My Neighbor Totoro
is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. It stars the voices of Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto and Hitoshi Takagi, and focuses on two young sisters and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan.
Plot
In 1950s Japan, university professor Tatsuo Kusakabe and his daughters Satsuki and Mei (approximately ten and four years old, respectively) move into an old house close to the hospital where the girls' mother, Yasuko, is recovering from a long-term illness. The house is inhabited by small, dark, dust-like house spirits called susuwatari, that can be seen when moving from bright places to dark ones. The susuwatari leave to find another empty house. Mei discovers two small spirits that lead her into the hollow of a large camphor tree. She befriends a larger spirit, which identifies itself using a series of roars that she interprets as "Totoro". Mei thinks Totoro is the troll from her illustrated book Three Billy Goats Gruff. She falls asleep atop Totoro but when Satsuki finds her, she is on the ground. Despite many attempts, Mei cannot show her family Totoro's tree. Tatsuo comforts her, saying Totoro will reveal himself when he wants to.
Awards
More details
author | Hayao Miyazaki |
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award | Blue Ribbon Awards Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year Mainichi Film Award Ōfuji Noburō Award |
contentLocation | Matsugō |
director | Hayao Miyazaki |
editor | Takeshi Seyama |
events | childhood Sibling relationship spirit of nature |
genre | action drama fantasy |
keywords | camphor tree ceremonial dance cinnamomum camphora engage expo 2005 first time fly house spirits morning move old house spinning top susuwatari think three billy goats gruff top |
musicBy | Joe Hisaishi |
producer | Toru Hara |
productionCompany | Studio Ghibli |
publisher | Toho |
theme | animated anime children's |