Totoro, means death. When the little girl in My Neighbor Totoro(don't remember her name ) runs away and they find her shoe, she actually drowned. Her sister finds the cat bus and they travel to the spirit world! It's based off of a Japanese Legend!!!! Don't believe me!? Okay!! My friend told me this!!! But ever since she told us(me and my art class buddies) about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and it was true. Since then I don't question her knowledge! Seriously, I was shocked when I found this out! My childhood happiness, DESTROYED!!!!
Well, I don't know much about this legend, but I don't think that Hayou Miyazaki would create a lovable children's movie based off of an old legend of someone drowning. Just doesn't make sense to me
totro would be the angle of death. they used the story of the two girls who drowned and ranaway. their mother died. its reall based off of subtle hints of death and old news stories and stuff.