Totoro's neighbours.

Rating: 10/10 (2 October 2019)

Taking part in ICM's Japanese viewing challenge in September,I set my goal to be 31 films in 30 days. Hitting number 30,I started planning for what the big final movie would be.
Having initial talked to fellow IMDber manfromplanetx about the revival screening I attended of Howl's Moving Castle, (2004-also reviewed) which led to a continuing discussion across September after Man had glimpsed at the works of Hayao Miyazaki,which led to me deciding that the 31st viewing would be me going over to my neighbour for a new Miyazaki.
View on the film:
Crafting what would later become the Studio Ghibli mascot in the cute King Totoro, writer/directing auteur Hayao Miyazaki invites the viewer to be a neighbour next to a atmosphere of pure joy, magicked in enchanting character designs fluidly animated, rolling up to the beaming smile of King Totoro, stepping on board the living fur ball cat bus (!),and sliding down to earth in the delicately drawn faces of Satsuki and Mei filled with wonder at Totoro, but fear over their mums stay in hospital.
Bouncing deep into the woods, Miyazaki brings nature to life with a astonishing attention to detail, bringing the audience into the heavy rain the girls get caught in by dripping 1000's of individually animated rain drops on the front of the screen, and each leaf and tree branch (all done without CGI) glowing from a lush green appearance.
Originally planned to just feature one girl, Hayao Miyazaki's move to instead create Mei and Satsuki pays off in splendid fashion, as the traditional story arc/dialogue of a boo-hiss baddie and slap-stick jokes is brushed aside with ease,thanks to Miyazaki treating the viewer with the chance to follow Satsuki and Mei's friendship with Totoro and exploration of the woods.
Partly inspired by Miyazaki growing up with his brothers as their mum spent years in hospital suffering from spinal tuberculosis for nine years,Miyazaki draws a heart-felt passion the girls express in the love for their mother, which grows along with Miyazaki continuing to plant nature as a theme across his works, in green shoots of hope coming into Satsuki and Mei's life,from their neighbour Totoro.