Studio Ghibli classic 'My Neighbor Totoro' to be screened in China for first time

SHANGHAI - Koji Hoshino, chairman of animation house Studio Ghibli, is hoping “My Neighbor Totoro” will be worth the wait for Chinese fans when it finally starts screening at cinemas in the mainland from Friday.

A digitally remastered version of the film about two young sisters who encounter woodland spirits in postwar rural Japan is set to be shown at around 6,000 venues.

“It is a production that is loved (around) the world. There are many highlights so I hope you can discover them all,” Hoshino said at a promotional event in Shanghai on Monday.

Famed director Hayao Miyazaki is said to be surprised that the film will be screened at movie theaters in China 30 years after it was released in Japan.

It had not been released in China due to a limit in place on the number of foreign movies allowed to be shown in the world’s most populous nation.

Although “My Neighbor Totoro” has not been shown at movie theaters in China, it has developed a following through pirated DVDs and illegal online streams.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

LATEST ENTERTAINMENT NEWS STORIES

Stephen Colbert postpones visit to New Zealand after mosque attack

Talk show host Stephen Colbert has postponed what was supposed to be a surprise visit to New Zealand following the terrorist attack in Christchurch that killed 50 people. Colbert's "Late Show," ...

Jerry Lee Lewis, 83, cancels shows, is recovering from stroke

Rock 'n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis has been transferred from a hospital to a rehabilitation center following a stroke last month, but will have to cancel upcoming shows, including his appearance...

Warner Bros. chief Kevin Tsujihara ousted over relationship with actress

Warner Bros. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Tsujihara is leaving the studio over allegations that he had a sexual relationship with an actress he helped promote, adding to the number of Hollywood mo...