Some have called this the gateway film into the works of Studio Ghibli, director Hayao Miyazaki, even Japanese animation itself, and it isn’t hard to see why.
This is a film about, and a celebration of, child-like wonder. There is no conflict, villains or terror – just family and fantasy. It’s no surprise that Totoro himself became the iconic mascot for Studio Ghibli.
We follow two young girls, Satsuki and Mei, as they move to a new home with their father to be closer to the hospital where their mother is staying. The story is a far cry from the narratives of animation in the West; it is a simple story of a family making the best of an uncomfortable situation, and still finding happiness. Illness is something rarely tackled in animated features, but Miyazaki does so here with grace and subtlety.
But it isn’t all about the family; there are also the creatures of the forest that surround their home. Totoro, a spirit animal, is no monster – he is a big, fluffy sloth-like giant that sleeps as long as his smile is wide. His friends - which include the amazing Cat Bus – all help the girls along their way.
Hayao Miyazaki has consistently given us world after world of pure fantasy, with this being a standout in a career of exceptionality.
Read a full retrospective feature by Reel Steel.
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