My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

In 1950s Japan, university professor Tatsuo Kusakabe and his daughters—ten years old Satsuki and four years old Mei—move into an old house close to the hospital where the girls' mother Yasuko is recovering from a long-term illness. The house is inhabited by small, dark, dust-like house spirits called susuwatari, which can be seen when moving from bright places to dark ones. When the girls become comfortable in their new house, the susuwatari leave to find another empty house. Mei later discovers two small spirits who lead her into the hollow of a large camphor tree. She befriends a larger spirit, which identifies itself using a series of roars she interprets as "Totoro". Mei thinks Totoro is the troll from her illustrated book Three Billy Goats Gruff, with her mispronouncing troll. Mei falls asleep atop Totoro but when Satsuki finds her, she is on the ground. Despite many attempts, Mei cannot show her family Totoro's tree. Tatsuo comforts her by telling her Totoro will reveal himself when he wants to.

The girls later wait for Tatsuo's bus, which is late. Mei falls asleep on Satsuki's back and Totoro appears beside them, allowing Satsuki to see him for the first time. Totoro has only a leaf on his head for protection against the rain so Satsuki offers him the umbrella she had taken for her father. Delighted, he gives her a bundle of nuts and seeds in return. A giant, bus-shaped cat halts at the stop; Totoro boards it and leaves shortly before Tatsuo's bus arrives. A few days after planting the seeds, the girls awaken at midnight to find Totoro and his fellow spirits engaged in a ceremonial dance around the planted seeds and join in, causing the seeds to grow into an enormous tree. Totoro takes the girls for a ride on a magical flying top (“The Path of the Wind” / “Kaze no Toorimichi”). In the morning, the tree is gone but the seeds have sprouted.

The girls discover a planned visit by Yasuko has been postponed because of a setback in her treatment. Mei is upset and argues with Satsuki, leaving for the hospital to take fresh corn to Yasuko. Mei's disappearance prompts Satsuki and the neighbors to search for her. In desperation, Satsuki returns to the camphor tree and pleads for Totoro's help. Totoro summons the Catbus, which carries Satsuki to Mei's location and the sisters emotionally reunite. The bus then takes them to the hospital. The girls overhear a conversation between their parents and learn Yasuko has been kept in hospital by a minor cold but is otherwise recovering well. The girls secretly leave the ear of corn on the windowsill, where their parents discover it, and return home. Eventually, Yasuko returns home and the sisters play with other children while Totoro and his friends watch them from afar (“My Neighbor Totoro - Ending” / “Tonari no Totoro”).

TRIVIA

A 2002 short film Mei and the Kittenbus acts as a sequel to My Neighbor Totoro.