My Neighbours The Yamadas

My Neighbours The Yamadas – A series of slice of life vignettes about the Yamada family. Whilst they may bicker, argue, and be constantly forgetful, the family love each other and come through whatever may be thrown at them.

My Neighbours The Yamadas (1999) – Directors: Isao Takahata

Rating: PG

Running Length: 104 mins

Starring: Jim Belushi, Tress MacNeille, Molly Shannon (US Dub)

Genre: Comedy, Animation

REVIEW: ‘MY NEIGHBOURS THE YAMADAS’

Iconic director Isao Takahata didn’t make many films, but they were always utterly unique. Ranging from survival during war-torn and poverty riddled Japan (‘Grave Of The Fireflies’); a gorgeous stylistic re-telling of the Japanese folklore tale of The Bamboo Cutter (‘The Tale of The Princess Kaguya‘); or a message of environmental conservation through the eyes of magical racoon dogs (‘Pom Poko‘), Takahata’s movies are often loaded with symbolism and beauty. Which makes ‘My Neighbours The Yamadas’ stand out due it being the exact opposite, but in a good way!

‘My Neighbours The Yamadas’ was the first 100% digital animation feature film from Japanese masters, Studio Ghibli. Using a watercolour painting style, the animation is intentionally minimal throughout, but with such a simple subject matter as every day family life the artwork supports the universal appeal. Eschewing a continuous plot, the movie is instead a collection of slice-of-life family moments ranging in length and gravitas. ‘My Neighbours The Yamadas’ is comedic and everything is presented with a light angle, but there are still a couple of serious moments (such as visiting a sick friend in hospital, and panicking over a potentially lost child).

There is plenty of material in the mundane. Grumpy patriarch, Takashi, is a hard company worker who is constantly forgetting where things are. Matsuko is a realistic housewife, struggling to keep the house together. Noboru is a young teenager who needs scolding. Shige, Matsuko’s mother, passes judgement as only the elderly can. They bicker over little things like getting food from the store, doing the tidying, and bringing an umbrella out to Dad in the torrential rain. Anyone with family life will recognise themselves in the dozens of little vignettes presented here. As there is no actual plot this isn’t a movie that will wow young minds like other magical Ghibli adventures, but by glorying in the mundane any viewer can take comfort from the warmth of family love behind all the quibbles.

CONTENT: IS ‘MY NEIGHBOURS THE YAMADAS’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

When complaining about his family, Noboru says life would have been better, “if my mum had been gorgeous and a great cook…” His father, Takashi, is confused and says it wouldn’t make any difference as without them he wouldn’t have been born. He says, “Haven’t you learned about the birds and bees?” This scene could be seen as rude towards the mother.

The Yamadas are driving home when they suddenly realise they have left their 5-year-old daughter, Nonoko, at the shops. They turn the car around and are worried. The grandmother, Shige, complains when told that Nonoko is aware of stranger danger by saying, “Is that what you teach children? It’s like saying all strangers are thieves.” The scene cuts back to a lost little boy. Nonoko talks\\s to him and he says, “my mummy disappeared.” He starts to cry and she takes him to a shop worker to put out a call for his mother. Nonoko herself seems unconcerned that she has been left behind, just annoyed. The family driving back are getting more and more upset as they are stuck in traffic. When they get back to the shop the staff member says that Nonoko has left with a woman who she had assumed to be her mother, or at least she seemed to know. The Yamada family are frantic and drive home before this part reaches a positive conclusion. The whole segment is treated light but lost children and stranger danger could be scary and / or upsetting for young children.

Takashi smokes at many points throughout, in front of his family.

Noboru is explaining about learning to his father and the image of his mother, Matsuko, pops up next to him chanting ‘study’. She multiplies until he is surrounded by images of his mother all chanting and he looks more and more downbeat. They then disappear and he says, “repetition doesn’t work”. This may be upsetting for children who feel the pressure of studying.

Shige visits a friend in hospital. The friend has an IV drip in her. She shows Shige around the hospital, seemingly fine, until Shige asks, “Why are you in hospital?” The friend slowly crumples emotionally and sobs on Shige’s shoulder. This last around 10 seconds and then the scene cuts without going back to this. Any children who have experiences sick relatives or friends may find this scene upsetting.

A girl in Noboru’s school gives him an umbrella as he has forgotten his. However, this is a ploy so she can go to another boy she is attracted to and claim that she has forgotten her umbrella so that she can share with him. The boy doesn’t want to share and leaves her in the rain. So she goes back to Noboru as asks for her umbrella back. But he’s embarrassed about being used this way so he refuses and they struggle, fighting over it.

Noboru is with some friends and one shouts out “Let’s buy dirty books!” to which he replies, “shhhh!” The scene then cuts to a book shop where some spines have the titles ‘Girls’ and ‘Nude’. He hesitantly starts to take one before he is recognised by a girl so he hurriedly puts it back and picks up something else.

Noboru is talking to a girl on the phone at home. His mother and grandmother get very nosy. One says with surprise, “A girlfriend? With his looks?” to which the other responds a little later, “You insulted him.” Noboru runs to his room and starts throwing himself around but it is shown that this is because he is happy.

Takashi comes home from work very tired (and possibly drunk). He complains that he is hungry and Matsuko offers him a banana. He says, “You idiot, who wants a banana?” She doesn’t seem upset by the insult and just puts it next to him anyway.

The family walk past a bent metal barrier and it is said that there has been a road accident. A small flower is in a drink can next to the bent barrier, and it is implied this is in remembrance to someone who died. Shige says “It’s the mother of the victim I feel sorry for.”

A biker gang are causing a lot of noise near the Yamada’s house. Shige, the grandmother, says, “I’ll go scold them,” to which Matsuko exclaims, “That’s really dangerous. Someone was murdered for that!” The shot switches to a newspaper headline which reads ‘Senior Citizen Murdered’. Shige arms herself with a wrench and hard hat but Takashi comes home. He tells her not to bother but she makes him go out instead saying that he needs to, “be more manly”. Takashi walks up to the gang of three bikers, afraid. They shout at him and he is intimidated. Shige turns up and tells the leader that he should use his powerful and bossy voice for good instead. The bikers eventually drive off. Takashi is upset that he failed and fantasises about becoming a superhero to save Shige and Matsuko.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?

VERDICT: IS ‘MY NEIGHBOURS THE YAMADAS’ FOR KIDS?

The movie is family friendly barring a few slightly risqué moments as mentioned above. The minimal animation and light-hearted familiar bickering combined with the short story segment presentation make it ideal for children – albeit more as a something to stick on during a rainy Sunday afternoon to fill the room with comforting warmth. We would recommend ‘My Neighbours The Yamadas’ as suitable for children of all ages but due to a couple of light emotional moments and Noboru’s attempt to buy a ‘dirty book’ parental supervision is recommended.

• Violence: 1/5 (the biker gang shout aggressively but don’t actual threaten directly)
• Emotional Distress: 2/5 (the Yamadas are very worried when the can’t find 5-year-old Nonoko. Shige’s friend in hospital sobs with no positive resolution which may remind children of sick elderly friends and relatives)
• Fear Factor: 1/5 (the biker gang section)
• Sexual Content: 1/5 (mention of ‘dirty books’ and ‘the birds and the bees’)
• Bad Language: 0/5
• Dialogue: 2/5 (arguments and chiding of family members)
• Other Notes: Deals with themes of family life, bickering over the little things, protecting your family, bonding with children, deference to your elders, doing things together, working to provide, and keeping a happy home)

Words by Michael Record

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