Is Totoro really the ideal boyfriend/girlfriend?
Miyazaki Hayao has officially announced his retirement but throughout his career he dedicated himself to the Japanese anime film industry, creating lots of heroes, heroines and even villains.
Ghibli is well known across generations of Japanese, and hypothetical questions about Ghibli characters, such as “who would you like to date?” are common. Apparently, this year Totoro has been chosen as the ideal boyfriend/girlfriend in Japan, while Colonel Muska was voted as having the worst spirit of teamwork.
From Team-work.jp:
“Nausicaä” Is Ideal Leader; “Colonel Muska” Teaches Nothing About Importance Of Team Spirit — Survey Of Studio Ghibli Films Among Young Business People
The “Team of the Year” committee (led by chairman Mr. Masato Ochi; hereafter referred to as “the commitee”), which gives an award to the ‘best team’ of each year and proposes improvement and encouragement in teamwork, conducted a survey about films of studio Ghibli with 200 male and female company employees (age 24-33, nationwide), as their 6th survey on teamwork within a company.
On July 20, studio Ghibili’s latest film “Kaze Tachinu” [The Wind Has Risen] was released, some of their past films have been broadcast on television and studio Ghibli has been drawing more attention recently. Ghibli films are films that young employees in their 20s were immersed in at an early age; therefore the committee asked these employees their “most favourite films”, “which character would you like to be your boyfriend/girlfriend”, “which character would you like to be your leader”, and “which characters tell you how important teamwork is?”.
Survey Overview
Respondents: 200 20-34 year old male and female company employees from throughout Japan
Period: July 12 — 15, 2013
Methodology: Online
Top 5 characters to be your leader:
1. Nausicaä (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
2. Ashitaka (Princess Mononoke)
3. Captain Dola (Castle in the Sky)
4. Totoro (My Neighbour Totoro) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Neighbour_Totoro
5. Lord Yupa (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
Top 5 characters to be your boyfriend/girlfriend:
1. Totoro’ (My Neighbour Totoro)
2. Seiji Amasawa (Whisper of the Heart)
3. Ashitaka (Mononoke)
4. Kiki (Kiki’s Delivery Service)
5. Nausicaä (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
Top 5 characters to tell how important teamwork is:
1. Colonel Muska (Castle in the Sky)
2. San (Princess Mononoke)
3. Mei (My Neighbour Totoro)
4. Yubaba (Spirited Away)
5. Nausicaä (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
Nausica was voted as the ideal leader.
The Ideal Leader – Nausicaä
Nausicaä overwhelmingly won the question “characters in Ghibli films to be your leader”. There are a lot of reasons from respondents such as: “she has a strong sense of justice”, “she has the ability to sacrifice herself, strike a chord with the people around her and change them in the end” and “she is brave with a strong sense of responsibility and trusted by others. That makes me feel I’d like to adhere to her principles”. Ashitaka and Dola came second and third.
“Responsibility”, “ability to hold a team together”, “humaneness” and “taking care of people under her” are common keywords and it seems that these are all necessary keywords for leadership.
Reasons why s/he is your most ideal leader:
Nausicaä (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
– Has ability to sacrifice herself, strike a chord with the people around her and change them in the end.
– Has a strong sense of justice.
– Puts people in vulnerable position first in everything. Charismatic.
– Steady-handed.
Ashitaka (Princess Mononoke)
– Get his temper under control and keeps an eye for others.
– Conducts himself and give a clear instruction.
– Has negotiation and problem solving skills.
Captain Dola (Castle in the Sky)
– Not too detailed but keeps an eye on people around her and is thoughtful.
– Looks scary but very kind and taking care of people under her which is cool.
– We need someone like her with a tremendous impact and respect from others. She can be kind sometimes.
Totoro (My Neighbour Totoro)
– Likely to take care of anything.
– Appealing.
– Dignified.
Lord Yupa (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
– Capable, imperturbable and has a deep insight. Endures any bad situations and watch over the younger generations.
– Always there for everyone with the great understanding.
– Smart and strong.
Totoro was voted as the ideal partner.
The Most Ideal Boyfriend/GirlFriend – Totoro; Determining Factor — Infinite Patience
For both male and female respondents, Totoro went to the top for the question ‘characters to be your boyfriend/girlfriend’, and Seiji Amasawa for women and Kiki for men took each second place. The reasons why Totoro was number 1 were: ‘likely to give us nice warm cuddles’, or ‘shy but sweet’ or ‘has infinite patience’ etc. Seiji Amasawa was chosen as he ‘always tries his best for his dream’ or ‘loves Shizuku with all his heart’ or ‘is a fine young man’, and for Kiki, ‘innocent’, ‘naive’ and ‘works hard and cute’. It seems that Seiji and Kiki are both ideal man and woman.
Top five reasons why s/he is your most ideal boyfriend/girlfriend:
Totoro (My Neighbour Totoro)
– Warm, sweet and likely to fold us up in its arms
– Does wonders for our mind
– Always there to help
Seiji Amasawa (Whisper of the Heart)
– Always tries his best for his dream
– Loves Shizuku with all his heart and strives for a dream
– Sure about what he wants/needs, upstanding and cool
Kiki (Kiki’s Delivery Service)
– Happy and cheerful
– Works hard and cute
– Naive
The Most Favourite Film – My Neighbour Totoro
The Character Who Teaches Us Nothing About The Importance Of Teamwork – Colonel Muska
‘My Neibour Totoro’ received first-place votes in the question for favourite films and Castle in the Sky came after. Generationally films most often seen at the cinema at a young age or repeatedly on television such as these 2 films ranked high. Colonel Muska overwhelmingly won the question ‘characters to tell how important teamwork is’. It seems his attitude to perform his tasks gives a strong impression that profits are above everything else for him in spite of his role within the special operation.
Comments from the committee who carried out the survey
“Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” is a film with a release in 1984, about 30 years ago, however it still attracts mass support from respondents with jobs in their 20’s. It shows us how great the film is. It is interesting to note that each reason for leaders or boyfriends/girlfriends reflects what they really want/wish for their actual leaders or significant others.
We still have plans to do another survey of teamwork and issue a message.
About The Committee Of Team Of The Year
The competition for team of the year was launched with the goal of improvement in teamwork. On November 26 every year, [the day of great team / play on words in Japanese for great team; approved by the Japan Anniversary Council.], it gives an award to the best team of each year to recognise their outstanding achievements. The project team for the asteroid probe, Hayabusa won the highest award in 2010, the team for the K computer in 2011, and the operation team for Tokyo Skytree also did in 2012.
Comments from Alfalfalfa.com:
なまえないよぉ～ :
Totoro as a lover? Nonsense.
なまえないよぉ～ : [in response to above]
They just want cuddles from Totoro. That’s all.
なまえないよぉ～ :
Nausicaä: I’m afraid of myself! Might just allow my anger to take over and get lots of people laid off or shunted off or impose their salary reductions!
なまえないよぉ～ :
I like Nausicaä but never want her to be my leader.
She only takes the short view.
For a leader, Dola is the best.
She takes care of the general public living in the vicinity as well as her people.
なまえないよぉ～ :
Nausicaä is more like Jeanne d’Arc. Nothing like a leader at all.
なまえないよぉ～ :
Way too outrageous. How you wanna deal with Totoro?
なまえないよぉ～ :
Nausicaä is just an owner of a sweatshop if she makes one false step.
Comments from Naver Matome:
匿名:
I like Totoro but never thought it as a boyfriend. (笑)
匿名:
No way, surely Howl no?!
匿名:
Seiji Amasawa. Yes I’m convinced indeed!
匿名:
Totoro? Bestiality? (笑)
匿名:
What if Totoro was an actual human being…(´・ω・`)
著名:
匿名:
Totoro, the best lover for both guys and girls?
Erm, Is it a he or a she?
まえの@beco735:
Saw the reason for Totoro as the best lover that it’d help us but it helped Satsuki only because it found the crying herself cute,no desire to help her out(^o^). It means Totoro would would never give you help unless you’re pretty.(^o^)
多鶴@tadu4:
The best lover – Totoro… Is this just that everyone wants to go back to forests?
東みなと ＼(･ω･)／ﾎｲ@azumaminato:
I’d rather use Totoro as my bed than my significant other.
