My Neighbor Totoro
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 This is the one you want This is the definitive English-dubbed version. You've got to have it. Steer clear of the Disney product. They butchered Totoro. I concur that a full-blown multi-disc DVD would be nice, but then you might be settling for Disney dubbing. And all the good Fox version DVD's will be bought up and no longer available. Or they will be $200 collector's items. I truly hate what Disney does to Japanese film. All the film's messages are reduced to a slow 1st grade reading level. Americanisms are substituted for Japanisms. Famous AMerican actors are used for the voices. Very distracting. Get a clue, Disney. I'm trying to watch a Japanese film so I can see a Japanese film. I don't need it dumbed down and Americanized. Note that the above criticism is directed agaist the Disney product. This Fox product is great. Whatever anime you can get your hands on that Disney hasn't touched, congratulations. I hate what Disney does to anime ever more than I hate Ted Turner for colorizing everything, but it's the same kind of hate. terrific, original story very nice to have little girls as the primary characters. Well written dynamic between the sisters, showing how a big sister tends to look out for her younger siblings, and how very young children feel about being told what to do. The magical world and characters that the girls discover at their summer home is a great connection to the imaginary play that I see in the younger children. Its a little long for the little ones(3- 4.5 yrs) but my 5 year old enjoys the whole movie on an indoor day or long trip. We watched Sprirted Away first, another great movie, but its not really for little ones (some "scary" characters and a separation from parents). In this movie, the girls' are concerned about their mother who is recuperating, but that is not the focus of the story, and I think its good to present the idea that little kids could sometimes have an ill or recuperating parent. (Instead of just dead, like so many of the princess movies) Be Aware of the Different Releases! There are two English Language releases. Disney Released the New two disc set in 2006 and put Dakota and Elle Fanning in as actresses for Satsuki and Mei. I feel the older Fox release is more charming. My girls ages 11 and 16 still love this movie after watching it for years but they were very dissapointed after watching the Disney release, it's just not the same! Don't miss this film My son and I are huge Studio Ghibli fans. My son is 20 months old and "totoro" was one of his first words. We watch My Neighbor Totoro in both Japanese and English (he doesn't seem to care which language). I love the original film but I think that the Disney dubbing is wonderfuly done as well. I love the opportunity to share well made movies with well thought out plots and characterization with the children in my life. I am glad Disney is releasing wonderful English versions of these films. | |||||||||||||
