Restored "My Neighbor Totoro" to be released in China in December

A Chinese poster for the Japanese classic animation "My Neighbor Totoro", which is set to open in China on Dec. 14. [Photo:ifeng.com]

A restored version of Hayao Miyazaki's animation "My Neighbor Totoro" has a release date in China of Dec. 14, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the movie's original release.

The film, which has been digitally restored, will be screened in both its original Japanese version and a version with Chinese dubbing.

"My Neighbor Totoro," which tells the story of two little girls and their new friends in the nearby forest, did not perform well when it was first released in Japan in 1988, but it became critically acclaimed afterward and has amassed a worldwide cult following.

The titular character in the film "Totoro" has become a cultural icon.