I first saw My Neighbor Totoro when I was a twenty-something. Blockbuster Video had shelved the movie in their “Kids” section, so that’s where I had to look, though I’m sure that looked pretty weird, and perhaps even alarming, to the staff. But why was a twenty-something with no kids of his own interested in a “Kids” movie? Because it’s arguably the most famous film by Hayao Miyazaki, the world’s greatest living animator. And because it’s far more than a mere kids’ film.

Sure, it follows the adventures of two young girls as they explore their new home in the Japanese countryside and encounter the magical creatures living in the nearby forest. However, My Neighbor Totoro is filled with a sense of whimsy that speaks to the child in all of us, and through the eyes of its young protagonists, it also acknowledges that the world can be a dark and scary place, but it’s nothing a little wonder can’t overcome.

As for the film’s artwork and animation, “transcendent” might be an understatement. Miyazaki’s attentive eye finds magic in the mundane, from the thrills of exploring a new home to the simple joy of a rainstorm. Every time I watch it, I see something new at which to marvel. My Neighbor Totoro is so beloved by my family, in fact, that we decorated our son’s nursery in a Totoro theme and our daughter’s name was partly inspired by the movie.