Product Details

• Actors: Hitoshi Takagi, Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto
• Directors: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writers: Hayao Miyazaki
• Producers: Ned Lott, Rick Dempsey, Tohru Hara, Yasuyoshi Tokuma
• Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: Japanese
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: March 5, 1996
• Run Time: 86 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (581 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303118240
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,050 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #31 in	Video > Kids & Family > Fantasy

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video
My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.

Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Antidote to Disney, May 22, 2000

By A Customer

This is not only one of my favorite childrens films, it's one of my favorite films period. This movie is truly magical. It achieves what Disney movies never do -- a wonderful story without the need to resort to evil villains or wise-cracking side kicks. In fact, two of the things I find most striking and refreshing about My Neighbor Totoro is the use of images rather than dialogue to propel the plot and the slower, almost contemplative, pacing of the action. (This is one children's movie that won't blare from your TV or yammer at your children!) The first time I saw this movie I watched a friend's pirated VHS tape in Japanese. I was instantly mesmerized and was completely able to follow the story, despite the fact that I did not understand a word the characters said.

And don't be put off because it is "japanese animation." This is not your father's japanese animation. The images of the tranquil countryside are sumptuous. Miazaki's attention to the little details of life, like a leaf floating in a stream or raindrops tapping an umbrella, evoke the simpler, purer times of childhood. The children's discovery of the totoro spirits in the old camphor tree recalls a time in every child's life when magic seems possible in the mundane world. As with other Miyazaki films, there is a thrilling flying sequence. However, this film is more appropriate for younger viewers than most of his other works, some of which are decidedly adult in nature despite the fact that they are animated.

As the mother of a toddler, I really appreciate the refusal to rely on cliche villians to keep the plot moving. However, I should warn other parents considering this video that the conflicts used to keep the plot moving -- the children's discovery of and search for the dust bunny and totoro spirits and Mei's desire to see her sick mother in the hospital which causes her to lose her way in the countryside -- might be upsetting to the littlest viewers without some parental company and discussion. Otherwise, I wholeheartedly recommend this movie whether you're 2 or 200.

223 of 258 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This is a PERFECT movie; this DVD release is NOT, October 25, 2002

By	E. V. Camarillo "Trying To Give Snobbishness ... (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: My Neighbor Totoro (Full Screen Edition) (DVD)

If you are a fan of Totoro (and what right thinking individual isn't!) then you may want to leave this DVD release on the shelf come December 3...In Japan, Totoro was graced with a spectacular DVD release featuing multiple dialog and subtitled options, as well as featurettes, artwork, and options for both full screen and letterbox versions...i the meantime, I would recommend this version ONLY to friends with small children who have not seen the film before. The print quality of the VHS version was quite good and the dubbing job is excellent, considering the shabby treatment that most Japanese animated films recieve. This is, first and foremost, a film of remarkable beauty and warmth. It is precious and timeless. By all means take advantage of the low price and share it with children. But for your own collection, you will most certainly want to wait for the (cross your fingers and send those letters now) Disney Edition.

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I returned it unopened, December 25, 2002

By	kerokero (Henderson, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Neighbor Totoro (Full Screen Edition) (DVD)

Where is the Japanese? I have not been so dissapointed in a long time. It is absolutely disgusting that with all of the versatility of the DVD format Fox films would not include a Japanese track on this film. The movie was already in Japanese! There is no good reason whatsoever that they would remove the Japanese track. I am amazed and shocked. I advance ordered it because the whole point of DVD's is that the problem of not being able to find a copy of a foreign movie in the original language was supposed to have been solved years ago. I never would have possibly guessed that they would go to all of the trouble to remaster the movie for DVD and then step back into the stone age like this. This movie absolutely should have included both an English and a Japanese track. This is one of my favorite movies. I have been looking forward to this release for a long time. I am astonished. I am near to tears. Do not order this edition of this movie, please. Send Fox Films a message. Just order something else please.