Ghibli Fest 2019 continues with three showings of the classic film My Neighbor Tortoro on August 25 (dubbed), 26 (subtitled), and 28 (dubbed). The showings will include exclusive bonus content.
My Neighbor Tortoro was written and directed by the legendary Hiyao Myazaki. The film won a number of awards when it was released in 1988 and has since gained a wide following over the years. The film has ranked highly on a number of lists, including Empire magazines “The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema “ (41st in 2010) and “50 Best Animated Film Characters” (18th). The character Tortoro has appeared in a number of Studio Ghibli films and video games and acts as the studio’s mascot. Tortoro is 24th on IGNs list of top 25 Anime characters.
Miyazaki directed My Neighbor Tortoro after Nausicaa in the Valley of the Winds (1984) and Castle in the Sky (1986). He was joined by Art Director Kazuo Oga, and the resulting film has been described as “nature painted with translucent colors .” Oga’s involvement with the film led to several other projects with Studio Ghibli, with his style becoming something of a trademark of the studio.
My Neighbor Totoro tells the story of two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move into an old house with their Professor father in order to be closer to the hospital where their mother is recovering from an illness. The small spirits that inhabit the house leave now that it is occupied, but two of them lead Mei to a large tree where Tortoro lives. Mei has some adventures with Tortoro and some other spirits including Catbus, eventually being joined by her sister in the adventures.
My Neighbor Tortoro has a 94% rating on both the critics and audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Their critics’ consensus is: My Neighbor Totoro is a heartwarming, sentimental masterpiece that captures the simple grace of childhood.
So check out showings near you of this animated masterpiece on Fathom Events.
