Youth Totoro Mascot Costume

When asking my sons what they wanted to be this year we went through many possibilities. They both fixated on one of their favorite movies "My Neighbor Totoro" by Hayo Miyazaki. If you haven't watched this film, I highly recommend it. It is a beautifully innocent animated movie from a brilliant film maker. It is also one of the very few G rated movies that doesn't have any really scary parts and that I think is also entertaining for adults.

We wanted to recreate Totoro as closely as possible, meaning we were going to do a full body mascot costume. Keeping in mind that my 4 and 6 year olds would have to war these for an hour or more. We came up with a set of goals we wanted to accomplish when creating the costumes:

Keep the proportions and overall look as close as possible to Totoro
Keep it as light as possible
Allow for freedom of movement
Have it come off and on as quickly as possible
Have my boys help in the construction

The oldest only took one break and enjoyed every second of the outing. The youngest… well we had a back-up costume that he used after he got tired of Totoro, but he still enjoyed the build and time he did spend in it. Overall a success in my book.

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Step 1: Tools & Materials for Totoro Mascot Costume

Tools:
Google Sketch-Up
Fabric Tape Measure
Coping Saw
Scissors
Sewing Machine
Needle

Materials:
Irrigation piping roll - home improvement store
Irrigation pipe couplers - home improvement store
Irrigation pipe couplers - home improvement store
Irrigation pipe T-connectors - home improvement store
Cross connectors - home improvement store
Duct Tape - home improvement store
1" black nylon straps - craft store
1" strap adjustment fasteners - craft store
Thread - craft store
Yarn - craft store
Brown Paper (for template making)
Thick Batting - craft store
Grey/Blue fleece (body) - craft store
Cream/White fleece (chest) - craft store
White fleece - craft store
Black fleece - craft store
Poly fill - craft store
Plasitc Mesh - craft store
Pet window screen - home improvement store

Resources:
Totoro Image
3D Model

AALISS says: Nov 3, 2011. 7:34 PM

Wow they look great, Compliments!
Are they flame safe?

craineum (author) says: Nov 5, 2011. 4:19 PM

They are made of fleece and batting material gotten from the local fabric store. My guess is those don't come flame safe. But the costumes come of incredible fast, plus we were walking with our kids.

If you are interested in that then I am sure there is something you could probably treat the fabric with?!?

Andib says: Nov 4, 2011. 4:08 AM

Excellent!!
These costumes came out GREAT!!

And Im a big Studio Ghibli fan as well!

I love how you built the frame. Much easier than hula hoops. Gives me some ideas now...hmmm..

But a truly lovely costume!

sprogmom says: Nov 2, 2011. 2:16 PM

Love it! So cute. And my daughters and I love all of Hayo Miyazaki's films (even the ones with scary parts). Great costumes, they must have had so much fun in them.

craineum (author) says: Nov 2, 2011. 3:40 PM

They haven't watched Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke, but everything else Ghibli has done. My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's are by far their favorites right now. Probably change as they get older. :)

Korlee says: Nov 2, 2011. 2:23 PM

I just love what you have done! Thank you for sharing!!

seamster says: Nov 2, 2011. 8:39 AM

What great costumes! It looks like they came together very well.

Thanks for posting this, it makes me want to see the movie. I'll have to check it out for the family!

craineum (author) says: Nov 2, 2011. 9:04 AM

Thanks! It really is a fantastic childrens movie. The other Studio Ghibli movies are worth a look as well.