It's the best family movie ever made. And parents can actually watch it. It's so much better than anything Disney, it doesn't involve evil villains or too-cute animals. The story line is unique and the characters are normal children. The film is basically about being a child. This is still one of my favourite films. Also for older children you can get the japanese version with sub-titles so it can help them read in a fun way.
My Neighbor Totoro
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
One of the best family movies of all time.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 5 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of My Neighbor Totoro was written by Marjorie Kase
Parents need to know that this movie presents no sex, violence, or harsh language use. Scenes involving a parent in the hospital are treated sensitively. Parents may wish to caution their children against imitating the girls' habit of wandering alone in the forest at night. Older teens may be interested in this film due to an appreciation for Miyazaki's subsequent work.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the concept of having a seriously ill parent or relative. Families who have recently moved far away from home may identify with Mei (Elle Fanning) and Satsuki (Dakota Fanning)'s situation.
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More on My Neighbor Totoro
What’s the Story?
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is the animated story of two sisters, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei, who move to the country with their father to be closer to their mother, who is recovering in a nearby hospital from an unnamed illness. While exploring the forest near their house, the two girls discover creatures, which according to the wise old woman next door, only the young can see. There are soot sprites, furry protective bunny-like Totoros, and a magic bus in the shape of a cat. The girls are enchanted by these mystical creatures and the magical forest they inhabit.
Is It Any Good?
After breaking box office records in Japan, My Neighbor Totoro took the U.S. family film market by storm. Japanese Animator Hayao Mizayaki is most well known for his more recent work Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2003), and Howl's Moving Castle (2005). However, this was the film that got him noticed in the US.
It's no surprise that My Neighbor Totoro has been rated one of the top family movies of all time. It defies the rules of traditional feature-length cartoons by revealing the story at a very slow and deliberate pace, thereby allowing the audience to absorb all of the delightful details Miyazaki has injected into his work. The movie features no villains, no scary monsters, nor cranky adults. Instead, Animator Miyazaki presents a father who is both physically and mentally present in the lives of his children and sisters who act like real siblings. Satsuki and Mei fight, make mischief, and more often than not get along. Without syrupy sweet sentimentality, we're privy to a family that genuinely loves one another.
Movie Details
Studio: Disney, Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Run time: 86 minutes
Theatrical release: 6/14/1988, DVD release: 6/14/2000
MPAA Rating: G for all audiences
Run time: 86 minutes
Theatrical release: 6/14/1988, DVD release: 6/14/2000
MPAA Rating: G for all audiences
Our Members Say
See all 44 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
Best Movie Ever
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I rate this title iffy for age 4 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
a fun movie with brief peril and sadness.
The movie may look like there is nothing bad about it but there is there is some peril when a little girls goes missing and charecters are sad a lot of the time because there mother is dying. For that i recomen it to only somewhat mature 4 year olds.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
:)
I love totoro! Some slightly scary parts.
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Well-made, endearing film for kids & adults
My daughter and I both love love love this movie. We can both watch it over & over.... My doing so says more than hers, though, I suppose. ;) The animation, the story, the relationships, the imagination behind the story and characters/objects... all make this a heart-warming, timeless, endearing film. I wish every movie for children were at least a little bit more like this. I also fell in love with Elle Fanning (see her in _Phoebe in Wonderland_ -- not for kids) from this movie. She and sister Dakota do the voices for Satsuki (Dakota) and Mei (Elle). I was concerned the ill mother or Mei running off might be bothersome for my sensitive daughter, but it is handled so sensitively -- and not at all "Hollywood-ized," exploited, or otherwise over-dramatized -- that she just rolls with it. I highly recommend it as a quality movie for both parents and kids.
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
Pleasant Surprise
I thought my 2 YO would not sit through it, especially as it is not action-packed, but it definitely held his attention. I think the kids in the movie are so true to life that mine could totally relate to them. A nice, imaginative film with none of the wiseacre humor so prevalent in so many of today's pop movies.
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
Wonderful film for all ages
Our kids (5 and 2) absolutely love Totoro and have watched it countless times already. It is so unlike other movies for children, devoid of the typical violence and special effects, yet is wildly imaginative and engaging. It's a very tranquil movie, perfect with popcorn before bed.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- My highlights are:
Great for all ages, including adults.
Fantastic movie! My kids watch this one over and over again. It's a little scary when the younger girl disappears trying to get to the hospital by herself, but that doesn't last long and has a fine resolution. Their mother's stay in the hospital is handled well.
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I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
very sad but very good
very sad in some parts.
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
A pleasure for everyone.
This movie has been a family favorite since the first time we put it in the DVD player. My husband and I think that either every artist on the movie had a 3 year old, or they imported some to watch for hours and hours --- the depictions of Mei were so *perfect* in capturing the zest for life and curiosity of that age. We enjoyed talking with our kids about Totoro as a spirit, as a guardian angel, and as part of a belief system different from, but just as magical, as our own.
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
its very fun and very cute and very harry
I love totoro and his big fat belly he is my favorite ball of fluff
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
Totoro !!!
My two boys love this movie!
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Go for the Vintage version for all ages
there is the "old" version and the newer Disneyized version. The Disney version is very dissapointing when compared to the nuances and little revelations of the vintage version. The older one is the translated Japanese version. The Japanese viewpoint on the reverence of nature is more apparent and more meaningful. Disney is almost insulting in its main streaming changes.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
What a kids' movie should be
A loving father is always a plus. No stupid adults is another. Add a sense of wonder and caring, and you have a movie that should be a cornerstone of a child's film literature. Children may need help understanding some of the emotional content, but that's not a bad thing. Messages: Trust. Wonder. Concern for the sick. Role models: Father who cares for his children. Neighbor who tells stories. A child who undertakes a daring journey to comfort her ill mother. An entire village who looks for the missing girl.
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My highlights are:
Great for 3 year olds and parents alike!
What a wonderful film! Not only is it my 3 year old daughter's favorite movie, but it holds up to repeated viewings by Dad as well. It's hard to find movies that are appropriate for toddlers - to find one that adults can watch as well is even harder! I know there are some concerns about the scene where the father is bathing with his girls - all I can say is that there is absolutely nothing sexual about it, and I'm guessing (as I'm not Japanese) that this is simply a cultural difference. In any case, I don't feel it's anything to be concerned about.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
I saw this 5 years ago
there was a part wherethe dads naked with his kids in a hot tub thing lots of kids i my class metioned that
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
Sweet, funny, unique
This is a terrific film. There is a bit of scary stuff with the talk of huanted houses and some loud growling and strange scurring creatures, but all that is side-stepped by the girls giggling and delighted reactions and their overall curiousity of the unknown. I found this movie to be delightfully sweet and wonderfully devoid of the usual fare of action-packed chases and predictable dramas. I love the strong girl message and the wonder and magic found in the mysterious creatures the girls befriend. The movie embraces and celebrates the magical world of childhood. I recommned this movie for the whole family.
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
Great movie
This is a REALLy cute movie that I loved ever since I was like 3. You can't watch this movie and not be happy. It's so CUTE!!
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Ratings at a Glance
| 64% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 43% | of parents say there are good role models |
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