My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
1988 • TMDB 8.1 • 1h 26m • Fantasy, Animation, Family
Overview
My Neighbor Totoro is Studio Ghibli’s gentlest masterpiece, a film with almost no villain and endless wonder. When sisters Satsuki and Mei move to a rambling old house in the Japanese countryside, they discover that the nearby forest is home to Totoro, a giant, furry spirit who can only be seen by children. As their mother recovers in a nearby hospital, the girls fill their days with soot sprites, acorn seeds, and midnight rides on the grinning Catbus. Hayao Miyazaki directs with a rare trust in quiet moments: rain on a bus stop, wind through rice fields, the thrill of a seed sprouting overnight. Totoro himself barely speaks, yet he has become one of cinema’s most beloved creatures, a symbol of childhood comfort and nature’s magic. It is a film to watch with the whole family, and one that adults return to whenever the world feels too loud.
Director & Cast
- Director: Hayao Miyazaki
- Noriko Hidaka as Satsuki Kusakabe (voice)
- Chika Sakamoto as Mei Kusakabe (voice)
- Hitoshi Takagi as Totoro (voice)
- Shigesato Itoi as Tatsuo Kusakabe (voice)
- Sumi Shimamoto as Yasuko Kusakabe (voice)
- Tanie Kitabayashi as Granny (voice)
- Toshiyuki Amagasa as Kanta Ogaki (voice)
- Yuko Maruyama as Kanta’s Mother (voice)
- Masashi Hirose as Kanta’s Father (voice)
Why Watch My Neighbor Totoro?
My Neighbor Totoro is worth watching because it proves a great film does not need a villain, a battle, or a twist. Its magic comes from ordinary childhood made extraordinary: a dusty house that hides soot sprites, a forest spirit waiting at a rainy bus stop, a cat-shaped bus gliding through the night sky. Miyazaki captures the feeling of being small in a big, beautiful world, and the comfort of knowing that kindness is waiting in the trees. It is soothing, funny, and quietly moving, and it works just as well for a first-time child viewer as for an adult who needs reminding that wonder never really leaves us.
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer on YouTube: MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO — Official English Trailer (GKIDS Films)
Where to Watch
In the US, My Neighbor Totoro streams on HBO Max and the HBO Max Amazon Channel. It is available to rent for $3.99 on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, and Plex, and to buy for $11.99 on Amazon Video and Fandango At Home and $14.99 on Apple TV Store. Check current availability on JustWatch US.
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Poster: TMDB. Rating and runtime verified on TMDB. Streaming status checked on JustWatch US, October 29, 2026.
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