You've seen the grin. That massive, Cheshire-inspired crescent of teeth that spans nearly the entire face of a twelve-legged feline transport vehicle. It’s the Studio Ghibli Cat Bus, or Nekobus, and it is arguably the most bizarre thing Hayao Miyazaki ever dreamed up, which is saying a lot for a man who once turned a protagonist into a pig.
The first time Satsuki and Mei encounter it in the 1988 masterpiece My Neighbor Totoro, it’s raining. Hard. The creature doesn’t just walk; it vibrates with a predatory energy that somehow feels safe. It’s weird. It’s fuzzy. Honestly, it’s a little terrifying if you think about the anatomy for more than five seconds.
Why does a cat need to be a bus? Or why does a bus need to be a cat?
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The Folklore Roots of the Studio Ghibli Cat Bus
Most Western audiences see the Cat Bus and think of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The resemblance to the Cheshire Cat is obvious—the floating smile, the mischievous eyes, the vanishing act. But Miyazaki’s inspiration is deeply rooted in Japanese folklore, specifically the concept of the bakeneko or "changed cat."
In Japanese mythology, when a cat reaches a certain age or grows a particularly long tail, it gains supernatural powers. It can shapeshift. It can haunt. It can even manipulate the dead. Miyazaki basically took this ancient, spooky idea and modernized it for a post-war Shinto-adjacent setting. He famously remarked that he imagined the cat saw a bus, found it interesting, and simply decided to become one. That’s it. That is the logic. It’s the kind of whimsical, "just because" reasoning that defines the Ghibli aesthetic.
The creature isn't just a vehicle. It's an apex predator that has chosen to be helpful. Its eyes act as headlights, emitting powerful beams of yellow light. Its "destinations" flash on its forehead in kanji, changing rapidly until it finds the right one. When it runs, it doesn't care about roads. It sprints over power lines and across the surface of ponds, the wind of its passage bending the crops in the fields.
The Anatomy of a Supernatural Vehicle
Let's talk about the interior. It’s fur. It’s all fur. When Satsuki and Mei step inside, they sink into seats made of living, breathing plush. It’s a tactile experience that Miyazaki spent a ridiculous amount of time animating. He wanted the audience to feel the "squish."
The Cat Bus has twelve legs. Why twelve? Probably because four didn't look fast enough and sixteen looked like a centipede. The movement is fluid, almost liquid. It’s unsettling because it moves like an insect but looks like a mammal.
The Dark Theory That Refuses to Die
If you spend any time in the darker corners of the Ghibli fandom, you’ve heard the "Death God" theory. It’s a persistent urban legend suggesting that Totoro is actually a Shinigami (a god of death) and the Studio Ghibli Cat Bus is the carriage taking the children to the afterlife.
The theory claims that Mei actually drowned in the pond and Satsuki committed suicide out of grief, or died of exposure looking for her. Proponents point to the fact that the girls’ shadows supposedly disappear toward the end of the film. They argue that the Cat Bus’s destination sign at one point reads "Grave Road."
Studio Ghibli officially debunked this years ago.
They released a statement in 2007 saying, "Everyone, please be at ease. There is no truth to the theory that Totoro is the God of Death or that Mei is dead in My Neighbor Totoro." The lack of shadows? That was just a cost-saving measure in the animation process or a choice based on the overhead sun. Sometimes a cat bus is just a cat bus.
But the theory persists because the film deals so heavily with the fear of death—the mother’s illness, the lost shoe in the pond. The Cat Bus is the bridge between the terrifying reality of a child's world and the safety of the supernatural. It appears exactly when the emotional stakes are highest. It’s a savior, not a reaper.
The Secret Sequel You’ve Probably Never Seen
Most people think the Cat Bus’s story ends when the credits roll on My Neighbor Totoro. They’re wrong.
There is a short film called Mei and the Kittenbus (Mei to Konekobus). It’s only about 14 minutes long and is shown exclusively at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan. If you haven't been there, you’ve likely never seen it, as Ghibli is notoriously protective of its museum-only shorts.
In this film, we meet the Kittenbus. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a smaller, younger version of the original. It’s essentially a "bus in training." The story involves Mei sharing a caramel with the Kittenbus and eventually being taken to a forest gathering of hundreds of cat-vehicles, ranging from cat-trains to a massive, ancient cat-liner.
It expands the lore significantly. It proves that the Studio Ghibli Cat Bus isn't a singular freak of nature. It’s part of a species. A species that seemingly co-exists with humans but remains invisible to adults. It reinforces the idea that the "magic" of the Ghibli world is structural. It’s not a one-off miracle; it’s an ecosystem.
Why the Design Works (And Why We Buy the Merch)
From a marketing perspective, the Cat Bus is a goldmine, but from a design perspective, it’s a masterpiece of "ugly-cute" (kimo-kawaii). It isn't traditionally pretty. It has too many legs and a mouth that could easily swallow a child whole.
Yet, it remains one of the most popular plush toys in history.
The genius lies in the eyes. They are wide, unblinking, and slightly crazed. But they aren't malicious. There’s a certain "working class" energy to the Cat Bus. It has a job to do. It changes its destination sign, it waits for passengers, and it departs on time. It’s a bizarre fusion of the industrial revolution and ancient Shintoism.
Real-World Iterations
The Cat Bus has transcended the screen in ways few anime icons do.
- The Ghibli Museum: There is a life-sized, soft-sculpture Cat Bus that children can play on. Sadly, it has an age limit. Adults are generally forbidden from the "squish," though they occasionally have special "adults only" nights.
- Toyota Ghibli APM: Recently, for the Ghibli Park in Aichi, Toyota actually built a functioning, low-speed electric vehicle based on the Cat Bus. It’s not fuzzy on the outside for practical reasons, but it mimics the shape and the "eyes" perfectly. It’s the closest we will ever get to a real-life Nekobus.
- The Burning Man Homage: Fans have built large-scale art cars in the shape of the Cat Bus for festivals around the world. It fits perfectly into the surreal, desert landscape of Nevada.
What the Cat Bus Represents in Miyazaki’s World
In Miyazaki’s films, childhood is a period of "unrestricted sight." Children see the spirits because they haven't been conditioned to ignore them. The Studio Ghibli Cat Bus represents the ultimate freedom of that perspective.
When you’re a kid, the distance between your house and the hospital where your mom is staying feels like an ocean. It’s an insurmountable distance. The Cat Bus is the manifestation of the wish to bridge that gap. It’s the "Deus ex Machina" that doesn't feel cheap because it’s earned through the girls' bravery and their connection to nature.
The bus doesn't just provide transportation; it provides comfort. It’s the literalization of "The Warm Fuzzies."
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the Cat Bus, don't just settle for the movie on Netflix (or Max, depending on your region).
- Visit the Ghibli Park: The "Mononoke Village" and "Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse" sections in Nagakute, Japan, offer the most immersive Cat Bus experiences currently available. You can actually sit in the Toyota-designed version now.
- Seek out the soundtrack: Joe Hisaishi’s score for the Cat Bus scenes is frantic and percussive. It’s some of his best work, capturing the "loping" gait of the creature.
- Check the Merch Authenticity: Because of its popularity, the Cat Bus is one of the most counterfeited Ghibli characters. If you're buying a plush, look for the "Donguri Kyowakoku" official tags or the Studio Ghibli "totoro" hologram. The fakes often get the eye-color wrong (they should be a specific glowing yellow) or the number of legs.
- Watch for the "Destination" Details: Next time you watch the film, pause when the Cat Bus is changing its destination sign. It flashes through several real locations in the Tokorozawa area before landing on "Mei." It’s a tiny detail that grounds the magical creature in a very real, physical geography.
The Studio Ghibli Cat Bus remains a symbol of the studio’s ability to take the frightening and make it friendly. It’s a monster that serves. A predator that protects. It reminds us that even when the world is dark and rainy and you’re lost in the middle of nowhere, there might just be a twelve-legged feline waiting to take you home.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
If you want to experience the "Mei and the Kittenbus" sequel, your only legal option is to book a ticket to the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo months in advance, as they rotate their short films monthly. Check the museum's official calendar to ensure that specific short is playing during your visit window. For those staying home, focusing on high-quality art books like The Art of My Neighbor Totoro provides the best look at the original conceptual sketches that gave birth to this twelve-legged icon.