Most of the events of My Neighbor Totoro happen because Satsuki and Mei's mother is at the hospital, but it's never really explained why she's there. The sisters catch sight of a magical world when they move to an old house near a hospital where their mother is recovering from a long illness. In their new home in the isolated countryside, Satsuki and Mei find comfort in the mythical forest creatures, including Totoro, a kind and big woodland spirit that resembles a large rabbit. My Neighbor Totoro blends magical realism into a sweet hand-drawn animation style that is easy to fall in love with as it brings elements of Japanese folklore to life.
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