My Neighbor Totoro

Studio Ghibli has made several movies before the success of films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, one of them being My Neighbor Totoro. This movie may lack some of the stunning computer-aided visuals, but it gives a great story for children and is magical. Disney got the rights to dubbing and distributing the movie, but this movie isn't the same old Disney film. Instead, the movie has a lot of anime and Japanese nuances that one doesn't see in western film.

The whole movie is a great story of wonder and friendship. A father and his two children arrive into the countryside as they interact with the friendly wood spirits. The King Totoro is a forest spirit that basically controls all nature in the forest, from his yell that manipulates weather to his cat that can turn into a bus. There is something just infectious about the design of Totoro; he's just so fluffy and cute that it's almost irresistible. This movie also shows the success of a movie without a villain or sex. The family, although they may bicker at times, genuinely feel like they love each other.

The DVD is what lacks for a great movie. Although Disney fixed some of the mistakes Fox had when they owned the rights, there are still parts that seem rushed. It was rushed so it could capitalize on the popularity of Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle. When Disney took over the rights, they re-dubbed the English tracks from Fox. This has stirred mixed opinions, but the Disney DVD is better overall for younger audiences.

My Neighbor Totoro lacks some of the latter Miazaki graphical magic, but the movie is still a lot of fun. The movie continues the idea of childhood imagination. Studio Ghibli provides a great variation between western and eastern animation. This is unlike any Disney or Dreamworks film; the plot is a little easier to grasp and the characters are believable.