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Information

Title (English) My Neighbors the Yamadas

Title (Japanese) Tonari no Yamada-kun

Advertising
Fantasy Novel

Notes Movie, 1999, re-make of 1980's TV series.
From original manga by Hisaichi Ishii. 104 mins.

Classification -

Synopsis

Review Well, I just finished watching "Tonari no Yamada-kun"/ "My Neighbors the Yamadas", the Studio Ghibli feature film from the summer of 1999. It was broadcast on NTV in Japan last Friday the 13th, my friend in Kawanishi-shi mailed the tape to me on Monday the 16th and I received the tape today in suburban Greater Toronto on Thursday the 19th. That's quite a turn-around time!
"Tonari no Yamada-kun" is unlike any of the other Studio Ghibli films. First of all, the film is done as a series of vignettes, very similar to Fellini's "Amaracord". This is done to capture the flavor of the "4-panel" comic strip by Hisaichi Ishii. Next, there is no continuous narrative structure to the film, instead it is sort of a "year in the life" of the Yamada family ( again like "Amaracord" ). Finally, the illustration style is done as if it were pen and ink and wash, instead of the normal animation cell approach. This again captures the feel of the original comic strips while allowing the animators tremendous freedom to experiment with the medium.
"Tonari no Yamada-kun" is a light-hearted and warm-hearted comedy designed to bring the laughter of recognition to the audience. The scenes range from slapstick to satire to social commentary to quiet contemplation. This is not a fast-paced film, but it still goes by very quickly because each of the short scenes is done so well. The music is also very well done and suits the film perfectly - I will definitely have to try to find the sound track.
There are so many memorable skits in the movie that it is hard to select only a few as examples, but it is almost worth seeing just for the masterfully choreographed "fight scene" between the husband and wife over which channel will be on the TV. Then there is a great "fantasy scene" where Takashi, the husband, having been shown up by his mother-in-law, imagines himself as "Gekko-kamen", complete with white superhero outfit and white scooter! Add to these several dozen more skits of varying lengths and complexity, and you end up with a uniquely enjoyable film. All-in-all, I highly recommend "Tonari no Yamada-kun".
Dave Baranyi
I recently saw this at a screening in London, and found it quite different from the "average anime". The art style seems deceptively crude and simple, but is in fact animated with great subtlety and technical skill, as in the continually morphing opeing sequences. It's also wonderfully funny - I particularly enjoyed the sequence where the child gets left at the supermarket. It seems allied to the 4-frame gag manga strips popular with the Japanese public but not well known to foreign manga fans. A quite different look at Japaese life. Highly recommended.

Credits Studio Ghibli, dir Isao Takahata
Animation: Kenichi Konishi.
See www.nausicaa.net for full details.

Episodes

Release Jap:DVD, US:DVD, UK:DVD

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 1999

Production Studio Ghibli

Broadcaster

Animation

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	My Neighbors the Yamadas
Title (Japanese)	Tonari no Yamada-kun
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes	Movie, 1999, re-make of 1980's TV series. From original manga by Hisaichi Ishii. 104 mins.
Classification	-
Synopsis
Review	Well, I just finished watching "Tonari no Yamada-kun"/ "My Neighbors the Yamadas", the Studio Ghibli feature film from the summer of 1999. It was broadcast on NTV in Japan last Friday the 13th, my friend in Kawanishi-shi mailed the tape to me on Monday the 16th and I received the tape today in suburban Greater Toronto on Thursday the 19th. That's quite a turn-around time! "Tonari no Yamada-kun" is unlike any of the other Studio Ghibli films. First of all, the film is done as a series of vignettes, very similar to Fellini's "Amaracord". This is done to capture the flavor of the "4-panel" comic strip by Hisaichi Ishii. Next, there is no continuous narrative structure to the film, instead it is sort of a "year in the life" of the Yamada family ( again like "Amaracord" ). Finally, the illustration style is done as if it were pen and ink and wash, instead of the normal animation cell approach. This again captures the feel of the original comic strips while allowing the animators tremendous freedom to experiment with the medium. "Tonari no Yamada-kun" is a light-hearted and warm-hearted comedy designed to bring the laughter of recognition to the audience. The scenes range from slapstick to satire to social commentary to quiet contemplation. This is not a fast-paced film, but it still goes by very quickly because each of the short scenes is done so well. The music is also very well done and suits the film perfectly - I will definitely have to try to find the sound track. There are so many memorable skits in the movie that it is hard to select only a few as examples, but it is almost worth seeing just for the masterfully choreographed "fight scene" between the husband and wife over which channel will be on the TV. Then there is a great "fantasy scene" where Takashi, the husband, having been shown up by his mother-in-law, imagines himself as "Gekko-kamen", complete with white superhero outfit and white scooter! Add to these several dozen more skits of varying lengths and complexity, and you end up with a uniquely enjoyable film. All-in-all, I highly recommend "Tonari no Yamada-kun". Dave Baranyi I recently saw this at a screening in London, and found it quite different from the "average anime". The art style seems deceptively crude and simple, but is in fact animated with great subtlety and technical skill, as in the continually morphing opeing sequences. It's also wonderfully funny - I particularly enjoyed the sequence where the child gets left at the supermarket. It seems allied to the 4-frame gag manga strips popular with the Japanese public but not well known to foreign manga fans. A quite different look at Japaese life. Highly recommended.
Credits	Studio Ghibli, dir Isao Takahata Animation: Kenichi Konishi. See www.nausicaa.net for full details.
Episodes
Release	Jap:DVD, US:DVD, UK:DVD
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	1999
Production	Studio Ghibli
Broadcaster
Animation
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.