My Neighbor Totoro

Finding Nemo CakeA cake featuring character from the movie “Finding Nemo”. Everything made with gumpaste.Anpanman CakeA cake based on Anpanman’s cartoon. Everything was made with gumpaste.Totoro CakeA cake based on Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro).Cars CakeA cake and cupcakes for a Hello Kitty themed party. All the decoration was made with gumpaste, the Hello Kitty figurine Read Full Story

Since many of you seem to be Hayao Miyazaki fans, here are some news I just learned about yesterday. From Asian Movie Pulse : Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli co-founder and director (Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, My Neighbors The Yamadas) has made the very exciting announcement that he will be directing a new feature-length film. Takahata is the “other” half of Studio Ghibli, and one of Japan’s most famous anime directors. With this new film, Takahata will be breaking a 10-year hiatus (his last feature film, My Neighbors the Yamadas, was released in 1999). His new film, Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the ... Read Full Story

As you know, ever since my friend Émilie helped me discover the man's body of work, I have become a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki. Beginning with Princess Mononoke ( Canada , USA , Europe ) and Spirited Away ( Canada , USA , Europe ), and then with Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Canada , USA , Europe ), I was hooked! The problem with such excitement was that I could have gone through this genius' entire body of work in the span of a few days. Hence, I decided to pace myself and try other styles to expand my anime ... Read Full Story

I dug up our DVD of My Neighbor Totoro and the plan is to watch it tonight.  (If you don't know this one, you've probably heard of some of Hayao Miyazaki's other great animated films: Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke). Christopher and I drew some of our favorite characters from the movie.  (Some of Con's as well, I happen to know).  These are Soot Sprites, basically animated dust bunnies with eyes who inhabit abandoned houses.   Here's the wikipedia entry on " susuwatari "--traveling soot. See also, http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/totoro/ and ... Read Full Story

This is a review of the motion picture score My Neighbor Totoro by Joe Hisashi . “Of Hisaishi’s early lighthearted works for Miyizaki Totoro has the most memorable personality” I’m only three scores into my Hisaishi review series and already I’m running out of introductions that resist redundancy. I’ve already referenced his gorgeous themes and how every orchestra he uses seems more energetic as a result of his conducting. I’ve stated that each score manages to stand on its own individual merits despite all his works featuring the same thematic and stylistic base. Well, check that, all but one: My Neighbor Totoro. The film ... Read Full Story