The first time I watched My Neighbor Totoro, a Studio Ghibli film, the first word that popped into my mind was "cute." This feature is very much targeted toward children, but it is a must-see, as it is written and directed by the famous Hayao Miyazaki. He also directed other famous films such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Laputa: The Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, and Mononoke Hime (just to name a few). Naturally, you must see it!!!

So, a family moves into a neighborhood where a very large camphor tree resides. The youngest daughter is named Mei, and her older sister is Satsuki. One day, Mei is playing in the yard and she meets the spirit of the forest, Totoro. The Totoro character is a mix of tanuki (Japanese raccoon-like animals), owls, and cats. Anyway, later on, Satsuki meets Totoro also, as well as a CatBus (a really cool cat who acts as a bus). As you watch the movie, you'll find out that their mother is in the hospital recovering from an illness, and when the children find out that their mother suddenly becomes sick, Mei really wants to visit her at the hospital. As a result, Mei gets lost, and it's Totoro and the CatBus to the rescue!

Besides having really cute characters, I think that this film reacquaints us with our childhood and the purity and innocence of our spirits and of nature. My Neighbor Totoro debuted in 1988, but it is still a classic for children today, and I hope that you will also love it as much as I do. Afterwards, if you want to find out more about Miyazaki's films or about Totoro, a really good website to visit is http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/totoro/. There are also many links to great websites where you can get Totoro merchandise at http://www.anipike.com/.