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Follow The Moon Rabbit

There's a myth behind every story  -  and behind every myth, there's you.

The personal mythology behind My Neighbour Totoro

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My Neighbour Totoro is regarded as one of the more simple Studio Ghibli films. It’s actually one of the most complex. On the surface, it really is about two young girls meeting a fluffy forest creature and having some fantastic fun in the Japanese countryside. Below that surface, there’s a lot more going on if you know a bit about Japanese mythology and how this film connects to the studio’s companion work, Grave of the Fireflies.
(And no, this has nothing to do with that “theory” about Totoro you might have heard. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.)

My Neighbour Totoro is regarded as one of the more simple Studio Ghibli films. It's actually one of the most complex. On the surface, it really is about two young girls meeting a fluffy forest creature and having some fantastic fun in the Japanese countryside. Below that surface, there's a lot more going on if you know a bit about Japanese mythology and how this film connects to the studio's companion work, Grave of the Fireflies. (And no, this has nothing to do with that "theory" about Totoro you might have heard. In fact, it's quite the opposite.)

The secret link between Grave of the Fireflies and My Neighbour Totoro

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You see, Grave of the Fireflies is already routinely called “the greatest anti-war film of all time” and “the saddest film of all time” (both of which I agree with). But there’s an extra layer to this Studio Ghibli classic if you know the context in which it was made. And because of how these […]

My Neighbour Totoro Talk

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Part of Picturehouse’s Ghibli season 8th August, 2018 | 18:30, Duke of York’s, Brighton All aboard the Catbus! Dive into the unexplored depths of the world of Ghibli wit our resident film analyst and Ghibli geek Adam Dobay. A short intro at the start of each film will reveal new ways to immerse yourself in […]

Princess Mononoke-talk

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Part of Picturehouse’s Ghibli season 13th August, 2018 | 18:00, Duke of York’s, Brighton All aboard the Catbus! Dive into the unexplored depths of the world of Ghibli wit our resident film analyst and Ghibli geek Adam Dobay. A short intro at the start of each film will reveal new ways to immerse yourself in […]

Howl’s Moving Castle Talk

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Part of the Picturehouse Miyazaki series 8th April, 12:00, Duke of York’s, Brighton All aboard the Catbus! Dive into the unexplored depths of the world of Ghibli wit our resident film analyst and Ghibli geek Adam Dobay. A short intro at the start of each film will reveal new ways to immerse yourself in these […]

Spirited Away Talk

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Part of Picturehouse’s Ghibli Season 15th August, 2018 | 18:30, Duke of York’s, Brighton All aboard the Catbus! Dive into the unexplored depths of the world of Ghibli wit our resident film analyst and Ghibli geek Adam Dobay. A short intro at the start of each film will reveal new ways to immerse yourself in […]

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