It is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film . Written & directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It stars the voices of Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto with others.
It focuses on two young sisters & their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan.
University professor Tatsuo Kusakabe & his daughters Satsuki & Mei move into an old house close to the hospital where the girl’s mother Yasuko is recovering from a long term illness.
Set in a period that is both modern & nostalgic, film creates a fantastic, believable universe of supernatural creatures co existing with modernity.
Oga’s work on this led to became a landmark style of Studio Ghibli. The greenery & the trees, the entire landscape comes alive under his styling.
It received numerous awards including the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize, the Mainichi Film award& Kinema Junpo award for Best film in 1988. It also received the Special Award at the Blue Ribbon Awards in the same year. The film is considered as one of the top animation films, ranking 41st in Empire magazines.
In UK, the film’s anniversary release appeared on the annual lists of ten best selling foreign language films. In 2019, it ranked number two below ‘Spirited Away’.
Totoro serves as the mascot for Studio Ghibli & is recognized as one of the most popular characters in Japanese animation.
Only one young girl is depicted in most of Miyazaki’s work but here, there are two sisters. The elder one taking care of the younger one is so natural. In absence of their mother, father is away at work & a granny who comes to help.
A sequel ‘Mei & the Kittenbus ‘ was released in Japan but is not released on home video. In May 2022, a stage adaptation of the film was made. Tickets were on sale on 19 May 2022, breaking the theater’s record for sale previously held by 2015 production of ‘Hamlet’ starring Benedict Cumberbach. The show won six Olivier awards.
On March 2023, it was announced that the production will return for another season, which began on 21 st November 2023 & runs until 23 March 2024.
A beautiful experience.
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