My Neighbor Totoro Poster

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So I finally got my lazy butt back to working on Miyazaki prints. This time I have one of his most famous, and certainly most iconic films, My Neighbor Totoro. The story is centered around the relationship of two sisters, Mei and Satsuki, who have just moved to a new house in the hill country, to be closer to their sick mother. There is very little of what I would consider plot; the joy comes from watching the two interact with each other and with the forest troll, Totoro.

Totoro and his little pals (tiny Totoros?) are cute as can be. They help the two sisters cope without their mother. Near the end of the film, Mei the younger sister, runs off to find her mother in the hospital to give her an ear of corn she's picked at the neighbor's. The townspeople can't find her anywhere and it's only when Satsuki calls Totoro that he and the catbus (literally a bus, cat and caterpillar crossed) show up to track down the missing Mei.

The pacing of the film is slow, but deliberate. Miyazaki wants you to feel with these children and to make a real connection with them. By the end, you just want to hang around and watch the children have more fun with Totoro. It's a brilliant little film and great for all ages.