Laputa: Castle in the Sky

The next film I'll be reviewing is Studio Ghibli's Laputa: Castle in the Sky, or more commonly known as Castle in the Sky. This movie was made in 1986, one of the first films Studio Ghibli put out, but it is also one of the most beloved.

 

This movie is about a girl, Sheeta, who possesses a magical stone called etherium, and she is caught between two groups that want to steal her and her stone away: the army and air pirates. When she escapes from the army, she falls to her certain death but is rescued by the stone itself. It helps her to float safely down into the arms of a miner boy, Pazu, who spots her glowing from a good distance away.

Pazu helps her out by taking her back to his place and keeping her safe out of the reach of the pirates and army, but only for a little while. Throughout their adventure, they learn what it truly means to have the etherium stone and how powerful Sheeta's true name really is. They even manage to befriend the pirates who help them reach Laputa.

When they reach Laputa, though, it's up to Sheeta and Pazu to save it from the evil clutches of Muska, who also has his own little secret to share. Can the two really save Laputa, the floating city in the sky, before Muska tries to take over?

Well, you'll just have to watch to find out.

This movie is rated PG. I believe kids should watch this movie because there are deep meanings within the movie that will help a kid, and even an adult, to understand the relationship we humans share with nature and how we aren't doing what we can to understand that relationship.

This movie is one of my favorites, to be sure. It has a simple romance between the main characters Sheeta and Pazu that doesn't go beyond the two just wanting to be there for each other and save each other, no matter the cost. There is no kissing or anything like that, but I think that makes the relationship between the two even that much stronger. Plus, they're only teenagers probably no older than 13 or 14, so I'm not expecting much.

There are characters to fall in love with, a villain to hate - and a villain to love. There are goofy characters, and characters that you just can't help but feel sorry for. There are deep meanings in this movie as well as scenes that you can't believe that just happened. Then there are times when you question what this movie, this story, has to offer us in return.

I definitely recommend seeing this movie. If you're not looking deeper into the meanings, than this movie is also just great to watch. Check out the trailer below to see what you think.

For my next blog post I'll discuss some of the characters from Castle in the Sky. And then I'm also going to try my hand at amigurumi - possibly Teto from Nausicaa: Of the Valley of the Wind or Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service. Either way, stay tuned!

The Characters of Arrietty

The characters of Studio Ghibli's The Secret World of Arrietty are as diverse as the world itself. I'm going to talk about each of the characters before giving my own two cents about them. Let's start with the main character (and who the movie is about): Arrietty.

 

Arrietty is what you would call a "Borrower." The Borrowers are little people (really little people) that live in houses made from the many items they borrow. They don't steal, but rather they borrow things people won't miss - such as a single sugar cube, a single tissue, a missing pin - and use it for themselves to survive.

Arrietty, herself, is a very independent 13 year old Borrower who just wants to be like her father and go out into the world to start her first borrowing. She is also not afraid to take risks, as at the beginning of the movie she is out collecting herbs from the surrounding foliage and she is seen by the main male character, Shawn. Though she is told not to trust humans by her father, she can't help but be curious.

She meets with Shawn, even though her father has told her that humans are dangerous, and tells him to leave them alone. She also can't help but be a little amazed at how Shawn saves her life when a blackbird tries to attack her.

Arrietty is a relateable character because she is how we would imagine a 13 year old to be - ready to grow up, takes risks, unafraid of the world. But she grows up during this time as she has to rescue her mother and use Shawn's help. I feel like she is able to grow up a lot in this movie because she faces "real life" trials and troubles, and she makes a friend doing it.

Next up: Shawn.

 Shawn is a sickly character that is introduced at the beginning of the movie - his heart is weak. And so we see him mostly in his bedroom during the movie. He is very kindhearted and is willing to do whatever it takes to help out Arrietty. He's fascinated by them, of course, but knows he can't reveal them to anyone in the household. Shawn is also very soft-spoken and doesn't show much emotion, but toward the end he shows that he can be sneaky, caring, and unafraid to do whatever it takes to help a friend - even if it means dying.

I think that Shawn is very mature for his age (I believe it's 13, too), and knows when and when not to speak or act. I think that maybe he should have had a different voice actor or have shown more emotion, but alas, there isn't much to do about that. I like how helpful he is to Arrietty, and even though he's genuinely trying to be helpful, Arrietty, at first, doesn't see it that way.

Next: Hara.

Hara is the crazy maid of the house who claims that she knows the little people (Borrowers) live in the house, but can't find any proof. She's very sneaky, nosy, and very... annoying. I don't like her. But anyway, Hara ends up finding Arrietty's house and even captures her mom to show to the rest of the world. Even when she captures Homily (Arrietty's mom) she calls the pest control guys to come over and look for more. You think she's crazy by the end, even though you know the truth, and wish she would just get fired. At least I did. I don't like her.

Next: Homily and Pod

These are the parents of Arrietty, and are quite the opposite of one another. Homily is the "stay-at-home mom" who is constantly worried for the well being of her daughter and husband, constantly over reacting (in a goofy way) about their whereabouts and just what is going on in the world around them.

Pod, on the other hand, is very self-controlled and confident, only trying to protect his family and do what he can in the outside world to help them survive. The two are quite opposite but go well together perfectly. Though they don't have an overbearing presence in the film, Homily is captured by Hara, and since Pod's leg was sprained, it makes it much more difficult to help.

There are several other characters in Arrietty that make a presence, such as Nina, the cat, Spiller, another Borrower (the first they've seen in a long time), and Shawn's Aunt Jessica. But they are more background characters.

Pretty much, I feel that the characters are stereotypical of what we would expect to find in a story like this: the heroine is independent and ready to do whatever it takes to save her mom; the hero is ready to help the heroine no matter the cost, even his own life; the maid is nosy, conniving, the antagonist; the over-protective parents just trying to give their daughter the best life they can in the world. But it still makes for a good story. I enjoyed this film, and even though the characters a little cookie cutter, I find myself loving Homily, Arrietty, Shawn, and even Jessica (who is rarely seen during the movie). If you want to make your own conclusions of the characters, you'll just have to watch and see for yourself!

The Secret World of Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty is about a family of "Borrowers," or otherwise known as "the little people," who live in their own tiny house in the basement of Shaun's (the main male character) aunt's house. The story starts with Shaun having to stay at his aunt's house because of his weak heart, and when he arrives he sees Arrietty, the young borrower who is gathering various herbs and plants from the yard. Over time, Shaun and Arrietty become friends, even though Arrietty was told that "beings" are dangerous.

Eventually Arrietty's mother gets kidnapped by the maid of the aunt's house, and the woman calls the exterminators to have a look and catch the "special pests" in the house. Arrietty and Shaun work together to save Arrietty's mother, even though they face many potentially dangerous and troublesome trials along the way.

I feel that this movie was actually a really good one. I guess it's based off of "The Borrowers" series by Mary Norton - with a touch of Studio Ghibli! When I watched this movie I once again couldn't get over how amazing the details of the background are and I wonder how much time is actually put into each scene of these amazing animated movies.

In terms of the characters I felt that Arrietty was definitely a teen that probably most people could relate to: she's adventurous, out-spoken, and just itching to go explore the bigger world beyond her own home. She's pretty much ready to grow up, which is something probably all teenagers can relate to at one point in their lives. Shaun is a decent character, but I'm not really sure his voice actor, David Henrie, did a great job of it. I felt Shaun was too quiet too often, as he didn't really talk much above a hushed tone. But other than that, the other characters were either loveable (Arrietty's parents) or unlikeable (the maid... during certain moments, anyway).

There are plenty of scenes where you'll find yourself laughing, scenes where you'll be in suspense, and scenes that you just want to watch over and over again.

The movie is rated G. I do recommend this movie, but don't get your heart set on a definite romance if that's what you're hoping for.

Click the trailer below to watch!

The Characters of My Neighbor Totoro

So let's take a look at the character's of Studio Ghibli's "My Neighbor Totoro." There are a plethora of loveable characters in this movie, but let me start with Totoro himself.

 

Totoro is a spirit of the forest who dwells in a very large camphor tree on the Kusukabe's  new property. He is the largest totoro that lives there and is very...loud. Totoro is an easily loveable character that grows on you from the very beginning with his eyes closed in sleep. He snores and only wakes up when Mei starts to tickle his nose. But soon he goes right back to sleep.

Totoro is a fun character because of his goofy personality. He'll always have a big grin on his face when he wants to do something or he's ready to do something, otherwise he'll have a very curious expression as he figures out what he's doing or how things work (like the rain drops hitting an umbrella). He also helps to create the wind over the grass and helps trees to grow.

Totoro may be a semi-quiet (he roars) character, but he's also one of the most loveable characters in any Studio Ghibli film. I love the fact that he helps nature grows and flourish and that he'll be seen by people he wants to be seen by. It's great that not everyone can see him because otherwise it wouldn't be as great of a movie as it is; it wouldn't be able to strike up the imagination like it does.

Next up: Satsuki

 

Satsuki Kasukabe is a young girl (probably around 10-13 years old) who is very mature for her age. She thinks she has to be because her mom is sick in the hospital and she is the older sister. She knows how to cook and clean, but she's also full of a lot of energy. Even at the very beginning you see her doing cartwheels and running around the house at a fast pace.

One thing that's very noticeable is how much she cares for her sister. Like all sisters, they fight, but she does everything she can to try to find Mei. And even though she doesn't believe in Totoro at first, he decides to reveal himself to her and she can't help but look amazed. She even goes to Totoro for help when Mei gets lost. She grows immensely as a young lady, and you also get to see how she's been having her emotions well up for a long time. She tries to be strong, but she's still a young girl worried for her mom.

Next: Mei

 

Mei Kusukabe is a small girl, probably no older than 4 years old, who loves to do exactly what her big sister does. At the beginning of the movie she's like Satsuki's shadow, following her around and doing exactly as she does. Mei is an adorable character who is the first to see the small white totoro, the blue totoro, and then meet Totoro himself.

Like all little girls, she can also be a cry baby when someone does something she doesn't like. She especially gets upset with Satsuki when she tells Mei to stop acting like such a baby. In fact, she runs away to go visit her mom in the hospital, but ends up getting lost. Though the two have their differences, they do have one thing in common: Totoro.

Next: Catbus

 

Now there isn't much to know or say about the Catbus other than this is probably the most easily recognizable and unique character in the movie. Catbus has 12 legs (6 pairs), two mice for red lights at the top, yellow eyes that glow like headlights, and a big, bushy tail. But what makes him so awesome? Just the fact that he's a CatBUS. The door to the bus open with a funny sound and the interior is all fur. Must be comfy. Though he isn't really a main character, I wanted to give him some honorable mention. 

Even though Granny, the girls' father, and a few others are secondary characters, I won't be mentioning them here in much detail. Yes, they all have their own important roles to play, but the movie was definitely more about Totoro, Satsuki, and Mei. I feel as though the characters, and the voices behind them, truly act their age and show a development as Totoro makes more of an appearance in their lives. Whether or not he'll appear in their lives all the time is another question all together, but that's for a different time.

My Neighbor Totoro

Many of you may have seen this as a kid, but perhaps not. Studio Ghibli's "My Neighbor Totoro" is definitely a classic and one that kids should definitely see!

 

This movie is about a family that moves out to the country because of their ailing mom at the hospital. When they move there, they find out that they're house is haunted with soot sprites and there are acorns all around the floors and out in the yard. The father and two young girls, Satsuki and Mei, laugh their fears away and the soot sprites move out. Later, the youngest girl, Mei (in the picture above), discovers a small "totoro" (troll) that is transparent, and as she chases him around her yard, she discovers another, larger totoro carrying a bag of acorns. As she chases them into the woods, she then enters into Totoro's (the big furry troll in the picture above) home - inside a very large camphor tree!

After tickling Totoro awake and falling asleep on top of him, Mei finds herself awake in a grove of trees where her sister, Satsuki, and her father find her. The story goes on where Satsuki is then able to see Totoro herself and the two girls have several adventures with him, including waiting for their dad at a bus stop in the rain, riding a catbus, making a forest grow in their yard, and making the wind rush by.

This story is a very adorable plot line filled with some heart warming and funny moments. The movie is rated G. If you have kids, this would definitely be something to show them! It allows the imagination to grow, in my opinion, and sets out a belief that there are amazing things out there to discover - only if they want to be!

I love this movie, personally, as it was actually one of my first anime films I watched as a child. The graphics are simple, but perfect, and like always, the scenery is beautiful! The characters are ones that you can relate to on a personal level and think about how you were as a kid. There are real life struggles that don't seem so far out of reach, but there is also hope in them. And then there's the fantasy, the magic, that spreads throughout the story as it introduces Totoro himself!

This is actually one of the most famous characters, and Totoro is also Studio Ghibli's logo that shows before every movie of theirs! (It's also my background on the blog!)

If you're interested in a good kid's movie with adventure, fun, and laughs, this is definitely one to watch!

Click the trailer below to take a peak at what this movie has to offer!