This is our favorite of the Studio Ghibli movies (so far). Two young girls move to the countryside with their father so they can be closer to their mother who, suffering from tuberculosis, is confined to a hospital bed. While exploring their surroundings they discover and befriend Totoro, a giant forest spirit. As the girls struggle to come to terms with the absence of their mother, Totoro watches over them, coming to the rescue when needed.

A charming movie that perfectly captures the bittersweet innocence of childhood and resilience of the human spirit.