| Catbus | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Original | ネコバス ねこのバス | ||
| Romanization | Nekobasu or Neko no basu | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Feline | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Unknown | ||
| Aggressivity | Harmless | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Japan | ||
| Habitat | Forest | ||
| Diet | Unknown | ||
| Locomotion | Movement using twelve legs | ||
| Status | DD | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | My Neighbor Totoro | ||
| Created by | Hayao Miyazaki | ||
The Catbus is a strange magical creature which looks like a giant feline with six pairs of short legs and a hollow interior which allows it to act as a functional bus. It has glass-less windows (which can stretch to allow people to board in), a destination sign, and its interior contains seats. Its eyes glow like a pair of headlamps during the night.
The Catbus either is or has the power to become selectively invisible, that is: it's only seen by the people it wants to be seen by. It darts through fields, woodlands and urban areas with extreme speed and agility, and is also surprisingly lightweight, as shown by its ability to stand on thin branches of trees.
The exact nature of the Catbus' relationship with the Totoros is not clear, but it seems they're on friendly terms. The largest Totoro has been observed being transported by the Catbus (waiting for it on a regular bus stop and boarding it); and also summons the Catbus immediately when Satsuki asks for his help to find her sister Mei after the latter gets lost.