Free Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) low Poly Paper Craft by DT Workshop

The Scary Story Behind 'Tonari no Totoro' You Didn't Realize

How many of you don't know Studio Ghibli anime? The readers of "Anime" may be Studio Ghibli and the anime films they've produced. And maybe more, some of these anime from Studio Ghibli are some of your favorite anime of all time.

Since its founding in 1985, Studio Ghibli has produced numerous films and many of them have received national and international awards.

One of the Studio Ghibli films that we will discuss this time is "Tonari no Totoro" which you usually know as "My Neighbor Totoro".

So far, you might think that this film only contains the adventures of Mei and Satsuki who meet a creature named Totoro. But of course not, "Tonari no Totoro" is rumored to have another story that was inserted explicitly by director Hayao Miyazaki until the story was believed and became an urban legend.

The most famous urban legend of this anime is the story that says that Satsuki and Mei have died. Here we summarize the theory about the story.

1. The sandals found in the lake belonged to Mei?

When Mei goes missing, their neighbors join forces to search for the whereabouts of Satsuki's sister. A grandmother later found a slipper that had fallen near the lake. Satsuki once said that the sandals didn't belong to Mei, but on closer inspection, they matched the ones Mei was wearing. Some concluded that Satsuki was lying because she didn't want everyone to worry, which meant that there was a possibility that Mei died in the lake.

2. Totoro is the god of death?

Mei who calls Totoro by the name "Torooru" which is the Japanese pronunciation of the word Troll guesses that the name Totoro comes from the word "Troll". When the image of Totoro is funny to your eyes, then Trolls are the complete opposite. In western mythology, Trolls are usually like gods of death that can only be seen by people who are close to death or are dead.

3. Satsuki and Mei's shadow thins out at the end of the story

Satsuki who was looking for Mei then walked into Mei's place saying she met Totoro. Satsuki who initially couldn't see Totoro was then able to see Totoro's large figure and then asked for help to take him to "Mei's place".
But strangely, Satsuki's shadow began to appear from then on until it was certain that where Mei was located was another world where spirits would run out. This also means Satsuki is almost dead, or even dead.

3. The Neko Bus or Cat Bus that Satsuki and Mei ride is a vehicle that bridges a person to go to another world

Satsuki asked Totoro to be escorted to "Mei's place" on a cat bus which then took him to meet Mei. However, with some of the theories above, not a few fans think that the Neko Bus is a vehicle that takes them to another world, namely the world of spirits.

4. Satsuki and Mei didn't meet their mother at the hospital

The two of them came to the hospital to visit their mother. But instead of seeing their mother, they climbed a tree and watched from afar.

His mother once said that it was like hearing Satsuki and Mei's laughter at a glance, but some fans concluded that the sentence had another meaning that Satsuki and Mei were indeed dead.

5. Tonari no Totoro was inspired by true events in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture

Director Hay Miyazaki reportedly commented that the film "Tonari no" was an attempt to challenge the souls of Satsuki and Meitoro.

The film is said to be related to a scene in the city of Sayama, Saitama Prefecture that took place in May 1963. The incident involved a brother being kidnapped and the brothers trying to find him. Amid his search, his brother found his sister's services in the forest. It is said that his older brother then fell into a deep depression, experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia which made the figure of a raccoon or a big cat perhaps the inspiration for Totoro's creation. His depression led his brother to commit suicide.

And what makes this film even more obvious to have a connection with the incident is the names of the characters Satsuki and Mei. Satsuki in the ancient calendar means the month of May, and the name Mei also relates to that month, where May is the time when the Sayama incident occurred.

Plus, the hospital where their mother is being treated called Shichikoku Byouin (Shichikoku Hospital) is a play on the hospital in Sayama called Hachikoku Byouin (Hachikoku Hospital).

Studio Ghibli has clarified that these theories are not true and are only fan-made. But after reading it, do you believe it, or think it was all just a coincidence?

If you are fans or interested in making a paper craft version of Totoro,
DT Workshop has designed a Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) low poly paper craft and can
be downloaded below:

Free Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) low Poly Paper Craft by DT Workshop.