The song from My Neighbor Totoro. Theme song and insert song.
When it comes to Ghibli works that are immensely popular with children, My Neighbor Totoro is the one that stands out!
My Neighbor Totoro is a story about two sisters who move to the countryside and their encounters with mysterious creatures that only children can see.
In this article, we’ll introduce the theme song and insert songs from My Neighbor Totoro.
Totoro’s theme song is also a classic for children’s dance routines!
Many of you may already know it, but take this opportunity to check out the insert songs as well.
Experience the mysterious world the sisters felt—together with them!
Song(s) from My Neighbor Totoro. Theme song and insert songs (1–10)
strollJoe Hisaishi
It’s also a classic song for kindergarten performances and the like.
It’s the song that plays in the opening of “My Neighbor Totoro.” The image of various creatures lining up and following behind Mei in the opening is especially memorable.
Imagining children singing it on a field trip and such makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
Twilight BreezeJoe Hisaishi
This melody might be the most memorable among the songs featured in My Neighbor Totoro.
True to its title, Evening Breeze, it’s a wonderfully beautiful piece with a sweeping, airy feel.
Its richly expressive melody further enhances the world of My Neighbor Totoro, adding color to some of the film’s most moving and iconic scenes.
Soot SpritesJoe Hisaishi
It’s the song about the soot sprites that Satsuki and Mei call “Makkuro Kurosuke.” The melody is cute but has a slightly mysterious feel.
I bet many people, after watching My Neighbor Totoro, searched their houses for Makkuro Kurosuke, didn’t they?
CatbusTaku Kitahara
Are you familiar with the Catbus, a cat-shaped bus whose character goods are also hugely popular? This piece plays during the scene in My Neighbor Totoro where the Catbus appears.
It’s a track that seems perfect for a drive, blending the Catbus’s uncanny atmosphere with a exhilarating sense of speed as it rushes by.
Mysterious Shiritori SongKumiko Mori
Fushigi Shiritori Uta, included on the image album for the animated film My Neighbor Totoro, is sung there by Kumiko Mori.
Unlike the gentle, heartwarming atmosphere of Totoro, it’s a fast-tempo track whose playful, humorous lyrics feel more like a word-association game than a traditional shiritori, drawing you into its world.
And of course, the composer is Joe Hisaishi.
Village in MayJoe Hisaishi
It’s a cute piece that makes you imagine Satsuki and Mei enjoying village life.
It’s characterized by a bright mood that makes you want to skip along.
The title is witty, too.
Just as the name suggests, it’s a village that serves as the stage where Satsuki and May grow up.
Path of the WindJoe Hisaishi
It’s the piece that plays in My Neighbor Totoro during scenes where Mei and Satsuki experience the nature around their new home.
In Japan, it has long been said that a deity dwells in each and every element of nature.
This is a mystical composition that evokes a sense of a fantastical presence within the trees themselves.