Summary
My Neighbor Totorois one of the great bonafide classic anime films. There is virtually no child in Japanthat hasn’t seen this movie, and if you ask many American kids they’ll tell you that they have seen the movie as well.
However, did you know that if American producers had their way,My Neighbor Totorowould have arrived on American shores under a different title? What was that title, and why did it not happen?
What is My Neighbor Totoro?
My Neighbor Totorois a Japanese-animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. Released in 1988, it is one of the most beloved and iconic works in the studios catalog. The story follows two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move to the countryside with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. In their new home, they encounter a magical forest spirit named Totoro and embark on enchanting adventures.
The film is known for its whimsical and heartwarming portrayal of childhood, nature, and the fantastical elements of the spirits living in the forest. Totoro, the gentle giant with a friendly and enigmatic presence, has become a cultural icon, symbolizing the joy and wonder of discovery. Though some raise an eyebrow when they initially hear the concept, it is hard not to be won over by the film when viewers finally get a chance to see it.
Is He the Furry Guy in the Studio Ghibli Logo?
Yes, those are Totoros in the Studio Ghibli logo. As the first true film by the newly formed Studio Ghibli (Naussica: Valley of the Windwas made with outside producers), Totoro became the company’s mascot. He also makes a great mascot as the character has never left the Japanese consensus, due to the film’s continuing popularity around the world (though some have claimed it throws them off to see this character from a G-rated family film on more mature films likePrincess MononokeandThe Boy and the Heron).
American’s Circle My Neighbor Totoro for American Distribution
Although anime wasn’t the big business it is nowadays,My Neighbor Totorodid turn the heads of American distributors as a family film that could potentially be sold to American families. Aside from a potentially sensitive bathroom scene (which ended up being a non-issue in the long run), the film was safe for everyone, and it had a sense of wonder that would appeal to all ages. However, there was at least one more issue: Americans didn’t know what the heck a Totoro was.
‘Craig’ is One of a Number of Names Considered for Title
Because executives are always concerned abouthow Americans will interpret things, serious discussions were had about changing the main characters' name. Joe Toro was considered, as was Kyle and Uncle Sam. For reasons that are still unknown, most of the American producers ultimately settled on Craig. This would have resulted in the film being calledMy Neighbor Craig, and the idea was brought to Miyazaki for approval.
One of the reasons the name had to be cleared by Miyazaki is because whenNaussica: The Valley of the Windwas initially sold to an American studio, the company renamed the characters, cut twenty minutes of footage, and retooled the movie intoWarriors of the Wind. In hindsight, while the retooling wasn’tnearly as drasticas the retoolings from companies like 4Kids Entertainment and Nelvana in later years, Miyazaki was none-the-less unhappy with the changes.
Therefore, the movie had to be uncut and unaltered except for the dubbing itself. When the idea of renaming Totoro to Craig was pitched to him, he promptly shot it down. Confirming this in an interview later on, Miyazaki’s reason was:
I could not name him Craig… because I would not want to be named Craig.
Although he said this with a bit of a sarcastic grin, he wasprobably correct in standing his ground. No offense to all the Craigs out there, but Totoro is such a unique and distinguishing name, no one who hears it misunderstands the movie for anything else. Even though search engines weren’t a thing back then, one has to wonder if My Neighbor Craig would be original enough to stand out from all the Reddit and Facebook posts where people complain about their neighbors named Craig.
So, Totoro stayed, and the world has never known the movie as anything other thanMy Neighbor Totoro. An interesting sidenote to this story: despite communications about changing Totoro’s name, no conversations took place about renaming children. So Saisuke and Mei were going to keep their names even if Totoro became Craig. Which does beg the question of why producers wanted to Americanize the title when they had no plans to Americanize any of the other names.
Source:Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man: 15 Years at Studio Ghibli by Steve Alpert
