KnockBack, Episode 66: My Neighbor Totoro
Added 2019-05-16 16:00:04 +0000 UTCIt can't be overstated how unusual it is that so-called "Nerd Culture" has taken over the world. Not too long ago, it was completely unthinkable that something like Game of Thrones or The Avengers could be the biggest entertainment properties in the world. But along with the mainstream popularization of fantasy, superheroes, and the like has come a quieter revolution that we definitely take for granted: The influence of Japanese media, particular when it comes to its animation. It seems incredible to think that we're only a few years removed from anime itself being a truly underground phenomenon, but it's true. And one of films that help popularized Japanese animation in the west during its more niche days was My Neighbor Totoro, the gorgeous Studio Ghibli picture that hinged on a unique sense of eastern post-war nostalgia the likes of which only a master like Hayao Miyazaki could capture. This episode of KnockBack is dedicated entirely to Ghibli's 1988 classic, and all of the conversation, points of interest, and even conspiracy theories that come along with any thorough analysis.
Comments
Personally, I don't find the details of why their mom was sick to be that important to the story, just the fact that she is sick is what's important to the story. Also I kind of see it as the story happening from the kids point of view, and if you think about it that way, kids don't really think about the details of things like that they just know Mama sick. Great episode by the way.
Christopher Puckett
2024-04-27 17:32:51 +0000 UTCWelcome to Patreon! Thank you for your support. Per your thoughts... well... you could very well be right.
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-26 04:38:51 +0000 UTCThanks. =) Glad you enjoyed it.
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-26 04:38:31 +0000 UTCHello, new patron, wanted to give my two cents on the whole 'not explicitly saying what is wrong with their mom' thing. I think it has to do with the movie being from the point of view of the girls, and how they might not really understand what is really wrong with their mom, other than she is sick and has to go to a place far away, if I remember right (been awhile since i've seen the movie) they ask often when she is going to come home, which drives this hypothesis further.
CoughE
2019-05-25 14:04:52 +0000 UTCJust wanted to say this has been one of my favorite episodes of Knockback to date. The juxtaposition of the somberness of discussing the bombings of Japan and hilarity of Dagan’s reaction to seeing the cat bus’s balls just made this particular episode really enjoyable for two very different reasons.
Joshua Staggs
2019-05-24 15:13:59 +0000 UTCWow. That's a genuine surprise. I've been listening since EP1 and have only submitted questions once; that was when it was a guarantee to have your question answered. So it's amazing to put into perspective the amount of growth and engagement Knockback has seen! Hats off to Dagan and yourself Colin. <3
Daniel Schiffer
2019-05-21 08:25:31 +0000 UTCHey Daniel! Unfortunately, the volume of questions we get simply precludes us from using everything submitted (which was actually possible when KnockBack was newer and had a smaller audience). I apologize. <3
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-21 03:31:50 +0000 UTCI've never been more excited for an episode! I thought for sure my question would make it through for this episode.
Daniel Schiffer
2019-05-21 02:43:03 +0000 UTCInteresting in the same way it's interesting a guy like Ryan Reynolds was the best at portraying a huge d-bag to being the type cast 'good guy'...🤔 lol
Erik Peterson
2019-05-20 22:15:02 +0000 UTCMs. Curry sucked! LOL.
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:40:34 +0000 UTCPossibly, though they should just make their own. =D
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:40:27 +0000 UTCI think the scoring was probably my favorite part of the movie.
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:40:13 +0000 UTCPossibly. I wonder if they were gamers?
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:39:58 +0000 UTCI concur.
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:39:45 +0000 UTCThanks for the notes. You're a huge nerd. =D
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:39:39 +0000 UTCVery cool. Must be very worn out! =)
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:39:28 +0000 UTCIt's fascinating.
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:39:15 +0000 UTCThat's true. I guess I don't really care too much who's into what, for what reasons. But it's worth noting that this stuff is very mainstream now, which is interesting.
Colin Moriarty
2019-05-20 20:39:07 +0000 UTCI love “Totoro”. Such a beautiful movie. Oh, let me say something about the au pair, named Mrs. Curry” 😂 Even I have a Mrs. Curry story - or two... 😐🙄 At any rate... really enjoyed listening to thus. As always, thank you, my boys.
BettyAnn Moriarty
2019-05-18 18:38:21 +0000 UTCI feel like Breath of the Wild could be reskinned to be a really cool Mononoke game.
Brandon Hardman
2019-05-17 00:52:28 +0000 UTCThat might have a lot to do with Dark Souls. That’s why I even know what Berserk is.
Anthony Longo
2019-05-16 23:46:29 +0000 UTCJo Hisaishi is a stellar composer. He's done quite a few scores, but his most prolific are Ghibli and Beat Takeshi movies. Definitely recommend listening to more of his stuff if you enjoyed Totoro.
Jason Bolla
2019-05-16 23:15:42 +0000 UTCIt's funny that you brought up Breath of Fire, Colin. Rush has a song called Open Secrets off of the album Hold Your Fire that sounds a ton like the Breath of Fire III soundtrack. The album came out first, so I wonder if Rush took influence from Japanese composition, then that flowed into Breath of Fire.
Collin Sparling
2019-05-16 22:49:07 +0000 UTCMan... Dagan just has a good heart.
Jordan Gagliano
2019-05-16 20:30:43 +0000 UTCSo excited for this episode and more Ghibli to come. Few notes I took. -GKIDS is an animation distributer. Basically all the Oscar noms not Disney or Pixar these days are GKIDS films. -In 2011 GKIDS picked up the theatrical rights to most of the Ghibli catalog. This is why you’ve been seeing Studio Ghibli Fest the last few years at your local theater. -In 2017 GKIDS picked up the home video rights to most of the Ghibli catalog. They immediately reissued basically the whole collection minus stuff like Lupin, Grave, & Wind Rises and including stuff that had never been released in HD here like Yamadas and Only Yesterday. They made all the box art uniform it looks very nice. -So don’t hold your breath for Ghibli on Disney+ they only hold the rights to The Wind Rises any more. -There is a really good new Miyazaki doc from NHK that’s free on their site. It’s 4 hours long and you get some really great behind the scenes stuff and Hayao just being Hayao. So far 3/4 episodes have been released. Super interesting to see the dynamics and how he conducts himself. (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/program/video/10yearshayaomiyazaki/?type=tvEpisode&) Can’t wait for the next one!!! You guys rule.
Ivan Hornett
2019-05-16 20:18:08 +0000 UTCSimilar to the other listener, Totoro was also my first anime experience back before I even knew what anime was. I was probably 5 years old when my mom bought me the VHS and I watched that thing almost daily. Still have that same copy.
Michael Miller
2019-05-16 19:47:55 +0000 UTCAnyone who doubts the mainstream appeal of anime these days need only look to the amount of buzz Netflix is generating by teasing a Berserk adaptation...
Justin Matkowski
2019-05-16 17:14:55 +0000 UTCYou spoke of this recently and I admit I have to catch myself constantly. Its upsetting to a point that everyone claims they've always been into X,Y,Z now that so many once niche things are 'mainstream'. However, when you consider the alternatives I think I'd still take what we have because it's pretty easy to tell the 'posers' from the hardcore nerds.
Erik Peterson
2019-05-16 16:56:55 +0000 UTC
