The girls join in, whereupon the seeds sprout, and then grow and combine into an enormous tree. A few days later, they awaken at midnight to find Totoro and his two miniature colleagues engaged in a ceremonial dance around the planted nuts and seeds. A bus-shaped giant cat halts at the stop, and Totoro boards it, taking the umbrella. In return, he gives her a bundle of nuts and seeds. Totoro is delighted at both the shelter and the sounds made upon it by falling raindrops. He has only a leaf on his head for protection against the rain, so Satsuki offers him the umbrella she had taken along for her father. As they wait, Mei eventually falls asleep on Satsuki's back and Totoro appears beside them, allowing Satsuki to see him for the first time. One rainy night, the girls are waiting for Tatsuo's bus and grow worried when he doesn't arrive on the bus they expect him on. Tatsuo comforts her by telling her that this is the 'keeper of the forest,' and that Totoro will reveal himself when he wants to. Despite her many attempts, Mei is unable to show her family Totoro's tree. She falls asleep atop the large totoro, but when Satsuki finds her, she is on the ground in a dense briar clearing. She meets and befriends a larger version of the same kind of spirit, which identifies itself by a series of roars that she interprets as 'Totoro'. She discovers two small spirits who lead her through a briar patch and into the hollow of a large camphor tree. One day, Mei sees two white, rabbit-like ears in the grass and follows the ears under the house. It is implied that they are going to find another empty house –- their natural habitat. (view spoiler) When the girls become comfortable in their new house and laugh with Tatsuo, the soot spirits leave the house to drift away on the wind. As the sisters explore their new home, they encounter and befriend playful spirits in their house and the nearby forest, most notably the massive cuddly creature known as Totoro. (view spoiler) [In 1958 Japan, university professor Tatsuo Kusakabe and his two daughters, This acclaimed tale follows schoolgirl Satsuke and her younger sister, Mei, as they settle into an old country house with their father and wait for their mother to recover from an illness in an area hospital.

This acclaimed tale follows schoolgirl Satsuke and her younger sister, Mei, as they settle into an old country house with their father and wait for their mother to recover from an illness in an area hospital.

My neighbor totoro mei