My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Anime film · 84 min · Studio Ghibli · directed by Hayao Miyazaki
AdventureFantasySlice of LifeSupernatural
Studio Ghibli’s 1988 fantasy adventure from Hayao Miyazaki follows sisters Satsuki and Mei as they settle into a new rural home. They encounter Totoro, a benevolent forest spirit, and other supernatural creatures like the Catbus. The film explores childhood wonder, family bonds, and the magic of the Japanese wilderness.
My Neighbor Totoro screencaps & stills
Reference frames from My Neighbor Totoro.
My Neighbor Totoro in motion
Short loops for study, each cut to a single shot.
The story
Satsuki and her younger sister Mei relocate with their father to a new house in the Japanese countryside, awaiting their mother’s recovery from illness in a nearby hospital. The girls explore their rustic surroundings and quickly discover the presence of fantastical creatures inhabiting the nearby forest. Mei, the first to encounter a large, furry spirit, names him Totoro.
Totoro, visible only to children, introduces the sisters to a hidden world of nature spirits and magical beings, including the multi-legged Catbus. Their encounters with these supernatural neighbors provide comfort and wonder during a period of familial uncertainty. The narrative follows Satsuki and Mei’s adventures as they navigate their new home, their mother’s illness, and the extraordinary magic of the wilderness, all while fostering a deep connection with the forest and its mysterious inhabitants.
Credits & cast
- Studio
- Studio Ghibli
- Director
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Story
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Script
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Animation
- Yoshiharu Satou
- Music
- Joe Hisaishi
- Voice
- Noriko Hidaka as Satsuki Kusakabe
- Voice
- Chika Sakamoto as Mei Kusakabe
- Voice
- Hitoshi Takagi as Totoro
Where to watch My Neighbor Totoro
Streaming services that list it. Availability changes by country.
My Neighbor Totoro colour palette
The main colours across the whole film, by share of the picture.
Colour script
The dominant colour of each sampled frame, from the first minute to the last.
Where My Neighbor Totoro happens
forestruralnightlushfieldhousepathjapanese
My Neighbor Totoro background art
Frames with no characters in them: the places, as painted.
More from Studio Ghibli
Spirited Away 2001
Howl‘s Moving Castle 2004
Princess Mononoke 1997
Grave of the Fireflies 1988
Ponyo 2008
Kiki's Delivery Service 1989
Castle in the Sky 1986
The Wind Rises 2013
Whisper of the Heart 1995
The Secret World of Arrietty 2010
More by Hayao Miyazaki
Spirited Away 2001
Howl‘s Moving Castle 2004
Princess Mononoke 1997
Ponyo 2008
Kiki's Delivery Service 1989
Castle in the Sky 1986
The Wind Rises 2013
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 1984
Porco Rosso 1992
The Boy and the Heron 2023
Anime like My Neighbor Totoro
Recommended by fans who watched My Neighbor Totoro, most votes first.
- 1
11 fan votes · Shared: Supernatural
- 2
6 fan votes · Anthropomorphic · Comedy
- 3
6 fan votes · Shared: Adventure
- 4
5 fan votes · Shared: Adventure
- 5
3 fan votes · Shared: Supernatural
- 6
Natsume's Book of Friends 2008
3 fan votes · Shared: Supernatural
- 7
3 fan votes · Shared: Adventure
- 8
3 fan votes · Drama · Josei
Looks like it
Matched frame to frame, on style and colour.
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Questions about My Neighbor Totoro
Who made My Neighbor Totoro?
My Neighbor Totoro (1988) was animated by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, from a script by Hayao Miyazaki.
Where can I watch My Neighbor Totoro?
Netflix and Max list My Neighbor Totoro. Availability changes by country.
What anime are like My Neighbor Totoro?
Fans most often recommend Wolf Children, Panda! Go Panda!, Ponyo, Spirited Away. In look: Grave of the Fireflies, Castle in the Sky, Pom Poko.
See more of My Neighbor Totoro
Every reference frame and clip, searchable by what is in the shot — a character, a place, a light.
Frames and loops from My Neighbor Totoro (1988) © Studio Ghibli, shown at reduced size as reference for study and commentary. Rights questions: copyright@framethrower.ai.