Story: 8
Art: 9
Sound: 7
Character: 10
Enjoyment: 9
Overall: 9
My Neighbor the Yamadas is a very interesting film, even by Studio Ghibli standards. While it’s one of the lesser known films by the studio, and takes place in a more “realistic” setting, it was still one of the most magical films I’ve seen in recent memory.
When people think of Studio Ghibli, a few familiar people and films come to mind: Spirited Away, Totoro and of course, Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki’s praise is well-earned - every film of his I’ve seen have become instant classics in my book (fitting to his Walt Disney comparisons, I hope my children have these movies on repeat the way I watched Toy Story and The Lion King multiple times a day as a kid). Though Miyazaki lies at the epicenter of Ghibli’s style and success, there are plenty more creative geniuses at the Studio – in particular I speak of director Isao Takahata.
Co-founder of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki’s right-hand man, Takahata has found his own success directing a handful of Ghibli films. His most notable work as a director was his first film, Grave of the Fireflies, perhaps one of the most powerful and depressing rides I’ve been on. Following Grave of the Fireflies, Studio Ghibli bounced back and forth between Miyazaki directed films and Takahata directed films. After the critical success of Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke in 1997, Takahata was back at the reigns with his next film, My Neighbor the Yamadas.
The transition from Mononoke to the Yamadas represents a key distinction in Miyazaki and Takahata’s styles. We move from a story of immense scale, to one the size of a small house. We leave behind vast and intricately drawn forests, and enter the 12 x 12 tatami floor space of a middle class family. Where Miyazaki shines in telling fantastical tales and creating stunningly imaginative set pieces, Takahata finds his niche in exploring the mundane existence of humanity.
And that is exactly what My Neighbor the Yamadas is.
There isn’t really an overarching story here. My Neighbor the Yamadas is a slice of life in the purest sense of the term. We follow the lives of, you guessed it, the Yamadas, consisting of Takashi (dad), Matsuko (mom), Noboru (older brother), Nonoko (younger sister), and Shige (grandma). This is no chronological narrative of their lives either. The movie entails short 5 to 10 minute scenes, highlighting everything from the classic ‘leave your daughter at the mall’ scenario, to father and son playing catch (as well as growing past such a silly game). Though it isn’t the first time an anime attempted to capture ordinary family life, My Neighbor the Yamadas is impeccably accurate and well-executed. I’ve rarely had nostalgia sensors go off as often as I did watching this movie. Though every scenario doesn’t strike a chord, there are enough representations of daily obstacles that I’d find it hard for someone to find no connection to anything the Yamadas go through.
Miyazaki is known for teaching lessons of reality through fantasy, and the culmination of his magical stories tend to reveal a hidden truth about the world, tucked behind his surreal imagery. My Neighbor the Yamadas does the exact opposite, showing its hand from the get-go.
We begin by introducing the family. But rather than beginning in reality and moving into the bizarre, we open with the bizarre - a metaphorical representation of the Yamadas, their journey through life, and in a sense, the journey of everyone. Rather than build toward some lesson or realization, the film’s intentions are made clear immediately. A monologue at the film’s start perfectly encapsulates and prefaces the rest of the movie, as well as what it expects you to take away from it. Since it’s at the beginning, I don’t really think it’s a spoiler, and I found it too important not to include, so here it is:
“Life, as they say, has its ups and downs. At times, the waves may taunt you, tossing you in their swells. But take heart. It's hard to stick with it and make it on your own. But even a couple of losers can survive most things if they're together. So listen, take some advice and have children as soon as you can. Children are the best reasons for riding out life's storms. Nowadays, people say child-rearing is challenging and difficult, but we've done it from time immemorial. Children grow even without parents. So hold them close to your heart as they crawl, then walk. They'll be fine.”
That right there is what this film intends to sell you on. The idea that life is hard, but we persevere through the strongest bond we have – our family. It’s a rather simple idea at play, but with each scene we’re reminded of the small hurdles we face every day, and the importance of family in times of struggle both big and small. Oh, also, the context of the monologue in the story is very clever, but I won’t tell you about it here
Though it remains one of the least fantasy-oriented films in Ghibli’s collection, the art style used is one of the most abstract. The transition between Mononoke and the Yamadas is also very significant on the production end of things. Following the meticulously hand-drawn process of Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor the Yamadas became the first ever Ghibli film to be created 100 percent through digital means.
Besides the new digital process, the art style itself is a big departure from the instantly recognizable style developed by Miyazaki over the years. It takes a turn for minimalism rather than hyper-detail. Characters and backgrounds retain a muted water-color aesthetic, complementing the light, simplicity of the narrative, as well as conveying a sense of hazy remembrance, as if we were taking a trip down memory lane with the Yamadas. Though not as immediately beautiful as the lush and vibrantly colors of previous Ghibli works, the basic art style used for the Yamadas is very fitting.
The rather loose style carried throughout the film also allows for some exploration. A specific scene comes to mind in which Takashi has to deal with a loud biker gang parked outside his house. I won’t go into detail, but the sudden switch in style during that part was exceptionally cool.
Mind you, this is not the most memorable Studio Ghibli movie. Especially when we have scenes like Chihiro entering the bathhouse in Spirited Away, riding the Catbus in My Neighbor Totoro, or Kiki flying along the countryside in Kiki’s Delivery Service. These scenes are a spectacle for the eyes, and perfect examples of the incredible talent at works behind the industry’s most magical studio. No, My Neighbor the Yamadas isn’t like that. The magic found in this film is of a different variety.
For Miyazaki, anime’s potential to explore the depths of our imagination is the fuel that drives his creative ventures. Bridging the gap between reality and fantasy is what makes Miyazaki’s films so enchanting, while also being so relatable. But for Takahata to take a medium like anime and restrict it to the bounds of ordinary life – there’s magic in that too.
To suddenly throw us into the lives of the Yamadas and create bonds with them is no easy feat, but humanity’s struggle is a familiar one across all places and within all people. There are low points and there are high points. Sometimes it feels like the burden of the world rests upon your shoulders, and sometimes you’re as light as air, losing track of the days as they drift by. One day you’re on top of the world, and the next it might seem like there’s no hope, but humanity has proven that we can keep going, generation after generation, struggle after struggle.
My Neighbor the Yamadas is just a little snippet of the struggles we face every day – some you’ve conquered effortlessly, some that have challenged every part of you, some that have broken you, and some that have built you up. Takahata shows us that the little details are as important as the big ones, and the most magical piece of humanity is its ability to move forward. As long as we persevere, we’ll be fine.
Jun 16, 2016
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