My Neighbor Totoro Papercraft Toys by Kookycraftables

4 Jan, 2022

Hayao Miyazaki is not a new name in the cinema world since the launch of his first animated film, Castle of Cagliostro in 1979. Since then, Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli, and until now has become one of the most prominent Japanese classic animation production houses.

If you've ever watched one of the films, Tonari no Totoro or better known as My Neighbor Totoro, you will remember it until now. On April 16, 2019, this film celebrated its 31st anniversary since its debut in Japan. There are five unique facts about the film My Neighbor Totoro that you may not know, what are they?

1. Some things in the film are inspired by real-world events

When Miyazaki was little, his mother was hospitalized for several illnesses, one of which was spinal tuberculosis which was quite severe. According to Hayao Miyazaki's book: Master of Japanese Animation, the mother suffered from spinal tuberculosis and had to be on bed rest from 1947 to 1955. The mother had to spend several years in the hospital, before finally being able to receive intensive care at home.

In the film, Satsuki and Mei's mother are told to have an illness that requires her to be hospitalized in intensive care. Although Satsuki and Mei's mother has never been told what illness, many believe that she also has the same diagnosis as Miyazaki's mother.

2. "Totoro" comes from the Japanese word "troll"

In the film, Mei follows a grain trail and finds mysterious spirits in the forest. Following her curiosity, Mei called the greatest spirit "Totoro". Some have suggested that Totoro's name is similar to the Japanese word troll (Torōru), and thought that Mei had mispronounced it.

Later, when Satsuki learns about Totoro, he asks Mei if this term Totoro refers to "trolls in our book." You may not see this book directly in the film, but you can see it at the end of the film's credits. There is a scene where the mother reads them the book Three Mountain Goats or Three Billy Goats Gruff.

3. Inspired by "Alice in Wonderland"

There are clear parallels between the classic Alice in Wonderland and My Neighbor Totoro. When Mei met the little Totoro, who was white, just like Alice when she met the white rabbit. Then, Alice explores the hole into the wonderland, much like Mei fell into a tree.

Some of several scenes and characters are indeed similar to Alice in Wonderland. One of them is Catbus, a bus-shaped cat who has a wide smile full of mystery. Reminds you of the Cheshire Cat, doesn't it?

4. Meaning of the name

In some Studio Ghibli films such as Spirited Away, names have significant meaning. In the movie My Neighbor Totoro, the names of the two sisters are a pun on "The Month of May".

The clearest reference is to May, the younger brother, which is, of course, similar to one of the months of the Roman calendar, May. In Japanese, Mei (めい) can be written with several variations of kanji and can mean sprout and bright. In Chinese, some refer to Mei (美) meaning "beautiful" and the pronunciation is similar to (méi) meaning "plum". In the movie, Mei is a beautiful and cheerful child, cute like a plum.

The name "Satsuki" itself has a more traditional Japanese nuance and also has the same meaning, namely the month of May. Interestingly, Satsuki can also mean flowers or azalea plants that can be found in the mountains of Japan. When written with different kanji characters, Satsuki can mean bloom, moon, sand, or happiness.

5. Contains Shinto teachings

"Trees and people used to be good friends." - Mr. Kusakabe.

One of the most representative dialogues on conservation and environmental issues today. Carrying the same theme, the traditional Japanese belief called Shinto is also one of the reasons this film was made. Shintoism has great respect for the universe.

In this film, there is a strong focus on the relationship between the spirits who protect nature and humans. Mei and Satsuki are described as characters who are very curious and enthusiastic to see anything in front of them. The appreciation for Shintoism is strong when the family visits the shrine together and when Satsuki prays to Totoro to help him find Mei.

Who would have thought that an anime film that was born in 1988 still has many mysteries to this day? Have you watched My Neighbor Totoro? If not, you should watch it immediately because this film will teach you about many things, including the universe.