My Neighbor Totoro Blu-ray

(aka "Tonari no Totoro" )

directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Japan 1988

Disney presents a Studio Ghibli film about the magic of friendship and sisterhood from Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki (Best Animated Feature, 2001, Spirited Away). Celebrate the 25th anniversary of My Neighbor Totoro – available for the first time on Disney Blu-ray, with a new HD digital transfer and perfect picture and sound!

Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei as they discover their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit named Totoro who can only be seen by the eyes of a child. As Totoro introduces the girls to his extraordinary friends, they embark on the journey of a lifetime. Featuring the voice talents of Tim Daly, Lea Salonga and real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning, My Neighbor Totoro is an amazing animated adventure the whole family will fall in love with.

***

To me, "My neighbor Totoro" is the best film ever by Miyazaki, and I really doubt that he ever will make a film as magical as this again.

While it lacks all signature leitmotives of Miyazaki's previous and following films, it is a timeless tale of how magical the world is thru the eyes of a child, here by the gentle trolls and the adventures of Mei. It may be naive, it may lack any social or gender context, but it ranks up there alongside Milne's Pooh and Carroll's Alice.

Henrik Sylow

Posters

Theatrical Release: April 16,1988 (Tokyo)

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Comparison

Optimum (The Studio Ghibli Collection) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Disney - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Henrik Sylow for the DVD Review!

1) Optimum (The Studio Ghibli Collection) - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT

2) Disney - Region FREE Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Cover
Distribution	Optimum Region 2 - PAL	Disney - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:22:52 (4% PAL speedup)	1:26:54.208
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.35 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,125,537,209 bytes Feature: 29,213,589,504 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Average Bitrate: 34.96 Mbps
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate Blu-ray
Audio	2.0 Dolby Digital Japanese, 2.0 Dolby Digital English (dub)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 2114 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2114 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 2027 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2027 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio Japanese 2050 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2050 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English (translated), English (HoH), None	English (SDH), English, French, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Optimum Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Original Trailers (2:45 / 4:3) • Alternate Storyboard • Textless Opening • Textless Closing • Howl's Moving Castle Trailer (1:36 / 16x9) • Studio Ghibli Collection DVD Release Date: March 27, 2006 Amaray Chapters 19	Release Information: Studio: Disney Aspect Ratio: 1:1.85 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,125,537,209 bytes Feature: 29,213,589,504 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Average Bitrate: 34.96 Mbps Edition Details: • Original Japanese Storyboards (1:26:22) • Creating My Neighbor Tortoro (2:58) • Creating the Characters (4:24) • The Tortoro Experience (2:00) • Producer's Perspective: Creating Ghibli (1:23) • The Locations of Tortoro (28:38) • Scoring Miyazaki (7:18) • Original Japanese Trailer (:53) • Behind the Microphone (5:39) NTSC DVD included Blu-ray Release Date: May 21st, 2013 Blu-ray Case inside cardboard slipcase Chapters: 12

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Disney - Region FREE Blu-ray - May 2013': Firstly, I don't think the My Neighbor Totoro is as improved over the DVDs as Howl's Moving Castle. But it is improved in several areas - notably artifacts present on the SD. The edge-enhancement on the SD becomes far more apparent when comparing to the 1080P (see sample below). Colors are tighter, smoother and brighter and the high bitrate helps produce as accurate visuals as one could expect. It looks fabulous in-motion.

Audio offers both the original Japanese in a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel stereo but defaults to the English DUB in a similarly strong audio transfer (note the title card has English). It sounds as wonderful as it looks with Joe Hisaishi's score exporting depth, range and healthy bass in the Totoro sound effects and the dialogue. There are optional subtitles and the box indicates the Blu-ray disc is region FREE.

Once again we get the original Japanese Storyboards and six segmented producer pieces on 'Creating My Neighbor Tortoro', Creating the Characters the more extensive The Locations of Tortoro and a piece on 'Scoring Miyazaki' with interview bytes in Japanese with English subtitles. There is also a trailer and a Behind the Microphone detailing the English DUBs. The package as an NTSC DVD included of the feature and extras.

Such a pleasurable viewing experience. Totoro is a marvel and it looks, and sounds, wonderful on Blu-ray. Strongly recommended!

ON THE DVD: Optimum has under-scanned the image to ensure protection from overscanning, so you get the full 1.85 OAR. But there are some issues with the transfer. While the colors are strong and details good, there are visible edge enhancements and some noise detectable. Apart from that, a lovely image.

- Henrik Sylow

Menus

Optimum (The Studio Ghibli Collection) - Region 2 - PAL

Disney - Region FREE Blu-ray

Screen Captures

Subtitle sample