One of the most famous Ghibli films is definitely “My Neighbor Totoro” (Tonari no Totoro). Hayao Miyazaki wrote and directed it back in 1988, and it is still a favorite of many. The anime film tells the story of two young girls (Satsuki and Mei) and their interactions with friendly forest spirits. A new My Neighbor Totoro monument now inhabits real life Japan!
Hayao Miyazaki used to live in the city of Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. He even got the inspiration for the 1988 film there, and it’s also where he devised the concept for it. Now, the city has unveiled the new monument, which, like in the anime, also shows the creatures in an adorable light. It’s 170 centimeters tall, and shows the Catbus, Satsuki, Mei, and Totoro. The unveiling ceremony was held on November 4, and a group of local nursery school children helped.
You can check out the video of the reveal on NHK’s original post. The pedestal also has a plate that introduces Miyazaki’s inspiration for the movie from the nature and climate of Tokorozawa. More images of the monument quickly appeared on Twitter.
Among the usual stuff, Japan recently revealed the Attack on Titan statue and the real life Infinity Train. The list of places to visit keeps getting bigger, and every Ghibli fan should also add the My Neighbor Totoro monument!
Source: NHK, シフォン
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