Tatsuo Kusakabe

"Now, keep working."

Tatsuo Kusakabe is the father of Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe, and the husband of Yasuko Kusakabe.

Personality
Tatsuo Kusakabe works at a college as a professor of Archaeology. He is a very good father and does his best to keep Mei and Satsuki happy when their mother is in the hospital. He believes in the imagination of his daughters and understands their belief of Totoro. He is kind and patient.

Appearance
Tatsuo has brown hair and brown eyes; he wears a red vest and blue trousers, and a white under shirt. He also wears thick black glasses.

My Neighbor Totoro
In the beginning of My Neighbor Totoro, Tatsuo Kusakabe, Mei Kusakabe and Satsuki Kusakabe are seen in the moving truck, moving to a new house. When Mei and Satsuki believe that the house is haunted, he tells them that he always wanted to live in a haunted house. Later in the story, when Mei decides to go exploring, she leaves Tatsuo in charge of her 'flower shop.' When Mei claims to have seen Totoro, he believes her, saying that it is probably a forest spirit. That night, in a windy evening, the family scare away the spirits in the house. He, Satsuki, and Mei laugh a lot to make the soot sprites leave, which are seen leaving the house that night. Towards the end of the film, he goes to visit Yasuko Kusakabe. He says he is worried about Satsuki, who is trying really hard to be an adult and be there for her sister. After she says she is getting better, they find an ear of corn with "For Mommy" written on it.

Mei and the Kittenbus
Mei's father has a cameo appearance in Mei and the Kittenbus.

Relationstips

 * Mei Kusakabe (younger daughter)
 * Satsuki Kusakabe (elder daughter)
 * Yasuko Kusakabe (wife)
 * Granny

Trivia

 * Tatsuo looks very similar to Kiki's father in Kiki's Delivery Service.
 * It is unknown if he ever knows about Mei running away.
 * Tatsuo Kusakabe in the original Japanese version is voiced by Shigesato Itoi, who is best known for creating Nintendo's Mother series.