'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' Review- An Anime Flying Through The Air
Studio Ghibli takes us to the air.
In 1984, the Japanese animation company Toei Company and Topcraft brought to life Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Soon after, Studio Ghibli would take the film to new heights and later Walt Disney Pictures brought it to the United States in 2005.
In the kingdom of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Nausicaä (Alison Lohman) surveys the landscape. A toxic jungle was created one thousand years ago after the apocalyptic Seven Days of Fire. The toxins are spreading, killing villages throughout the land much to Lord Yupa’s (Patrick Stewart) dismay.
An aircraft from the kingdom of Tolmekia crashes in the Valley of the Wind, killing all on board except Princess Lastelle of Pejite. She warns Nausicaä to destroy the cargo which turns out to be the embryo of a Giant Warrior, one of the lethal, gargantuan humanoid bioweapons that caused the Seven Days of Fire.
Later, the Valley of the Wind is invaded by Tolmekia who wants to use the embryo to destroy the toxic jungle. The invaders kill Nausicaä’s father the king. Her kingdom is forced into a war with the kingdoms of Pejite, Tolmekia, and the giant beetle-like creatures in the toxic jungle.
The English voice cast is superb with the voices of Mark Hamill, Uma Thurman, Chris Sarandon, Frank Welker, Jeff Bennett, and many others. That does not underscore the Japanese cast who were amazing.
The steampunk feels and the overall enjoyment is worth it. Studio Ghibli once again delivers a masterwork of animation, story, and powerhouse characters that you are pulled into their circumstances with no problem. The story of Nausicaä is riveting from beginning to end as you watch the events happen before your eyes. You love it from beginning to end. I thought they did an amazing job once again.
A little backstory to this anime. It is based on a manga written by Hayao Miyazaki, which sadly, I have not read. Previously, it was dubbed and severely cut by an English film company being released as ‘Warriors of the Wind,’ which greatly disappointed the original filmmakers. When Studio Ghibli was formed, they would put a stipulation in their contracts that could not ever make any cuts to the film.
Bottom line, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is one of Studio Ghibli’s finest pieces and the dubbed version by Disney is superb. The artwork is incredible and the plot, while a bit heavy at times, was still quite a moving film.
FAVORITE QUOTE: It’s so beautiful. It’s hard to believe these spores could kill me.
PARENTAL CONCERNS: Violence
Watch the Japanese trailer below:
What did you think? Let me know in the comments below! Tell me if there’s a movie, anime, or novel you’d like me to review.