Rating: 
Summary: Excellent, wholesome story for children both young and old.
Review: My daughter loves Totoro. It is a story about Satsuke and her sister Mei and how they deal with moving to a new house, their mother's illness, and making friends with the "King of the Forest", TOTORO. There is no violence, foul language, and only one innocent piece of nudity (Satsuke getting into the bathtub). I would recommend this movie to anyone. END
Rating:
Summary: TOTORO: Tonari no Totoro "My neighbor Totoro"
Review: Totoro, in my daughter's opinion, is not just her favourite movie, but like the Velveteen Rabbit-- "really real". She believes thoroughly that Totoros truly exist. Totoros are magical kami/sprite beings that perhaps only children (and adults who believe) can see. My daughter has "seen" Totoros (especially the big gray one, the "Totoro") and they live for her moreso than Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. We have searched high and low in Japanese grocery stores and comic book stores that sell "anime" (japanese animation)in the United States for Totoro dolls and "Cat bus" toys. As for her parents, no movie since Star Wars has transformed us in our hearts and minds, and we have enticed adults who would never even look at animation as an adult oeuvre to "experience" Totoro. The producer of the this movie, Miyazaki Hayao, has provided us a world where magic exists, children can be believed, and, whenever, you need help, Totoro, is there beside you. See it and it will change you! END
Rating:
Summary: My mother's childhood Japan
Review: Gorgeous backround art, adults who don't ridicule children and their magical perspectives, and a story which touches on yet resolves a common childhood fear...my children and I all loved My Neighbor Totoro. We saw it playing by chance at a local video store, were immediately entranced by its beauty, and kept watching because of the story and characters. The main characters are two young sisters and their father coping with the prolonged illness of the mother. Through the magic of a wondrous and kind creature, they gain the courage to hope. My mother, who was raised in Japan, said this animated movie depicts the countryside as she remembers it: Green, ancient, and with room to play and imagine. END
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible movie - but something's missing (the fifth star!)
Review: Every good thing you've read in these reviews is correct. This is an absolute feast for the eyes and imagination.... however.... this edition is not widescreen, it's pan & scan (full screen), so you'll miss some of this animator's breathtaking scenery and composition. Miyazaki's artistry is such that he uses every single inch of space on a screen, and for me, to watch it in pan & scan is to insult his work. Unfortunately there is no "complete" version of the film available here yet, although Disney is supposed to be releasing one when FOX's rights to the film have expired. All the other available works by Miyazaki are done beautifully in the United States. It's a travesty that this "signature" film of his is still only available in this "somewhat less than whole" version. So buy this and watch it, but only if you promise yourself to re-buy it when the whole film becomes available. I've seen this picture many, many times (I'm 45 years old - so it really is for kids of all ages) and it has something new for me every time I see it. Plus, I've seen it both wide-screen AND pan & scan (full screen) and I can tell you that the difference is worth seeking out (it's available wide from Japan and China if you own an all-region DVD player) or waiting until it comes out properly here. WIDESCREEN - 5 stars
Full Screen - 4 (maybe 3.5) stars
Rating:
Summary: There should be a way of giving an extra Half star
Review: For those of you who have not bought any of the 2003 releases of the Ghibli films (Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Sprited Away) that Disney has done, go and do so. They are Meticulus with the subtitled versions (But that just might be Gibli's doing) and the extra features that are invloved Might Make it worth the (...) price (...) any of the Ghibli films are a great way to get some you know to watch anime Because the plots are that well thought out. This Film is no exception from this studio.
Rating:
Summary: Very Nice Story and Beautiful Animation
Review: Japanese animated feature about two young girls who meet a supernatural creature, or spirit, named "Totoro." Director Miyazaki's talents shine in this movie with beautiful animation and simple pleasures. The story is set in the late 1950's when a college professor moves to the country with his two daughters who are approximately five and eight years of age. The family is happy for the most part, but their mother is confined to a hospital for an illness not identified in the story. The girls are enchanted with their new home, an old spacious house situated in the country, surrounded by farms and forests. Unusual events begin to take place with mysterious little creatures running around the house and strange winds and noises outside the house at night. Eventually the girls discover Totoro, a large mythical creature who looks like a cross between a bear and rabbit; he's big! Mei, the youngest of the two girls, meets him first and she's the one who names him "Totoro." Satsuki, the older sister, meets Totoro later in the film while waiting for her father at a lonely bus-stop during an evening rainstorm, which is probably the most enjoyable scene in the movie. With Totoro are his two little brothers, miniature versions of himself, and a giant cat who looks like a bus. Totoro and the giant Catbus come to the rescue when Mei is lost in the country after running off in anguish to look for her mother at the hospital, and Satsuki is in dispair trying to find her sister. The story is simple and it's enchanting. Disney fans may love it or hate it for being a different form of animation and story-telling. I personally enjoy it very much because it's an original story and it's a nice break from American animated features that always seem to have inanimate objects dancing around and singing to a Hollywood soundtrack. The American-released VHS version has an english-dubbed voice-track that is pretty well done, unfortunately it is not letter-boxed and the music soundtrack has been muffled for whatever reason. The original Japanese version is letter-boxed, providing Miyzaki's original vision, which is quite good, and the instrumental soundtrack is at full-strength, which adds a lot to the movie. Unfortunately there are no english subtitles available. Hopefully a DVD release will give American customers the best of both versions soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Marvellous film, but beware this Fox release
Review: Charm, wisdom and beauty - Miyazaki style. "Totoro" is a real winner for all the family, but I would advise prospective buyers to wait for the Disney/Buena Vista release later this year. This Fox version is full-screen, cutting down the viewing area, and is only available with English dubbed voices (the original Japanese with subtitles offers much more subtle performances for parental viewing!)
Rating:
Summary: Magical, very special, superb animation
Review: I was introduced to the magical animation of Hiyao Miyazaki through "Kiki's Delivery Service". This is just as good, with a more Japanese setting than the European-looking "Kiki", alhough my one (tiny and insignificant) complaint -- or really, just a question: Why do many characters LOOK european - round eyes and red or brown hair - when the setting is clearly in Japan? However, this takes nothing away from the chance to experience a master animator working at the very peak of his form, in a superb, naturalistic style that makes most contemporary animation look harsh, "cutesy", and talks down to children. The sensitive well developed story would fascinate children of all ages, as well as compell the interest of adults. It's a shame that this breathtaking film cannot be enjoyed on the big screen, but do NOT miss the opportunity to own your own video copy to view again and again! (P.S. I agree with other readers that Totoro toys would be just wonderful, and picture books of both Kiki and Totoro for young readers would be a marvellous addition to any child's library!) In an era of glitsy computer animation, this film is a stand-out in terms of both it's intelligent story and breathtaking, painterly art...a masterpiece. END
Rating: 
Summary: Five-star film; shoddy DVD
Review: It's obvious that Fox rushed this DVD out to capitalize on the acclaim for "Spirited Away" (and to cash in before their video rights lapse), as this is the shoddiest treatment imaginable, a disgrace considering that "Totoro" is one of the greatest animated films ever made. The pan-and-scan transfer is the exact same one as on the VHS edition (released nine years ago!), and there are no improvements in image quality-- this is one of the fuzziest-looking DVD's I've seen, and it doesn't begin to do justice to the detail of Miyazaki's art. The lack of a widescreen transfer hurts the film greatly-- notice how, in the scene where Mei first meets Totoro, most of his head disappears off the left side of the screen when he yawns, or how the scene where Mei runs around picking flowers loses almost half the original image. The dubbing is perfectly adequate (though nowhere near as good as the job John Lasseter did on "Spirited Away"), but really, all anime DVD's ought to be dual-language-- those of us who prefer the original Japanese audio track should have the choice available. The only reason I'm giving this disc more than one star is because any edition of "Totoro" is better than not having "Totoro" available at all. But if you have a player capable of playing Region 2 discs, get the Studio Ghibli import instead; it includes both the English and Japanese audio tracks (the subtitles are really dubtitles, but that's a minor inconvenience), a beautiful widescreen transfer, and a second disc filled with extras. Until Disney gets the rights and issues a comparable Region 1 edition, the Japanese release is the only way to truly experience this wonderful film.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Charming
Review: My Neighbor Totoro is great fun for adults and children alike. It also gives one a glimpse of 1940's era Japan, replete with scenic rice paddies, fashion, culture and tradition. Satsuki packs an oishii (delicious) lunch box for her family as she helps her father, a professor at a local University cope with the illness and absence of his wife.
Meanwhile a mystical Neko-bas (cat buss) gives the eldest daughter and her little sister (Mei) a ride to see their mother in the hospital. This tale is filled with delightful Totoros ranging from the smallest (kototoro) to the largest (ototoro) who greets the children with a mighty roar, however let's them fall asleep on his belly...Simply charming. The film maker, Hayao Miyazaki, contributes a valuable new addition to the world of animation comparable, yet distinct from Disney's finest classics. Jyodeki (very good).
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