Product ReviewsMy Neighbor Totoro (DVD, 2004, 2-Disc Set, Contains Special 2004 Star Voice Talent)

Totoro dvd

Works great - disk in perfect shape. Thanks so much! 😁

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It's OK, but really only one movie

It's not really a 2 disc set. The second disc is just sketches with the same storyline. Otherwise, It was fine.

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Totoro - best familly movie ever

This movie is an excellent story that captivates children and adults alike. The characters are truly well written, there is a perfect combination of action and sweet moments, and it really captures the point of view of a child. Totoro also allows us to see Japanese culture - the little daily things like lunch, washing clothes, bathing, family bonding and respect - and see that while things are different, they are mostly the same everywhere.

You can look up the story synopsis on-line but let me tell you this - Totoro gets it RIGHT. Mom is sick? Kids worry - and they think thoughts in their head that just plain baffle us. This movie shows how two sisters deal with their ill mother (don't worry - there is a gloriously happy ending - and yes, I cry every time) and how the sisters support each other and love each other and bug each other. The father is also very well written.

I can really say that this is a movie I recommend to ANYONE with children. I think it is an important movie to watch as a family - and not just because I think you should watch TV with your kids anyway (which I do). This is an important familly time movie because you will want to see your child's face light up with laughter, you will want to reassure them during the "action" parts, you will want to cuddle with them as you all discover the magic of Totoro.

Get it, watch it, watch it again (and again, and again) and love it!Read full review...

Absolutely wonderful story

My Neighbor Totoro is an absolutely wonderful story, crafted by one of the best animation directors alive today. Those who are familiar with Miyazaki's other children's tales like Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service already know that Miyazaki is capable of constructing stories that cross all boundaries, regardless of the age or culture of the viewer, Miyazaki's stories warm the heart and feed the mind; Totoro is no different.

Although essentially a movie for children, My Neighbour Totoro is so excellently crafted that any adult who has ever enjoyed a classic children's story will surely enjoy this feature.

My Neighbour Totoro takes us to a place where there is no evil. Like many of Miyazaki's movies, Totoro makes do without an antagonist whatsoever. Rather than being a movie about conflict, it is a story about a wonderful, magical episode in the lives of two young children. This sweet, simple and innocent tale is a wonderful exception in today's bleak world. Children will love the fun story, and adults will be enchanted by a simplicity that has probably escaped their day-to-day lives.

Simple is also an adequate way of describing the art and animation found in this feature, and once again, simple is best. The lack of realistic details enhances the film's feeling, as simple yet careful lines are blended with rich colors to provide an overall visual warmth that sets the mood perfectly for the story.

Unfortunately the DVD is nothing special. In fact, with the exception of standard DVD navigation (Main Menu, Trailers, Feature, Chapters), this DVD has nothing that a VHS release wouldn't have. There are no extras, none. There's only 1 language, English, and no subtitles, even for the hearing-impaired.

My Neighbour Totoro's English dub was supervised by Carl Macek for Troma studios, who originally released Totoro theatrically in North America. The combination of Carl Macek and Troma might cause many fans to cringe, but the fear is unwarranted. The English adaptation is faithful, the story was not altered in anyway, the translation is very close to the original, and with the exception of the opening and ending themes, the music is entirely unaltered.

Of course, all the faithfulness in the world isn't worth much if the actual quality of the English dub was sub-standard. Once again however, there is no need to fear, My Neighbor Totoro's English dub is extremely well produced. Lisa Michaelson, an otherwise unknown voice actress, is an excellent Satsuki and she is joined by a veteran Cheryl Chase who brings youthful exuberance to the young Mei. These two actresses are supported by an excellent cast and given superb direction, making the English dub of Totoro a truly worthy adaptation of one of the best children's movies of all times.

Unfortunately, Fox has done nothing to restore this film, with the source material dating back to 1988, and the English dub to 1993, there are some visible and audible glitches that mar the DVD. Fortunately, 14 years is not that long a time, and while the occasional spec does appear on the screen, the image and sound are for the most part... good enough.Read full review...

The Best Children's Film Ever

My Neighbor Totoro is a unique masterpiece, possibly the greatest animated film ever made for children. Hisao Miyazaki has made some other terrific movies, especially "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle," but "Totoro" tops the list.

Two little girls move with their father to a rundown house on the edge of a slightly oppressive-looking forest, to be near their mother, who's in the hospital. We don't know where they've moved from, but the natural beauty of their new home exhilirates them, and almost immediately they begin to have encounters with the spirits of the forest. The biggest of these is Totoro -- enormous, slow-moving, fluffy, weightless at times, and perfectly willing to have two small girls curl up on him and take a nap. Together, two littl egirls who are worried about their mother's health, enter a world of pure enchantment.

Most unique, THIS IS A CHILDREN'S MOVIE WITHOUT A VILLAIN. No evil stepmother, wicked witch, goblin, dalmatian-coat-wearing woman -- no tears, no heartbreaks, and no nightmares afterwards. Just one amazing encounter after another, one imaginary realm opening into another, with an ending that is full of gentle hope.

There's nothing anywhere like MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO. Oh, and for little kids, the American dubbed sountrack is fine, but for older kids who are up to some very simple subtitles, the original Japanese actors are really wonderful.

Buy this movie, even if you're an adult who doesn't have kids.Read full review...

Disney (re)does TOTORO

I won't repeat what people have said about the movie, but I want to inform you that even if you own the FOX DVD release, I'd strongly recommend the new rerelease by Disney as well. The movie has a gorgeous widescreen transfer that easily beats out the pan & scan, and the Japanese version which was unfortunately excised in the FOX DVD is included.

Also featured on the DVD is a brand-new, freshly retranslated redub, featuring performances from Dakota and Elle Fanning as the sisters. Like all the other Disney-Ghibli dubs, this one is beautifully done, which isn't to say that the FOX version wasn't good for its time. There has been a lot of pointless debating over which dub is superior; most of these criticims tend to stem from nostalgia rather than reason. I'd suggest ignoring the controversy and listen to both dubs for two different but no less enjoyable interpretations of a great story.

Either way, you can't go wrong with this movie.Read full review...

In a word "AWESOME"

One "AWESOME" Value two Very, very Entertaining three all the Characters are very, very Engaging.

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Great movie. Great quality

It’s a great movie.

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Wonderful, magical movie

My Neighbor Totoro is a wonderfully understated, sweet movie that celebrates the magic of childhood and the power of love. Dakota and Elle Fanning do a great job voicing the sisters in the movie...their rapport translates to the screen. The music in this anime-style film is hauntingly beautiful and you catch yourself replaying it in your head because it is so memorable. The "forest spirits", Totoro, the catbus and the "soot gremlins" are terrific, unique and lovable characters. My daughters are now obsessed with them. I have to admit that I love this movie as much as my children and never tire of watching it with them. It fills me with the feeling I got when I was a child and believed in fantasy!Read full review...

Movie time

I love this movie!!!! Came in quick

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My Neighbor Totoro

We love all of Hayao Miyazaki's animated films! But in this one, Japan's most beloved animator provides a slower-paced, stunningly realistic portrayal of life in the countryside with 2 adorable sisters who are 10 and 4 years old. They are exactly the ages of my girls so I thought it would be easy to relate to since sometimes Japanese movies, even when translated by Disney, are difficult to figure out culturally. This was a fun movie that my kids and I have watched over and over again and it wasn't quite what I expected but it turns out that my kids loved it and it was very touching and moving and worth all of the money spent on it. It is a real masterpiece because it is unlike any of his other animated films and it is not in production anymore. It stars Dakota Fanning and her younger sister Elle Fanning plus an all-star cast. Enjoy!Read full review...