My Favorite Studio Ghibli Movies - Part 2 - My Neighbor Totoro

Four years after Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Miyazaki released what is probably his most kid friendly movie ever. Starring the creature that would become the mascot of Studio Ghibli: Totoro.

This post follows my earlier posts on the 80s anime Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Grave of the Fireflies

What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said? That's a tough question to answer. So, instead, I will present you my personal reasons why this film is worth watching: it's extremely well made, as goes for all Ghibli movies. These kind of movies have made me fall in love with hand drawn animation. If I ever become a father, this is one of the films that I would show my kid(s) at a young age. These films are suitable for both young and old. This is probably one of the most child friendly films of studio Ghibli. But, nevertheless, a great watch for adults too.

Don't loose touch with your inner child

Yesterday, I had a chat with some fellow Steemians and we got to speak about 'the kid inside'. This is the kind of story that reconnects you with your inner child. It reminds us, that we should never loose our imagination. This is what keeps us from going insane. It's what make us less serious and more outgoing. It's what keeps us young, both on the inside and on the outside.

Movie Soundtracks

While writing this, I am listening to (piano) music from the soundtracks of different studio Ghibli movies. As mentioned by @sigrfolkr , the music composed by Joe Hisaishi, goes extremely well with Hayao Miyazaki's films. There's no doubt about that. Feel free to check it out yourself. Two tracks from this particular film can be found at 23 to 27 minutes and 59 to 1 h 04 minutes:

Source

Let me wrap this up, by saying that My Neighbor Totoro is a beautifully made mix of visuals, story and sound. A real feel good movie - in the best way possible - that will even put a smile on the most cynical person's face.

It wasn't easy to find a decent trailer - that isn't promoting the (English) dubbed version - that gives you a realistic feel of this film, but I decided to share this one with you:

Source

What do you think of this film? Do you agree - or perhaps disagree - with my opinion? Do you feel like (re)watching it now? No matter what, it's always a pleasure to hear from you.

Image source Movie Poster