Metrograph

Two young sisters move to the country with their father and discover that the surrounding forests are home to a race of big, adorably plush beings called Totoros, who take them on a trip on a furry Cheshire Cat-like Catbus. A delight from beginning to end, and an international success that made Miyazaki a household name. Preparing the film, the director wrote: “My Neighbor Totoro aims to be a happy and heartwarming film, a film that lets the audience go home with pleasant, glad feelings. Lovers will feel each other to be more precious, parents will fondly recall their childhoods, and children will start exploring the thickets behind shrines and climbing trees to try to find a Totoro. This is the kind of film I want to make.” He did it, all right.