Cute kitties offered as blind-buys, but with an option for those who understandably want them all.

For as instantly memorable and enduringly popular as the charter is, the Catbus gets some pretty scant and sparse screen time in My Neighbor Totoro. Totoro hops on for a rainy nighttime ride, Satsuki gets a lift to look for Mei when she’s lost, and the siblings then swing by the hospital where their mom is staying to drop off a present, but that’s about it for the feline transportation mode that’s become one of the most recognizable characters in all of anime.

So since the Catbus definitely doesn’t overstay its welcome on screen, no doubt a lot of Ghibli fans would be happy to have it stay in their homes, which is where this series of adorable Catbus figures comes in.

Offered through Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku, the figures show the Catbus in a variety of moods, from relaxed to adventurous, helping stir the imagination by giving us a glimpse into its life outside its movie scenes.

Exact dimensions vary by specific pose, but the longest are eight centimeters (3.1 inches) in length, and they’re all within 4,3 centimeters in height. In other words, anyone who’s got room for the Catbus in their heart should be able to find room for one of these figures on their desk, shelf, or table.

As is often the case with variations-on-a-theme anime merch, the My Neighbor Totoro Full of Poses Collection Catbus figures, as they’re officially called, are offered gacha/blind-buy style, priced at 1,100 yen (US$7) each. Now, when it comes to blind-buy items, the ideal situation is usually one where you’d like any of the possibilities, so initially it would seem like this is a can’t lose situation, despite the randomized element.

But while it might look that way at first glance, at second, third, fourth, and fifth glance, you’ll see the problem here: All of the figurines are incredibly cute, so while you might be happy with any of them, odds are what you really want is all of them. Sagely anticipating this, Donguri Kyowakoku is also offering the figures in a complete box set for 6,600 yen. Why 6,600 and not 5,500? Because there are actually six different designs in the series, with one that’s being kept a secret in preview images, and the complete box set guarantees you one of each.

▼ And yes, even the box itself is beautiful.

The My Neighbor Totoro Full of Poses Collection Catbus figures can be purchased through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop (random individuals here, complete box here) following a recent restock, and should be just the thing to keep us company as we wait for the next screening of the Mei and the Baby Catbus sequel anime at the Ghibli Museum or Ghibli Park.

Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
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