My Neighbor Totoro
A beautifully gentle Studio Ghibli film following two sisters who discover magical forest spirits near their new country home while their mother recovers in a nearby hospital. There is no violence or villains; the few mildly startling moments resolve warmly, and the emotional themes of family and hope are handled with great care.
A lovely fit for children 4 and up, with a little parental company for the very youngest viewers during one or two tense moments.
If you’d rather skip
Soot sprites burst out of dark corners and scuttle across the floors and walls of the new house; brief, bug-like movement that can startle sensitive toddlers, though the girls quickly laugh it off.
Eerie creaking and wind shake the house during the family bath, building a few seconds of spooky atmosphere before everyone bursts into laughter.
Totoro appears very large and roars loudly, which may startle the youngest viewers; the roar is also the main startling sound in the film. He is immediately shown to be friendly.