Susuwatari

Sootballs (Susuwatari in Japanese) are species that appear in the films My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. They are small round balls made from soot that dwell in old and abandoned houses and leave black dirt in their wake. If the house becomes inhabited, they decide if the inhabitants are nice people, if they are, they will leave.

Spirited Away
they work in the bathhouse in return for small star shaped food. They carry coal to help power the bathhouse.

Appearances In The Film
Susuwatari appear at the beginning of the film when Satsuki, Mei, and Tatsuo first move into their new house. Susuwatari are everywhere and move quickly from the light into the darkness, which they like. Mei tries to catch some, but despite this, they agree that the Kusakabe family is good and they leave to another abandoned area.

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