Studio Ghibli fans have gotten a whole new look at a new take on My Neighbor Totoro‘s beloved mascot character in an official new reveal.
Per a press release, the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) has revealed Totoro as seen in the hit musical My Neighbour Totoro for the first time, recreating the beloved bus stop scene with human actors and a giant puppet. The show, which is being performed in London and is due to run until March 2026, was adapted by Tom Morton-Smith from Studio Ghibli’s iconic production, including a score by Joe Hisashi and featuring songs by Ai Ninomiya.
Record-Breaking Studio Ghibli Adaptation Releases First Full Look at New Version of Totoro
© RSC, Nippon TV
The show was originally running at the Barbican but moved to its new home in Covent Garden earlier this year. It features a hidden cast of players, the Kazego Puppetry Ensemble, who control puppets of everything from chickens and a goat to hosts of soot spites and of course, the Totoros. The production has won six Olivier Awards and five WhatsOnStage Awards, as well as broken Barbican’s Box Office record for most tickets sold in a single day.
The new visual portrays Totoro as a giant fluffy friend who wants to invite everyone to come and see his show. Sharing the stage are adult actors Victoria Chen (Mei) and Ami Okumura Jones (Satsuki) to give a proper idea of just how big Totoro is. Together they recreate the famous bus stop scene where the girls wait for their father to return from Tokyo while Totoro awaits his ride on the Catbus, who also appears as a similar-sized puppet within the show. However, the publicity visuals have also been extremely secretive about showing the puppets online, even going so far as to ask the audience to put away their phones and keep the secret of Totoro and friends. This marks the first time that Totoro has appeared in his full glory.
Fans passing through London can book a variety of tickets for shows all the way through the end of March 2026 via the official website.
- Release Date
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April 16, 1988
- Runtime
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86 minutes
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Noriko Hidaka
Satsuki Kusakabe (voice)
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Chika Sakamoto
Mei Kusakabe (voice)
Source: Press release