Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa

Title:Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa
Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
風の谷のナウシカ (Japanese)
Overall:Buy
Keywords: , , , , , , ,
Notables: Animation - Studio Ghibli
IEMASA Kayumi
MIYAZAKI Hayao
MUGIHITO
R1 License - GKIDS
TAKAHATA Isao
Set far in a fantastical future, a girl comes upon the task of uniting warring peoples and rescuing what little is left of nature. Written, designed, and directed by Miyazaki, Nausicaa is one of the most classic anime films out of the internationally reknowned Studio Ghibli.

Animation by Studio Ghibli.
R1 License by Disney.
117 minute movie.

Winner of 1984 Mainichi - Ōfuji Noburō Award.

2:58min Disney Movie Trailer - YouTube Video
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Buy sunshine [series:299#2852]
Ever since I first watched the movie Spirited Away by director Hayao Miyazaki I have been hooked on watching other movies directed by him. Although there were a few I did not like, and some I have not seen yet. So far I have seen Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa Of the Valley of the Wind, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke. These movies all have some things in common, but also some differences too. Each of these movies has a female character in them with a male character constantly along side her. In Spirited Away there is Chihiro or Sen as she becomes known, and Haku who helps her survive in the spirit world. Then in Castle in the Sky there is Sheeta, and Pazu who helps her save the ancient kingdom of Laputa when it is attacked by the government. Nausicaa is a princess in Nausicaa Of the Valley of the Wind, who saves her kingdom from the insects and the nearby kingdoms of Pejite and Tolmekia with the help of Asbel. Kiki is a new witch trying to make her way in a city in Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Tombo helps her to adjust as well get her powers back. Howl’s Moving Castle is about a girl named Sophie, who helps a wizard named Howl regain his heart and confidence. Princess Mononoke is a woman who grew up with wolves, and is helped by Ashitaka to save the forest. But this movie seems a bit different because Ashitaka is shown a bit more than Princess Mononoke. Porco Rosso is a bit different than the others because Porco is the main character, and Fio is a character that helps him fix his plane. As for the actual stories all of his movies have a theme of nature, Japanese culture, and/or government. For example Spirited Away is about the spirit world, and Chihiro learning her manners, which is Japanese culture, and the movie is very descriptive about rivers and the spirits were considered part of nature. Nausicaa Of the Valley of the Wind is the biggest example of a combination because it describes the world’s environment and its animals after a long war. How the world cleanses itself is the nature part, and the war and continuing conflict with the other kingdoms is government. Princess Mononoke is going to be an example of nature itself because she is protecting the forest against industrialization, as is Castle in the Sky because Sheeta is protecting Laputa, which is now a forested castle. Kiki’s Delivery Service would be nature too because she has to learn how to be in tune with nature to use her witch’s powers. Finally Porco Rosso is an example of government because he has a warrant of arrest on him.

Last updated Sunday, March 16 2008. Created Sunday, March 16 2008.
Buy 9 8 7 9 10 Ggultra2764 [series:299#1552]
The Pros: Nausicaa is an animated film that lays out a foundation for the themes and elements that would be found in later Studio Ghibli works. Nausicaa features characters with a decent amount of depth where the viewer is given an understanding of the personal beliefs of the film’s major characters’ regarding the problems facing their world. This creates a storyline where there are no true villains within the film as all the major characters have their own justifications for the actions that they commit throughout the movie. In addition, Nausicaa of one of few anime titles with a theme focused on environmental awareness. The film explores two viewpoints of how to deal with nature’s influence on humanity’s living environment: one side believing in a peaceful coexistence with nature, the other destroying parts of nature that are a threat to humanity’s environment. Nausicaa features several vast settings to elaborate on its themes featuring the lush greenery and lively townsfolk of the Valley of the Wind and the murky, corrupt environment found in the corrupted lands that are occupied by the Ohmu. All of these elements are handled smoothly in Nausicaa despite the limited amount of time that the movie format has. In terms of music, Nausicaa features a melodic soundtrack full of mellow musical pieces that reflect upon both peaceful moments and dramatic situations that take place in the film.

The Cons: There are a couple problems to be found in Nausicaa. First, Nausicaa’s style of animation would be outdated to modern standards as such a style had been used since the 1970s up to that point. This would only be a minor nit-pick with the film as this detail would be forgivable considering the time in which Nausicaa was made. The second problem with the film would have to do with the movie’s choice of ending. With the events that lead up to the climax of the movie, the way it ended felt anti-climatic at best and might not please all viewers of the film.

Facts on the Movie:

-The first animated feature film created by the collaboration of Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, animators of Topcraft animation studios, and other staff members that would later become Studio Ghibli. With the success of Nausicaa in Japanese theaters, Ghibli was officially created in 1985. Because Takahata and Miyazaki were responsible for creating the ideas and production behind Nausicaa, they are recognized as the official co-founders of the studio.

-Directed by acclaimed animation director Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki also did work on Nausicaa’s original story and screenplay.

-Hayao Miyazaki went through a difficult process to get work on Nausicaa going beyond the planning stages. He originally pitched the idea for Nausicaa in 1981. But, no media company would allow the idea to enter production because there was no original manga source where the idea came from as almost all anime made during the early 1980s was based on an ongoing manga series. In response to this, Miyazaki made Nausicaa into a manga series in February 1982 for the monthly manga magazine, Animage. The manga proved to be popular with readers of Animage and in 1983, Tokuma Shoten Publishing, the company behind publication of Animage, agreed to provide funding for film production of Nausicaa. Nausicaa is an animated film based roughly on ideas used in its manga counterpart.

-In 1985, New World Pictures acquired video distribution rights of Nausicaa in America. Wanting to market the film as a children’s action cartoon, New World heavily edited Nausicaa and altered the storyline of the film removing all references of Nausicaa’s compassion towards nature. The name of this heavily edited version was called Warriors of the Wind. Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli fans were horrified of the heavy editing done to the film and wished for others to disregard the existence of the heavily edited film. New World Pictures rights to distribute Nausicaa expired in 1995. As a result of the heavy editing, Studio Ghibli created strict guidelines for no editing to be done whatsoever to any of their films. Buena Vista Home Entertainment agreed to these terms when they agreed to the Disney-Tokuma Deal in 1998.

-Nausicaa was the first animated project that future animation director Hideaki Anno would have involvement in. As a young man, Anno walked up to the offices of Studio Ghibli with a storyboard in hand to offer his services. Ghibli had placed a newspaper ad looking for animated talent that could help design a later scene in Nausicaa where a God Warrior is resurrected to battle an incoming army of countless Ohmu, as this was the most complex scene to be animated in the movie. It was Anno’s storyboard and animated talent that was used to animate that scene.

-The fox-squirrel which Nausicaa keeps as a pet in the film later makes a cameo appearance as a pair in Laputa: Castle in the Sky during a scene where Pazu and Sheeta are exploring the floating island of Laputa.

-Some anime fans in the past referred to Nausicaa as a ‘bare-bottomed heroine’ because they assumed she was not wearing any pants in character sketches drawn of her. However, she actually wears white pants and they are shown clearly in the film.

Last updated Wednesday, January 09 2008. Created Sunday, January 06 2008.
Buy 10 10 10 10 10 Violet D [series:299#1393]
Enter into the world of Princess Nausicca and prepare to watch a masterpiece of fantasy. A story about a princess who loves even insects. She has to save her people and isn't afraid to do it even if it may mean her life. I loved watching this movie and how they have Nausicaa love all things even a baby insect. The beautiful way they present this is special indeed. In this world, our world where we still have to worry about terrorist attacks I think all ages should watch this film.

Last updated Saturday, July 09 2005. Created Saturday, July 09 2005.
Buy Jan-Chan [series:299#967]
Finally! This series is now available in the US as an R1 release, even if it is Disney who did the English voice dubbing.

But dispite these issues, this is a classic anime story that should not be missed. Miyazaki is a master at story telling and anime, so regardless of how old this series is (twenty years now?), it's story is timeless and still holds a special wonder when ever I watch it.

Last updated Wednesday, May 04 2005. Created Wednesday, May 04 2005.
Buy 8 8 9 8 9 DillonSOB [series:299#1352]
Behind Totoro, Nausicaa is my second favorite Miyazaki film. It hocks the pro-environment, anti-human-arrogance message like Mononoke, without coming across as overly moralistic and remorseful. The post-apocalyptic, polluted-Earth survival story was common for 80's movies both here and Japan (Fist of the North Star, Mad Max, Terminator), but Miyazaki always paints the man-nature conflict-coexistence in a fresher, more vivid light.
This is one of the more mature plots from Studio Ghibli, and the epic interplay between various warring factions, supernatural beings, and crude futuristic technology reminds me of Lord of the Rings, Princess Bride, or Willow. The super-heroine Nausicaa (although one-dimensional at times) is a multitalented princess, with an angry, conflicted green party pacifist mentality (like Mononoke but not militant and more humanitarian). She seeks the ideal arrangement of humans and nature peacefully coexisting to make the Earth a better place (don't we wish?). The villains are somewhat nuanced, and the comic relief from the old villagers is great. There is no pure good and evil, things may not be as they seem, and sometimes our mortal enemies become our most necessary partners. There are no 'easy decisions' for any of the characters (everyone does what they think is best to insure the survival of their people and make things 'right'). The ancient demon in the service of man that perishes trying to fight the inevitable could be interpreted to symbolize many things.
In sum, this is a layered, high-quality film with broad appeal. The animation/music is good by 1984 standards, and the film addresses many ahead-of-its-time themes. Once again, the brilliance of Miyazaki is displayed in an outlandish, creative, fantasy film that hits home on many issues, and feels so genuinely human at its core that we have to remind ourselves it's just a fable.

Last updated Wednesday, October 06 2004. Created Wednesday, October 06 2004.
Buy 9 9 9 8 9 AstroNerdBoy [series:299#436]
I had only one real problem with this movie -- the leftist preaching got old. Otherwise, this is a movie that should be watched.

I first saw this as the hack-job known as "Warriors of the Wind". I enjoyed it when I saw that version back in 1990 but I couldn't help but think things were missing. Now, I know why. I believe the New Line version cut 30 minutes from the film. So those who've seen the hack version, you've GOT to watch this!

In true Miyazaki style, the art and animation are top of the line. The characters are well developed and the story is very interesting. In addition, the viewer will have no doubts as to Miyazaki's political views, especially on the environment and military. I got the strong impression that his influences concerning military action came from the result of Japan and the US fighting in WWII.

Briefly, the story is of a future Earth where poisonous "forests" are taking over the planet. This was caused by humans poluting everything in addition to humans nearly destroying everything with giant robots (god creatures as I believe they are called). Nausicaa is a princess of a small valley that is protected from the poison forest spores by constant breezes coming in from the sea. Nausicaa wants to learn all she can about the toxic wastelands and hopefully cure her ailing father.

Meanwhile, two waring nation-states want to obtain dominance while destroying the toxic forest. Both have their eyes on the innocent valley and the people therein as both try to obtain one of the ancient robot weapons which survived the war.

As I said, the leftist preaching got old to me, but don't let that put you off this movie. It is well written, well drawn, and well animated. Miyazaki Hayao is a master of animation and this shows why. I look forward to seeing how Disney does the English dub of this movie.

Last updated Thursday, March 25 2004. Created Saturday, March 15 2003.
Buy 8 8 9 9 9 Sesen Kelader [series:299#471]
Being one of Miyazaki's pieces, it inherits Miyazaki's greatness. Valley of the Wind is made around 20 years ago from year 2003. To come out such incredible and astonishing imagination and innovation like Ohmu and jet-operated glider at that time is supreme.
As usual, Miyazaki spends lots energy on story plotting and character development in Kaza no Tani. Storyline is intense and cohent. There is hardly any second for one to move eyes away without missing an important scene.
Kaza no Tani tells the survival of human races after rotted civilization destroyed most mankinds and mutated the nature. It greatly emphasizes on the interaction, interruption, and symbiosis between humans and the nature, making people rethink the relationship between man and the Earth.

Last updated Saturday, January 04 2003. Created Saturday, January 04 2003.
Buy 10 9 10 9 10 Johan Gustafsson [series:299#195]
This must be one of animes greatest moments. Everything is so perfect, and the story is really fantastic. It makes you think about us humans and what we are doing to the earth. The animation is very good for a movie from 1984. Warning: Don´t watch the cut and dubbed version "Warriors of the wind". Sadly, it isn´t available anymore but you can try to get it from ebay.

Last updated Wednesday, July 04 2001. Created Wednesday, July 04 2001.
Watch 7 7 7 7 5 o [series:299#15]
I have seen the fansubs, so this is not a review of the infamously hacked dub version "Warriors of the Wind." Now, despite the absolute glowing reviews typically given to this utter Ghibli classic (a serious fan should see their films, after all ^^), I will say something that would undoubtedly get me maimed on a Ghibli forum .. Don't bother with the film. ::ouch ouch!!:: Why? Well, because I read Miyazaki's manga FIRST (he wrote the short manga before turning it into a film - that should be your first clue). And guess what? His books are far FAR superior in story than the film. At first I thought I might not like a black and white rendition, but really.. The 4-book translated manga series is available in the US - I got my copies from Amazon, they were brought over by Viz. Buena Vista will eventually distribute the Nausicaa film in the US. (Remember - subs subs!)

Last updated Tuesday, June 05 2001. Created Tuesday, June 05 2001.

Other Sites
NameURL
Nausicaa.net http://www.nausicaa.net
List of (Japanese Animation) Mainichi Awards http://wiki.anidb.info/w/Mainichi_Awards

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