My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Rating: 75%
So my friends Meg and Candra have been suggesting that I take a look at more Miyazaki films. And just the other night, Candra even found and sent a link for me to watch this particular film in no time flat. So here's my review of My Neighbor Totoro.

Plot: Satsuki and Mei are two sisters who move into a house in the countryside of Japan to live closer to where their mother is in the hospital. But while Mei is playing one day while Satsuki is in school, she finds these two magical creatures who she chases through a briar patch and into the hallow of a large camphor tree where she meets a large spirit called Totoro.

Well so far of all that Miyazaki films, this one I think is the one that's for kids the most. I mean it just has that more kiddish feeling with seeing these spirits and with the two main characters not being very old. (Satsuki is 10 and Mei is 4.) Plus, the story is very, very, simple, but that's hardly a bad thing cause the story is very nice. The animation is very well done as is highly expected of a Miyazaki film. Altogether, it may not me the most creative or complex of Miyazaki's films, but we still get a very nice movie that we can enjoy. *WARNING SPOILERS* However, I have to point out - and Candra has my back on this - I think it's really creepy that Satsuki and Mei where having that bath together with their dad. I mean with their mom that's fine but their dad...just...no. *END OF SPOILERS*

Characters:
Satsuki and Mei: It goes without saying that they especially were what makes this movie so much more for kids Miyazaki's films. Because unlike his other films like Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, and even Kiki's Delivery service and Spirited Away a little bit, the main characters of this film are stupid young. Now on a whole I find them to be fun characters considering how they are fun and their personalities are very believable considering their ages.
Totoro and Catbus: Now how I easily like both of these characters is simply how they have one thing in common; they were voiced by my favorite voice actor, Frank Welker. Now unfortunately, I do find it a down that Totoro wasn't in the movie as much as I would've liked to have seen him, but considering what he is and how he set up, it does make a little bit of sense. But both of these characters were nice and you do have to like Catbus for just how creative that creature is.

Music: I didn't pay attention to too much of the score, but I did like the actual song "My Neighbor Totoro" I mean I didn't listen to the whole song, but the chorus does tend to get stuck in my head.

And that's my review for My Neighbor Totoro. It's a nice, more for kids film with a couple of minor issues but on a whole a good movie to enjoy.