# My Neighbor Totoro (1988) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/my-neighbor-totoro-1988/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-23

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 80% |
| Critic Score | 85% |
| Audience Score | 84% |
| Metascore | 73/100 |
| Letterboxd | 3.8/5 |
| IMDb | 8.1/10 |
| Director | Hayao Miyazaki |
| Genres | Fantasy, Animation, Family |
| Runtime | 86 min |
| Festival premiere | Annecy 1989 |

## Quick answer

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) earns a 80% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Miyazaki’s gentle masterpiece of childhood wonder remains Studio Ghibli’s most beloved English-search entry point. Metascore 73/100. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

## Critics consensus

Miyazaki’s gentle masterpiece of childhood wonder remains Studio Ghibli’s most beloved English-search entry point.

## Synopsis

Two sisters move to the country with their father in order to be closer to their hospitalized mother, and discover the surrounding trees are inhabited by Totoros, magical spirits of the forest. When the youngest runs away from home, the older sister seeks help from the spirits to find her.

## Cast

Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Hitoshi Takagi, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Tanie Kitabayashi, Toshiyuki Amagasa, Yuko Maruyama, Masashi Hirose, Reiko Suzuki

## Accolades

Premiered at Annecy 1989.

## Where to watch

Global: HBO Max
the United States: HBO Max
the United Kingdom: Netflix
Indonesia: Netflix
India: Netflix

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is My Neighbor Totoro worth watching?**
My Neighbor Totoro holds a 80% Celluloid Score. Miyazaki’s gentle masterpiece of childhood wonder remains Studio Ghibli’s most beloved English-search entry point.

**What is My Neighbor Totoro about?**
Two sisters move to the country with their father in order to be closer to their hospitalized mother, and discover the surrounding trees are inhabited by Totoros, magical spirits of the forest. When the youngest runs away from home, the older sister seeks help from the spirits to find her.

**Who directed My Neighbor Totoro?**
My Neighbor Totoro (1988) was directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

**What is the Celluloid Score of My Neighbor Totoro?**
80% — the average of five public sources: critics 85%, audience 84%, Metascore 73/100, Letterboxd 3.8/5, and IMDb 8.1/10.

**Where can I watch My Neighbor Totoro?**
My Neighbor Totoro is streaming on HBO Max; on HBO Max in the United States; on Netflix in the United Kingdom; on Netflix in Indonesia; on Netflix in India. Availability varies by region.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

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