Episode 85: My Neighbor Totoro

Published: Aug. 25, 2017, 9 a.m.

Originally released in 1988, My Neighbor Totoro is often considered to be the seminal film from acclaimed writer/director Hayao Miyazaki and his animation team at Studio Ghibli. It's a film that changed the face of anime and had a profound cultural impact, both in its native Japan and across the world. But, how does it fare when viewed from the lens of three anime-ignorant film enthusiasts? Does the style prove distancing? Or, did we fall for Totoro's simple charms?