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It was a major eye opening experience the first time I saw My Neighbor Totoro. There was a charming and wonderful film that was completely devoid of conflict! Y

It was a major eye opening experience the first time I saw My Neighbor Totoro. There was a charming and wonderful film that was completely devoid of conflict! Yet, it worked and worked well. It went against everything I had been taught in every English class in my life.

colanderman 9y ago
In my high school literature class we were taught that conflict doesn't have to be between individuals. Indeed, Totoro does have conflict by this definition: between the girls and their insecurity about their mother's illness. The conflict is resolved thanks to Totoro and the friendship they developed with him. I seem to remember The Magic School Bus [1] (kids' science show) having stories – that is, a series of related events – but only sporadic (and generally incidental) conflict. "Magical bus takes school kids on memorable – if ill-advised – journey, and Arnold makes jokes" sums up pretty much every episode. Seinfeld I would venture to say also deviates from the western norm, in that the conflicts (of which each episode has several) are rarely, if ever, overcome. Half the time the conflict reaches a climax at the end of the episode. In fact the entire series ended with unresolved conflict. But the stories are nonetheless memorable. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus_%28TV_series%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus_%28TV_ser...
- icebraining 9y ago
  I also thought about The Magic School Bus, but while incidental, I seem to remember there was often some element of danger that they had to surpass, no? Like being inside someone and the time until re-growth being limited, causing a race against time to exit the body.
shichikokuyama 9y ago
I love My Neighbor Totoro, and it's a great example of kishōtenketsu structure, but it's not devoid of conflict - it just doesn't have an antagonist. Satsuki and Mei have an argument in the third act where Satsuki stomps off and Mei disappears, setting up the ending (ketsu).

colanderman 9y ago

In my high school literature class we were taught that conflict doesn't have to be between individuals. Indeed, Totoro does have conflict by this definition: between the girls and their insecurity about their mother's illness. The conflict is resolved thanks to Totoro and the friendship they developed with him. I seem to remember The Magic School Bus [1] (kids' science show) having stories – that is, a series of related events – but only sporadic (and generally incidental) conflict. "Magical bus takes school kids on memorable – if ill-advised – journey, and Arnold makes jokes" sums up pretty much every episode. Seinfeld I would venture to say also deviates from the western norm, in that the conflicts (of which each episode has several) are rarely, if ever, overcome. Half the time the conflict reaches a climax at the end of the episode. In fact the entire series ended with unresolved conflict. But the stories are nonetheless memorable. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus_%28TV_series%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus_%28TV_ser...

icebraining 9y ago
I also thought about The Magic School Bus, but while incidental, I seem to remember there was often some element of danger that they had to surpass, no? Like being inside someone and the time until re-growth being limited, causing a race against time to exit the body.

shichikokuyama 9y ago

I love My Neighbor Totoro, and it's a great example of kishōtenketsu structure, but it's not devoid of conflict - it just doesn't have an antagonist. Satsuki and Mei have an argument in the third act where Satsuki stomps off and Mei disappears, setting up the ending (ketsu).