The city of Tokorozawa in Japan, 20 miles northwest of Tokyo, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to preserve a nine-acre stretch of pristine forest.
Why this area? Home to around 7,000 aged oak trees, it is known locally as the ‘Totoro Forest’ because it partly inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic 1988 animated classic film “My Neighbor Totoro”. The plan is to set the region aside as a nature preserve for local residents and visiting anime pilgrims.
That original film is set in postwar rural Japan and follows a professor’s two young daughters and their adventures with a cuddly but enigmatic forest spirit named Totoro.
Along with being recognised in numerous critics polls as one of the greatest animated films ever made, the Totoro character has become a cultural icon along with serving as the mascot for Studio Ghibli.
Studio Ghibli themselves are lending a hand to the campaign and officials say they expect the crowdfunding element to only cover a small portion of the land purchase (expected to cost around $19 million).
The hope is the effort will generate publicity and enthusiasm for the new nature preserve. Studio Ghibli’s first theme park is set to open in November.
Source: THR
