Sometimes You Have to Laugh for Problems to Go Away

Rating: 10/10 (22 February 2015)

"There are dark dust bunnies all over the top floor!" "Just laugh, they are scared of us laughing." —Mei and an old lady, My Neighbor Totoro
There are a lot of amazing movies that address a variety of different topics. Some, like American Sniper, talk about patriotism; some, like Now You See Me, question the perception of reality. These movies may be entertaining and great to watch; however, they will never be good enough to remain in memory of an audience for decades. Only a few, unique movie titles will be able to survive through time and remain in the history of cinematography as unique works of art. What makes these masterpieces so distinct is their ability to point directly to the heart of an audience and make each individual question his or her life rather than philosophically think about the world. My Neighbor Totoro could definitely be considered as one of these masterpieces. The movie's uniqueness lies in the ability to make adults feel young again; this allows My Neighbor Totoro to treat the audience of all ages in the same way. Hayao Miyazaki desired his work to convey the importance of fighting one's fears and helping each other. These lessons are equally important for children as well as adults.
From the very beginning the movie grabs the audience's attention by the relations between two girls. Film critique Roger Ebert writes:"...it would never have won its worldwide audience just because of its warm heart. It is also rich with human comedy in the way it observes the two remarkably convincing, lifelike little girls" (2). These sisters show us an absolutely selfless love that is not based on any material benefit. They seem to be two perfect children that play with each other outside and do not care about any of the troubles of an outside world. Mei and Satsuki support each other despite everything and, above all, they never question each other's loyalty. Such a good pair of heroes makes every adult think about his or her childhood. As the author of article from EmpireOnline states, "Totoro's an out-and-out joy to watch, a subtle, atmospheric slice of childhood, perfectly capturing the naivety, the delight, and the mystery that is part of being a child" (60). The movie reminds an older audience of times when they were young. There were no responsibilities, all the friendships seemed eternal, and there was no reason to worry about anything other than boogeyman in the closet or health of loved ones. For the vast majority of an older audience the movie brings these vivid images back and lets them feel young again despite the fact that they most likely are already having children with whom they are watching this movie. The major topic of My Neighbor Totoro is fears and the ways to fight them. It seems to be traceable throughout the entire movie. Whether it is the fear of darkness and evil spirits or the fear for the parents, My Neighbor Totoro exposes it and shows that it may not be that scary after all. As the girls move into the haunted house, the only way to get rid of evil spirits is simply to laugh. This may sound weird and strange at the first thought; however, surprisingly, something as simple as laughing does indeed do a great job in getting rid of fears. Moreover, the elder audience may see this as a metaphor in a way. It is almost as if Miyazaki himself tries to tell us that the best way to approach the problems is to face them head on and not to be afraid of anything. This is especially seen when the girls find out that their mother will not come back home on the weekend; they got afraid for her health. Everyone who was at the point of knowing that his or her loved ones are in danger has experienced such an awful feeling. The scene shows that it is normal to be afraid for someone's health. Moreover, the movie shows the audience that they are not the only ones out there and there is always someone who would be willing to help. Totoro symbolizes this selfless friendship and empathy that people need when they face the challenges. As a movie reviewer White denotes about My Neighbor Totoro, "It doesn't use denial as a blanket. It presents a real world scary scenario, with the comfort being imagination and magic. We can get through anything with the right friend". In addition, there is a large emphasis on not giving up and fighting the fears or problems despite everything. This is the reason why Mei decided to run and visit her mother on her own. Had she not done this, there would have been no reason for Totoro to come and help her. Through this Hayao Miyazaki teaches the audience that problems and fears may not be that easy to overcome; however, there is always a need to fight.
My Neighbor Totoro is a unique work of art not only due to the fact that it addresses inner problems of the audience but also because it unifies the audience of all ages. It shows us that despite the age, we may not be different after all and adults may learn from kids as much as children may learn from adults around them. Of course, there have been other movies that addressed the exact same topic and even attempted to relate to the audience in the way My Neighbor Totoro did; however, they lack that unique feeling of childhood in them, the one that makes us want to watch Miyazaki's masterpiece over and over again and attempt to learn more from it.