A Sweet and Charming Timeless Classic!

Rating: 8/10 (21 July 2012)

As we all know, Hayao Miyazaki is a master story-teller and animation director. This movie is one of his earlier gems, released back in 1988.
With a warm & friendly story, and interesting characters & situations, the visually arresting movie takes us on a joy ride. No Villains, No Songs, No Adult humour - Just a simple adventurous journey of two sisters. The human characters are so real, lively and sincere. Their interaction with the warm and likable fantasy characters is enjoyable. A person of any age and taste can enjoy the movie. It delights you, without being crude or vulgar.
Trivia: The movie is slightly autobiographical. When Miyazaki and his brothers were children, his mother suffered from spinal tuberculosis for nine years, and spent much of her time hospitalized. It is implied, yet never revealed in the film, that Satsuki and Mei's mother also suffers from tuberculosis. He once said the film would have been too painful for him to make if the two protagonists were boys instead of girls.