Big, furry, and magical, Totoro is the star of Hayao Miyazaki's classic animated movie, My Neighbor Totoro. This fantastic and loveable forest spirit is a cultural icon that represents the awe-inspiring mysteries of nature and the power of imagination. Totoro is the mascot of the Japanese anime powerhouse, Studio Ghibli. Loved by Ghibli fans around the world, Totoro teaches us the importance of harmonious living with nature and the value of keeping the childlike wonder in our hearts alive.
- Japanese name: Totoro (トトロ pronounced as To-to-ro)
- Other names: Big Totoro (大トトロ, Ō Totoro), Miminzuku (ミミンズク)
- Home: In a camphor tree near a shinto shrine in the forest
- Occupation: Keeper of the Forest, King of the Forest
- Hobbies: Riding the bus, sleeping, growing trees
- Fun fact: Totoro has a signature roar!
WHAT IS TOTORO?
You’ve probably seen this gray and big furry friend around when searching for kawaii cuties from Japan. Totoro is a cutie that stands out with his gray fur, large beige belly, his arrows, and his soft pointy ears. He's the star of Studio Ghibli's cult classic animated movie, My Neighbor Totoro.
In the film, Totoro is a forest spirit that protects the Tokorozawa forest and plays around with two young girls Mei and Satsuki. It actually has a very long history! According to Studio Ghibli, Totoro is actually one of the last of the Totoro spirit tribe. It’s been trying it’s best to preserve nature for more than 3000 years. The Totoro tribe has been dwindling because of human beings who’ve been destroying the forest.
WHO MADE MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO?
My Neighbor Totoro was directed by none other than the great anime movie director Hayao Miyazaki. It was released in 1989 as a double bill by Studio Ghibli together with the other cult classic movie, Grave of the Fireflies. My Neighbor Totoro was a huge hit when it released, winning awards left and right! It’s even in Empire Magazine’s list of Top 100 Films of World Cinema. You can learn more about the studio that created Totoro in our blog about Studio Ghibli.
WHAT IS MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO ABOUT?
While we’re all really focused on Totoro, the film is actually about two young sisters named Mei and Satsuki that move to the country to be with their ailing mother. There, they discover the forest spirit Totoro and all sorts of other magical nature friends. It’s a child-like movie that tries to send the message of hope and optimism for humanity and nature.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF TOTORO?
That’s easy! The Totoro name comes from the Japanese word for troll, "torōru.” It’s the shortened name for Neighborhood Troll in Tokorozawa. Totoro isn't just an enchanting character though. He's an embodiment of the mysteries of nature, a guardian of the forest, and a friend to all those who respect and cherish our world. His larger-than-life existence is a reminder to hold onto our childlike wonder and keep our imaginations alive.
WHAT KIND OF CREATURE IS TOTORO?
Did you guess bear or cat? Well, Totoro isn't based on any existing animal species. Surprising, right? This fluffy, grey, and loveable creature is the epitome of fantasy and creativity, bearing a resemblance to several animals yet being none of them. He's got the rotund charm of a cuddly rabbit, the bounce of a happy kangaroo, and the magical mystique of a mythical forest spirit.
DOES TOTORO HAVE POWERS?
Oh, you bet he does! Not only can this furry friend summon a Catbus (yep, a bus that's a cat, go figure!), but he can also fly, make trees grow in an instant, and become invisible to anyone who's lost their childlike innocence. Totoro is the Mori no Nushi or the Master of the Forest!
In My Neighbor Totoro, Mei and Satsuki go on fantastic adventures thanks to Totoro’s abilities. Totoro is a magical sprite of nature that uses its powers to teach the beauty of the world around us.
IS TOTORO BASED ON MYTHOLOGY?
While Totoro isn't a direct lift from any specific mythology, Miyazaki has imbued this delightful creature with the spirit of various Japanese mythological beings. Totoro draws inspiration from Japan's Shinto beliefs, where every natural element – from rocks to trees – houses a kami or spirit. As the protector of the forest, Totoro embodies the importance of living in harmony with nature, a core principle in the Shinto religion.
IS TOTORO A VILLAIN?
No way, José! Totoro might look intimidating due to his size, but he's as gentle as a breeze on a spring day. He's a protector, a friend, and a guide who helps the two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei, navigate the challenges and uncertainties in their life. If Totoro were a contestant on a reality show, he'd win the "Most Loveable Character" title hands down!
TOTORO'S FRIENDS
Totoro has a lot of friends in My Neighbor Totoro. That includes the girls Mei, Satsuki, and other spirits that protect the forest in Tokorozawa. We’ll talk a little more about each one of them down below.
Mei Kusakabe
Four year old Mei is a stubborn but cheerful little girl. Though she is a single-minded child, she looks up to her sister Satsuki the most and tries to imitate her. Mei isn’t afraid of the Totoros!
Satsuki Kusakabe
One of the lead characters in My Neighbor Totoro, Satsuki is the older sister of Mei that tries her best to be responsible. She is bright, cheerful, and independent. In the movie Satsuki tries her best to become a person that her younger sister can look up to.
Kodama
These are the tree spirits. They first appeared in Hayao’s other movie, Princess Mononoke. Kodama are the children of old trees and seeing them means that the forest is healthy.
Susuwatari
Also known as Soot Sprites in English, the Susuwatari are round, dusty balls made from the soot that accumulates in abandoned dwellings. Once the abandoned houses become inhabited again,the Susuwatari will try to see if they are occupied by good people. If they are, then the Susuwatari will eventually leave. These Soot Sprites were first seen in another Miyazaki movie, Spirited Away.
Catbus
Catbus is literally a large cat that’s also a bus! It’s a lot like the Chershire cat in “Alice in Wonderland” with its mischievous smile. Mei and Satsuki get to ride this mystical creature in My Neighbor Totoro.
Chu Totoro
Totoro isn’t the only Totoro spirit in My Neighbor Totoro. The cutie also has a medium-sized blue companion called Chu Totoro. This forest spirit is usually seen with a bag of acorns. A whiskerless Totoro, Chu Totoro always has a neutral expression with wide eyes and a mouth that cannot be seen.
Chibi Totoro
This is the smallest Totoro in the movie. Color white, Chibi Totoro can turn invisible for a while. According to trivia released about My Neighbor Totoro, Chibi Totoro is actually 1302 years old!
TOTORO'S CAMEO APPEARANCES
Did you know that Totoro is so popular that he makes cameo appearances in other Studio Ghibli movies? That’s right! In Kiki’s Delivery Service, Totoro makes an appearance in Kiki’s room as a plush doll. The Forest Guardian also is in Pom Poko where he is flying on his top while holding the umbrella of Mr. Kusakabe. In Ponyo, Chibi Totoro makes an appearance as a magnet on Lisa’s fridge. You can read more about these films in our article, All Ghibli Movies Ranked!
Totoro has also had international cameos too! It made an appearance in Toy Story 3 as one of Bonnie’s toys. Fun fact- Totoro’s cameo was made because Toy Story director John Lasseter has a lot of respect for Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki!
TOTORO STARS ON STAGE!
Totoro isn’t just an animated movie star - this guardian spirit is the master of the stage as well. Tom Morton-Smith and the Royal Shakespeare Company adapted My Neighbor Totoro into a stage play in 2022. It was a magical run that fans loved!
TOTORO AT THE GHIBLI MUSEUM
Studio Ghibli has its own museum in Mikata in Tokyo, and naturally, an entire area is dedicated to everyone’s favorite forest guardian! Not only does Totoro greet you at the entrance of the Ghibli Museum, but it also surprises you with an entire zoetrope called the “Bouncing Totoro.”
A zoetrope is a cylindrical toy with splits at the sides. When the cylinder spins, the user can see the pictures inside as they look through the slits, which prevent the images from blurring together. The special toy makes it seem like Totoro and his friends are dancing before your very eyes.
STOP AT THE TOTORO BUS STOP!
Recreating the bus stop scene in My Neighbor Totoro, two very sweet grandparents decided to create their own Totoro Bus Stop in Takaharu, Miyazaki prefecture, Japan. Made entirely by hand, the Totoro Bus Stop was lovingly made for this sweet elderly couple’s grandchildren. Now, everyone can enjoy it too when they visit Miyazaki prefecture.
THE REAL-LIFE TOTORO FOREST
Did you know that the forest seen in My Neighbor Totoro is actually based on a real-life forest in Tokorozawa City in Japan? Located around Sayama Hill, the area is now called Totoro Forest. In 2022, the city of Tokorozawa, together with the help of Studio Ghibli, launched a campaign to buy the land and preserve the forest together. You can even find Kurosuke’s House in Totoro’s Forest.
TOTORO'S FOREST CAFE
Like Satsuki and Mei, you can also spend some time with the forest spirit by hanging out at Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory. Opened by Miyazaki’s sister-in-law, it’s the only official Totoro cafe in Japan. There you can find Totoro cream puffs, cakes, Catbus sandwiches, and more!
TOTORO'S ADVENTURE IN GHIBLI PARK
In 2022 Studio Ghibli opened a theme park based on its popular animated movies, and that includes My Neighbor Totoro! There you can visit the Totoro House which is the real life replica of the Kasukabe home of Mei and Satsuki in the Ghibli movie. You can enter the house and check out the girl’s things with the permission of the staff.
Totoro House can be found in the Dondoko Forest in Ghibli Park. The area was named after the “Dondoko Odori,” a fun and special little dance that Satsuki, Mei, and Totoro perform in the movie.
LEARN HOW TO DRAW TOTORO
Everyone wants to learn how to draw Totoro. And it's not that hard to learn either! All you have to do is to get a pencil, some paper, and load up a tutorial video online. There are a lot of step-by-step tutorials that will teach you lickety-split! Totoro has simple lines and shapes so it won't take you the entire afternoon to learn.
WHERE CAN I BUY TOTORO MERCHANDISE?
Studio Ghibli knows that almost everyone wants to spend time with Totoro. That’s why there’s a whole lot of Totoro plushies, Totoro stationery, Totoro toys, and even Totoro home goods. These cute items are highly sought after by Totoro fans!
Though most of these items can be found in Donguri, Studio Ghibli’s official store chain in Japan, there are also some specialty Ghibli stores outside of the country like in Hong Kong. If you can’t travel that far, then you can try to find them in our Totoro collection on Blippo!
So there you have it! That’s everything you need to know about Totoro from Studio Ghibli. Mystical and kawaii, Totoro is the symbol of nature and cuteness. Totoro is one of the most iconic characters of Japan.
The next time you feel like you're losing your sense of wonder, remember Totoro and his magical forest – and keep the child in you alive!