An eight-foot tall monster slowly creeps to you on a rainy evening. Its towering presence vacuums the westward breeze as drops of rain pelt the top of your umbrella. With your sleeping kid sister in tow you have several options. Being a product of an untrusting and sinister society, I would quickly find the nearest escape route, but in the world of Hayo Miyazaki, it’s an opportune time to share a touching moment between the main protagonist Satsuki and the lovable forest creature, Totoro.

Having watched eighty-percent of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibili produced classics, high expectations would be a soft term going into this cinematic experience. What is there to say when one of the main characters is represented as the logo for the entire company? While glowing reviews seem to be the norm when it comes to Miyazaki’s films, I have to be the dissenting opinion. My Neighbor Totoro was absolutely, positively, without a doubt, the most… who am I kidding? The movie lived up to the hype and really left me feeling lighter.

If I had to summarize the movie with one word, I would call it cute. The two girls and the Totoros represented the richness of life that we tend to neglect in our busy adult lives. Even with an ailing mother, the adults and children have a benign relationship that allows you to forgive the absence of a main antagonist. Even the Care Bares movie had a villain or overwhelming conflict that need a Care Bear stare. This movie takes a backseat to the formulaic good guy bad guy dynamic; plot structure in the majority of Miyazaki’s films.

The movie takes place after Satsuki and Mei’s father move them to the countryside to be close to their ailing mother. We come to find out that their home is haunted, inhabited by Soot Gremlins. At this point, the Soot Gremlins kidnap the youngest daughter and it is up to Satsuki and Totoro to save her from the evil Soot King. (Pause) Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You won’t find anything like that in this movie. Its richness comes from the relationship between the characters.

The father is amazingly doesn’t discredit the girl’s claims of seeing mythical creatures. He instead becomes a catcher in the rye for these pillars of innocence. This film provides substantial examples of the warmth human nature can produce. Interestingly enough, the majority of the films cuteness and warmth come minus a big iconic furry creature. The first appearance of the Totoros comes a good fifteen minutes into the movie.

This is the third in Miyazaki’s career of Studio Ghibili classics. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Mononoke Hime, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. The movie was partially autobiographical with Miyazaki and his brothers suffering from a mother ailed with spinal tuberculosis. He once said that two male protagonist would have been too painful.

Miyazaki originally created the movie with one girl in mind. He combined the two elements of both girls and made her an age between 4 and 8, the age of the two girls. He wanted to add suspense to the latter half of the film and felt one girl wouldn’t get the job done.

I viewed this not in its original Japanese, but in the 2006 dubbed version featuring Dakota Fanning and her little sister, Ellie. I have to continue to praise the talents of this child prodigy and add additional kudos to her sister who helped in bringing the characters to life. The giggling and reflection in voice make for a brilliant companion to the beautiful watercolor canvas and sparkling character design only Hayao Miyazaki can produce.

The name Totoro actually comes from a mispronunciation of the Japanese word for troll, Tororu. In 1988, My Neighbor Totoro was released as a double feature with Grave of the Fireflies. Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka) was considered to be too much of a financial risk to be released on its own.

My Neighbor Totoro is easily the most touching and enjoyable selection out of the Miyazki catalog of classics. I’m glad I can finally add to the long list of critics that hail this as one of the best family movies of all time.

Characters: A

Story: A

Art/Animation: A

Overall Score: A