My Neighbours The Yamadas (Animated) (DVD) > Reviews

Advantages: Beautifully animated, entertaining and amusing in places
Disadvantages: Slightly too long - perhaps not to everyone's taste

...quite unique to itself in my mind. At first I was a little surprised by the animation as it initially looked a little crude and not what I would expect from Studio Ghibli; however, very quickly I found that the simplicity of the style, with only the minimum amount of lines drawn was very effective. Equally, the animation itself is beautifully done and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the visuals. I think young children will be captivated by what's ... Read review

Advantages: Sensitive, amusing and charming, it'll leave you with a great feeling of warmth
Disadvantages: Nothing epic here, nor is there a continuous story

...only really since then that my obsession with anime has developed, and so now I feel I understand and appreciate far more, in terms of both animation and cultural reference. Based on a classic Japanese gag strip, Tonari no Yamada-Kun is the kind of quirky, unconventional work that Takahata seems far more inclined to direct than Miyazaki does. Essentially, it follows a very ordinary Japanese family unit – the mother and father, their little daughter ... Read review