The appeal and reviews of "My Neighbors the Yamadas": A unique family story

"My Neighbors the Yamadas": Poetry of the Everyday and the Beauty of Watercolor Paintings

■Overview of the work

"My Neighbors the Yamadas" is a feature-length animated film produced by Studio Ghibli and released in 1999. Directed by Takahata Isao, it is based on the newspaper comic strip "My Neighbors the Yamadas" by Ishii Hisaichi. This film broke away from cel animation and was the world's first watercolor-style full digital animation. It was released on July 17, 1999, distributed by Shochiku and Studio Ghibli (Tokuma Shoten), has an Eirin number of 115537, a total running time of 104 minutes, and one episode. Copyright © 1999 Ishii Hisaichi, Hata Jimusho, Studio Ghibli, NHD.

■ Story

The Yamada family consists of five people: Grandma Shige, the married couple Takashi and Matsuko, and Noboru and Nonoko. The story depicts the daily life of the Yamada family, interspersed with episodes such as Nonoko going missing and Takashi going to preach to a motorcycle gang. In addition, the story is interspersed with haiku by Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Taneda Santoka, depicting the changing of the seasons as a seasonal almanac. The ordinary yet dramatic days of the Yamada family are depicted with humor and warmth.

■Explanation

"My Neighbors the Yamadas" is the world's first film to break away from cel animation and be produced as a fully digital watercolor-style animation. This style of drawing is deep and gives off a unique warmth. Although it is based on the original newspaper comic strip, the animation incorporates punchlines and themes not found in the original, giving the story more depth. It can be said to be a work that brings together the meticulous direction of director Isao Takahata and the technical capabilities of Studio Ghibli.

■Cast

• Matsuko: Yukiji Asaoka
• Takashi: Toru Masuoka
• Shige: Masako Araki
• Climbing: Jinto Isobata
• Nonoko: Naomi Uno
• Professor Fujiwara: Akiko Yano
• Woman with glasses: Tamao Nakamura
• Kikuchi Baba: Miyako Butterfly

■ Main staff

• Screenplay: Isao Takahata
• Storyboard, scene setting: Osamu Tanabe, Yoshiyuki Momose
• Animation director: Kenichi Konishi
• Art director: Naoya Tanaka, Yoji Takeshige
• Coloring director: Michiyo Yasuda
• Director of photography: Atsushi Okui

■ Main Characters

• Matsuko: A 42-43 year old housewife who speaks Kansai dialect and is quite lazy, keeping housework to a minimum.
• Takashi: Estimated age 43-45. General affairs manager working for a company in a regional city.
• Shige: Around 70 years old. Matsuko's mother.
• Noboru: The eldest son of the Yamada family, a second-year junior high school student. He gets average test scores and is an average boy in everything he does.
• Nonoko: The eldest daughter of the Yamada family, a third-grader in elementary school. She is known for her big mouth and big appetite.
• Fujiwara-sensei: Nonoko's homeroom teacher, in his late 20s. He has a carefree personality.
• The Woman with Glasses: Shige's friend. She is hospitalized due to illness, and Shige comes to visit her.
• Kikuchi Baba: The grandmother of Mami Kikuchi, Noboru's classmate. She has an exquisite sense of humor.

■ Theme songs and music

• Theme song "I've Stopped Being Alone": Lyrics, composition and singing: Akiko Yano, Produced and arranged by Jeff Bova & Akiko Yano
• Insert song "Telephone Line": Sung by Akiko Yano
• Insert song "Who is the Moonlight Mask?": Sung by Yoshiko Kondo and King Kobato-kai
• Insert song "YUEYA WUGENG": Erhu performance: JIA PENG-FANG
• Insert song "The Makioka Sisters": Sung by Itsuki Hiroshi
• Inserted song: "Mahler's Symphony No. 1 'Titan', 4th movement": Conductor: Kenichiro Kobayashi, Performer: Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
• Inserted songs: "Mahler Symphony No. 5, 1st Movement 'Funeral March'", "Mendelssohn Wedding March (from the musical 'A Midsummer Night's Dream')", "Albini Adagio", "L. Mozart Toy Symphony, 2nd Movement Minuet": Conductor: Mario Clemens, Performer: Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
• Inserted songs: "Chopin Nocturne No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 9 No. 1" and "JS Bach Prelude No. 8 in E-flat minor, BWV853": Piano: Masako Ezaki
• Insert song "Police Dog": Sung by Hiroko Ikuta
• Insert song "Shut Up and Follow Me": Sung by the Yamada Family (Yukiji Asaoka, Toru Masuoka, Masako Araki, Jinto Isobata, Naomi Uno)
• Insert song "Sakura Sakura": Sung by Ghibli Women's Choir
• Insert song "Young People": Sung by Ghibli Men's Chorus
• Insert song "Que Sera Sera": Lyrics and composition: JAY LIVINGSTON & RAY EVANS, Japanese translation: Takahata Isao, Arrangement: Saito Neko, Vocal instruction: Chatani Hiroko, Sung by: Yamada Family (Asaka Yukiji, Masuoka Toru, Araki Masako, Isobata Jinto, Uno Naomi), Fujiwara Sensei (Yano Akiko), Chorus: Theatre Academy and Himawari no Kodomotachi, Ghibli Mixed Chorus, Original title: QUE SERA, SERA (WHATEVER WILL BE, WILL BE)

■ Evaluation and impressions

"My Neighbors the Yamadas" offers deep empathy and warmth to the audience by poetically depicting the small everyday events. The watercolor-style fully digital animation is a departure from traditional cel animation, depicting the life of the Yamada family with a more realistic and soft touch. This work, which brings together director Isao Takahata's meticulous direction and Studio Ghibli's technical capabilities, shows viewers new possibilities for animation and has the power to make them re-examine the beauty of family ties and everyday life.

Particularly impressive is the way that the film uses haiku poems to express the changing of the seasons. Haiku poems by Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Taneda Santoka add color to the story, richly depicting the sense of the seasons. The selection of inserted music is also excellent, with a wide range of genres from classical to pop adding excitement to the story. In particular, the fact that director Takahata Isao himself translated the Japanese lyrics of "Que Sera Sera" shows his deep love and dedication to the film.

The cast is also impressive, with veteran voice actors such as Yukiji Asaoka, Toru Masuoka, and Masako Araki playing the Yamada family members. Yukiji Asaoka's role as Matsuko in particular leaves a strong impression on the audience, with her exquisite expression of the humor and warmth of the Kansai dialect. Akiko Yano's unique voice quality and singing ability as Ms. Fujiwara also adds depth to the story.

■ Recommendation points

"My Neighbors the Yamadas" is a work that provides deep empathy and warmth to the audience by poetically depicting the small everyday events. The watercolor-style fully digital animation is a departure from traditional cel animation, depicting the life of the Yamada family with a more realistic and soft touch. This work, which brings together director Isao Takahata's meticulous direction and Studio Ghibli's technical capabilities, shows viewers new possibilities for animation and has the power to make them re-examine the beauty of family ties and everyday life.

Particularly impressive is the way that the film uses haiku poems to express the changing of the seasons. Haiku poems by Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Taneda Santoka add color to the story, richly depicting the sense of the seasons. The selection of inserted music is also excellent, with a wide range of genres from classical to pop adding excitement to the story. In particular, the fact that director Takahata Isao himself translated the Japanese lyrics of "Que Sera Sera" shows his deep love and dedication to the film.

The cast is also impressive, with veteran voice actors such as Yukiji Asaoka, Toru Masuoka, and Masako Araki playing the Yamada family members. Yukiji Asaoka's role as Matsuko in particular leaves a strong impression on the audience, with her exquisite expression of the humor and warmth of the Kansai dialect. Akiko Yano's unique voice quality and singing ability as Ms. Fujiwara also adds depth to the story.

This film is perfect for the whole family, and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It is especially recommended for those who can feel emotion and laughter in the small things of everyday life, those who are interested in watercolor-style animation, and those who like haiku and classical music. It is also a must-see for fans of Studio Ghibli and director Isao Takahata.

Related information

"My Neighbors the Yamadas" has a unique style and theme compared to other Studio Ghibli works. It also has in common with "Grave of the Fireflies" and "Only Yesterday," both directed by Isao Takahata, in that it depicts the small, everyday events. It also stands out in terms of its style and theme compared to other Studio Ghibli works, such as "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away."

Furthermore, this work is also noteworthy for being the first watercolor-style full-length digital feature film in the history of Japanese animation. It can be said that it had a major impact on the development of digital animation thereafter. In addition, the original newspaper comic "My Neighbors the Yamadas" by Ishii Hisaichi is also popular for its humor and warmth, and its essence has been faithfully retained in the anime adaptation.

"My Neighbors the Yamadas" is a work that provides deep empathy and warmth to the audience by poetically depicting the small everyday events. The watercolor-style fully digital animation is a departure from traditional cel animation, depicting the life of the Yamada family with a more realistic and soft touch. This work, which brings together director Isao Takahata's meticulous direction and Studio Ghibli's technical capabilities, shows viewers new possibilities for animation and has the power to make them re-examine the beauty of family ties and everyday life.

Particularly impressive is the way that the film uses haiku poems to express the changing of the seasons. Haiku poems by Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Taneda Santoka add color to the story, richly depicting the sense of the seasons. The selection of inserted music is also excellent, with a wide range of genres from classical to pop adding excitement to the story. In particular, the fact that director Takahata Isao himself translated the Japanese lyrics of "Que Sera Sera" shows his deep love and dedication to the film.

The cast is also impressive, with veteran voice actors such as Yukiji Asaoka, Toru Masuoka, and Masako Araki playing the Yamada family members. Yukiji Asaoka's role as Matsuko in particular leaves a strong impression on the audience, with her exquisite expression of the humor and warmth of the Kansai dialect. Akiko Yano's unique voice quality and singing ability as Ms. Fujiwara also adds depth to the story.

This film is perfect for the whole family, and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It is especially recommended for those who can feel emotion and laughter in the small things of everyday life, those who are interested in watercolor-style animation, and those who like haiku and classical music. It is also a must-see for fans of Studio Ghibli and director Isao Takahata.

"My Neighbors the Yamadas" is a work that provides deep empathy and warmth to the audience by poetically depicting the small everyday events. The watercolor-style fully digital animation is a departure from traditional cel animation, depicting the life of the Yamada family with a more realistic and soft touch. This work, which brings together director Isao Takahata's meticulous direction and Studio Ghibli's technical capabilities, shows viewers new possibilities for animation and has the power to make them re-examine the beauty of family ties and everyday life.

Particularly impressive is the way that the film uses haiku poems to express the changing of the seasons. Haiku poems by Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Taneda Santoka add color to the story, richly depicting the sense of the seasons. The selection of inserted music is also excellent, with a wide range of genres from classical to pop adding excitement to the story. In particular, the fact that director Takahata Isao himself translated the Japanese lyrics of "Que Sera Sera" shows his deep love and dedication to the film.

The cast is also impressive, with veteran voice actors such as Yukiji Asaoka, Toru Masuoka, and Masako Araki playing the Yamada family members. Yukiji Asaoka's role as Matsuko in particular leaves a strong impression on the audience, with her exquisite expression of the humor and warmth of the Kansai dialect. Akiko Yano's unique voice quality and singing ability as Ms. Fujiwara also adds depth to the story.

This film is perfect for the whole family, and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It is especially recommended for those who can feel emotion and laughter in the small things of everyday life, those who are interested in watercolor-style animation, and those who like haiku and classical music. It is also a must-see for fans of Studio Ghibli and director Isao Takahata.