When I tell someone that my main area of film research is Studio Ghibli films, there is a fifty percent chance that the next question I get will be: “So did you hear about the theory that Totoro is actually a vicious death god?” Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. I don’t blame anyone who thinks that — the long-standing attempt at simplifying […]
The personal mythology behind My Neighbor Totoro
The secret link between Grave of the Fireflies and My Neighbor Totoro
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 […]