Change is scary. The idea of my friends moving out of state and transitioning to long-distance friendships is harrowing. Especially now, a time that should be spent reminiscing about college and thinking about the excitement of graduation, is plagued by endless homework assignments, two senior capstones, and the thought of starting graduate school. Being thrown into new experiences and unfamiliarity leaves me yearning for home, my family, and my friends.
Reminding myself of these anchors is a strategy that grounds me through high-anxiety moments, moments that prompt me to find ways to take my mind off current stressors. Using media like music, photos, or movies acts as a consistent outlet that improves my mood, something that I am sure many people can relate to. Movies that I enjoy during these times involve high levels of nostalgia or themes that relate to my current situation. These characteristics are almost always found in movies created by Studio Ghibli Inc., a production company known for its iconic animated films and vibrant musical scores.
While Studio Ghibli films are geared towards younger audiences, the visual and aural elements in each movie are intertwined with themes that are accessible to older audiences. A good example of these characteristics is found in the film My Neighbor Totoro (1990). Watching this movie reminds me of the importance of community, especially when navigating hard times.
My NEIGHBOR TOTORO
My Neighbor Totoro is an animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki that focuses on sisters Mei and Satsuki as they experience country life. On the surface, this film seems like it is light-hearted and has surface-level themes. This is partly true— Miyazaki focuses on Mei and Satsuki’s adolescence as they attend a new school, live in a new environment, and develop new friendships with the resident forest creatures, all using vibrant colors and energetic musical elements. When recognizing the themes of this movie, strategies for experiencing grief and emphasizing the importance of community create an impactful narrative.
A major plot point of My Neighbor Totoro is the fact that Mei and Satsuki’s mother is sick in the hospital. Their mother’s long-term illness remains stagnant as the movie progresses, not improving, but not getting worse until later in the movie. Many scenes show how each sister engages with the countryside, from Satsuki discovering soot sprites hiding in their house to Mei journeying through the nearby forest and becoming acquainted with Totoro (one of the resident forest spirits). While their father works, Mei and Satsuki spend a lot of time together either outside, with their neighbor Granny, or at school. The film shows the strong relationships between the sisters and their father, specifically how they maintain their family and manage their emotions in the absence of their mother. Because they are children, Mei and Satsuki prioritize positive aspects of their life instead of thinking about the negatives in their mother’s situation, often emphasizing that their mother will return home soon. Their mother’s illness acts as a background plot device: during their day-to-day lives, everything seems normal, but viewers recognize that something eventually will occur that disrupts their established routines.
A key event that drives home the theme of My Neighbor Totoro occurs near the end of the movie. After their visit with their mother is delayed due to complications with her terminal illness, Mei becomes overwhelmed with her motions and disappears. Both Granny, Mei, and the neighbors help search for Mei, fearing the worst. With the help of the Catbus, an iconic character in the Studio Ghibli franchise, Mei is reunited with her sister. The movie closes with Mei and Satsuki watching their parents converse in the hospital. While they are unaware of what the conversation is about, they see their mother laughing, which signals to them that everything will eventually be okay.
In the positive and serious times, Mei and Satsuki had each other and the forest spirits that lived outside their house. While these spirits couldn’t talk, they acted as a resource for Mei and Satsuki through happy and sad times. The relationship between the sisters strengthened as they became in tune with their emotions and, more importantly, their imagination. Outside of their forest friends, Mei and Satsuki also became close with their neighbors, causing them to establish a web of support to guide them during complications with their mother’s illness. The behavior of Mei and Satsuki, specifically their willingness to open up to those around them, their adherence to imagination, and their strong sisterly bond, are characteristics of My Neighbor Totoro that personally resonate with me.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The themes in My Neighbor Totoro serve as an example of the importance of finding outlets for support. Regardless if you are blood-related or not, it is important to associate with people who transform you into the best version of yourself, are invested in your successes, and, as seen in the plot of the film, guide you through the hard times in life. Whether you are experiencing grief or needing a shoulder to cry on, this article serves as an important reminder to be grateful for the people in your life, and that the quality of people matters more than the quantity of them. As Mei and Satsuki found this in each other and through their friendship with Totoro, if you allow yourself to be vulnerable and accepting of the idea of establishing strong relationships, then that will pay off! Bonus points if your support system happens to be a seven-foot-tall rabbit like ball of-fuzz.
