One of the most endearing films ever made for children, My Neighbor Totoro, is a deceptively simple tale of two girls, Satsuki and Mei, who move with their father to a new house in the countryside while he cares for their ailing mother. They soon discover that the surrounding forests are home to a family of Totoros, gentle but powerful creatures who live in a huge and ancient camphor tree and are seen only by children. But beneath the film’s playfulness and narrative simplicity lie depths of wisdom.
As with much of Miyazaki’s work, My Neighbor Totoro is infused with an almost spiritual reverence for the power of nature. Like Satsuki and Mei, audiences are left with a sense of wonder at the beauty, mystery and preciousness of the world around us.
Recommended for ages 5+