"My Neighbor Totoro" is probably one of Studio Ghibli's most important films, given that they would continue to use Totoro as the mascot for the Studio's logo from that point on. I suspect it isn't quite as famous as some of their other films ("Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited Away" both were the first that most American viewers were introduced to), and both because of its age (1988) and audience (this is meant primarily for children), I suspect some people will skip over this family classic. Which is a shame, because it really is a great little classic.If there was a single word to describe the film, I would recommend the word "charming." There isn't much of a plot to speak of: it's about two sisters and their father who move to the countryside to be closer to their mother's hospital, waiting for her to return home after recovering from an unknown illness. The girls are bursting with energy as they explore their new home, quickly discovering strange creatures the adults suggest are sprites or ghosts. They eventually meet Totoro, a large bear/beaver-being who acts as the guardian of the nearby woodlands. The events that occur afterward are adventurous and sometimes emotional, exactly like what you would find in any other film revolving around children escaping to their fantasies in a troubling time. But there is no big theme or life lesson, and the ending is sweet and happy, so the story is perfect for young children. Aside from the plot, the film focuses on slice-of-life moments that make more some of the most memorable scenes in animated film. Even cleaning house or gardening seems filled with magic and wonder.The characters and their high-spirited attitude go a long way to making the movie a joy to watch. The two sisters are active but still have a believable dynamic between them. The father and mother are both understanding and cool. Admittedly, the neighbor farmer they name "granny" has a creepy toothless grin, and the littlest sister Mai looks like a frog when she smiles (both character design traits seem common for director Hayao Miyazaki in his later films as well), but these are nitpicks. The backgrounds are lovingly painted with detail, with real paint, setting a standard for plants and folliage for Ghibli's future films, a great rendering of Japan pre-digital age. Have these visuals aged well? Not perfectly, but there is a timeless quality to them that I would never want to change.The audio track is interesting: supposedly there existed a terrible English dub before Walt Disney Studios re-released the film in America with their own dub. The English voices sound just right for the characters. There is a cute opening and closing song, sung in English for the dub, sounding garish and tempting me to switch to the Japanese audio for the songs alone. The score behind it by Joe Hisaishi is one of the most memorable of the Studio's catalog, simply hearing the music outside the film is sure to bring back memories.
The dated visuals and lack of a plot are the only things holding "My Neighbor Totoro" back from being a bigger success in my mind, but if you want to introduce Studio Ghilbi to young children, this is the best first film to do so with. One can't help but fall in love with the big plush-toy-ideal that is Totoro, and even as an adult, I like to think he is still my neighbor in the trees down the road. Yes, I don't think its their best work, but this might secretly be one of my favorite Ghibli films.