When I think of childhood and secure attachment, Bowlby immediately comes to mind; for personality development, Erikson; and for coping with stress and anxiety in childhood, Jung. In this paper, I will briefly touch upon these concepts and use them as a framework to analyze several scenes from My Neighbor Totoro.
Bowlby distinguishes attachment from attachment behavior. According to him, attachment belongs to the individual’s internal processes. From the child’s perspective, an attached child seeks close emotional or physical contact with the attachment figures. Attachment behavior, on the other hand, refers to any action the individual uses to achieve or maintain such proximity. The child explores the world by using the caregiver as a secure base and seeks refuge in them in times of danger. When secure attachment is disrupted, separation anxiety develops, and the child attempts to relieve this anxiety by turning to others in their environment (such as a sibling or father) or to imagined archetypal figures.
Rogers, who believed that the ultimate goal most individuals pursue, consciously or unconsciously, is to become themselves, reminds parents who can accept their children’s wishes and emotions of something essential. He argues that such parents are also able to acknowledge their own feelings about the child’s undesirable behaviors and, crucially, help the child feel accepted as a person, distinct from the rejection of a specific behavior. This vital distinction enables the development of a healthy sense of self-esteem as an inseparable part of an integrated self-concept. Rogers maintained that human beings are inherently good and naturally oriented toward self-actualization, the full realization of one’s potential. Children raised in an atmosphere of unconditional positive regard and empathy develop a stable sense of self and, even under difficult circumstances, create a safe internal space from which they can draw resilience and continue to grow emotionally.
Erikson, who argued that development is a lifelong process, describes the coping strategies children develop in response to challenging circumstances. What Erikson defines as love, understood through the stage of intimacy versus isolation, serves as a multifaceted coping mechanism. Love nurtures attachment and reinforces secure attachment. Individuals with secure attachment tend to have greater self-efficacy and psychological stability. They see themselves as capable of dealing effectively with difficulties, expect to manage negative emotions, and trust their ability to solve problems. For children who are considered to be filled with optimism and love, the most important coping mechanism is hope. Hope, in turn, facilitates the successful resolution of the trust versus mistrust crisis. It reduces stress, as the long-term perspective it provides reminds them that the stressful and negative events of the present are not permanent.
At this point, Winnicott enters the scene, arguing that play is a natural medium through which a child expresses emotions, processes traumatic experiences, and resolves internal conflicts. Winnicott’s concept of the transitional object refers to an item (such as a teddy bear or blanket) used to ease the anxiety caused by separation from the mother. This object belongs simultaneously to the child’s world of imagination and to external reality, providing emotional support during the transitional phase of loss and adaptation.
Jung explains all these developmental stages through the concepts of the conscious and the unconscious, emphasizing above all the notion of archetypes. The term archetype, in its simplest sense, means “original pattern.” According to Jung, human emotions, thoughts, and behaviors arise not only from the individual unconscious but are also shaped by the adoption of certain models stored within the collective unconscious. Archetypes are transmitted from generation to generation through heredity, and their manifestation is not merely a matter of choice but of necessity. Depending on the time and context, they are reactivated, becoming active within consciousness and thus influencing behavior. Archetypes include universal figures such as the grandmother, the wise old man, or the hero.
In moments of stress or uncertainty, individuals attempt to restore psychological balance by invoking these archetypes in their dreams or imagination. In children, this process is even more pronounced.
The Film “My Neighbor Totoro”
Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece My Neighbor Totoro centers on the story of two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move with their father to an old house in the countryside while their mother undergoes long-term hospital treatment. Beneath the film’s fairy-tale atmosphere lies a profound depiction of how a child’s mind copes with a traumatic situation.
The feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and loss of control brought on by separation from the mother push the sisters toward the healing world of nature, play, and imagination. The bond they form with Totoro and the other forest spirits is not an escape from reality, but an internal defense system created to cope with loss and uncertainty.
Key Scenes and Psychological Interpretations
1. The New House and the Soot Sprites (Susuwatari)
The first mythical creatures encountered by Satsuki and Mei, the Soot Sprites (Susuwatari), represent the dark and eerie atmosphere of the house.
From a psychological perspective, children transform threatening elements within their environment into playful and manageable figures through imagination. This is a primitive form of the cognitive reframing mechanism, which lies at the heart of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Rather than repressing fear, the children give it a name and a shape, rendering it controllable. The fact that the house is now “haunted” yet “fun” serves as a way of managing the anxiety caused by their mother’s absence.
2. Mei’s Encounter with Totoro
The scene in which little Mei discovers the giant Totoro in the forest and falls asleep on his belly is one of the film’s most psychologically rich moments.
Totoro functions as a grand and magical version of Winnicott’s transitional object. For Mei, Totoro’s soft fur and comforting belly substitute for the physical warmth and affection of her mother. This serves as a vital support in coping with separation anxiety. From a Jungian perspective, Totoro embodies the universal Guardian Archetype, offering Mei unconditional acceptance and activating her inner strength.
3. The Bus Stop and the Seed Planting Ritual
The scene in which Satsuki meets Totoro on a rainy night and offers him an umbrella, followed by the sisters planting the seeds he gives them, is one of the film’s most pivotal moments.
According to Attachment Theory, children separated from their mother often become each other’s primary secure attachment figure. Satsuki, by taking responsibility for protecting Mei, progresses toward maturity and suppresses her own fear through a mechanism of idealization. The act of planting the seeds and watching them suddenly grow through Totoro’s dance becomes a ritual in which the girls project their hope and desire for healing onto nature. This scene represents an effort to create control and meaning in the face of traumatic uncertainty.
4. Mei’s Disappearance and the Catbus
After hearing that her mother’s condition in the hospital has worsened, Mei sets out alone to see her and ends up getting lost, marking the story’s moment of crisis.
Mei’s action represents an attachment crisis triggered by separation anxiety and the fear of abandonment. Satsuki’s panic marks the moment when she confronts the weight of her parental role. The Catbus serves as the symbolic manifestation of the unconscious that emerges in the midst of this crisis. This fantastical vehicle appears when rational thought has reached its limit, guiding the children toward their most fundamental emotional need, reunion with the mother, through the restorative power of imagination and inner resilience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, My Neighbor Totoro demonstrates that healthy parent–child and sibling relationships provide the essential foundation for a child’s emotional security. It also emphasizes how vital it is to allow children to exercise their imagination for their psychological well-being. Imagination and play help children create unique spaces of refuge and growth, enabling them to cope with adversity in their own way.
Through this film, Miyazaki offers not merely an animation but a profound psychological exploration that celebrates the unique nature of childhood, the resilience of the human spirit, and the protective power of innocence. My Neighbor Totoro reminds viewers of all ages that even in the most uncertain times, hope and imagination have the power to heal a child’s soul.
References
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and Loss, Vol. 1: Attachment. New York: Basic Books.
McMartin, J. (2020). Personality Psychology: A Student-Centered Approach (Trans. Kurt, D. G., & Zorbaz, S. D.). Ankara: Nobel Publishing.
Merter, M. (2014). Nefs Psikolojisi. İstanbul: Kaknüs Yayınları.
Jung, C. G. (1959). The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious. Princeton University Press.
Rogers, C. R. (1951). Client-Centered Therapy. Houghton Mifflin.
Winnicott, D. W. (1971). Playing and Reality. Tavistock Publications.