50 Movies Like My Neighbor Totoro (1988) You Need to Watch Next
Updated August 2026
View My Neighbor Totoro details →Miyazaki's 1988 classic follows two young sisters who move to the countryside near their hospitalised mother and befriend gentle forest spirits, including the giant, downy Totoro. Warm, magical and almost plotless in the best way, it's a pure distillation of childhood wonder. If its gentle enchantment moved you, the films of Studio Ghibli share its reverence for nature, family and the small miracles of being a kid.
If you loved My Neighbor Totoro (1988) by Hayao Miyazaki, here are 50 movies that share its content DNA. iRankMovies measures real similarity using cosine similarity across eight weighted dimensions — genre (50%), tone (12%), pace (10%), structure (8%), era (7%), theme (6%), audience (4%) and narrative perspective (3%) — not just the rating. The closest matches according to our analysis are Kiki's Delivery Service, The Secret World of Arrietty, Spirited Away. Every title is ranked by how closely it matches and backed by the iRank Score, a composite of IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and TMDb across 12,000+ analysed titles.
The Best Movies Similar to My Neighbor Totoro
Selected for their real similarity in content, these are the movies that share the most with My Neighbor Totoro in terms of theme, narrative tone, and cinematic style. Every recommendation goes beyond genre — we evaluate the type of conflict, pacing, dramatic context, and the experience they create for viewers.
Kiki's Delivery Service
1989 · Hayao Miyazaki
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
The Secret World of Arrietty
2010 · Hiromasa Yonebayashi
14-year-old Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live in peaceful anonymity as they make their own home from items "borrowed" from the house's human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clo
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
Spirited Away
2001 · Hayao Miyazaki
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
The Boy and the Heron
2023 · Hayao Miyazaki
While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Porco Rosso
1992 · Hayao Miyazaki
In Italy in the 1930s, sky pirates in biplanes terrorize wealthy cruise ships as they sail the Adriatic Sea. The only pilot brave enough to stop the scourge is the mysterious Porco Rosso, a former Wor
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
1984 · Hayao Miyazaki
After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Wolf Children
2012 · Mamoru Hosoda
After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident, a woman must find a way to raise the son and daughter that she had with him. However, their inheritance of their father's traits prove to be
In common: Animation · Family
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
2013 · Isao Takahata
Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthrals all who encounter her. But,
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
2017 · Kunihiko Yuyama
Ash Ketchum wakes up late one morning after having broken his alarm clock in his sleep. He eventually makes it to Professor Oak's lab, but is told that the three starter List of Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Sq
In common: Animation · Family
Pom Poko
1994 · Isao Takahata
The Raccoons of the Tama Hills are being forced from their homes by the rapid development of houses and shopping malls. As it becomes harder to find food and shelter, they decide to band together and
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Mary and The Witch's Flower
2017 · Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Mary Smith, a young girl who lives with her great-aunt in the countryside, follows a mysterious cat into the nearby forest where she finds a strange flower and an old broom, none of which is as ordina
In common: Animation · Family
Princess Mononoke
1997 · Hayao Miyazaki
Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to p
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Ponyo
2008 · Hayao Miyazaki
When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
Naruto Shippuden the Movie
2007 · Hajime Kamegaki
Demons that once almost destroyed the world, are revived by someone. To prevent the world from being destroyed, the demon has to be sealed and the only one who can do it is the shrine maiden Shion fro
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
2012 · Hayato Date
Sixteen years ago, a mysterious masked ninja unleashes a powerful creature known as the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox on the Hidden Leaf Village Konoha, killing many people. In response, the Fourth Hokage Min
In common: Animation · Fantasy
KONOSUBA – God's blessing on this wonderful world! Legend of Crimson
2019 · Takaomi Kanasaki
After receiving a warning that Yunyun's hometown is in danger, Kazuma's party is relieved to discover it's only a joke...until it isn't. The Demon King's general has just arrived to obtain The Mage Ki
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds
2008 · Hajime Kamegaki
A mysterious group of ninjas makes a surprise attack on the Konohagakure, which takes great damage. The nightmare of another Shinobi World War could become a reality. Sasuke, who was still a missing n
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
2025 · Haruo Sotozaki
The Demon Slayer Corps are drawn into the Infinity Castle, where Tanjiro, Nezuko, and the Hashira face terrifying Upper Rank demons in a desperate fight as the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji beg
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Howl's Moving Castle
2004 · Hayao Miyazaki
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the kin
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Jujutsu Kaisen 0
2021 · Sunghoo Park
Yuta Okkotsu is a nervous high school student who is suffering from a serious problem—his childhood friend Rika has turned into a curse and won't leave him alone. Since Rika is no ordinary curse, his
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Vampire Hunter D
1985 · Toyoo Ashida
In a far-future time ruled by the supernatural, a young girl requests the help of a vampire hunter to kill the vampire who has bitten her and thus prevent her from becoming a vampire herself.
In common: Animation · Fantasy
The Nightmare Before Christmas
1993 · Henry Selick
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghouli
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1938 · David Hand
A beautiful girl, Snow White, takes refuge in the forest in the house of seven dwarfs to hide from her stepmother, the wicked Queen. The Queen is jealous because she wants to be known as "the fairest
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
Suzume
2022 · Makoto Shinkai
Suzume, 17, lost her mother as a little girl. On her way to school, she meets a mysterious young man. But her curiosity unleashes a calamity that endangers the entire population of Japan, and so Suzum
In common: Animation
Pinocchio
1940 · Hamilton Luske
When the gentle woodcarver Geppetto builds a marionette to be his substitute son, a benevolent fairy brings the toy to life. The puppet, named Pinocchio, is not yet a human boy. He must earn the right
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
The Cat Returns
2002 · Hiroyuki Morita
Young Haru rescues a cat from being run over, but soon learns it's no ordinary feline; it happens to be the Prince of the Cats.
In common: Animation
The Book of Life
2014 · Jorge R. Gutierrez
The journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure th
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
Barbie: Princess Charm School
2011 · Ezekiel Norton
Blair, a waitress in the kingdom of Gardania, realises that she strongly resembles the region's missing queen. She then gets to go to Princess Charm School and causes problems for the teacher.
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
Fantasia
1940 · Wilfred Jackson
Walt Disney's timeless masterpiece is an extravaganza of sight and sound! See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and experience the excitement that is Fantasia over and over aga
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
The Sword in the Stone
1963 · Wolfgang Reitherman
Wart is a young boy who aspires to be a knight's squire. On a hunting trip he falls in on Merlin, a powerful but amnesiac wizard who has plans for him beyond mere squiredom. He starts by trying to giv
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
The Little Mermaid
1989 · Ron Clements
This colorful adventure tells the story of an impetuous mermaid princess named Ariel who falls in love with the very human Prince Eric and puts everything on the line for the chance to be with him. Me
In common: Animation · Family · Fantasy
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
1997 · Hideaki Anno
SEELE orders an all-out attack on NERV, aiming to destroy the Evas before Gendo can advance his own plans for the Human Instrumentality Project. Shinji is pushed to the limits of his sanity as he is f
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Violet Evergarden: The Movie
2020 · Taichi Ishidate
As the world moves on from the war and technological advances bring changes to her life, Violet still hopes to see her lost commanding officer again.
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Castle in the Sky
1986 · Hayao Miyazaki
A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.
In common: Animation
One Piece Film Red
2022 · Goro Taniguchi
A new adventure begins for Luffy and his crew when mysterious pop superstar Uta unveils her identity — and launches a misguided plan for world peace.
In common: Animation
Pokémon: The First Movie
1998 · Kunihiko Yuyama
Determined to prove its superiority, a bio-engineered Pokémon called Mewtwo lures Ash, Pikachu and others into a Pokemon match like none before.
In common: Animation
Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl
2019 · Soichi Masui
In Fujisawa, Sakuta Azusagawa is in his second year of high school. Blissful days with his girlfriend and upperclassman, Mai Sakurajima, are interrupted by the appearance of his first crush, Shoko Mak
In common: Animation · Fantasy
A Whisker Away
2020 · Tomotaka Shibayama
A peculiar girl transforms into a cat to catch her crush's attention. But before she realizes it, the line between human and animal starts to blur.
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Pokémon 3: The Movie
2000 · Kunihiko Yuyama
When the sadness of her father's disappearance gets to Molly Hale, she unknowingly uses the Unown to create her own dream world along with Entei, who she believes to be her father. When Entei kidnaps
In common: Animation
Pokémon the Movie 2000
1999 · Kunihiko Yuyama
When Lawrence III's scheme to capture the Legendary Pokémon Lugia upsets the balance of nature, it is up to Ash Ketchum and his friends to save the world.
In common: Animation · Family
Pokémon the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back - Evolution
2019 · Motonori Sakakibara
After accepting an invitation from a mysterious trainer, Ash, Misty and Brock meet Mewtwo, an artificially created Pokémon who wants to do battle.
In common: Animation
One Piece Film: Z
2012 · Tatsuya Nagamine
Zephyr, now known as Z, rides the seas with only one goal: Destroy all pirates and their dreams at becoming King of Pirates. When Luffy and his crew encounter him at sea, not only are they utterly def
In common: Animation
Weathering with You
2019 · Makoto Shinkai
The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo, and quickly finds himself pushed to his financial and personal limits. The weather is unusually gloo
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
2018 · Mari Okada
Fleeing the war, the immortal Machia, graced with eternal youth, finds a baby abandoned in the forest and decides to raise it as her own child, sparking a moving story between a mortal and a being who
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train
2020 · Haruo Sotozaki
Tanjiro Kamado, joined with Inosuke Hashibira, a boy raised by boars who wears a boar's head, and Zenitsu Agatsuma, a scared boy who reveals his true power when he sleeps, boards the Infinity Train on
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Ninja Scroll
1993 · Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Jubei is a masterless ninja who travels the land alone, lending his services to those with gold—or a worthy cause. His fearsome abilities have served him well, but a plot to overthrow the government t
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Angel's Egg
1985 · Mamoru Oshii
In the ruins of a strange city, a young girl takes care of a large egg she holds carefully in her arms. She bonds with a boy who is searching for a bird he saw in a dream.
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc
2025 · Tatsuya Yoshihara
In a brutal war between devils, hunters, and secret enemies, a mysterious girl named Reze has stepped into Denji's world, and he faces his deadliest battle yet, fueled by love in a world where surviva
In common: Animation · Fantasy
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
2006 · Mamoru Hosoda
When 17-year-old Makoto Konno gains the ability to 'leap' backwards through time, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps. However, she soon realises that chang
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone
1989 · Daisuke Nishio
In order to wish for immortality and avenge his father, Garlic Jr. collects the dragon balls, kidnapping Goku's son Gohan in the process. Goku, Kami, Piccolo, and Krillin unite to rescue Gohan and sav
In common: Animation · Fantasy
Popular Animation series
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
2023 · Kazutaka Yamanaka
After the party of heroes defeated the Demon King, they restored peace to the land and returned to lives of solitude. Generations pass, and the elven mage Frieren comes face to face with humanity’s m
Avatar: The Last Airbender
2005 · Michael Dante DiMartino
In a war-torn world of elemental magic, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
2009
Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Edward Elric’s limbs from his body and left his brother Alphonse’s soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philoso
Attack on Titan
2013 · Manabu Otsuka
100 years ago, the last remnants of humanity were forced to retreat behind the towering walls of a fortified city to escape the massive, man-eating Titans that roamed the land outside their fortress.