Totoro is underrated: the mythology & meaning behind the film explained

My Neighbor Totoro is regarded as one of the more simple Studio Ghibli films. It's actually one of the most complex. On the surface, it really is about two young girls meeting a fluffy forest creature and having some fantastic fun in the Japanese countryside. Below that surface, there's a lot more going on if you know a bit about Japanese mythology and how this film connects to the studio's companion work, Grave of the Fireflies.
(And no, this has nothing to do with that "theory" about Totoro you might have heard. In fact, it's quite the opposite.)

Get the Studio Ghibli Secrets guide that reveals the story patterns behind all Studio Ghibli films at https://www.followthemoonrabbit.com/s...

Written and performed by Adam Dobay
Recorded by Livia Farkas
Editing by Gabi Trost and Eszter Vermes
Special thanks to Flick Beckett and the Duke of York's cinema staff