Studio Ghibli has officially confirmed that Mei and the Kittenbus (2002), the 14-minute sequel to My Neighbor Totoro (1988), will return to the big screen in late 2025 and 2026. As per CBR, the short film, directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki, will be featured at Ghibli Park’s Grand Warehouse in Nagakute, Japan, alongside a curated lineup of other beloved Ghibli shorts, including The Day I Bought a Star (2006). The initiative is part of the studio’s broader effort to bring its exclusive shorts to a wider audience in an immersive theme park setting.
The screenings began on December 17 with the debut of The Day I Bought a Star, which will be featured daily at the Grand Warehouse’s Orionza Video Exhibition room until January 31. Mei and the Kittenbus will take center stage from February 1 to February 28. The short films will be screened in Japanese without English subtitles, but Japanese-language subtitles will be featured periodically to accommodate hearing-impaired visitors.
The follow-up to My Neighbor Totoro follows Satsuki’s younger sister, Mei, as she encounters the magical kittenbus and explores the forests of Totoro’s world. The cast of the short film includes Chika Sakamoto and Hitoshi Takagi, who reprise their roles as Mei and Totoro, respectively, while Miyazaki himself voices the elderly Granny Cat. Mei and the Kittenbus was the third animated short film made exclusively for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, following The Whale Hunt (2001) and Koro’s Big Day Out (2002).
All 22 Studio Ghibli Films Are Currently Screening in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is ending the year with a complete Studio Ghibli marathon. The Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills is showcasing all 22 of the studio’s animated films in a multi-day event taking place between December 19 and January 1. The first day of the marathon kicked off with a double feature of two Miyazaki classics, Castle in the Sky (1986) and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984).
Moving forward, each day the event will feature back-to-back screenings of interesting pairs of Ghibli films, including My Neighbor Totoro alongside Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) will be shown with Only Yesterday (1991), and Pom Poko (1994) will be followed by Porco Rosso (1992). The marathon will begin at 7 p.m. each evening, with each film being showcased in Japanese with English subtitles.
Fans are encouraged to dress up as their favorite Studio Ghibli characters for a chance to win prizes, including a Studio Ghibli plushie and mini posters. The Fine Arts Theater is also offering free parking at the Beverly Hills City Garage after 4 p.m., with metered parking free on Sundays. Tickets retail for $20 per double feature on the theater’s website and are expected to sell out quickly given the location’s limited seating.
Mei and the Kittenbus begins screening at Ghibli Park starting February 1, 2026. Studio Ghibli’s feature-length films are available on HBO Max and Netflix in the U.S. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Release Date
July 18, 1992
Runtime
93 minutes