My Neighbor Totoro [DVD]

BOTTOM LINE: One of the all-time greatest family films ever made. Period. Its easy-going storytelling is so engrossing and captivating that you're left wanting it to go on much longer than it does. Wonderful entertainment for anyone & everyone. A crown jewel for animation fans. Better than ever here in hi-def. Don't wait. Buy yourself a copy today. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is pure motion picture magic. THE STORY: In the 1950's, a young husband and his two precocious daughters are relocating to a quiet rural community to get away from the hustle & bustle of big city life. They're still close enough for Dad to commute to his teaching job at a local university, and for the girls to be close to their mother (who's slowly recovering from tuberculosis at a nearby hospital). The wide open countryside is filled all kinds of amazing discoveries for the two city girls: there's a big house that will need lots of TLC to be turned from a house into a home, a new school & new friends to meet. But most amazingly of all... finding that the nearby woods is inhabited by a magical forest spirit, a huge, fuzzy, lovable creature named Totoro. THOUGHTS: MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is one of those films that doesn't really have a particular plot that's simple or easy to describe. Like so much of the best things in life this film isn't a destination, it's a journey. It's not about what happens so much as how it happens. I first rented this years ago at a video store, not knowing anything about the film. It was my first Miyazaki film, but not my first anime' - so I had some preconceived notions of what to expect. I couldn't have been more wrong, or more delighted. I was spellbound watching the story unfold, enchanted by the incredibly detailed designs of the backgrounds, the absolutely beautiful scenery. It was so richly detailed that it was hard to believe it was hand drawn animation. And the various human characters were so warm and real that I felt like I was watching people I'd known while growing up. The slow-paced nature of TOTORO may be a drag to some, but I think it's one of this film's greatest strengths. It defies traditional anime' expectations in the absolute best possible way. What a wonderful change from the frenzied style of AKIRA, ROBOTECH, and other such action-filled product. They're fine, but TOTORO, in its charming, disarming, summer lazyday way is equally impressive. Young or old, any viewer with a connection to his or her inner child should be totally enthralled watching this wonderful tale unfold. It's definitely my favorite Miyazaki film, my favorite anime' by far, and one of my very favorite animated films of all time, ever. It's right up there the beloved Golden Age classics from Disney or the modern greats from Pixar, and Warner's IRON GIANT. THE BLU-RAY: Disney's hi-def release of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, as with their other Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli product, is a strong one. As clean & crisp as you're likely to get for this film. Detail is impressive and the muted color scheme is well-represented. No artifacting, pixelation, edge enhancement or crush (video noise) that I could detect. Soundmix was even and solid. The dubbing job is top notch as well. Bonus features are well-produced and cover much of the world of Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli; detailing his life, the history of the studio and the particulars behind the creation of this film. Good stuff. If you have this on DVD it's a marginal recommend for double-dipping. If you don't then by all means buy this Blu-ray/DVD combo - and give the DVD to a friend that doesn't yet have a Blu-ray player.

My Neighbor Totoro is a wonderfully fun and enchanting movie that my son loved watching. The story is heartwarming and full of imaginative adventures, making it perfect for children while still engaging for adults. The animation is beautifully detailed and timeless, capturing the magic of the countryside and the playful, gentle spirit of Totoro and the other forest creatures. The film balances humor, curiosity, and emotional moments in a way that keeps young viewers captivated from start to finish. It’s become a favorite in our household — my son requests to watch it often, and I enjoy the charming story just as much. Overall, My Neighbor Totoro is a must-see family movie that sparks imagination and joy.

This was the best out of the Ghibli studio in my opinion, was a very moving story about the plight of the two sisters and their father who move into a new area and as their mother is in hospital, there is quite a lot going on with their lives .I found the story could be fun as well as sad at times with the three of them having to work out without their mum, the two girls meet the TOTORO god and is the most moving and fun gibli film i have seen and also the animation was amazing so much detail, also i watched this in the English and then the Japanese version and both were great to watch as each other .hope you enjoy this as much as i did .

This is one of my favorites! I feel like this movie really touches into the nature of things around you. It’s very creative as you would expect it to be.

I have loved this movie for years. It's probably my all-time favorite film, and is perfect for anyone, of any age. There are two releases of this film to American audiences. The first company to have the license was Fox and the DVD they released only has an English dub track. Generally this is a huge turn-off for me, HOWEVER it is a very good dub, especially considering how often Fox butchers anime. They didn't mess it up at all, and the voice actors on that version are actually very very good. The second US release is from Disney. They obtained the rights to the original film and re-released it with a new dub track and two discs, the original Japanese, etc. etc. Lots of fancy extras. This DVD listed for sale here is the Disney Release. Once again, good voice actors were chosen, so even the dub track is done well. (Dakota Fanning and her younger sister play the two sisters in the film so they have good chemistry together). My daughter is almost two years old. I first popped in Totoro (the fox dub) in her in-car DVD player when she was about 16 months old, during a very long road trip to visit her grandparents. SHE LOVES THIS MOVIE. OMG I cannot emphasize how much she loves this film. She brings the DVD case to me all the time at home now asking for me to put it on the TV for her. She loves the early sequence when Mai and Satsuki first explore their new house; running around wildly and laughing. She loves Totoro, she loves the Catbus. She loves it all. She'll watch the whole thing too! Which is incredible considering that no other movie or TV show tends to hold her attention for more then a 10 minutes. For young children, either version of the US release is good because both have very good dub tracks. For any anime enthusiast the new release from Disney is a must. It includes a very accurate subtitle translation, original music, lots of special features including the entire movie in storyboards on disc 2, and even the dub track is still done very well.

Where to start. This film obviously launched Studio Ghibli to such meteoric success that Totoro himself became its mascot and one of the most iconic and recognizable characters of Japanese Animation. Having started my Ghibli journey with Spirited Away and only recently looped back around to see My Neighbor Totoro, I think I was most struck by the nuanced role Totoro himself plays in the film. The movie is hardly about Totoro at all, focusing instead on the interactions between Satsuke and Mei, the sisters who recently moved to the countryside while their mother is confined to a hospital bed due to an unnamed illness. Incredibly, like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, its animation has also has managed to hold up throughout the years. And while it is clearly an older film with some obvious period-setting elements, the rural setting and its focus on the young girls makes it difficult to place in time; there are old cars and trucks, but there are also rotary phones. The hospital hasn't changed much in 30 years. The film could be set in 1960 or 2010 for all I know. This is in stark contrast to other Ghibli films that are either intentional period pieces or anachronistic. On a narrative level, the film marries the whimsical and frankly adorable antics of the tree spirits with the traditional Japanese values and country living we've seen elsewhere in the Ghibli collection, while also creating an extremely faithful depiction of how children interpret and cope with reality; all the while, the film never strays from its upbeat and optimistic tone, making it a delight for children and adults alike. In sum, this film isn't just iconic—it's a must-have for fans of Miyazaki.

Our favorite!

This was the first Studio Ghibli movie I saw, and I love it. It's a wonderful story for kids that while it has some conflict, does not have scary monsters or people hiding in dark places waiting to scare anyone. The children are never threatened or in danger, which I found a great relief after so many movies that do put children in peril. Satsuki and her little sister Mei move out to the country and a new home with their dad. Their mother is in the hospital with an unidentified illness, but is due to come back soon. Rumors have it the house is haunted, which it sort of is, and soon Mei discovers the (fictional) mythical Totoro as she explores the area around the new house. They need to rely on the Totoro, and his friend the Catbus, when they fear their mother is seriously ill and may not leave the hospital. I don't want to say more for fear of spoiling, despite them movie being from the 1980s. If you haven't seen it, you deserve to watch it with some mystery left. :) I find Studio Ghibli movies to be fun and soothing, a change from the frenetic pace and hectic editing so prevalent in a lot of movies today (but I like those movies too, don't get me wrong). I think it's good to be able to sit and enjoy a story without feeling like you must be rushed from point A to point B, and its's good for kids, too. The picture clarity is sharp and clear, much improved from the previous copy I have.

L'oeuvre de Miyazaki est exceptionele , dommage que l'expérience soit gâché par un livreur qui à forcer en mettant le coli dans ma boi^te aux lettre et l'a abîmer

This was the best out of the Ghibli studio in my opinion, was a very moving story about the plight of the two sisters and their father who move into a new area and as their mother is in hospital, there is quite a lot going on with their lives .I found the story could be fun as well as sad at times with the three of them having to work out without their mum, the two girls meet the TOTORO god and is the most moving and fun gibli film i have seen and also the animation was amazing so much detail, also i watched this in the English and then the Japanese version and both were great to watch as each other .hope you enjoy this as much as i did .

海外での授業に使って大好評だった。

Do not buy this item if you live in India its region B and nothing is mentioned in the description but the image shows its all region compatible hence if you are not in region B you cannot play this in a normal player

Surtout ne pas hésiter, fait partie des merveilles japonaises à faire découvrir aux enfants !