My Neighbour Totoro *Re-Release* ★★★★★

Released: 2nd August 2024

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Starring: Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Tanie Kitabayashi, Hitoshi Takagi

Studio Ghibli is a name known across the globe with an instantly recognisable animation style. So it is difficult to imagine a time before they were household names. The film that really set them on their way? 1988’s My Neighbour Totoro. It has many tropes fans would come to love in later films, especially in its blend of magical realism as siblings Satsuki and Mei navigate a formative summer in the countryside while dealing with their mother in hospital.

Even though other films since have received awards recognition and become renowned, Totoro remains a major figure within Ghibli merch and the studio’s imagery. It’s clear they realise how much their success rests on this iconic film. While it may lack some of the ambition of Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and 2023’s The Boy & The Heron, there is a sheer joy and warmth within it. The film’s imagery and animation over 35 years on, holding up incredibly well.  Miyazaki’s imagination knows no bounds and one of his earliest works continues to spellbind audiences.

Whilst arguably more accessible than some of Ghibli’s later works, this shouldn’t discredit its achievements and impact on not just animation but contemporary cinema more widely. This is reflected in its appearance in the prestigious Sight & Sound greatest films list in 2022, coming in at 72.

With subtle details and touches throughout, it holds up well on multiple watches and at 86 minutes is jam-packed with delightful moments. Totoro is easily among Ghibli’s most enjoyable films and is nothing short of a warm hug of a film. Its legacy is clear with a hugely successful stage production in recent years solidifying the film’s appeal to multiple generations and with Ghibli’s films finding a new audience on streaming platforms in recent years, its reputation and love will surely continue to grow.

My Neighbour Totoro well over 30 years on from its release continues to be a marvel of animation, its impact on Japanese and western cinema easy to discern. If other films like Spirited Away and The Boy & The Heron have won the highest honours, they owe My Neighbour Totoro a debt of gratitude for paving the way and introducing many to the wonders of Studio Ghibli and the unique mind of Hayao Miyazaki. Its sense of both adventure and visual spectacle continue to dazzle, remaining one of the celebrated studio’s finest works.