captures desperation, an adult like emotion. But overall, the movie is more about the wonderment of childhood and belief in the supernatural.
Miyazaki weaves a brilliant tale of fantasy into the lives of these children with something akin to the story of Alice in Wonderland. Alice fell down the rabbit hole, while Mei fell down the "Totoro" hole. There is a level of mysticism that is undeniable in the appearance of character such as Totoro himself and the Catbus. However, it also extends to such acts as the ritual in which Totoro and the girls bring the plants forth, as well as becoming apart of the wind. Thus, elements of nature are highlighted throughout this film to show natures beauty. This in turn brings the girls to believe in Totoro as a spirit who can help especially with the scene in which Satsuki asks Totoro to help find Mei. Again the Catbus reappears to reunite the sisters; it's ability to be unseen by others except the sisters shows the wonderment of childhood in which their imaginations allow for this fantasy to occur. Overall, this film and films of such genre are popular because they allow us to access a world that isn't necessarily reality, which brings out the child in us. Manyi Xu
Animation movie is often seen as children movie. However, the animation “My Neighbor Totoro” is one of masterpieces for anyone by famous Japanese director Miyazaki Hayao. I’ve watched couple of his works and anytime I watch, they remind my childhood. I was inspired this film’s color, sounds, characters, and story. This animation managed to depicts the innocence of childhood and nature. I think the scene where acorn tree grow dramatically, but their father didn’t notice its presence describes pureness of childhood or lack of imagination of grown-man. Also, I questioned myself about why totoro couldn’t speak their language. I think this set up maximizes depiction of the purity of childhood. Even though totoro don’t know what they say, they still can communicate somehow in heart. I’ve notice that some of scene the background of image is stationery, however only the character moves. This depict technique was quite interesting. It depicts the character seems more vigorous and detailed.
Before I watched the movie, some of my friends who had previously seen the movie told me that the movie has a hidden meaning in it. I found out about hidden meaning after the movie was over and I discovered that the meaning was actually hard to find. The hidden meaning wasn't one that was explicitly stated in the dialogue but rather showed up in the images. Even though everyone saw the same thing, it would've been difficult to pick up the small little hints if you can't read Chinese characters, which weren't translated in the movie. I thought that the movie was fairly cute and the animation was amazing as it was all hand-drawn. I thought the movie was pretty cute but after learning about the hidden message, the cute children's movie suddenly seemed different.
I have always wanted to watch Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro, but wasn’t able to until today. However, I have watched many other Japanese anime. Although Japanese animation has changed over time with advanced improvements in technology, I found My Neighbor Totoro to be very simple and enjoyable. Several things that stood out to be are the details of the characters in comparison to the scenery/background and the exaggeration of the character’s expressions.
In several scenes, I’ve noticed that the colors and details of the characters are simpler than the background. For example, when Satsuki was running around looking for her little sister, Mei, near the end, the sceneries are vividly colorful and detailed with different shades of colors. In contrast, the colors and details of Satsuki are kept at a minimal. One particular example is the scene where Satsuki is running against the sunset scene that remained still as she ran. Although the colors and details are simple when it comes to the characters, the expressions are exaggerated from time to time. For example, when the family was taking a bath together for the first time in the new house, there was a moment where the father laughed uncontrollably. The father’s face was overly drawn to emphasize the laughter. These discoveries were particularly interesting to me and showed me how far animation has come since Totoro came out in 1988.
I am personally a fan of almost every single Miyazaki animation there is, My Neighbor Totoro included. One thing that Miyazaki does well in his animations is giving his characters a consciousness that often transcends their outward appearance. He gives these animated characters a certain persona/appeal that real human counterparts would otherwise be unable to convey. For instance, the bath scene from the beginning of My Neighbor Totoro would be very strange and unnatural if it were to be executed with actual people. Because this is an animated movie, Miyazaki is able to organically mix in certain aspects that are not typical in what looks like a children’s animation, such as the haunted house or “goblins” like Totoro. When the father and children find out that their house is supposedly “haunted,” instead of the typical ‘fear’ most people feel, they feel excitement and laugh the dust bunnies away. It’s very interesting and peculiar how grown-up themes that touch upon the supernatural and dealing with family illnesses, are fused into this particular animation that is seemingly just about children who move to the countryside and see a magical fluffy giant. I never really noticed in previous screenings of My Neighbor Totoro, but the score to this film played a major part in the overall quality of the movie. Because of all of the natural sounds and scenes of just the children playing, the music really helped to move things along and gave a certain quality to each shot it was used in. Just listening to the music, it was very telling what type of mood the characters were in and to what degree.
The Innocence of "My Neighbour Totoro" Whitney Phipps
The animation “My Neighbor Totoro” focuses on nature, its supernatural ties and the innocence that holds it together. The title of the animation is interesting in itself as it refers to a mythical creature, a troll, being a neighbor. At first glance, one can imagine that a neighbor is just one who lives near to him but as the movie progresses, one sees that the definition of a neighbor shifts from that of close proximity to one of an actual relationship being formed. The innocence of the animation is shown in the young girls’ reaction to meeting Totoro for the first time, riding the cat bus and being told that their new home had ghosts. One would imagine that they would scream in fear but just the opposite occurred; there was an embracement of this unknown and a silent agreement of peace. In fact, when the older sister meets Totoro for the first time, she does the neighborly thing and gives him her father’s umbrella to shield himself from the rain. The one truly active adult in the animation is the father. The intonation that he uses shows that he is willing to go along with the stories of his daughters but there is evidence of an adult-like disbelief. As one watches the film, it becomes evident that adults cannot see the magical beings even if they pass in front of them but they are not immune to the effects such as the father becoming visibly calmer as he listens to Totoro and his daughters play music on top of the tree. However, a nagging question presents itself. Is the father only able to feel the effects of the magic and nature due to his willingness to accept his daughters’ stories? The question is slightly answered in one scene. Mei is chasing after a white “mini”-Totoro. He realizes that he is being chased and disappears before her eyes. Mei, who is already small and quite close to the ground, bends low and he immediately appears. In essence, the scene shows that one must be as a child to see and participate in the magic of nature. In innocence, one can accept the unexplainable without fear. And with this acceptance, a neighbor is gained.
It has been more than ten years since I watched this animation film, My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki for the first time. Still the quality of every illustrations (scenes) are amazingly beautiful. Through the details of household items, old houses and backgrounds, viewers can easily imagine traditional scenery of the countryside and the nostalgia of Japan. And also, all of the characters depict the countryside Japanese (neighbors) in the old times. Not like other common animations, there is no villain character who harms protagonists.
However, Totoro, the unknown creature that looks like a cocoon, rabbit, bear, owl and goblin? in a same time has double-sideness: adorable for sure and somehow scary. Totoro’s face changes so dramatically when he or she roars with its big eyes and mouth. I think Miyazaki indicates Totoro as a representative of innocent mother nature and shows its double-sideness although it is friendly. So I was little worried when Satsuki asks Totoro to find her sister because Totoro might take something from her upon its give and take principle of nature; Totoro gives a gift pack when Satsuki gives an umbrella. Probably, I lost the most of my innocence of childhood. Totoro was just Totoro when I was very young.
Jin Ah Kim “My Neighbor Totoro” by Miyazaki Hayao is a film that carries a nostalgic sense for the audience. I feel like Hayao’s usage of both realistic and non-realistic sense adds to the success of “Totoro”, which both qualities add to the familiarity, acting as a key role in this work. For instance, it is important to notice that most parts of the film gets shown through a little child’s (Mei’s) point of view. This is a key factor which adds to the purity of the story. For example, when Mei loses her sister who runs to call her father, the scene is shown through Mei’s point of view emphasizing the confusion which creates a link between the audience to Mei’s state of mind. Watching the film through a little child’s view increases the level of familiarity of the audience that helps create a connection of sympathy and understanding of a child’s mind. One thing to notice in the film is the absence of evil; only kindness is portrayed in “Totoro”. When Mei goes missing, the whole town takes part in finding her. Not only that, but the humanity in varieties of relationships take important role in this work. The nanny who helps out in taking care of Mei and Satsuki, the mother who combs Satsuki’s hair, and the boy who gives his umbrella to the sisters and runs away are all portraits of human kind, which could be easily said that is missing in society today. “Totoro” portrays the everyday lives of the olden days, which show what is missing today such as nature, old houses away from the city, the only house that has a phone, and many others adding to the nostalgia.
Another important factor to notice; the representation of space emphasizes the relationship between Totoro and the sisters in this film. When the two sisters wake up from their sleep to go see Totoro at their garden where they have planted the acorns, the scene gets shown towards the house where their dad is up working at his room at the same time. Although the windows are open, he does not notice the outside world. It almost seems like the dad (grown-up) is caged in his small room having no connection to the outside world where as the little children are wandering around in a big world (perhaps growing their imagination). This shows the innocence of childhood (in relation to the symbolism of Totoro) that we lose while we grow up.
"My Neighbor Totoro" is one of the well-known animation in the Asia county. The goblin is also presented in this animation just like other common Japanese animations but the role of "Goblin" is different from what we normally expect. Itlooks friendly and cute so "Totoro" contributed to attract children's attention on this film. One thing that makes the story boring is that there was no such a villain. Overally this animation must emphasize innocence of childhood. The trip with Macuro and Totoro was enough to show fantasy to kids.
Miyazaki is internationally acclaimed for his animated films and is even compared to Walt Disney. Considering this is the first Miyazaki film I have watched, I will delve into his other films because I fairly enjoyed My Neighbor Totoro. There were two aspects that I really enjoyed about this film. The music and detail in the animations really drew me to this film. The music was one aspect that I enjoyed because it had a very cheerful tone throughout the movie. The details in the animations in this film are also outstanding. The audience is able to feel the emotion from the characters because of the detail in their faces.
I had previously read that Miyazaki is known for the absence of villains in his films. This is obviously a true aspect in My Neighbor Totoro. There is not an antagonist throughout the movie but rather struggles amongst a family. I believe this is a good theme to have in this type of film because it attracts large numbers of children.
"My Neighbor Totoro" was one of my favorite childhood films, so watching it today in class brought back so many fond memories. Watching it this time, however, I watched it from a more cinematically critical perspective than I did as a care-free child. For example, I noticed how vivid and detailed some of the background scenery of the sunset was as Satsuki was frantically running as she searched for Mei. It was very noticeable as Satsuki's character itself was not as detailed, even though she was the main focus of the shot. I also really appreciated the music that was in this film, as it really gave the film a mystical, yet wonderful feel of nature's beauty and the strong bond that the family had with one another.
I also loved how innocent this movie was. A major theme to me was the innocence of the young girls. They had wild imaginations that turned into reality. The ghosts that they envisioned weren't even malicious, but a source of their wonder and amazement. I feel like in Western films, the ghosts and monsters would be an enemy, but here they are nature-loving creatures who help save the day. There were no real dark elements of the film, except for the fact that the mother was in the hospital. Even the moments of light conflict were peacefully solved. For instance, when Mei was lost, Totoro helped Satsuki find her with the help of the cat bus, which even took them to see their mother at the hospital (even though she was supposed to be very sick, she was in good spirits and laughing with her husband as she received the corn that Mei picked for her). Even though we do not actually see the mother get better and come home, somehow we know without a doubt that she will be home in no time. There was no violence at all in this movie, nor was there a real sad point in this movie like there is in other animated films (Mufasa's death in "The Lion King," the Beast's death in "Beauty and the Beast," Bambi's mother's death in "Bambi"). Watching the film again today, I really felt that this movie is the ideal movie for children to watch, as it is plain innocent fun.
Unlike Rashomon, Ringu, Cure and Yojimbo, Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro is a miraculously positive fantasy film. There are many elements that contribute to its positivity, such as the use of colors and soundtracks. The opening credits of My Neighbor Totoro are filmed on an orange screen with many small animations, accompanied by an energetic song. Throughout the film, pastel colors are used to create childlike visual effects, and dark colors are rare. The contrast of colors is sometimes used, such as the bright color of Satsuki against the dark color of the sea at night. Audio-wise, be it the fast or slow-paced, soundtracks are made up of melodious music that is pleasing to the ears. Although there is sometimes exaggerated positivity, such as how Satsuki and Mei are ridiculously happy over their wrecked and rotten haunted house, it doesn’t affect the positive tone of the film. Coupled with the depiction of small girls (especially Mei who loves to imitate her sister), imaginary creatures that originates from animals (rabbit-like Totoro and the 12-legged cat bus), fantasized actions (such as flying away on a spinning top), cuteness is maximized, making this a perfect fantasy film. I especially love how the characters smile, especially the big bright Totoro smile :D
Two other points that I want to mention are nature and faith. The fantasyland created by Miyazaki is situated in the countryside. With a nice garden full of trees and vegetables, topped up with magic nuts and seeds wrapped in bamboo leaves and dragon whiskers, simple happiness can be achieved without the luxuries of modernity. Unlike other films, the plot of My Neighbor Totoro is not based on conflicts between the good and bad, but the exploration of nature. If the moral of the story of Little Red Riding Hood is to not wander alone in the forest lest you meet a wolf, then that of My Neighbor Totoro is probably to discover and appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature. By following the smaller versions of Totoro, Mei discovers the tree where Totoro resides, and begins her adventures. This reminds me of the Asian value that emphasizes the harmony between human beings and nature. My Neighbor Totoro is probably a form of resistance towards the conformity of Japanese society (as presented by Cure), but the “stateless” fantasyland created resonates with the world of imagination that anyone might have. Regarding faith, it is interesting how praying occurs several times in the film, such as Satsuki praying to the “Guardian Spirit” during the rain and Nanny praying for Mei to be safe. Most importantly, Satsuki and their father believed in Mei’s words despite having no evidence of Totoro’s existence. Be it the faith in the supernatural or in one another, this is a virtue that reminds us of innocence and hope, and brings about nostalgic sentiments.
Thanks for screening this today, it brightened up my day (: (: (:
The film “My Neighbor Totoro” reminded me of my childhood. I remember that I often went out to the farm and backyard to play with all kinds of stuff such as sand and rocks. It was fun enough with those little things back then. On the way home after watching this film, I felt like I lost one of the precious elements in life. The film contained children’s innocence so well. Totoro, only seen by children, represented the film’s topic showing children’s creativity and imagination. Totoro could be just an imagination of the little girls, but it cannot deny their explorations. With Totoro’s supernatural power, Satsuki and Mei finish their trip safely. This peaceful and carefree mood of the film made me feel like I became an 8 year-old boy again. The background image and sound also improved the mood of the film. I would definitely watch it again if I have another chance.
When I watched "My Neighbor Totoro" for the first time, I was in primary school, and I was attracted mostly by the cute image of Totoro. After I watched through this anime again today, I am now more impressed with Miyazaki Hayao's mastery over both simplicity and complexity within a single anime. The simplicity in "My neighbor Totoro" is reflected in several aspects. The story itself is simple: Satsuki and Mei move to the countryside with their father while their mother is in hospital, and they had interesting stories with Totoro there. The story does not bear too much dramatic elements. Also, the setting of the film is quite simple. The whole story occurs in a village far from the noise of city, where natural scenary is depicted extensively. Simplicity exists within the natural scenary as well. For instance, in the scene which Satsuki is running in the sunset, the whole background is the sunset sky while Satsuki is running. Throughout the film, most of the characters appear with the same outfit. The simplicity creates the mood that everything in this film is clean, energetic, natural and fresh. Moreover, simplicity is demonstrated in that characters don't have to rely on lines to deliver cinematic message. The exaggeration of movement and facial expression is used instead. This is also the simplicity achieved by Anime, in which no real setting or actor is required. On the other hand, in many aspects we can view "My Neighbor Totoro" as a highly complex film. Take lines in this anime as an example. Totoro does not say a single word throughout the film. Rather, the cute image of Totoro is depicted vividly through many details. When Satsuki first ran into Totoro, she was scared by its big claws. Interestingly, Totoro used the scary claws to scratch its thigh. Many details of contrast like this shows the audience a vivid image of Totoro, who looks wild but is actually mild. Moreover, the film is very complex in that we can see scenary (wind, light, cloud, forest, etc)at different levels through this hand-drawn anime. For instance, we can see winds at different levels, from strong wind blown by Totoro to natural breeze in sunny days. Finally, I want to mention the complexity in thematic elements. Why only innocent children like Mei and Satsuki can see Totoro? On one hand, we can interpret that only innocent children can notice the existence of the innocent Totoro, and only innocent children would not hurt innocent Totoro. On the other hand, Mei and Satsuki dare to imagine Totoro's real existence, and they have the interest and courage to explore Totoro. Also, their father takes their ideas seriously, never denying Totoro's existence to his children. Maybe that's why Mei can Satsuki can see Totoro, and this also reflects on the educational system in Japan, leading to complex discussion on creativity and imagination in education. Shangqing Li
My neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki is famous animation movie among other movie. This movie reminds me of my childhood. Even I ve watched other Japanese anime, I felt my heart warmed when I saw this. 60s of countryside scenes and characters are very interesting to me. It portrayed the time period of Japaneses culture and belief as well. Also, every scene has watercolor effect so that brings cozy and warm aura. I believe Miyazaki director made this movie by giving joy to children. It mazimized the infinite of innocence of childhood.
One cannot watch this film and not have a tremendous appreciation for the incredible detail their is when it comes to the two girls' childlikeness. I have to applaud the movie for capturing pureness and innocence in these two girls in what I believe to be accurate gestures and actions for children their ages. I had never seen anything quite like that before in my life.
I cannot write a response about the film without noting a few flaws. At times during the film, the details of movement and physics seemed incredibly realistic and the animators did a tremendous job. For example, just sliding open a door would seem very life-like. Just 5 minutes later, however, someone could open a similar door and it look terrible. I found these inconsistencies very distracting. Also, the background/diegetic sounds seemed to be poorly incorporated. Throughout the film, you could hear rain going and then stopping and then going again, or crickets, etc. Again, the inconsistency was just unacceptable.
I have to be a bit critical over how confusing the film can be and how it may not seem to have a good point to it. It almost seems pointless. Of course, there is a deeper meaning to this film that isn't easily apparently. But, in terms of what's readily understand, I feel like only the music is completely tangible throughout; the music is careful thought out, composed, and executed (such as the theme that is invariably played each time you see the large tree, etc.).
The deeper meaning of the film is a little disturbing, and I actually find myself forgiving the mysteriousness and ambiguity of the film (mentioned previously) in lieu of blatantly giving the true reality of the film. Miyazaki took a story that is very heartbreaking and turned into a timeless classic that lifts the hearts of anyone who watches it. If that isn't artistry, then I don't know what is.
The characteristic of Totoro is really lovely; to the children, he is friendly and helpful. I think, to the children who watch this movie, Totoro is a friend who they want to have in their lives. The movie shows how the life of children in that time period, because their parents are so busy at work or due to other reasons, children have to stay at home alone often, and sometimes they may lack of care from their parents. Satsuki is one of the children whose parents are not around all the time. Satsuki becomes very independent; she knows how to cook and take care of her sister, Mei, in such a young age. When her parents are not around, she has to become strong and face the problems by herself. But what happen when the problem is too big for her? Then Totoro steps in. Helping Satsuki to find her sister is not the first time Totoro enters the movie, but that shows how Satsuki is depended on Totoro and trusted in him. Totoro‘s exist is to give Satsuki, this little tough girl, some warmness and care, and tells her that she is not alone. When Satsuki is waiting her father at the bus station, Totoro shows up and stands next to her. This scene shows the care and protection from Totoro to Satsuki, because totoro does not leave until her father is about to arrive the bus station, he probably feels unsafe leaving a little girl alone at night. Also, Totoro shows his care and love to Satuski and her sister when he comes to the back yard of Satsuki’s house and helped them to plant the trees. He gives Satsuki and Mei‘s hope (that their trees with be strong in the future as what he had show them at night) and make their dream to come true (the seeds is germinated). At last, Totoro shows his care and love again to Satsuki when he helps Satsuki to find her sister. To Satsuki, Totoro is a real friend who she can depend on and can have fun with. To children in the real world, Totoro is their imagine friends, who they are really want to be when they are lonely and face the problems alone. The creation of Totoro is to give children’s’ hope, I believe. To save children like Satsuki, and to tell them that they are not alone, and Totoro is always next to them at somewhere hiden and protect them.
The animation film 'My Neighbor Totoro' is made by the Japanese director, Hayao Miyazaki. The target of this film is undoubtly children in order to provide pure imagination with the several fantasy characters. Satsuki and her younger sister play as such roles of friends to viewers who are about at the same age hence become more friendly with the viewers. Since the background of this movie is at the period of 1950s in Japan, It shows many scenes of 1950's rural society in Japan such as the old school where the characters go to and the buses with the crewmen. Although it could be more darker by the background period of the movie, the director emphasized on the purity of each character including the scenes of mei and Satsuki's attractiveness to Totoro. Moreover, the attitudes of adults such as her parents and nanny strength the purity of young children by respecting their such imagination of Totoro throughout the movie. For example, when Satsuki's father tells her daughters to pray for Totoro by describing it as the king of the forest, this meaningful scene seems to impress the viewers to respect their children since the target could be the children's parent as well. This scene also includes the meaning of Shamanism by praying for Totoro which resulted in the births of the trees and seeds. Lastly, In point of views of children, innocence plays as a theme of the movie with the rural background of Japanese society and the mood of music itself.
My neighbor Totoro pictures purity of childhood in fantasy comics. Miyazaki films show typical Japanese color and aspire to the sky. For example, Totoro in this film is weird looking creature however it symbolizes Japan culture and the nature. Even though Totoro is weird looking monster he helps Satsuki and Mei when they were in trouble. In my opinion this symbolizes Japan culture itself. Not only that but Totoro also symbolizes the nature. Miyazaki uses two little sisters to show the pure connection with the nature which is Totoro also brings up the watcher's pure childhood memories. Miyazaki's directing and Hisaishi's OST boosts up the movie's quality.
Sunghun Jeon The animation film 'My Neighbor Totoro' is made by the Japanese director, Hayao Miyazaki. The target of this film is undoubtly children in order to provide pure imagination with the several fantasy characters. Satsuki and her younger sister play as such roles of friends to viewers who are about at the same age hence become more friendly with the viewers. Since the background of this movie is at the period of 1950s in Japan, It shows many scenes of 1950's rural society in Japan such as the old school where the characters go to and the buses with the crewmen. Although it could be more darker by the background period of the movie, the director emphasized on the purity of each character including the scenes of mei and Satsuki's attractiveness to Totoro. Moreover, the attitudes of adults such as her parents and nanny strength the purity of young children by respecting their such imagination of Totoro throughout the movie. For example, when Satsuki's father tells her daughters to pray for Totoro by describing it as the king of the forest, this meaningful scene seems to impress the viewers to respect their children since the target could be the children's parent as well. This scene also includes the meaning of Shamanism by praying for Totoro which resulted in the births of the trees and seeds. Lastly, In point of views of children, innocence plays as a theme of the movie with the rural background of Japanese society and the mood of music itself
I grew up watching Hayao Miyazaki films, so I was understandably very excited when I found out that we were going to watch My Neighbor Totoro in class. However, instead of watching the film through the eyes of a child, I watched the film with a more critical eye, paying closer attention to cinematic details. Something I had never noticed before was the stark contrast in details of the characters in comparison to the backdrops, as the scenery was often much more vivid and colorful. However, the point that stuck out to me the most was the signature aspects of classic fairy tales/movies that appeared in the film. For example, Mei follows a trail of shining gold acorns, similar to the trail of breadcrumbs present in Hansel and Gretel. Additionally, Totoro and its family reminded me of the three bears – large, medium, and small – in Goldilocks. Another interesting classic movie moment was when Mei fell down the tunnel, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, which was also supported by the Cheshire cat-like bus. Finally, when Totoro flies up the tree with the girls on its umbrella, it reminded me exactly of Mary Poppins. I would argue that Miyazaki is a highly esteemed director, especially of animated children’s films, but not until today did I realize how many small snippets of other classic children’s literature and movies were present in Miyazaki’s films.
Miyazaki Hayao is the legend of Japanese animation film. He always creates the classic example of Japanese animation that conveys the message of hope, freedom, and innocence. I do believe that these themes also come from the Japan's atomsphere of society and history. The story plot is very simple but if we see this story in a perspective of a child, it could be touching as ever. The character illust and Totoro itself doesn't look friendly or cute in somehow, but they made some harmonious aesthetics with the cute main character and created some image. The animation has future-oriented and artistic expression as well, and in some case, it looks like a musical or drama. The music which is by the famous movie music director 'Joe Hisayishi' was the most best part I liked.
My Neighbor Totoro has always been one of my favorite films. It is visually stunning and has a cheerful ambiance. In some ways I think this film is bland because it does not seem to have a dramatic rising action, climax, and resolution. However, this film includes many supernatural elements that always leaves me wondering if Mei and Satsuki are ghosts or humans. I find it interesting that only the two girls are able to see Totoro, his friends, and the Catbus. At first it seems as if Totoro rises from Mei’s imagination and her sister eventually plays along and imagines Totoro too. But after making the wind with Totoro, growing the tree with Totoro, and learning that no one else can see the Catbus, it is questionable as to why these girls have such abilities. I also found it interesting that the father did not notice Mei was gone until Satsuki returned from school, he did not notice when the huge tree quickly grew, and at one point in the night he looked up into the area that Totoro and the girls were sitting and it was questionable as to if he had saw them or was just thinking about them. What really sold me on the idea that the girls could be ghosts was the ending scene when the girls were sitting in the tree outside of the hospital and the mother thought she had seen and heard them laughing. Also, the father was surprised when the corn seemed to have magically appeared with writing on it and told the mother that the idea is not as crazy as it seems. I always wondered why Mei ran off for the mother but once they reached the hospital she and Satsuki never handed the mother the corn themselves, and why there was never a scene of the girls reuniting with their mother or father. The film ended with the parents together and the girls riding away to reunite with Nanny and Kanta. So I have always wondered the deeper meaning behind My Neighbor Totoro and wanted to understand the supernatural elements of the film.
"My Neighbor Totoro" is the movie I've been looking forward to the most since I read the syllabus. I'm actually an animation student so this is my week! Also I haven't seen the movie before and Studio Ghibli are the animation gods of East Asia.
ANYWAY! "My Neighbor Totoro" came off to me as a very beautiful, yet dark movie. I did not leave the class feeling either happy or sad. To me it felt like Totoro was the girls' coping mechanism for the harsh reality that their mother is ill, and they don't know if she is going to be alive tomorrow. I believe the world we see in the movie is through the girls' lens. What they don't see or understand is a mystery to us. For example: the truth about their mother's health, why their father was late (we don't know until he arrives), or what it is exactly that he does for work. Also, all of the adults are really nice and receptive to the idea of Totoro. While this may be a cultural idea that there may be a king of the forest that only shows himself to some people, I believe that their father and everyone around them are just playing along. They only seem to legitimately believe in Totoro because we see the world from the girls' point of view. Totoro represents hope in a situation that seems hopeless. He is magical, he is loving, he is considerate, and he is very cute. He is the perfect imaginary friend (or plush toy). The tragedy of this film is that he doesn't seem to exist even in a fictional world.
I have watched Totoro several times in the past and realized just today that (1) the English subtitle may not be helpful at certain moments and (2) foreigners who are not accustomed to Japanese culture may have difficulties in catching some small details that Miyazaki Hayao have planted in this movie. The first thing I noticed was the presence of religious belief that revolves around shrines, gods, and the life of family in Japan. Japan is known for its polytheistic belief; for instance, some go to shrines to celebrate the birth of a child, marry at church, and have Buddhist ceremony when they die. Temples and shrines are basically everywhere as even the most modern street in Kyoto has shrine in the middle. In the movie, there also were guardian spirits in the middle of the road, which might seem quite random. Satsuki asks the guardian spirit if she can stay under the roof with May in order to escape from the rain. Also, there are kamidana and butsudan, which are the small houses for gods and Buddha in normal houses and stores in Japan. The followers of Shinto believe that gods exist everywhere, and some gods possess certain natural elements and guard certain areas as well. When May claims that she had an encounter with Totoro, May’s father urges his children that they should go to shrine to pay respect to the nushi(主), the grand god of the mountain. Also, the portrayal of Shinto gods shares similar characteristics with Greek and Roman gods as they also freely express their feelings; they sometimes make mistake, get angry, and laugh when they want to do so. Totoro might not seem like god in foreigner’s perspective, but his appearance also adds a little essence to god-like feature since Japan understands tanuki, a raccoon as a form of creature that can change its appearance (it usually comes out in yokai tales). Lastly, the interesting Japanese beliefs and tales are included in the movie. The scene where Totoro and mini totoros jump over the acorn field several times indicates a traditional belief in Japan; if a child jumps over a growing tree constantly, he or she would be able to jump over a tree that may grow taller than the house. They call it a dream on the next day, but they see a growing sprout afterward. Also, the grandmother calls the black creatures that Satsuki and May saw in the attic as soot spreaders, but the sisters call it makkuro-kurosuke(まっくろくろすけ) in Japan and sing a song to call them out. The English subtitle does not really translate it, but actual translation of the song is this: come out, makkuro-kurosuke! If you don’t, we will take out your eyeballs. There also is a similar song in Japan, which is generally sung by the children when they make promises with each other: if you lie, we will make you eat 1000 needles! We promise.
We can assume that the existence of Totoro can be regarded as (1) a pure imagination of children and (2) an actual god (or a monster/death god, 死神). Although Miyazaki Hayao has announced that the protagonists have married and lived happily ever after the movie’s ending, the interpretation of the creature, Totoro, and the movie’s ending has always been the hot topic amongst the fans of Miyazaki Hayao’s works. Some people call it as one of the unsolved urban legend (都市伝説) as they predict that the entire story was an imagination of the father who seems to write and do research work at both home and the university. He who has lost her daughters in the past has imagined the entire story, and we can see him showing his written work to Totoro in the ending. Some compare the plot with the actual serial killer incident that happened quite close to the city in Totoro’s setting in 1963. They say that May died when she went out to search for her mother, and the villagers actually do not get to see both May and Satsuki after the sisters’ reunion. Satsuki who goes to Totoro to seek for help basically gets help by “dying” to see May’s spirit, assuming that May is already dead, and the only way to see her is to be another dead soul. When they ride neko-bus, they are regarded as dead people, so the trees in the forest all make a way for them, and people cannot see them at all. In the last scene, they never get to meet with their mother in person and stay on top of the tree, meaning that they cannot physically go and talk with her. Another prediction of the story involves their mother who is in Sitikokusan hospital(七国山病院). Their mother says that she felt the presence of two sisters, but his father says it cannot be true. In Japan, it is said that there used to be hatikokusan hospital (八国山病院) where 80% of the patients died of mental diseases and tuberculosis. These predictions can be all false since Miyazaki Hayao explained the truth, but the last scene of Totoro will remain unforgettable to me.
“My Neighbor Totoro” is fantasy film about realm of childhood. Satsuki and Mei represent typical children who are always curious and laugh at small things. Totoro and other creatures represents realm of childhood. When the sisters tell their father, Tatsuo Kusakabe and the nanny that they saw creatures such as soot spider and Totoro, they seem to be careless as those are natural; apparently they cannot see the creatures but they saw it when they were children. In the movie Totoro was described as a king of the forest but it was more like guardian angel for the children; he played with them and also helped them when Mei got lost and Satsuki was looking for her. The movie well developed story line and describing the characteristics of the characters. A glimps was enough to see what kind of character they are and what the movie director want to tell us. I saw this movie before and it was still fun and give me pleasure to just looking at the characters.
I feel that even though Totoro is an anime, it is an especially sentimental film. Emotions and morals are able to be strongly conveyed through good aural effects and appropriately timed nondiegetic music. The soundtracks used fit the scenes well, thus amplifying the emotional aspects of the film (e.g. cheerful music when they are moving into the house; sad/fast paced music when Satsuki is searching for Mei). I also like how Hayao Miyazaki shows the overall layout of the house by showing Satsuki and Mei running around, rather than just purely using long shots to establish the place, as what he had done for the fields and surrounding areas.
Japanese tradition and culture is also well-weaved into the plot, from the reference to spiritual guardians, respect for elders, to the sensibility, responsibilities and demureness that Japanese girls should display. Guardian spirits are presented through extremely cute versions, which could serve to reduce the scariness of the idea of the supernatural. It could also explain why the two children are not afraid of spirits or strange happenings; it appears as if cuteness dispels danger. It is also notable how the ‘soot-spreaders’ spirits appear as cute balls of soot, bearing the message that people should laugh more and be happy, rather than be sad and covered in black bouts of soot and sadness. The film thus also tries to convey positive messages. It also encourages family bonding and the connectedness of people. The film centres around the family, whose happiness depends on the overall joy of each and everyone in the family; children are to be praised for bring umbrellas for their fathers, siblings are to care for one another.
I think that while shots in this anime are not as clear and detailed as real-life pictures, it can achieve other aspects of film that real-life films are not able to. For example, exaggerated expressions and fantasized images, along with high hopes and dreams are able to be conveyed. Space, time, and dimension all do not matter as much, thus allowing the plot to be as wonderfully far-fetched as possible. Exaggerated expressions also add to the cute appeal of the characters; through imagining, the audience is lured towards the possible translation of anime cuteness to real-life cuteness. Perhaps this is also why anime (and perhaps also anime in general) are so appealing, they are able to make our deepest and most exaggerated desires come alive, and also gives us hope that one day, these desires might come true.
Hayao Miyazaki's 1988 "Tonari no Totoro" is a classic childhood anime movie that was popular enough to bring Miyazaki into the spotlight in America, making way for films like "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle." How exactly Miyazaki manage to charm and capture the hearts of children and more worldwide? As I watched through this movie for the 10th or so time today in class, I tried searching for this answer.
Besides being artistically beautiful, part of the movie's beauty is being able to perfectly capture feelings and emotions without very much being spoken, similar to movies like "Wall-E." For example, the scenes with Totoro had very little dialogue, but were often the most captivating parts of the movie. One of my favorite scenes was when Mei goes into the camphor tree and discovers the large Totoro for the first time. She touches this large gray blob-tail, and it bristles slightly. When Mei squeals in excitement, it brings me back to my childhood for a moment, back in the day when I used to actually stop and enjoy nature, poking and prodding at things to see if they moved. It's an emotion that most people can relate to. When Mei scrambles onto Totoro's huge soft belly and when he yells, she yells right back, it reminded me of how everything was gigantic when I was a child, and how I used to do similar antics on my grandpa's then-gigantic belly. Mei laughs loudly and honestly, her hair moving to her emotions like the ears of a dog, and the audience doesn't need her to speak to understand how she feels.
Satsuki is the second child to see Totoro, and she encounters him while waiting in the rain at the bus stop for her father who is late. Satsuki, anxious and tired, suddenly sees a large creature standing next to her, scratching his belly. She offers Totoro her umbrella, and we see Totoro discover how awesome an umbrella is. He breaks out into a huge grin when he hears the bigger rain drops fall from the tree leaves, and he enjoys the simple sound so much that he jumps, causing a sudden and quick downpour from the trees. The audience grins as the Totoro grins, and the sound of the rain is just as satisfying to us as it is to him. The scene is funny and light-hearted, and distracts Satsuki from how late her father is.
Part of the movie's universal charm is being able to use the Totoro to bring so much joy to such simple activities, such a hearing the rain fall on an umbrella. Totoro seems like almost a figment of the imagination, like the imaginary friends many children have to stave off loneliness, like Mei, or to provide comfort, like Satsuki. While the adults only perceive Totoro as the wind, Satsuki and Mei interact more and more solidly with the Totoro, dancing with him to grow their seeds, and finally having him help deliver corn to their mother in the hospital. Totoro becomes real, though only ever seems to manifests itself to the children who indulge in their imaginations and explore the nature around them.
I noticed how Totoro contained many sequences or single frames that looked as if they were captured on film, through the lens of a camera. Some of these frames, though comprised solely of animation, were composed as if through a telephoto lens, and others, particularly when Satsuki was running horizontally across a field of grass, appeared analogous to a long tracking shot—only without the camera or dolly. I think this was neither arbitrary nor accidental, but rather was meant to make us feel initially like we were watching a normal film. Plot-wise, too, the beginning of the movie contained little fantasy, so the overall environment established by the film was inviting and believable. What this set up, then, was a total dexterity on the part of the film in amazing its audience with the fantasy of its latter half, when we meet Totoro and the whole gang. Although this is pretty characteristic of the genre—starting off with small, relatable situations then enlarging the scope by a fantastical stretch of imagination—Totoro accomplished this not only through a familiar story, but by extending this familiarity to the visual composition too. When Mei first discovers Totoro, we’re so accustomed to the ordinary story and familiar composition that the possibilities of Totoro’s kingdom and of the animated visuals are delivered with extraordinary amounts of energy and wonder.
My “Neighbor Totoro,” one of the most classic animated films, not only appeals to the audience of young children, but to adults as well. Based on the background research of the film, Miyazaki grew up in the place of Tokorozawa, which the place is drawn in the film. Therefore, the audience is easy to see how detailed, accurate details of the nature and scenery are depicted, almost looking like photographs. It is easy to predict how Satsuki’s childhood life is almost as same as Miyazaki’s. Possibly Miyazaki was idealizing his unforgettable innocent childhood memories. Throughout the film, it seems that Miyazaki had put Mei, as the symbol of innocence. In the beginning of the film, Mei appears as a child of nature, full of curiousness and wonder. She walks around the nature and simply expresses her happiness as she labels the natural life forms as her friends. Mei's entrance into the fantasy world reminds the audience of the beauty and splendor of nature, which the present generation seems to have forgotten. One of the best scenes that show Mei’s pureness is when Mei never tends to lose her corn gift of her mother, in a situation where she was incapable of defending herself. Through Mei, Miyazaki explains that one needs to coexist with nature.
In the movie “My Neighbor Totoro”, the detailed scenery really impressed me. It was not only detailed but the colors were also very vibrant. Even the way the wind would blow across the empty field or shake up a tree really lets viewers know how beautiful and enjoyable the place was. This movie reminds me of a child’s innocence. At such a young age, they think they would be able to conquer everything, when Mei talks about how she wasn’t scared of ghosts her thoughts displayed the innocence in childhood. This carefree and innocent lifestyle doesn’t seem to last long when they find out that their mom would have to stay longer in the hospital.
I think Totoro is put in scenes where both Satsuki and Mei are either upset or overwhelmed. A child’s imagination is very important in keeping life entertaining. The existence of Totoro almost seems like escapism to me, the children join Totoro on adventures and escape from the reality of their mom not being there. Totoro also shows up during crucial times like when Satsuki and Mei were waiting for their dad to come home. Both of them were very worried and exhausted at the same time. The appearance of Totoro in that scene made the girls more relieved and happier. Overall, this was a very cute movie that sets a happy mood with the music and energetic voices.
My neighbor Totoro This movie has explained various levels of Japanese animation movies, perhaps definitely set a basic foundation of how and what Japanese animation would look like. First, mainly the movie proved the sense of realism through showing unrealistic, hypothetical contents (not the monster character themselves). The director Hayao well enough displayed the Japanese anime with unique and distinctive culture that Japan only has. First the motions are well exaggerated, over-reacted, or often very stressed out in order to add the extremity out of cartoon picture sequences. For example, when two girls run, they are in a constant and in no change of facial expression of tiredness. Or when a father and his two daughters take a bath, the flooding of water is obviously exaggerated to come out of the bath. Also generally, the motions of action are cut very shortly, but not completely connected as if there is no cutting of action in reality. But above all, I could sense the reality out of such techniques. They motivated me and would have done to other certainly, to imagine. Within the addition of sequences that are very likely to reality (for example, when rain started to rain, the gradual water pouring by drop by drop are both shown in anime and the movie), the movie has composed a higher quality of animated movie. Second, it is arguable true that the sound becomes really important in the animated movies. There are many situations where there is a complete silence. Not because there is a silence in running movie, but no sound of electric sound ongoing as if the speaker is off. So I felt kind of little out of focus when I did not hear any sound from the movie. But otherwise, louder sounds of such things that would be not so significant if in occurred in reality, have helped very much to adequately adjust the sound and the screen. Over all, I appraise the director for his efforts to bring such developments and reputation. He succeeded in showing the characteristic of a main character (such as Mei) very distinctive, special, and explanatory to audiences. By using a lot of facial expressions, gestures, and exaggerated voice-over, many characters are represented each very special.
The animation was a reminder of my childhood. As I experienced in my childhood, many children watched this animation and developed their imagination. Director embedded children’s hope and creation into the animation. The scene such as acorn seed grew dramatically fast with the magical power of Totoro, shows that those imaginations listen to children’s wishes and make them happen. Modern parents tend to underestimate the importance of creation and imagination education on young children. They always force children to grow up as an “answer.” But the director tells us throughout the animation what good parenting is.
ReplyDeleteWe need to pay close attention to the animation’s background factors. The time period of the animation is 1955 and Japanese culture, belief, life style were well depicted. Inside of the house, people’s shoes, and farmland are very good aspects that describe the time period. As well as, the shamanism was constantly emphasized on the animation. When the family paid respect to the big and old tree, we could anticipate their nature-friendly culture.
My Neighbor Totoro
ReplyDeleteTina Kim
In My Neighbor Totoro, one thing that stood out to me was the background. The scenery was beautifully drawn but it was very detailed compared to the characters. There were also some parts that seemed a bit awkward since the characters were moving around while images in the background were very still. Despite this contrast, I really enjoyed the film and it was really cute.
I noticed that some of the moving pictures are actually bigger than they first appear in the scene. For instance, first the film shows an image of Satsuki and then the frame opens up so show her little sister, then the background. The artist also drew a bird’s eye view of the family leaving after paying their respects to the “keeper of the forest”. This created an affect that Totoro and the other spirits are watching over the family. I found this impressive since I believe that it is difficult to draw a bird’s eye view picture.
Elise Huerta
ReplyDeleteHaving never heard of "My Neighbor Totoro," I was caught off guard by my friends’ shocked reactions when I told them I had never seen a film that was apparently such an integral part of their childhood. Somehow, Japanese animation managed to slip through the cracks of my childhood experience, so rather than watching it with a fond nostalgia, I’m stuck viewing it through a hyper-analytical lens that can’t help but constantly compare/contrast it with images from the movies I grew up watching. Surprisingly, however, it was much easier to draw parallels to American children’s animations than it was to point out differences. Several images seemed more than coincidentally familiar: most obviously, images of “Alice in Wonderland” kept popping up: for example, a young girl chasing a small, cute animal down a hole, or a “catbus” that immedietely brings Carroll’s “chesire cat” to mind. Similarly, I would venture to guess that most Western viewers connect the image of children clinging to a flying, black-umbrella carrying Totoro with Mary Poppins. Even sounds triggered connections with American animations: in the scene where the young girl sees a black “dustbunny” up close for the first time, there is a brief, playful flute playing in the background that reminded me immedietely of Peter Pan. That even the slightest cue was able to awaken memories from images/sounds from over a decade ago speaks to the lasting influence and general importance of children’s movies.
While on one hand, films like Totoro are just fantasies that happen to reflect certain realities of childhood (fearless exploration, vivid imagination, comically oversized adults), on the other hand children’s fantasy as a genre has the potential to wield great influence in shaping reality. Children’s fantasy films do more than entertain us: they play an important role in teaching us not only how to make sense of the world in which we live, but also in constructing the ideal worlds for which we strive. In Totoro, for example, images of children living happily with their father, eating raw vegetables and exploring nature, contribute to an idealization of rural life in the film, which may have the power to change the way children (and adults) feel about post-war Japan and the rural experience in general.
Unrelatedly, I’m adding this to the catalogue of “absent mothers in East Asian films,” though I have no idea what to make of it.
The 1988 animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki titled My Neighbor Totoro follows a family that moves into a new home and meets friendly tree spirits. Although sections of the film seemed like it was just going through the motions, I thought it was very enjoyable. There have always been characteristics that I have found appealing about Studio Ghibli animated films. One of them is the detail put into animations and audio. Characters in the film have big swift movements, such as when Satsuki and Mei run around exploring their new house, but they also have small actions, such as the effort of opening sliding doors or Totoro’s breath blowing Mei’s hair and dress. Both instances seem to have a lot of care to them. The sound effects sound clean and fit really well like the sound of flowing water or the footsteps pounding on wooden floors. The music in certain sections and the marches heard in My Neighbor Totoro also sounds jolly and playful in a way that reminds of old school Disney. At the same time, the film has its own musical themes that feel mystical and usually occur when Totoro or the tree spirits are around. With this mix, and for some reason, the film gave off a sort of nice nostalgic feeling for me.
ReplyDeleteCompared to other Japanese animations, I like how the film stays grounded while finding different ways of being otherworldly. Some animes can be really over the top by filling the screen with bright colors and a lot fast cuts or transitions into little “cute” forms. However, My Neighbor Totoro does not use any of that. It starts out relatively normal at first, but when Totoro shows up abnormal stuff just starts happening. Characters start flying, gigantic trees sprout, or freaky cat busses appear, and the characters themselves just end up going with it too. The result that the film makes I think is a fantasy that is fun to watch.
Ren (Karen) Curry
ReplyDeleteHayao Miyazaki did it right in this wonderful Japanese animation that took me back to the days when I did not have to worry about how my bills would be paid. Being born in the year this was made makes it seem a little more special to me. I could relate a lot to the seemingly carefree lifestyles these children had, but who were carrying the weight of a loved ones sickness on their shoulders. It was great that the film made you unsure if things were a dream or a reality. Often times we, as people, dream of things that we want in life and wake up wishing it had happened, but nothing has.
Some elements of this movie did disturb me. The black soot monsters seemed to have no purpose except to be cute and eerie. I also noticed that the voices sometimes disappeared as the people were still talking as it was changing to a different scene.
When Satsuki said something about them being the wind while flying with Totoro, it made me think of all those times I asked my parents where the air we breath came from and why I couldn't see the wind or who created it. It made me happy to think a big, strange faced, fuzzy creature was controlling it.
I did wish that Totoro had a real voice, but you can't expect too much from mystical spirits.
In terms of animation quality I thought it looked pretty good for when it was made. I used to watch Japanese Anime religiously and many of them did not look as crisp as this. I enjoy the Japanese style of Animation much better than other countries and movies like Totoro, Nauica Valley of the wind,Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle are some of the reasons. Maybe it could just be that Hayao Miyazaki is a good writer.
Movie 'My neighbor Totoro', has a tendency to make audience into very peaceful mood. If something is not going well, there is a person or something supernatural that can solve the problem like Totoro. This fact can really relax people. In addition, its background place is rural area where most of people work on agriculture and live all together. Furthermore, I think worshiping and praying to temple is Japanese animation movie's own characteristic. I have never seen scenes like praying to temple in any another country's movie. I think this is because Japan is not only one-God religious country.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, by making Totoro animal shape looking like cat, children can feel more friendly to Totoro because it is common pet that simultaneously live with human.
But I was not able to understand why Totoro only show up to Mei and Satsuki. It doesn't make sense. I believe that Totoro is tree spirit that exist since long time ago, but why even all the children who lived in the rural community didn't know about Totoro.
My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki seems to reflect a coming of age story when Satsuki grows up and takes on the responsibility of loosing her young sister Mei. This can be seen in contrasting scenes like where the sisters are playing in their new house which captures Satsuki's innocence and Satsuki searching for Mei which captures desperation, an adult like emotion. But overall, the movie is more about the wonderment of childhood and belief in the supernatural.
ReplyDeleteMiyazaki weaves a brilliant tale of fantasy into the lives of these children with something akin to the story of Alice in Wonderland. Alice fell down the rabbit hole, while Mei fell down the "Totoro" hole. There is a level of mysticism that is undeniable in the appearance of character such as Totoro himself and the Catbus. However, it also extends to such acts as the ritual in which Totoro and the girls bring the plants forth, as well as becoming apart of the wind. Thus, elements of nature are highlighted throughout this film to show natures beauty. This in turn brings the girls to believe in Totoro as a spirit who can help especially with the scene in which Satsuki asks Totoro to help find Mei. Again the Catbus reappears to reunite the sisters; it's ability to be unseen by others except the sisters shows the wonderment of childhood in which their imaginations allow for this fantasy to occur. Overall, this film and films of such genre are popular because they allow us to access a world that isn't necessarily reality, which brings out the child in us.
Manyi Xu
Animation movie is often seen as children movie. However, the animation “My Neighbor Totoro” is one of masterpieces for anyone by famous Japanese director Miyazaki Hayao. I’ve watched couple of his works and anytime I watch, they remind my childhood. I was inspired this film’s color, sounds, characters, and story. This animation managed to depicts the innocence of childhood and nature. I think the scene where acorn tree grow dramatically, but their father didn’t notice its presence describes pureness of childhood or lack of imagination of grown-man. Also, I questioned myself about why totoro couldn’t speak their language. I think this set up maximizes depiction of the purity of childhood. Even though totoro don’t know what they say, they still can communicate somehow in heart.
ReplyDeleteI’ve notice that some of scene the background of image is stationery, however only the character moves. This depict technique was quite interesting. It depicts the character seems more vigorous and detailed.
Before I watched the movie, some of my friends who had previously seen the movie told me that the movie has a hidden meaning in it. I found out about hidden meaning after the movie was over and I discovered that the meaning was actually hard to find. The hidden meaning wasn't one that was explicitly stated in the dialogue but rather showed up in the images. Even though everyone saw the same thing, it would've been difficult to pick up the small little hints if you can't read Chinese characters, which weren't translated in the movie. I thought that the movie was fairly cute and the animation was amazing as it was all hand-drawn. I thought the movie was pretty cute but after learning about the hidden message, the cute children's movie suddenly seemed different.
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to watch Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro, but wasn’t able to until today. However, I have watched many other Japanese anime. Although Japanese animation has changed over time with advanced improvements in technology, I found My Neighbor Totoro to be very simple and enjoyable. Several things that stood out to be are the details of the characters in comparison to the scenery/background and the exaggeration of the character’s expressions.
ReplyDeleteIn several scenes, I’ve noticed that the colors and details of the characters are simpler than the background. For example, when Satsuki was running around looking for her little sister, Mei, near the end, the sceneries are vividly colorful and detailed with different shades of colors. In contrast, the colors and details of Satsuki are kept at a minimal. One particular example is the scene where Satsuki is running against the sunset scene that remained still as she ran. Although the colors and details are simple when it comes to the characters, the expressions are exaggerated from time to time. For example, when the family was taking a bath together for the first time in the new house, there was a moment where the father laughed uncontrollably. The father’s face was overly drawn to emphasize the laughter. These discoveries were particularly interesting to me and showed me how far animation has come since Totoro came out in 1988.
Amanda Kim
ReplyDeleteI am personally a fan of almost every single Miyazaki animation there is, My Neighbor Totoro included. One thing that Miyazaki does well in his animations is giving his characters a consciousness that often transcends their outward appearance. He gives these animated characters a certain persona/appeal that real human counterparts would otherwise be unable to convey. For instance, the bath scene from the beginning of My Neighbor Totoro would be very strange and unnatural if it were to be executed with actual people.
Because this is an animated movie, Miyazaki is able to organically mix in certain aspects that are not typical in what looks like a children’s animation, such as the haunted house or “goblins” like Totoro. When the father and children find out that their house is supposedly “haunted,” instead of the typical ‘fear’ most people feel, they feel excitement and laugh the dust bunnies away. It’s very interesting and peculiar how grown-up themes that touch upon the supernatural and dealing with family illnesses, are fused into this particular animation that is seemingly just about children who move to the countryside and see a magical fluffy giant.
I never really noticed in previous screenings of My Neighbor Totoro, but the score to this film played a major part in the overall quality of the movie. Because of all of the natural sounds and scenes of just the children playing, the music really helped to move things along and gave a certain quality to each shot it was used in. Just listening to the music, it was very telling what type of mood the characters were in and to what degree.
The Innocence of "My Neighbour Totoro"
ReplyDeleteWhitney Phipps
The animation “My Neighbor Totoro” focuses on nature, its supernatural ties and the innocence that holds it together. The title of the animation is interesting in itself as it refers to a mythical creature, a troll, being a neighbor. At first glance, one can imagine that a neighbor is just one who lives near to him but as the movie progresses, one sees that the definition of a neighbor shifts from that of close proximity to one of an actual relationship being formed.
The innocence of the animation is shown in the young girls’ reaction to meeting Totoro for the first time, riding the cat bus and being told that their new home had ghosts. One would imagine that they would scream in fear but just the opposite occurred; there was an embracement of this unknown and a silent agreement of peace. In fact, when the older sister meets Totoro for the first time, she does the neighborly thing and gives him her father’s umbrella to shield himself from the rain.
The one truly active adult in the animation is the father. The intonation that he uses shows that he is willing to go along with the stories of his daughters but there is evidence of an adult-like disbelief. As one watches the film, it becomes evident that adults cannot see the magical beings even if they pass in front of them but they are not immune to the effects such as the father becoming visibly calmer as he listens to Totoro and his daughters play music on top of the tree. However, a nagging question presents itself. Is the father only able to feel the effects of the magic and nature due to his willingness to accept his daughters’ stories? The question is slightly answered in one scene. Mei is chasing after a white “mini”-Totoro. He realizes that he is being chased and disappears before her eyes. Mei, who is already small and quite close to the ground, bends low and he immediately appears. In essence, the scene shows that one must be as a child to see and participate in the magic of nature. In innocence, one can accept the unexplainable without fear. And with this acceptance, a neighbor is gained.
JiEun Lee
ReplyDeleteMy Neighbor Totoro
It has been more than ten years since I watched this animation film, My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki for the first time. Still the quality of every illustrations (scenes) are amazingly beautiful. Through the details of household items, old houses and backgrounds, viewers can easily imagine traditional scenery of the countryside and the nostalgia of Japan. And also, all of the characters depict the countryside Japanese (neighbors) in the old times. Not like other common animations, there is no villain character who harms protagonists.
However, Totoro, the unknown creature that looks like a cocoon, rabbit, bear, owl and goblin? in a same time has double-sideness: adorable for sure and somehow scary. Totoro’s face changes so dramatically when he or she roars with its big eyes and mouth. I think Miyazaki indicates Totoro as a representative of innocent mother nature and shows its double-sideness although it is friendly. So I was little worried when Satsuki asks Totoro to find her sister because Totoro might take something from her upon its give and take principle of nature; Totoro gives a gift pack when Satsuki gives an umbrella. Probably, I lost the most of my innocence of childhood. Totoro was just Totoro when I was very young.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJin Ah Kim
ReplyDelete“My Neighbor Totoro” by Miyazaki Hayao is a film that carries a nostalgic sense for the audience. I feel like Hayao’s usage of both realistic and non-realistic sense adds to the success of “Totoro”, which both qualities add to the familiarity, acting as a key role in this work. For instance, it is important to notice that most parts of the film gets shown through a little child’s (Mei’s) point of view. This is a key factor which adds to the purity of the story. For example, when Mei loses her sister who runs to call her father, the scene is shown through Mei’s point of view emphasizing the confusion which creates a link between the audience to Mei’s state of mind. Watching the film through a little child’s view increases the level of familiarity of the audience that helps create a connection of sympathy and understanding of a child’s mind. One thing to notice in the film is the absence of evil; only kindness is portrayed in “Totoro”. When Mei goes missing, the whole town takes part in finding her. Not only that, but the humanity in varieties of relationships take important role in this work. The nanny who helps out in taking care of Mei and Satsuki, the mother who combs Satsuki’s hair, and the boy who gives his umbrella to the sisters and runs away are all portraits of human kind, which could be easily said that is missing in society today. “Totoro” portrays the everyday lives of the olden days, which show what is missing today such as nature, old houses away from the city, the only house that has a phone, and many others adding to the nostalgia.
Another important factor to notice; the representation of space emphasizes the relationship between Totoro and the sisters in this film. When the two sisters wake up from their sleep to go see Totoro at their garden where they have planted the acorns, the scene gets shown towards the house where their dad is up working at his room at the same time. Although the windows are open, he does not notice the outside world. It almost seems like the dad (grown-up) is caged in his small room having no connection to the outside world where as the little children are wandering around in a big world (perhaps growing their imagination). This shows the innocence of childhood (in relation to the symbolism of Totoro) that we lose while we grow up.
"My Neighbor Totoro" is one of the well-known animation in the Asia county. The goblin is also presented in this animation just like other common Japanese animations but the role of "Goblin" is different from what we normally expect. Itlooks friendly and cute so "Totoro" contributed to attract children's attention on this film.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that makes the story boring is that there was no such a villain. Overally this animation must emphasize innocence of childhood. The trip with Macuro and Totoro was enough to show fantasy to kids.
Miyazaki is internationally acclaimed for his animated films and is even compared to Walt Disney. Considering this is the first Miyazaki film I have watched, I will delve into his other films because I fairly enjoyed My Neighbor Totoro. There were two aspects that I really enjoyed about this film. The music and detail in the animations really drew me to this film. The music was one aspect that I enjoyed because it had a very cheerful tone throughout the movie. The details in the animations in this film are also outstanding. The audience is able to feel the emotion from the characters because of the detail in their faces.
ReplyDeleteI had previously read that Miyazaki is known for the absence of villains in his films. This is obviously a true aspect in My Neighbor Totoro. There is not an antagonist throughout the movie but rather struggles amongst a family. I believe this is a good theme to have in this type of film because it attracts large numbers of children.
Tyler McBride
"My Neighbor Totoro" was one of my favorite childhood films, so watching it today in class brought back so many fond memories. Watching it this time, however, I watched it from a more cinematically critical perspective than I did as a care-free child. For example, I noticed how vivid and detailed some of the background scenery of the sunset was as Satsuki was frantically running as she searched for Mei. It was very noticeable as Satsuki's character itself was not as detailed, even though she was the main focus of the shot. I also really appreciated the music that was in this film, as it really gave the film a mystical, yet wonderful feel of nature's beauty and the strong bond that the family had with one another.
ReplyDeleteI also loved how innocent this movie was. A major theme to me was the innocence of the young girls. They had wild imaginations that turned into reality. The ghosts that they envisioned weren't even malicious, but a source of their wonder and amazement. I feel like in Western films, the ghosts and monsters would be an enemy, but here they are nature-loving creatures who help save the day. There were no real dark elements of the film, except for the fact that the mother was in the hospital. Even the moments of light conflict were peacefully solved. For instance, when Mei was lost, Totoro helped Satsuki find her with the help of the cat bus, which even took them to see their mother at the hospital (even though she was supposed to be very sick, she was in good spirits and laughing with her husband as she received the corn that Mei picked for her). Even though we do not actually see the mother get better and come home, somehow we know without a doubt that she will be home in no time. There was no violence at all in this movie, nor was there a real sad point in this movie like there is in other animated films (Mufasa's death in "The Lion King," the Beast's death in "Beauty and the Beast," Bambi's mother's death in "Bambi"). Watching the film again today, I really felt that this movie is the ideal movie for children to watch, as it is plain innocent fun.
Andrew Park
Unlike Rashomon, Ringu, Cure and Yojimbo, Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro is a miraculously positive fantasy film. There are many elements that contribute to its positivity, such as the use of colors and soundtracks. The opening credits of My Neighbor Totoro are filmed on an orange screen with many small animations, accompanied by an energetic song. Throughout the film, pastel colors are used to create childlike visual effects, and dark colors are rare. The contrast of colors is sometimes used, such as the bright color of Satsuki against the dark color of the sea at night. Audio-wise, be it the fast or slow-paced, soundtracks are made up of melodious music that is pleasing to the ears. Although there is sometimes exaggerated positivity, such as how Satsuki and Mei are ridiculously happy over their wrecked and rotten haunted house, it doesn’t affect the positive tone of the film. Coupled with the depiction of small girls (especially Mei who loves to imitate her sister), imaginary creatures that originates from animals (rabbit-like Totoro and the 12-legged cat bus), fantasized actions (such as flying away on a spinning top), cuteness is maximized, making this a perfect fantasy film. I especially love how the characters smile, especially the big bright Totoro smile :D
ReplyDeleteTwo other points that I want to mention are nature and faith. The fantasyland created by Miyazaki is situated in the countryside. With a nice garden full of trees and vegetables, topped up with magic nuts and seeds wrapped in bamboo leaves and dragon whiskers, simple happiness can be achieved without the luxuries of modernity. Unlike other films, the plot of My Neighbor Totoro is not based on conflicts between the good and bad, but the exploration of nature. If the moral of the story of Little Red Riding Hood is to not wander alone in the forest lest you meet a wolf, then that of My Neighbor Totoro is probably to discover and appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature. By following the smaller versions of Totoro, Mei discovers the tree where Totoro resides, and begins her adventures. This reminds me of the Asian value that emphasizes the harmony between human beings and nature. My Neighbor Totoro is probably a form of resistance towards the conformity of Japanese society (as presented by Cure), but the “stateless” fantasyland created resonates with the world of imagination that anyone might have. Regarding faith, it is interesting how praying occurs several times in the film, such as Satsuki praying to the “Guardian Spirit” during the rain and Nanny praying for Mei to be safe. Most importantly, Satsuki and their father believed in Mei’s words despite having no evidence of Totoro’s existence. Be it the faith in the supernatural or in one another, this is a virtue that reminds us of innocence and hope, and brings about nostalgic sentiments.
Thanks for screening this today, it brightened up my day (: (: (:
Hui Wen, Tea
The film “My Neighbor Totoro” reminded me of my childhood. I remember that I often went out to the farm and backyard to play with all kinds of stuff such as sand and rocks. It was fun enough with those little things back then. On the way home after watching this film, I felt like I lost one of the precious elements in life. The film contained children’s innocence so well. Totoro, only seen by children, represented the film’s topic showing children’s creativity and imagination. Totoro could be just an imagination of the little girls, but it cannot deny their explorations. With Totoro’s supernatural power, Satsuki and Mei finish their trip safely. This peaceful and carefree mood of the film made me feel like I became an 8 year-old boy again. The background image and sound also improved the mood of the film. I would definitely watch it again if I have another chance.
ReplyDeletePS. This is my make up response for "Old Boy"
When I watched "My Neighbor Totoro" for the first time, I was in primary school, and I was attracted mostly by the cute image of Totoro. After I watched through this anime again today, I am now more impressed with Miyazaki Hayao's mastery over both simplicity and complexity within a single anime.
ReplyDeleteThe simplicity in "My neighbor Totoro" is reflected in several aspects. The story itself is simple: Satsuki and Mei move to the countryside with their father while their mother is in hospital, and they had interesting stories with Totoro there. The story does not bear too much dramatic elements. Also, the setting of the film is quite simple. The whole story occurs in a village far from the noise of city, where natural scenary is depicted extensively. Simplicity exists within the natural scenary as well. For instance, in the scene which Satsuki is running in the sunset, the whole background is the sunset sky while Satsuki is running. Throughout the film, most of the characters appear with the same outfit. The simplicity creates the mood that everything in this film is clean, energetic, natural and fresh. Moreover, simplicity is demonstrated in that characters don't have to rely on lines to deliver cinematic message. The exaggeration of movement and facial expression is used instead. This is also the simplicity achieved by Anime, in which no real setting or actor is required.
On the other hand, in many aspects we can view "My Neighbor Totoro" as a highly complex film. Take lines in this anime as an example. Totoro does not say a single word throughout the film. Rather, the cute image of Totoro is depicted vividly through many details. When Satsuki first ran into Totoro, she was scared by its big claws. Interestingly, Totoro used the scary claws to scratch its thigh. Many details of contrast like this shows the audience a vivid image of Totoro, who looks wild but is actually mild. Moreover, the film is very complex in that we can see scenary (wind, light, cloud, forest, etc)at different levels through this hand-drawn anime. For instance, we can see winds at different levels, from strong wind blown by Totoro to natural breeze in sunny days. Finally, I want to mention the complexity in thematic elements. Why only innocent children like Mei and Satsuki can see Totoro? On one hand, we can interpret that only innocent children can notice the existence of the innocent Totoro, and only innocent children would not hurt innocent Totoro. On the other hand, Mei and Satsuki dare to imagine Totoro's real existence, and they have the interest and courage to explore Totoro. Also, their father takes their ideas seriously, never denying Totoro's existence to his children. Maybe that's why Mei can Satsuki can see Totoro, and this also reflects on the educational system in Japan, leading to complex discussion on creativity and imagination in education.
Shangqing Li
My neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki is famous animation movie among other movie. This movie reminds me of my childhood. Even I ve watched other Japanese anime, I felt my heart warmed when I saw this. 60s of countryside scenes and characters are very interesting to me. It portrayed the time period of Japaneses culture and belief as well. Also, every scene has watercolor effect so that brings cozy and warm aura. I believe Miyazaki director made this movie by giving joy to children. It mazimized the infinite of innocence of childhood.
ReplyDeleteMy Neighbor Totoro
ReplyDeleteZachary McCoy
One cannot watch this film and not have a tremendous appreciation for the incredible detail their is when it comes to the two girls' childlikeness. I have to applaud the movie for capturing pureness and innocence in these two girls in what I believe to be accurate gestures and actions for children their ages. I had never seen anything quite like that before in my life.
I cannot write a response about the film without noting a few flaws. At times during the film, the details of movement and physics seemed incredibly realistic and the animators did a tremendous job. For example, just sliding open a door would seem very life-like. Just 5 minutes later, however, someone could open a similar door and it look terrible. I found these inconsistencies very distracting. Also, the background/diegetic sounds seemed to be poorly incorporated. Throughout the film, you could hear rain going and then stopping and then going again, or crickets, etc. Again, the inconsistency was just unacceptable.
I have to be a bit critical over how confusing the film can be and how it may not seem to have a good point to it. It almost seems pointless. Of course, there is a deeper meaning to this film that isn't easily apparently. But, in terms of what's readily understand, I feel like only the music is completely tangible throughout; the music is careful thought out, composed, and executed (such as the theme that is invariably played each time you see the large tree, etc.).
The deeper meaning of the film is a little disturbing, and I actually find myself forgiving the mysteriousness and ambiguity of the film (mentioned previously) in lieu of blatantly giving the true reality of the film. Miyazaki took a story that is very heartbreaking and turned into a timeless classic that lifts the hearts of anyone who watches it. If that isn't artistry, then I don't know what is.
The characteristic of Totoro is really lovely; to the children, he is friendly and helpful. I think, to the children who watch this movie, Totoro is a friend who they want to have in their lives. The movie shows how the life of children in that time period, because their parents are so busy at work or due to other reasons, children have to stay at home alone often, and sometimes they may lack of care from their parents. Satsuki is one of the children whose parents are not around all the time. Satsuki becomes very independent; she knows how to cook and take care of her sister, Mei, in such a young age. When her parents are not around, she has to become strong and face the problems by herself. But what happen when the problem is too big for her? Then Totoro steps in. Helping Satsuki to find her sister is not the first time Totoro enters the movie, but that shows how Satsuki is depended on Totoro and trusted in him. Totoro‘s exist is to give Satsuki, this little tough girl, some warmness and care, and tells her that she is not alone. When Satsuki is waiting her father at the bus station, Totoro shows up and stands next to her. This scene shows the care and protection from Totoro to Satsuki, because totoro does not leave until her father is about to arrive the bus station, he probably feels unsafe leaving a little girl alone at night. Also, Totoro shows his care and love to Satuski and her sister when he comes to the back yard of Satsuki’s house and helped them to plant the trees. He gives Satsuki and Mei‘s hope (that their trees with be strong in the future as what he had show them at night) and make their dream to come true (the seeds is germinated). At last, Totoro shows his care and love again to Satsuki when he helps Satsuki to find her sister. To Satsuki, Totoro is a real friend who she can depend on and can have fun with. To children in the real world, Totoro is their imagine friends, who they are really want to be when they are lonely and face the problems alone. The creation of Totoro is to give children’s’ hope, I believe. To save children like Satsuki, and to tell them that they are not alone, and Totoro is always next to them at somewhere hiden and protect them.
ReplyDeleteThe animation film 'My Neighbor Totoro' is made by the Japanese director, Hayao Miyazaki. The target of this film is undoubtly children in order to provide pure imagination with the several fantasy characters. Satsuki and her younger sister play as such roles of friends to viewers who are about at the same age hence become more friendly with the viewers. Since the background of this movie is at the period of 1950s in Japan, It shows many scenes of 1950's rural society in Japan such as the old school where the characters go to and the buses with the crewmen. Although it could be more darker by the background period of the movie, the director emphasized on the purity of each character including the scenes of mei and Satsuki's attractiveness to Totoro. Moreover, the attitudes of adults such as her parents and nanny strength the purity of young children by respecting their such imagination of Totoro throughout the movie. For example, when Satsuki's father tells her daughters to pray for Totoro by describing it as the king of the forest, this meaningful scene seems to impress the viewers to respect their children since the target could be the children's parent as well. This scene also includes the meaning of Shamanism by praying for Totoro which resulted in the births of the trees and seeds. Lastly, In point of views of children, innocence plays as a theme of the movie with the rural background of Japanese society and the mood of music itself.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Sunghun Jeon I just forgot to add my name so I published below again Thanks.
DeleteMy neighbor Totoro pictures purity of childhood in fantasy comics. Miyazaki films show typical Japanese color and aspire to the sky. For example, Totoro in this film is weird looking creature however it symbolizes Japan culture and the nature. Even though Totoro is weird looking monster he helps Satsuki and Mei when they were in trouble. In my opinion this symbolizes Japan culture itself. Not only that but Totoro also symbolizes the nature. Miyazaki uses two little sisters to show the pure connection with the nature which is Totoro also brings up the watcher's pure childhood memories. Miyazaki's directing and Hisaishi's OST boosts up the movie's quality.
ReplyDeleteSunghun Jeon
ReplyDeleteThe animation film 'My Neighbor Totoro' is made by the Japanese director, Hayao Miyazaki. The target of this film is undoubtly children in order to provide pure imagination with the several fantasy characters. Satsuki and her younger sister play as such roles of friends to viewers who are about at the same age hence become more friendly with the viewers. Since the background of this movie is at the period of 1950s in Japan, It shows many scenes of 1950's rural society in Japan such as the old school where the characters go to and the buses with the crewmen. Although it could be more darker by the background period of the movie, the director emphasized on the purity of each character including the scenes of mei and Satsuki's attractiveness to Totoro. Moreover, the attitudes of adults such as her parents and nanny strength the purity of young children by respecting their such imagination of Totoro throughout the movie. For example, when Satsuki's father tells her daughters to pray for Totoro by describing it as the king of the forest, this meaningful scene seems to impress the viewers to respect their children since the target could be the children's parent as well. This scene also includes the meaning of Shamanism by praying for Totoro which resulted in the births of the trees and seeds. Lastly, In point of views of children, innocence plays as a theme of the movie with the rural background of Japanese society and the mood of music itself
Christine Kim
ReplyDeleteI grew up watching Hayao Miyazaki films, so I was understandably very excited when I found out that we were going to watch My Neighbor Totoro in class. However, instead of watching the film through the eyes of a child, I watched the film with a more critical eye, paying closer attention to cinematic details. Something I had never noticed before was the stark contrast in details of the characters in comparison to the backdrops, as the scenery was often much more vivid and colorful. However, the point that stuck out to me the most was the signature aspects of classic fairy tales/movies that appeared in the film. For example, Mei follows a trail of shining gold acorns, similar to the trail of breadcrumbs present in Hansel and Gretel. Additionally, Totoro and its family reminded me of the three bears – large, medium, and small – in Goldilocks. Another interesting classic movie moment was when Mei fell down the tunnel, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, which was also supported by the Cheshire cat-like bus. Finally, when Totoro flies up the tree with the girls on its umbrella, it reminded me exactly of Mary Poppins. I would argue that Miyazaki is a highly esteemed director, especially of animated children’s films, but not until today did I realize how many small snippets of other classic children’s literature and movies were present in Miyazaki’s films.
Jae won Lee
ReplyDeleteMiyazaki Hayao is the legend of Japanese animation film. He always creates the classic example of Japanese animation that conveys the message of hope, freedom, and innocence. I do believe that these themes also come from the Japan's atomsphere of society and history. The story plot is very simple but if we see this story in a perspective of a child, it could be touching as ever.
The character illust and Totoro itself doesn't look friendly or cute in somehow, but they made some harmonious aesthetics with the cute main character and created some image. The animation has future-oriented and artistic expression as well, and in some case, it looks like a musical or drama. The music which is by the famous movie music director 'Joe Hisayishi' was the most best part I liked.
My Neighbor Totoro has always been one of my favorite films. It is visually stunning and has a cheerful ambiance. In some ways I think this film is bland because it does not seem to have a dramatic rising action, climax, and resolution. However, this film includes many supernatural elements that always leaves me wondering if Mei and Satsuki are ghosts or humans. I find it interesting that only the two girls are able to see Totoro, his friends, and the Catbus. At first it seems as if Totoro rises from Mei’s imagination and her sister eventually plays along and imagines Totoro too. But after making the wind with Totoro, growing the tree with Totoro, and learning that no one else can see the Catbus, it is questionable as to why these girls have such abilities. I also found it interesting that the father did not notice Mei was gone until Satsuki returned from school, he did not notice when the huge tree quickly grew, and at one point in the night he looked up into the area that Totoro and the girls were sitting and it was questionable as to if he had saw them or was just thinking about them. What really sold me on the idea that the girls could be ghosts was the ending scene when the girls were sitting in the tree outside of the hospital and the mother thought she had seen and heard them laughing. Also, the father was surprised when the corn seemed to have magically appeared with writing on it and told the mother that the idea is not as crazy as it seems. I always wondered why Mei ran off for the mother but once they reached the hospital she and Satsuki never handed the mother the corn themselves, and why there was never a scene of the girls reuniting with their mother or father. The film ended with the parents together and the girls riding away to reunite with Nanny and Kanta. So I have always wondered the deeper meaning behind My Neighbor Totoro and wanted to understand the supernatural elements of the film.
ReplyDelete"My Neighbor Totoro" is the movie I've been looking forward to the most since I read the syllabus. I'm actually an animation student so this is my week! Also I haven't seen the movie before and Studio Ghibli are the animation gods of East Asia.
ReplyDeleteANYWAY! "My Neighbor Totoro" came off to me as a very beautiful, yet dark movie. I did not leave the class feeling either happy or sad. To me it felt like Totoro was the girls' coping mechanism for the harsh reality that their mother is ill, and they don't know if she is going to be alive tomorrow. I believe the world we see in the movie is through the girls' lens. What they don't see or understand is a mystery to us. For example: the truth about their mother's health, why their father was late (we don't know until he arrives), or what it is exactly that he does for work. Also, all of the adults are really nice and receptive to the idea of Totoro. While this may be a cultural idea that there may be a king of the forest that only shows himself to some people, I believe that their father and everyone around them are just playing along. They only seem to legitimately believe in Totoro because we see the world from the girls' point of view. Totoro represents hope in a situation that seems hopeless. He is magical, he is loving, he is considerate, and he is very cute. He is the perfect imaginary friend (or plush toy). The tragedy of this film is that he doesn't seem to exist even in a fictional world.
Grace Chang
ReplyDeleteI have watched Totoro several times in the past and realized just today that (1) the English subtitle may not be helpful at certain moments and (2) foreigners who are not accustomed to Japanese culture may have difficulties in catching some small details that Miyazaki Hayao have planted in this movie. The first thing I noticed was the presence of religious belief that revolves around shrines, gods, and the life of family in Japan. Japan is known for its polytheistic belief; for instance, some go to shrines to celebrate the birth of a child, marry at church, and have Buddhist ceremony when they die. Temples and shrines are basically everywhere as even the most modern street in Kyoto has shrine in the middle. In the movie, there also were guardian spirits in the middle of the road, which might seem quite random. Satsuki asks the guardian spirit if she can stay under the roof with May in order to escape from the rain. Also, there are kamidana and butsudan, which are the small houses for gods and Buddha in normal houses and stores in Japan. The followers of Shinto believe that gods exist everywhere, and some gods possess certain natural elements and guard certain areas as well. When May claims that she had an encounter with Totoro, May’s father urges his children that they should go to shrine to pay respect to the nushi(主), the grand god of the mountain. Also, the portrayal of Shinto gods shares similar characteristics with Greek and Roman gods as they also freely express their feelings; they sometimes make mistake, get angry, and laugh when they want to do so. Totoro might not seem like god in foreigner’s perspective, but his appearance also adds a little essence to god-like feature since Japan understands tanuki, a raccoon as a form of creature that can change its appearance (it usually comes out in yokai tales). Lastly, the interesting Japanese beliefs and tales are included in the movie. The scene where Totoro and mini totoros jump over the acorn field several times indicates a traditional belief in Japan; if a child jumps over a growing tree constantly, he or she would be able to jump over a tree that may grow taller than the house. They call it a dream on the next day, but they see a growing sprout afterward. Also, the grandmother calls the black creatures that Satsuki and May saw in the attic as soot spreaders, but the sisters call it makkuro-kurosuke(まっくろくろすけ) in Japan and sing a song to call them out. The English subtitle does not really translate it, but actual translation of the song is this: come out, makkuro-kurosuke! If you don’t, we will take out your eyeballs. There also is a similar song in Japan, which is generally sung by the children when they make promises with each other: if you lie, we will make you eat 1000 needles! We promise.
We can assume that the existence of Totoro can be regarded as (1) a pure imagination of children and (2) an actual god (or a monster/death god, 死神). Although Miyazaki Hayao has announced that the protagonists have married and lived happily ever after the movie’s ending, the interpretation of the creature, Totoro, and the movie’s ending has always been the hot topic amongst the fans of Miyazaki Hayao’s works. Some people call it as one of the unsolved urban legend (都市伝説) as they predict that the entire story was an imagination of the father who seems to write and do research work at both home and the university. He who has lost her daughters in the past has imagined the entire story, and we can see him showing his written work to Totoro in the ending. Some compare the plot with the actual serial killer incident that happened quite close to the city in Totoro’s setting in 1963. They say that May died when she went out to search for her mother, and the villagers actually do not get to see both May and Satsuki after the sisters’ reunion. Satsuki who goes to Totoro to seek for help basically gets help by “dying” to see May’s spirit, assuming that May is already dead, and the only way to see her is to be another dead soul. When they ride neko-bus, they are regarded as dead people, so the trees in the forest all make a way for them, and people cannot see them at all. In the last scene, they never get to meet with their mother in person and stay on top of the tree, meaning that they cannot physically go and talk with her. Another prediction of the story involves their mother who is in Sitikokusan hospital(七国山病院). Their mother says that she felt the presence of two sisters, but his father says it cannot be true. In Japan, it is said that there used to be hatikokusan hospital (八国山病院) where 80% of the patients died of mental diseases and tuberculosis. These predictions can be all false since Miyazaki Hayao explained the truth, but the last scene of Totoro will remain unforgettable to me.
Delete“My Neighbor Totoro” is fantasy film about realm of childhood. Satsuki and Mei represent typical children who are always curious and laugh at small things. Totoro and other creatures represents realm of childhood. When the sisters tell their father, Tatsuo Kusakabe and the nanny that they saw creatures such as soot spider and Totoro, they seem to be careless as those are natural; apparently they cannot see the creatures but they saw it when they were children. In the movie Totoro was described as a king of the forest but it was more like guardian angel for the children; he played with them and also helped them when Mei got lost and Satsuki was looking for her.
ReplyDeleteThe movie well developed story line and describing the characteristics of the characters. A glimps was enough to see what kind of character they are and what the movie director want to tell us. I saw this movie before and it was still fun and give me pleasure to just looking at the characters.
Ng Hui Shin
ReplyDeleteI feel that even though Totoro is an anime, it is an especially sentimental film. Emotions and morals are able to be strongly conveyed through good aural effects and appropriately timed nondiegetic music. The soundtracks used fit the scenes well, thus amplifying the emotional aspects of the film (e.g. cheerful music when they are moving into the house; sad/fast paced music when Satsuki is searching for Mei). I also like how Hayao Miyazaki shows the overall layout of the house by showing Satsuki and Mei running around, rather than just purely using long shots to establish the place, as what he had done for the fields and surrounding areas.
Japanese tradition and culture is also well-weaved into the plot, from the reference to spiritual guardians, respect for elders, to the sensibility, responsibilities and demureness that Japanese girls should display. Guardian spirits are presented through extremely cute versions, which could serve to reduce the scariness of the idea of the supernatural. It could also explain why the two children are not afraid of spirits or strange happenings; it appears as if cuteness dispels danger. It is also notable how the ‘soot-spreaders’ spirits appear as cute balls of soot, bearing the message that people should laugh more and be happy, rather than be sad and covered in black bouts of soot and sadness. The film thus also tries to convey positive messages. It also encourages family bonding and the connectedness of people. The film centres around the family, whose happiness depends on the overall joy of each and everyone in the family; children are to be praised for bring umbrellas for their fathers, siblings are to care for one another.
I think that while shots in this anime are not as clear and detailed as real-life pictures, it can achieve other aspects of film that real-life films are not able to. For example, exaggerated expressions and fantasized images, along with high hopes and dreams are able to be conveyed. Space, time, and dimension all do not matter as much, thus allowing the plot to be as wonderfully far-fetched as possible. Exaggerated expressions also add to the cute appeal of the characters; through imagining, the audience is lured towards the possible translation of anime cuteness to real-life cuteness. Perhaps this is also why anime (and perhaps also anime in general) are so appealing, they are able to make our deepest and most exaggerated desires come alive, and also gives us hope that one day, these desires might come true.
Christina Ho
ReplyDeleteHayao Miyazaki's 1988 "Tonari no Totoro" is a classic childhood anime movie that was popular enough to bring Miyazaki into the spotlight in America, making way for films like "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle." How exactly Miyazaki manage to charm and capture the hearts of children and more worldwide? As I watched through this movie for the 10th or so time today in class, I tried searching for this answer.
Besides being artistically beautiful, part of the movie's beauty is being able to perfectly capture feelings and emotions without very much being spoken, similar to movies like "Wall-E." For example, the scenes with Totoro had very little dialogue, but were often the most captivating parts of the movie. One of my favorite scenes was when Mei goes into the camphor tree and discovers the large Totoro for the first time. She touches this large gray blob-tail, and it bristles slightly. When Mei squeals in excitement, it brings me back to my childhood for a moment, back in the day when I used to actually stop and enjoy nature, poking and prodding at things to see if they moved. It's an emotion that most people can relate to. When Mei scrambles onto Totoro's huge soft belly and when he yells, she yells right back, it reminded me of how everything was gigantic when I was a child, and how I used to do similar antics on my grandpa's then-gigantic belly. Mei laughs loudly and honestly, her hair moving to her emotions like the ears of a dog, and the audience doesn't need her to speak to understand how she feels.
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DeleteSatsuki is the second child to see Totoro, and she encounters him while waiting in the rain at the bus stop for her father who is late. Satsuki, anxious and tired, suddenly sees a large creature standing next to her, scratching his belly. She offers Totoro her umbrella, and we see Totoro discover how awesome an umbrella is. He breaks out into a huge grin when he hears the bigger rain drops fall from the tree leaves, and he enjoys the simple sound so much that he jumps, causing a sudden and quick downpour from the trees. The audience grins as the Totoro grins, and the sound of the rain is just as satisfying to us as it is to him. The scene is funny and light-hearted, and distracts Satsuki from how late her father is.
Part of the movie's universal charm is being able to use the Totoro to bring so much joy to such simple activities, such a hearing the rain fall on an umbrella. Totoro seems like almost a figment of the imagination, like the imaginary friends many children have to stave off loneliness, like Mei, or to provide comfort, like Satsuki. While the adults only perceive Totoro as the wind, Satsuki and Mei interact more and more solidly with the Totoro, dancing with him to grow their seeds, and finally having him help deliver corn to their mother in the hospital. Totoro becomes real, though only ever seems to manifests itself to the children who indulge in their imaginations and explore the nature around them.
I noticed how Totoro contained many sequences or single frames that looked as if they were captured on film, through the lens of a camera. Some of these frames, though comprised solely of animation, were composed as if through a telephoto lens, and others, particularly when Satsuki was running horizontally across a field of grass, appeared analogous to a long tracking shot—only without the camera or dolly.
ReplyDeleteI think this was neither arbitrary nor accidental, but rather was meant to make us feel initially like we were watching a normal film. Plot-wise, too, the beginning of the movie contained little fantasy, so the overall environment established by the film was inviting and believable. What this set up, then, was a total dexterity on the part of the film in amazing its audience with the fantasy of its latter half, when we meet Totoro and the whole gang. Although this is pretty characteristic of the genre—starting off with small, relatable situations then enlarging the scope by a fantastical stretch of imagination—Totoro accomplished this not only through a familiar story, but by extending this familiarity to the visual composition too. When Mei first discovers Totoro, we’re so accustomed to the ordinary story and familiar composition that the possibilities of Totoro’s kingdom and of the animated visuals are delivered with extraordinary amounts of energy and wonder.
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ReplyDeleteMy “Neighbor Totoro,” one of the most classic animated films, not only appeals to the audience of young children, but to adults as well. Based on the background research of the film, Miyazaki grew up in the place of Tokorozawa, which the place is drawn in the film. Therefore, the audience is easy to see how detailed, accurate details of the nature and scenery are depicted, almost looking like photographs. It is easy to predict how Satsuki’s childhood life is almost as same as Miyazaki’s. Possibly Miyazaki was idealizing his unforgettable innocent childhood memories. Throughout the film, it seems that Miyazaki had put Mei, as the symbol of innocence. In the beginning of the film, Mei appears as a child of nature, full of curiousness and wonder. She walks around the nature and simply expresses her happiness as she labels the natural life forms as her friends. Mei's entrance into the fantasy world reminds the audience of the beauty and splendor of nature, which the present generation seems to have forgotten. One of the best scenes that show Mei’s pureness is when Mei never tends to lose her corn gift of her mother, in a situation where she was incapable of defending herself. Through Mei, Miyazaki explains that one needs to coexist with nature.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie “My Neighbor Totoro”, the detailed scenery really impressed me. It was not only detailed but the colors were also very vibrant. Even the way the wind would blow across the empty field or shake up a tree really lets viewers know how beautiful and enjoyable the place was. This movie reminds me of a child’s innocence. At such a young age, they think they would be able to conquer everything, when Mei talks about how she wasn’t scared of ghosts her thoughts displayed the innocence in childhood. This carefree and innocent lifestyle doesn’t seem to last long when they find out that their mom would have to stay longer in the hospital.
ReplyDeleteI think Totoro is put in scenes where both Satsuki and Mei are either upset or overwhelmed. A child’s imagination is very important in keeping life entertaining. The existence of Totoro almost seems like escapism to me, the children join Totoro on adventures and escape from the reality of their mom not being there. Totoro also shows up during crucial times like when Satsuki and Mei were waiting for their dad to come home. Both of them were very worried and exhausted at the same time. The appearance of Totoro in that scene made the girls more relieved and happier. Overall, this was a very cute movie that sets a happy mood with the music and energetic voices.
My neighbor Totoro
ReplyDeleteThis movie has explained various levels of Japanese animation movies, perhaps definitely set a basic foundation of how and what Japanese animation would look like. First, mainly the movie proved the sense of realism through showing unrealistic, hypothetical contents (not the monster character themselves). The director Hayao well enough displayed the Japanese anime with unique and distinctive culture that Japan only has.
First the motions are well exaggerated, over-reacted, or often very stressed out in order to add the extremity out of cartoon picture sequences. For example, when two girls run, they are in a constant and in no change of facial expression of tiredness. Or when a father and his two daughters take a bath, the flooding of water is obviously exaggerated to come out of the bath. Also generally, the motions of action are cut very shortly, but not completely connected as if there is no cutting of action in reality. But above all, I could sense the reality out of such techniques. They motivated me and would have done to other certainly, to imagine. Within the addition of sequences that are very likely to reality (for example, when rain started to rain, the gradual water pouring by drop by drop are both shown in anime and the movie), the movie has composed a higher quality of animated movie.
Second, it is arguable true that the sound becomes really important in the animated movies. There are many situations where there is a complete silence. Not because there is a silence in running movie, but no sound of electric sound ongoing as if the speaker is off. So I felt kind of little out of focus when I did not hear any sound from the movie. But otherwise, louder sounds of such things that would be not so significant if in occurred in reality, have helped very much to adequately adjust the sound and the screen.
Over all, I appraise the director for his efforts to bring such developments and reputation. He succeeded in showing the characteristic of a main character (such as Mei) very distinctive, special, and explanatory to audiences. By using a lot of facial expressions, gestures, and exaggerated voice-over, many characters are represented each very special.