Description:
Dr. Kusakabe and his two daughters, Satsuki and Mei, move out to a new house in the countryside. Moving into the large house is an adventure and a thrill for the young duo, who are still innocent and unjaded enough to still notice sprites and fairies living inside the woodwork and the nearby forest. Soon, things settle into a routine for the family. Daddy studies and teaches at the nearby university, Satsuki goes to school, and Mei begins to play in the vast and gorgeous forest right outside their screen door. The family also periodically goes to the hospital to visit Mom, who has an unnamed disease that keeps her there until she can get better enough to go home. Mei eventually meets the Totoro, a strange and friendly race of creatures who look like a cross between an owl and a rabbit. Totoros come in all sorts of sizes, the most remarkable being the ten-foot tall one that seems to embody the spirit of the forest. Soon, Satsuki meets the Totoro, too, and a truly magical experience begins!
Part 1: