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My Neighbor Totoro (Two-Disc Special Edition) |  | Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Actors: Hitoshi Takagi, Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto
Studio: Disney Presents Studio Ghibli
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $17.98
as of 3/10/2010 15:00 PST details
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Rating:  606 reviews
Sales Rank: 100
Format: Animated, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), Japanese (Original Language), French (Subtitled), Japanese (Subtitled), English (Dubbed)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 86 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: DISD101847D
UPC: 786936791716
EAN: 0786936791716
ASIN: B002ZTQV8Y
Theatrical Release Date: 1988
Release Date: March 2, 2010 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 03/02/2010 Run time: 88 minutes
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
Amazon.com
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
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 606
 My Neighbor Totoro is the best movie for little kids March 10, 2010
Cristina P (Chicago)
My two year old daughter LOVES this movie. Satsuki and Mei are two adorable little girls in Japan and they meet Totoro. He is a forest spirit that helps the little girls on their journeys. I think it's nice to expose little kids to different cultures. She asks for this movie over and over and I don't mind watching it with her.
2010 DVD Release: A magnificent Hayao Miyazaki film with gorgeous animation and painted backgrounds and an enjoyable film for t March 10, 2010
Dennis A. Amith (kndy) (California)
Hayao Miyazaki, the most prominent Japanese filmmaker who has created animated films that not only broke Japanese box office records but has created animated films that reflect upon nature, technology, family and more. Compared to the accomplishments of Walt Disney, Miyazaki is a filmmaker who has amassed a respect from his fans worldwide and his animations studio, Studio Ghibli, continues to be one of the most appreciated and respected animation and production studios in the world.
In 1988, wrote and directed the animated classic "My Neighbor Totoro" (Tonari no Totoro) which won the Animage Grand Prix Award in 1988 and was brought over to the United States from Fox Video/Streamline on VHS in the '90s and on DVD in 2002. When their rights expired, Disney picked up the rights to the many of the Studio Ghibli films and redubbed the film featuring major Hollywood talent and re-released the film on DVD in 2006 but this time with both an English and Japanese audio track.
Here we are in 2010 and with Miyazaki's latest film "Ponyo" being released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 2nd, Disney will also re-release Studio Ghibli classics such as "Kiki's Delivery Service", "Castle in the Sky" and "My Neighbor Totoro" special editions on DVD.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"My Neighbor Totoro" is just an amazing animated film which I first watched back in 1993 (in Japanese, no subtitles) and at the time, although I didn't know what was going on, I was simply in awe with the animation. Of how beautiful the artistic backgrounds were. The village and its lush green, to the painted detail on the trunk of the trees to even the ground during rainy weather, I was impressed. Now, the film is 22-years-old and watching it again, the film still holds up remarkably well today.
The film is presented in widescreen (1:85:1) - enhanced for 16×9 televisions. Colors are vibrant and one can only hope that Disney releases the film via HD on Blu-ray.
As for the audio, audio is clear and understandable. The film is presented in English Dolby Digital Sound and also includes the Japanese and French language tracks. It's important to note that fans of the film have heard two different English dubs of "My Neighbor Totoro", the FOX Streamline dub and the current Disney dub. Both are well-done but the difference is that in the Fox dub, the characters of Mei and even Kanta sound much older. While in the Disney dub, Kanta sounds a bit more younger. It's a matter of preference as both English dubs are done very well but its important to note that the Fox/Streamline version is out of print long ago and the DVD never came with the Japanese track or special features. Nevertheless, for those new to "My Neighbor Totoro", I'm sure they will enjoy the voice acting by the Fanning sisters.
Subtitles are in English and French.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"My Neighbor Totoro" comes with the following special features on a second DVD disc. Included are:
* Original Japanese Storyboards - (1:26:16) - Watch the entire film but this time with the video showcasing the original storyboards.
* Creating My Neighbor Totoro - (2:59) Hayao Miyazaki talks about how he came up with the concept of "My Neighbor Totoro".
* Creating the Characters - (4:22) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about the characters of "My Neighbor Totoro" and how "E.T. was an influence.
* The Totoro Experiencing - (2:00) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about how the film didn't do well in the box office but when it aired on television, it did remarkably well.
* Producer's Perspective: Creating Ghibli - (1:22) Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki talks about how the named "Ghibli" came about.
* The Locations of Totoro - (28:34) An excerpt from a Japanese documentary on "My Neighbor Totoro" and visiting the areas that inspired Miyazaki to create the village of Totoro.
* Scoring Miyazaki - (7:17) A featurette about Joe Hisaishi's scoring Miyazaki films and more.
* Original Japanese Trailer - (1:50) The original Japanese theatrical trailer.
* Behind the Microphone - (5:41) Featuring the English dub voice talents talking about their role, their appreciation for Miyazaki and his films. Also, behind-the-scenes of the talent recording their voices.
* Ponyo - Creating Ponyo - (3:56) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the creation of "Ponyo" and wanting to create a film for young children.
* Kiki's Delivery Service - Creating Kiki's Delivery Service - (2:27) Hayao Miyazaki discussing the creation of "Kiki's Delivery Service" and what inspired Miyazaki for the creation of the city in the film.
* Castle in the Sky: Character Sketches - (2:37) Miyazaki talks about the characters of "Castle in the Sky" and discussing how his audiences are loyal to his films over time.
* Enter the Lands - Visit the land featuring various small animated Studio Ghibli characters (from all films). Click on a character from that film (note: only "Ponyo", "My Neighbor Totoro", "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Castle in the Sky" are available) to get a Q&A or a small video info. of that film and its characters.
EXTRAS:
Also, included is a postcard featuring Satsuki and Totoro at the bus stop.
JUDGMENT CALL:
I absolutely love "My Neighbor Totoro". From when I first saw it in Japanese (which I didn't understand at the time) at a Japanese animation club screening back in 1993 and now watching it over 15-years-later and watching it alongside with my son. There is this captivating quality with Miyazaki's characters, his enjoyable to sometimes serious screenplays and Studio Ghibli always delivering when it comes to quality.
And when you consider how a lot of animated films today are 100% CG animated, when you see a Miyazaki film, you know that he doesn't follow the mainstream. He makes the kind of films that he wants and for the most part, every film that I have seen from Studio Ghibli, I've been more than satisfied.
I remember watching "My Neighbor Totoro" and enjoying the lively moments from the beginning but having seen his animated films "Nausicaa", "Laputa: Castle in the Sky" and even "Kiki's Delivery Service", as his films are happy and humorous, by the final half of the film, the story definitely shifts to a serious tone and in this film, it does get a bit serious when both Satsuki and Mei facing the probability of their mother dying in the hospital. These are genuine emotions that these two young girls feel but at the same time, what transpires afterward was captivating and how the film ends, Miyazaki definitely knows how to wrap up a film and make you feel content and satisfied with overall story.
"My Neighbor Totoro" is a wonderful family film and by no means is it scary. For the parents, this film is among the more lighter-toned Miyazaki films out there. Miyazaki has mentioned in interviews that he created "My Neighbor Totoro" for the children while his latest film "Ponyo" was more of him wanting to create a film for even younger children. But for the most part, if you want to introduce a Miyazaki film to your children, "My Neighbor Totoro" is a great place to start.
But the big question for many people is if "My Neighbor Totoro" is worth the investment, especially if you own the 2002 and 2006 DVD releases. If you own the 2006 Disney DVD, there are a large number of special features on this 2010 release that are not included in the 2006 DVD but if you are not into special features, then its probably not worth buying it again. But for those who have never owned the DVD, let alone only have that old Fox/Streamline VHS or DVD, then yes its definitely worth it! I know there are some fans who prefer the original dub from the old Fox/Streamline years but that release was pretty much barebones. Yes, I still have my old copy of "My Neighbor Totoro" and I did enjoy the original dub a lot but personally, with this newer release, you get the Japanese audio track and plenty of special features that were not included in the 2006 DVD release as well.
Overall, this 2010 "My Neighbor Totoro" DVD release is fantastic. A great film with a lot of new bonus content. Highly recommended!
 Possibly the least violent movie I've ever seen. March 9, 2010
Audrey Williams (Portland, OR)
This is possibly the least violent movie I've ever seen. And it still has a fairly interesting story line. Lots of family characters and scenes a child can relate to.
We returned this movie to NetFlix months ago and my 2-year-old still talks about it. I'm going buy a copy of it soon.
One of Miyazaki's best... March 9, 2010
McGillicutty (The Sooner Nation)
"My Neighbor Totoro" is one of those rare films that defies easy catagorization. While clearly aimed at pre-teens, Miyazaki manages to bring the rest of us along for this pure, fantasy adventure. While I believe "Spirited Away" is his best work, "My Neighbor Totoro" is certainly his most iconic and perhaps most loved.
I'll leave the joys of the film itself for you to discover as I will focus my review on the presentation and contents of the this two-disc DVD release.
The film is presented in it's proper widescreen aspect ratio, but I am somewhat puzzled as to why Disney chose not to release a "Blu-Ray" version as well like Miyazaki's latest movie "Ponyo". Considering the sumptuos visions of bright, blue skies above lush trees, I would think a Blu-Ray version would be a must, but perhaps there were challenges beyond Disney and Studio Ghibli's control that prevents a top-notch Blu-Ray edition.
You can choose to listen to the original Japanese language, but the "English" version featuring the Fanning sisters (Dakota and Elle) with Tim Daly ("Wings") works well.
Disc Two contains the special feature. Several videos documenting the creation of "My Neighbor Totoro" through the "Behind the Microphone" section featuring the aforementioned American actors are well produced and informative. However, they are all presented separately and cannot be played all at once. This is somewhat disappointing since some of the videos last only a few minutes.
The "Original Japanese Storyboards" presents the film's audio track while showing the original storyboards. A wonderful touch for those especially interested in the process of animation.
"Enter the Lands" allows you to access the "worlds" of four Miyazaki films, "Totoro", "Ponyo", Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Castle in the Sky". They are designed for children as the "Totoro" one asks questions to decide what character you are most like. While the others feature all their main characters in a "promotional" kind of way.
Interestingly enough, on the main page of "Enter the Lands" we also see characters from other Miyazaki's films like "Princess Mononoke", but they cannot be accessed.
Also included are the standard Disney printed ads and a lithograph on a roughly 4 x 8 postcard that duplicates the DVD cover. At first glance it appears to be lifted from the famous "bus stop" scene but the "girl" is not either one of the sisters. Perhaps this was from a special poster created to promote the movie?
All in all this is a fine DVD set for all ages that I heartily recommened.
 Disney short-changes this Special Edition March 9, 2010
Bryan Jensen (Utah, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"My Neighbor Totoro" is certainly one of Hayao Miyazaki's most magical, and it is nice to see the Special Edition version released. But one would expect the Most Special Thing of such a release should be the best quality picture possible for a DVD.
The Disney-fied English dub -- that is, their propensity to re-record audio using actors whose names the public will better recognize in order to sell these more broadly -- is pretty good. (It's an understandable compromise considering Miyazaki's films deserve wider recognition.) And not too surprising the audio mastering effort given to English was not duplicated for the Japanese language track. (Although it's a bummer!) But it's the same English audio that was released in the widescreen version from 2006. Nothing new here.
The MOST IMPORTANT of a release is the quality of the movie picture itself -- And Disney sold out and short-changed us. They did not have the film restored nor remastered. Yes, it is better than the Full Screen DVD edition that was released in the early 2000s. But it is not improved on the widescreen DVD version released in 2006. Still, to my eye, it looks too grainy and soft, and with a lot of artifact flicker. It's really a shame, given the advantages of releasing together with "Ponyo" that they wouldn't take the opportunity to have Lowry Digital restore this film's image quality like they've had them do for so many Disney animated classics. And for that matter, had Lowry done the work on this we could have seen a Blu-ray edition as well.
The other Miyazaki films released in this latest Special Edition wave -- "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Castle In The Sky" -- have video quality that is not improved over earlier DVD releases, either. These releases are a scar on the legacy of John Lasseter's creative Disney leadership to supposedly champion more 2D animation, and especially because of his affection for Hayao Miyazaki's work. My low rating is a reflection on what Disney has done here, and not on the filmmaking itself.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 606
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