Decoding the Studio Ghibli Mystery: What is a Totoro?

Ever since Hayao Miyazaki released his 1988 animated gem, My Neighbor Totoro, fans across the world have been endlessly enamored by the giant, fuzzy forest spirit that kept appearing on their screens.

However, beyond the cute merch, the legendary bus-stop scenes, and the stunning animation, a lot of viewers, especially those living outside Japan, are still wondering the basic question: what exactly is a totoro?This article explores the cultural background, animal influence, and authentic folklore of Japan that combine to form one of the most endearing characters in film history.

Table of Contents

1. The Basics: What is a Totoro?

2. Anatomy of a Spirit: What Animal is Totoro?

3. Cultural Context: What is Totoro in Japanese?

4. Expert Analysis: Decoding the Medium Essay

5. The Final Verdict

1. The Basics: What is a Totoro?

If the question really is "What exactly is a totoro?" the response may shock you for being so simple: in fact, he is a completely made-up character imagined by the great filmmaking maestro Hayao Miyazaki.

In the very famous film of Studio Ghibli, he is the main character and portrays, as a huge, silent and gentle "Keeper of the Forest", a being of a completely mysterious nature. It is through his meeting with the two young sisters that he reveals the magic of nature, by which the girls forget their worries of their mother, who is sick.

2. Anatomy of a Spirit: What Animal is Totoro?

One very frequent question with new fans is: what kind of animal is totoro? From the look of it, he is not a representation of a single animal from our world.

So, instead of picturing him as a specific animal only, Miyazaki blended several different animals to produce the perfect warm and protective forest spirit.

If for example, we look at the figure to find the answer to what is totoro animal then we see three clearly different animal inspirations:

• Owls: His chest patterns look like an owl's feathers, his ears are shaped like an owl's, and the sounds he makes most resemble an owl's "hooting" at night.

• Cats: His large eyes that can convey a lot of emotions at once, his little long whiskers, and his face in general are very similar to a cat.

• Bears: The shape of his large and round body, his claws, and most importantly his predilection for sleeping or hibernating in a hollowed-out tree remind strongly of a bear. 

(Just as a side note : Totoro is a name which possibly came from the mispronounced "tororu" or "troll" by the little girl Mei after reading a fairy tale book.)

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3. Cultural Context: What is Totoro in Japanese?

In order to grasp what is totoro really means in japanese culture, you need to overlook the word for word translation. Words-wise the term does not mean anything apart from the film.

Totoro as a cultural icon however symbolizes animism or the belief that spirits reside in nature, which is a fundamental aspect of Shinto.In the realm of Japanese mythology, Totoro combines aspects of two kinds of spiritual entities:

• Kami: These are the spiritual presence or gods of nature. A mountain, a river, or an ancient tree can harbor a Kami spirit. For example, Totoro assists in the growth of trees from seeds and induces the forest to be filled with wonder, which is why the girls' father pays respect to Totoro at the house of worship.

• Yokai: These are a kind of supernatural spirit, folklore ghost or monster that is smaller and more localized. Just like a Yokai, Totoro features some odd, inexplicable traits (such as flying with a magical spinning top or encountering a 12-legged Catbus).

4. Expert Analysis: Decoding the Cultural Mystery

Why is it that so many Western audiences have difficulties in grasping the real nature of this character? Essayist Jacqueline Composanto's brilliant analysis uncovers one of the main reasons why Western audiences could be misunderstanding this character.

According to her, Westerners try to fit Totoro into only one of our monotheistic and familiar categories. We want to just call him "fairy, " "ghost, " or "monster."

Top lessons from the cultural critique:

• The "God of Death" Character is a Myth: Western viewers' perplexity over Totoro's mystical character gave way to the most outrageous theories claiming he was the "God of Death" who led the sisters to their demise. With finesse, Composanto shows that these are simply myths. Totoro is not the "grim reaper" character; he is the personification of the joy of living.

• Totoro is a completely fictional character: It is worth mentioning that Totoro was not a part of Japanese folklore before 1988. He is a creation of Miyazaki's imagination.

• A Link between the Two Worlds of Kami and Yokai: Composanto mentions that Totoro, being unearthly and different like a Yokai (he lives in trees, doing unusual things), also has the traits of a Kami, namely that he is a kind, protective, and inspiring presence. He is a helper of the girls and their father even pays homage at the tree where Totoro is said to live.

5. The Final Verdict

In the end, Totoro is a wonderful dream animal created to bewilder our thoughts as much as to console our spirits. He is an amalgamation of owls, cats, and bears, emanating from the deep cultural roots of Japanese Shinto animism. Rather than attempting to fit him into a Western concept of magic, we ought to enjoy him as Miyazaki envisioned him: a kind, majestic protector of the environment.