Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) poster & wallpaper

Dakota Fanning, Paul Butcher, Elle Fanning

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wonderous forest spirits who live nearby.

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94% liked it

66,361 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

24 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 27 min.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Release Date: January 1, 1988

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DVD Release Date: March 7, 2006

Stats: 7,653 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (7,653)

  • sitenoise
    July 21, 2009
    sitenoise
    Wow. Just wow. This is the most adorable cartoon I've ever seen. It's beautifully animated (by the master Hayao Miyazaki) and the two kids portrayed seem uncannily accurate. I highly recommend NOT watching the English dubbed version. Dubbing might seem like less of an issue with ...( read more)animation than with real people, but I saw a dual audio version and flipped back and forth and for some reason the English voices made it seem less magical. It's a simple story about a father and his two young daughters who move, and must adapt, to the country, but it's executed perfectly. You will feel happy after watching this movie. It's soothing, and as a friend says, it seems almost healing. I agree.
  • organgrinder136
    June 20, 2009
    organgrinder136
    i was so hesitant about watching this as it's animation and the last 2 or 3 animated films i've seen i've found really uninteresting. however, in this case, i'm glad i did give up some time because it turned out to be a decent kids film. i reckon if i was five years old i would'v...( read more)e loved it
  • PvtCaboose91
    November 13, 2008
    PvtCaboose91
    "Come out, come out, wherever you are!


    Japan's premier animator Hayao Miyazaki is often described as the "Japanese Walt Disney". Over the years, Miyazaki and Isao Takahata's Studio Ghibli has been responsible for countless animated masterpieces. From the earlier G

    ...( read more)rave of the Fireflies to the more recent Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, Studio Ghibli has persistently bestowed audiences with endearing animated features unlike any other. Japanese anime is a genre unto itself. Not being fond of anime can be equated with not being fond of American films. Anime has become far too stereotyped after inane products such as Pokemon and the abysmal Dragon Ball Z. There's such an extensive multiplicity of styles that it's impossible to abhor anime as a whole.

    Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro (also known by its original foreign title of Tonari no Totoro) is a delightful film, conveying a wonderful story of childhood innocence, fantasy, and spending time with nature. Miyazaki has the ability to keep any viewer of any age entranced in the potentially mundane happenings. The beauty of My Neighbor Totoro is in its willingness to eschew the clichés. American animation is generally dumbed down, spelling out every plot point with extensive explication in the form of banal dialogue. The sharing of information in this film is limited to realistic dialogue between well-built characters as opposed to blatant trite.

    The film also transports the audience to a place where there is no evil. Like the majority of Miyazaki's pictures, My Neighbor Totoro never relies on antagonists for the central characters to defeat. Rather than focusing on conflict, this is a story about a wonderful, magical, fantastical episode in the lives of two young children. This sweet, charming and adorable tale is narratively simplistic, but it's a refreshing movie to revisit all these decades later.

    Two sisters named Satsuki (voiced by Noriko Hidaka in the original Japanese version and Dakota Fanning in the 2005 Disney dub) and Mei (voiced by Chika Sakamoto in the Japanese version and Elle Fanning in Disney's 2005 version) are moving with their father to the countryside to be near their ailing mother. Almost immediately the girls are delighted with the house and are intrigued by the strange creatures inhabiting the mystical surrounding forests. They meet a large, furry creature (big, cuddly, fluffy and cute - i.e. a living embodiment of any plush toy a child would love) known as Totoro (apparently Mei's mispronunciation for the Japanese word for "troll") with whom they share several magical adventures.
    Throughout the film there's a charming assortment of different creatures. From the cute, smaller critter (which has become the Studio Ghibli logo) to the larger, koala-like creature to maniacally-grinning Cheshire Cat-bus.

    My Neighbor Totoro is an enthralling, beautiful film crafted by one of the best animation directors of all time. Those familiar with Hayao Miyazaki's other features will be aware of his ability to construct terrific narratives that warm the heart and feed the mind...My Neighbor Totoro is no different. The art and animation found within the film can be described as relatively simple. There are stunning images of glorious vistas to behold, yet the detail is admirably (and effectively) kept to a relative minimum. The lack of realistic niceties enhances the film's atmosphere as simple but meticulous lines are blended with ornate colours to provide an overall visual warmth that establishes the mood perfectly for the story. The music is particularly amazing. There are glorious, atmospheric pieces of music played throughout the film. Much like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro might be read as a metaphor for Japan itself; keen to reconnect with nature and spirit after war and urban life has made society ill. However the congregation of characters aren't allegories: the children behave exactly as regular children do, with that screwed-face mock courage that becomes panic when confronted with a surprise.

    Miyazaki never adheres to the clichés we'd witness in an American animated feature. There is no condescension, especially not from the parents who seem supportive of their daughters' joy in the magic only children can see. Satsuki and Mei are encouraged by their dad to show respect for the great camphor tree and the spirits it holds. American animation is uniformly watchable, but it's generally quite formulaic. Miyazaki creates a new set of rules for this film as evident in the parents who never diminish the children finding enjoyment in the critters. If this was an American feature the parents wouldn't believe in the magical entities, leading to a series of gags where Totoro and his wacky sidekicks would land Satsuki in trouble before turning invisible.

    The character of Totoro is also an unconventional creation. He merely growls a few simple syllables instead of talking. Had this been American, Totoro would speak with the wisecracking voice of Ray Romano or Eddie Murphy. The cat-bus (that simply purrs throughout the film) would be voiced by John Goodman.

    My Neighbor Totoro also never gets bogged down in sentimental claptrapping. The little boy who's visibly interested in Satsuki acts nobly towards her, but is never given a chance to be preposterously heroic. There is no clichéd love story either. Had this been an American animation film he'd have a bigger part and he'd probably save Satsuki and Mei from an evil forest monster voiced by James Woods or Jeremy Irons. Best of all, the fantastical creatures are never proved to be imaginative or real. The viewer is left to decide. And, unlike Disney features, My Neighbor Totoro was never tainted with a string of direct-to-DVD sequels. Had sequels been devised, the first would likely follow Totoro moving to the big city and join the NBA. In the next sequel we'd visit Satsuki as an adult happily married who begins seeing glimpses of Totoro and his critter pals again. At the end of every sequel, everyone would learn a valuable lesson about the meaning of family.

    Following its international release, My Neighbor Totoro received its inevitable English dub. But fear is unwarranted...the English dubs are extremely well-produced. Two English dubs are available, both of which are faithful: the story was not altered, and the translation is reportedly very close to the original. For the 2005 Disney version (I didn't have access to the other dub), Dakota and Elle Fanning provide the voices of the two young girls. They both give their characters satisfying exuberance and adequate charm. Tim Daly, Lea Salonga and Pat Carroll also join the voice cast.

    There's no denying that My Neighbor Totoro is a cute, sweet fairytale that'll be enjoyed by adults and children alike. However it does take a fairly simplistic approach towards its central ideas, and it feels a tad lightweight when compared to later features such as Spirited Away. This is a remarkable film that never feels the need to explain every detail or dumb down its message. The film made such an impact that Miyazaki chose an image of a cute little critter from the film as the logo for Studio Ghibli.
    My Neighbor Totoro is perhaps Miyazaki's most personal film as it reflects his childhood. The film is utterly brilliant, and it's imbued with various cute moments capable of making an audience howl with laughter. Highly recommended!

    Trivia fact: Upon theatrical debut the film was shown in a double-feature with the slightly superior Grave of the Fireflies as the distributor apparently thought it unmarketable.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    February 16, 2008
    DragonEyeMorrison
    This is how you make a family/kids movie without having to kill everyone's brains in the process.
  • EarthlyAlien
    February 3, 2008
    EarthlyAlien
    As cute and sweet as a film can possibly and humanly get. The kind of film I would, one day, watch with my kids. In the original Japanese version, of course.
  • 09106clu
    November 19, 2009
    09106clu
    Mei is so cute!
    I love Totoro.
  • 09082clu
    November 19, 2009
    09082clu
    one of the my favorite movie as a childe.may be i saw this movie 30 times or more over.totoro and girls are veryvery cute.and story is cute too.i love miyazaki film.i want to be seen many other country people.
  • Claraity
    November 14, 2009
    Claraity
    A very good Miyazaki film! It was cute and fun to watch.
  • fanstasytune
    November 9, 2009
    fanstasytune
    This is the 3rd time i am writing this.. i hope the website will rmb it FINALLY. A simple plot that shows the wonder of a child's imagination. Once again, Studio Ghibli has brought us back to our childhood...
  • gembleton24
    November 6, 2009
    gembleton24
    Great Kidis flick, brilliant animation.

View All Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) Reviews

Critic Reviews

January 6, 2002
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Here is a children's film made for the world we should live in, rather than the one we occupy. full review

View more Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • kristyann1
    October 6, 2008
    kristyann1
    Cute movie!!!
  • y2j2580
    September 26, 2008
    y2j2580
    Totoro is so cute...i am really love it so much...totoro brings a lot of happiness to me when i was a child... now i am still remember the plot.
  • xtremeandy
    September 25, 2008
    xtremeandy
    Totoro stole my cat bus !!! ok it was for the girls !! but please wash it first!!
  • mortalshadow93
    July 2, 2007
    mortalshadow93
    Poozywoo is absolutely right. If you think it sucks, you suck. I grew up with this movie. I still watch it at least once every week. Coming from a big Miyazaki fan, this is Hayao's best, with Spirited Away at a close second.
  • poozywoo
    June 18, 2007
    poozywoo
    This movie is the best ever! It rules out any other movie you could think of! It is just that great! If you think it sucks then you suck! I love Totoro he is soooo squishy \o~o/ This was my first movie If I could live off a movie for the rest of my life it would be this one! It is such a kick butt movie
  • mynameismaria
    May 27, 2007
    mynameismaria
    This movie is so cute, if you like this one you should watch Spirited Away too. Is the same producer, I love the music and the girl Mei is just toooo cute! ;D
  • SpanishBaby
    May 5, 2007
    SpanishBaby
    This movie is so cute and good. I wish there was a Totoro in real life. I also wish that cat bus was my school bus, it is so cozy and soft!
  • benderzass
    April 17, 2007
    benderzass
    I...LOVE...CATBUS...
  • boricua4crist
    April 5, 2007
    boricua4crist
    Here's a description of the movie: Totoro is a forest spirit that little Mei, and later her older sister Satsuki, encounter in a giant camphor tree near their new home in the countryside. Although their father, a university professor, is with them when they move, their mother is in the hospital, recovering from some unnamed illness. When Mei hears that her mother's condition may be getting worse, she resolves to visit her all by herself. When everyone realizes she's missing, only Totoro knows how to find her! (info from animenfo.com)
  • danielzgurl
    March 24, 2007
    danielzgurl
    this movie waz so cool
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