Summary: Hayao Miyazaki, Master of Japanese Animation

In the fifth chapter of the book "Hayao Miyazaki, Master of Japanese Animation" which was published by Stone Bridge Press in 1999, Helen McCarthy analyzed the story, origins and commentary of Miyazaki’s animation “My Neighbor Totoro”. McCarthy reported this animation is a story of Totoro and the other two girls Mei and Satsuki. In the animation, the author described that nature and imagination worked the magic for Mei and Satsuki when they most need help and comfort, showing them how powerful and how precious the beautiful world around them is. McCarthy reported Miyazaki created the central figure of Totoro because he inspired by his childish imaginings of fearsome creatures living in the forest; therefore, we also find the title tells us that humans and the rest of nature are neighbors, and Miyazaki wanted to show a sweet relationship between human and nature and the power of love. The author indicated that we can find a beauty of simplicity from this animation, and this beauty is from every detail and the story’s reality. The author showed that, in the animation, every tiny image shows a level of technical mastery; moreover, many settings in the animation are from the real Japanese families’ life. However, the author explained that it also brought the “culture alienating” to the American audiences because of different customs and mores in this animation. In the end, McCarthy concluded that My Neighbor Totoro’ s apparent simplicity masks a depth of wisdom and grace found in few works for any medium.