Review of My Neighbor Totoro (1988) by Hotelfabie — 07 Jun 2021

As I am writing this review, I feel like there is a certain difficulty in even knowing where to start. But if I am going to start somewhere, Studio Ghibli has definitely proven themselves to be an important studio, where their older works feels a breeze of fresh air. "My Neighbor Totoro" can definitely be considered a classic, as it feels like the first time every time you come back. All of those clean elements and lively attributes are shown through every scene. Similarly how I've felt after a lot of other Ghibli movies, there is a sense of speechlessness and a need to delve deeper into every shot. Details lead as a main point to why this movie feels so alive; they are never unnecessary, because they never distract you from the main plot.

The leitmotif that reoccurs through the movie has a very eerie but also calming feeling to it. The forest where the "Totoros" live becomes very so magical and mysterious, where you understand better why Tatsuo (the professor and father) teaches his children how important it is to show respect and gratefulness. Going back to one of my previous points: you feel like you want to dive deeper and discover the entire world outside of the screen's limits. There is a lot more that could be said about this movie, but there are too many thoughts and feelings mixed together that it would be difficult to find a way to summarize it all. But if I have to, consider this one of the greatest Japanese media of all time, because it has an impact like nothing else could.