My Neighbor Totoro

(This was originally going to be a Tumblr post, but it was too long / Tumblr just didn't want to post it... so I'm putting it here instead.)

Is it just me or is Big Totoro totally breaking the fourth wall?

I love this movie. It's one of the first films I can remember watching over and over and over again on our tiny little TV at home. It's a great movie, if you haven't seen it ten GO SEE IT NOW. YOU WILL THANK ME LATER.

However it sees that when people think of this movie they only think about the adorable Totoros...

Did you know that "Totoro" comes from Mei's
mispronunciation of the Japanese word for Troll?

While they are indeed quite cool and awsome (my favorite is the big grey one) My Neighbor Totoro isn't really about the Totoros... it's really about two sisters, Mei and Satsuki.

From Right To Left: Satsuki, Mei & Their Mother

Satsuki is 10/11, her little sister Mei is around 5. Their mother is suffering from some long term illness (apparently the whole thing was inspired by Ghibli's mom, who had tuberculosis) and is in the hospital recovering. Meanwhile the two girls have moved to a house in the country to be closer to their mother. They live with their father, who is a university professor.

Their Father... who I think looks a lot like my dad.

Much Of The Following Is My Personal Opinion

For me the more interesting of the two girls has always been Satsuki, the older sister.

Satsuki The Badass Big Sister

Mei is too young to really understand how sick their mother is. Satsuki isn't. Satsuki has reached the age when she understands the concept of death and, in my opinion, has started to lose hope that her mother is gonna get well and come home. Satsuki knows that Mei still 100% believes that their mom is gonna get well and come home... and she's worried about what will happen to Mei if/when their mother dies.

Because of this Satsuki starts to take on added responsibilities around the house, in an attempt to become a sort of replacement mother for her little sister and to keep her family together. She cleans up the house, she does laundry, she makes meals, including boxed lunches for her father and little sister.

I hate fish and this still looks delicious.

Throughout the movie we see Satsuki trying to become a mother figure for Mei... although this is something that is easy to miss/not pay attention to the first time you see the film.

Satsuki taking care of Mei.

Of course Satsuki is only 10/11 and this is a lot of stress for a young girl to have... so it starts to take a toll on her. She hides it really well, but every now and then you can see it.

Like Right Before Totoro Shows Up At The Bus Stop

The girls' mother was going to come home for a visit, but she gets worse and has to cancel. Both Satsuki and Mei are saddened by this, although Satsuki is more troubled because, for her, it indicates that she was right, that her mom isn't going to gt better. The stress of trying to be a mom for Mei and her mother's illness becomes too much and Satsuki yells at Mei and runs off. Mei, believing that she can cure her mom with healthy food, runs away to go visit her... without telling anyone.

I still have nightmares about this happening to my little sister.

And this is when Satsuki becomes a BADASS BIG SISTER. She doesn't just stay at home and wait for other people to find her sister, SHE GOES OUT AND LOOKS FOR HER. Not only that, but she RUNS OVER THE ENTIRE GODDAMN WORLD, and she keeps running EVEN AFTER HER FEET ARE DIRTY AND PROBABLY BLEEDING.

Dude, even Totoro is impressed by Satsuki's will to find her sister.

This is the part of the movie where Satsuki realizes that, even if she still wants/needs to be there for Mei, she's not alone. She's got her dad, she's got the nice old lady down the roads, she's got the simi love interest... and she's got magical creatures willing to help her out. Satsuki learns that it's okay for her to want to protect Mei, but she needs to take care of/protect herself as well.

Satsuki gets help from her magical friends.

And of course we get the amazing happy ending that still leaves me in tears.

Happy tears, but tears never the less.

And that's why I love My Neighbor Totoro. Cause Satsuki's a badass big sister... and the movie is just awesome on every level.

Totoro, Totoro! Totoro, Totoro!

Till next time, I remain....
~The BJC