Totoro + Catbus = Happiness

Rating: 10/10 (23 May 2013)

I find really interesting that Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies were released in a double bill. More than the economical reasons behind it, I find interesting how both movies are focused on personal interactions (brother-sister, and sister-sister in Totoro), and how this can be drastically affected by the conditions. You might think that the siblings from Grave of the Fireflies could have had a similar life to the siblings in Totoro, if not for the circumstances.
What I loved about the movie: - They way they portrayed rural life in the 50s was really amazing. It reminded me of the lifestyle my dad told me he experienced when growing up. If you ever had the chance of visiting a small rural town, where technology had not made an impact yet, you could notice the type of lifestyle they portray in Totoro.

The plot is simple, and even though there are fantasy elements (Totoros and the catbus), they balance them with real life events (without making a lot of drama about it), such as the mom being sick, and the reaction of both kids to it.

The balance between fantasy and reality is achieved beautifully in Ghibli movies, and this one is among the best ones at achieving that balance. No wonder this movie is an animation classic Score (9)