A new piece of Studio Ghibli fan art perfectly captures the whimsical tone of My Neighbor Totoro.
The beautiful watercolor painting shows three titular forest spirits marching along under a blue, cloud-filled sky. The biggest of the three is smiling and using a leaf as an umbrella.
Many thanks to the sub!!! I made this drawing today as a way to thank the sub and all the people who have supported me here. You have made my days happier !!! from ghibli
Directed and written by iconic filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, My Neighbor Totoro tells the story of sisters Satsuki and Mei, two young girls who move to the countryside in order to be closer to their sickly mother. In their new home, the girls encounter many different types of spirits, including the dust-like beings called susuwatari and of course, the friendly Totoro, who whisks them away on fun-filled adventures. The movie premiered in April 1988 and earned over $41 million at the global box office. It also won multiple prestigious awards, like the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize and the Mainichi Film Award.
My Neighbor Totoro Is Timeless
Despite debuting over 30 years ago, My Neighbor Totoro continues to inspire people to this day. In terms of fan art beyond the Totoro watercolor painting, animator Kenta Shinohara used stop-motion techniques to create a video that features Mei performing an Akira slide on a little blue tricycle. Moreover, Reddit baker ItsSundayBunday uploaded a picture of a sugar cookie version of the movie’s adorable Catbus.
My Neighbor Totoro doesn’t just continually inspire the creation of fan-made content; it also inspires official products and projects. In particular, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and the Royal Shakespeare Company partnered together to adapt Miyazaki’s magical story to the stage. The show is currently in its final weeks at the Barbican in London, with its final performance on Jan. 21, 2023. Furthermore, Donguri Kyowakoku, Studio Ghibli’s merchandise specialty shop, released a new line of My Neighbor Totoro-themed finger puppets at the end of last year. Retailing for a price of 495 yen apiece (roughly $3.75), the collection includes characters like Mei, Satsuki, the Catbus and, of course, the various Totoro.
There have been recent developments for Studio Ghibli beyond those related to My Neighbor Totoro. Most notably, the animation studio has revealed when its new movie, How Do You Live?, will debut. The film will arrive in Japanese cinemas on July 14, 2023, and at the time of writing, Studio Ghibli has not confirmed when the movie will premiere internationally.
My Neighbor Totoro and other Studio Ghibli classics are available through Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Reddit
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