Beyond cute

It’s my goal to become more familiar with the works of Hayao Miyazaki, animator and one of the great founders of Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli. Is “My Neighbor Totoro” his most famous piece of work? The furry, lovable character in the film became the studio mascot, so maybe so. What is for sure is that it’s an adorable, enchanting, and imaginative animated film, done more with humor, good grace, and filled with the wonders of nature than for conflicts and attitude. It’s also an incredibly realized visual marvel; using watercolor to give us a brightly shining outdoor landscape that contains a fantasy world underneath.


This is the world of Totoro, a big, largely smiling, cuddly creature discovered in the forest by Mei, the younger sister of Satsuki. Both girls have just moved into a creaky country home with their professor father. The place seems haunted but Miyazaki avoids the usual haunted house cliches- though he does give us these fuzzy black dots (called soot sprites) that seem to live within the cracks in the walls and floorboards. The way you get rid of them is more whimsical than dirty or spooky. Both girls are of the precocious variety but there is a strong connection between them; they’re father works often, they’re mother is in the hospital with an undisclosed illness. That they rely on each other much of the time is one of several of the film’s sweetest elements.


Mei meets Totoro first- following what looks like two little bunny’s into the forest where Totoro sleeps hibernating, funnily not wanting to be bothered. The creature is a wonder of awkward humor, especially later when he just appears in the rain, standing next to the two girls at the bus stop. All cares seem to drop away and it becomes a playfully delightful bit only heightened by the appearance of a cat-bus, whose awesomeness just can’t be put into words. Of what Miyazaki tells us about Totoro, he is sort of an arbiter of nature- he’s a forest spirit who does ceremonial dances to help trees grow. He can also call to other creatures of the forest and, of course, he can fly. What works best here is that the girl’s experiences with him also encourages larger virtues in them. I’m not sure if this is a great film, but it’s certainly a pure one that for all its fantasy- also has the virtue of never talking down to its audience.