011 4 In the early nineties , one of my pre-school daughter's favorite videos was something entitled WARRIORS OF THE WIND . As an adult , I found much in it to be of interest , and much of the animation to be of an exceedingly high quality , but overall the film lacked balance and a cohesive structure to make it a truly great animated film . Later I learned that the animator / writer / director Hiyao Miyazaki had been horrified with the way his Japanese original had been transferred into English and that many of the ecological concerns of the film had been muted by aggressive editing on the part of the American distributors . During the past two decades the English-language revision of NAUSICAA AND THE VALLEY OF THE WIND , the film which through reediting became WARRIORS OF THE WIND has generated as much anger as any film ever made . Now , however , arguably the greatest injustice in the history of animation has been redressed with a marvelous new edition of what is easily one of Miyazaki's greatest achievements .
There is a lot of debate about where NAUSICAA AND THE VALLEY OF THE WIND stands among all of Miyazaki's films Even while there has been a growing consensus that Miyazaki is the greatest maker of feature length animated film ever , there is controversy as to whether this film is or is not his greatest film . I'll confess my bias that it is his finest film , though I certainly can understand why someone would defend the assertion that THE PRINCESS MONONOKE or SPIRITED AWAY deserves that designation . Both of those films are a bit more polished and even more lavishly and elaborately drawn . My own reasons for preferring NAUSICAA are several . First , I personally believe that NAUSICAA is the first truly great Miyazaki film . Although he had done many superb films before this one , it was at this point that his art reached an apex that he has matched on other occasions , but never unquestionably surpassed . Second , I loved the story , both the scope of Miyazaki's vision , the cohesiveness of his narrative , and the richness of the moral message underlying the film . Finally , the animation of the film just blew me away even in the bowdlerized version of the film , and does so even more in this fully restored version . Miyazaki pioneered in animation the framing of images in cinematic fashion . For instance , Miyazaki manipulates in scenes in which Nausicaa flies her glider beside a larger ship to be from the same point of view a camera would be if it were a live action scene . His perspective is always driven by an imaginary camera , unlike , say , the Disney films , in none of whose films from the forties to the eighties can be found a similar manipulation of perspective . Several Disney films from the late eighties to the present display such perspective at times , but I would suggest that it is not an accident that these were made after Miyazaki had perfected the technique in a number of films . Perhaps Miyazaki has made minor improvements in his films since NAUSICAA , but none represent the quantum leap forward that this one did .
One reason my daughter watched and rewatched WARRIORS OF THE WIND , until she literally wore out the video , was the lead character . If my memory serves me correctly , they changed the central character's name from Nausicaa to some far blander name , a change that is emblematic for the production as a whole . But even in that version , Nausicaa stood out as not merely one of the most compelling heroines in animated film , but in all films . In fact , even today Nausicaa compares favorably with such characters as Ripley from the ALIEN films and Buffy Summers as a compelling heroine . She is at moments subject to the kind of preciousness that mars many moments in anime in particular and Asian film in general ( think of key moments in films when Jackie Chan ceases his chase of the villains to save a baby in danger , or the way in this one where Nausicaa cuddles with the half cat / half fox creature that attaches itself to her ) , but all in all , she is utterly courageous , amazingly inventive , unstintingly moral and compassionate , fiercely uncompromising in her principles , and unfailingly resourceful . In scene after scene after scene , Miyazaki invents new and strangely believable ways for his diminutive heroine to resolve seemingly impossible crises . By the end of the film , one has as much confidence in Nausicaa to save the day as Superman or Batman or Indiana Jones . As the father of a girl I can't express how important it was to her when she was young to have such a female heroine to enjoy . Male or female , heroic characters do not come any better than Nausicaa .
No review of this film would be complete without adding some praise for the score . Although I had a tad bit of trouble with the childlike voice that intentionally intones lyrics slightly off key ( Sarah Vaughan would famously sing out of tune when she would sing the Ira Gershwin line The way you sing off key , but she even sang off key musically in a way that enhanced the song as a whole ) to produce a decidedly irritating effect , the score as a whole is amazingly effective .
The wonderful thing about the entire series of new issues of the entire Miyazaki catalog is that they consistently provide both the original which can be watched with subtitles and an extremely high quality dubbed version . In live action films I am an unstinting purist . I simply won't watch a dubbed version of a film with live actors , since one gains so much from hearing the actual voices of the actors . I always get a kick on the X-FILES DVDs listening to the various foreign language dubbings and chuckling at the gap between , say , the voice of Gillian Anderson as Scully and the voice of the low-voiced actress dubbing her into German . But with animation it is a different matter . For one thing , the animated characters do not possess actual voices , but have only what any actor gives them . Additionally , animation is even more than live action films driven by the images on the screen . I find I always enjoy the visual aspect of the film more by not having to focus both on what is on the screen and on subtitles . Luckily , one can with this DVD set do both , watch it first in the dubbed version and then in the subtitled , or vice versa . I very much enjoyed the actors used to dub the English version . There were some obligatory big names-Patrick Stewart , who is outstanding as Lord Yupa , Alison Lohman ( who voiced Nausicaa ) , Uma Thurman , Edward James Olmos-but most of the people were highly appropriate for the character they were dubbing .
My only complaint with the DVDs is the way that Disney programs the DVDs to try to steer you to an endless series of Disney commercials when the discs are first inserted . Such spamming is just not appropriate to DVDs and especially not to an otherwise high quality version of a Miyazaki classic . Still , I applaud Disney for taking the effort to make almost Miyazaki's entire incredibly impressive corpus available . Only a few years ago , before the release of PRINCESS MONONOKE , Miyazaki was still unknown to most American filmgoers . He still doesn't enjoy the reputation that he deserves , but the release of his films on DVD is treated as event even by Wal-Mart and Target . He truly is without his peer in the world of feature length film animation , for not only does he do an amazing percentage of the animation himself , he also writes the stories , and acts as both producer and director . No other great animator has involved himself in his films at such great length and in such detail .
001 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
I have been an animation fan all of my life . I've seen almost every Disney animated flick countless times . I've studied the work of Chuck Jones and marveled at the best of Don Bluth .
I have been a fan of Japanese animation in partuclar for years . I have seen countless animated films and studied them in depth . I own almost every Studio Ghibli film ever made ( including Whisper of the Heart , the Cat Returns , Castle in the Sky , and Castle of Cagliostro ) . I am here to tell you that Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is without a doubt the greatest animated film I have ever seen in my life . . .
First of all , this is the first film that the animation genius Miyazaki ever attempted through his own studio . It is also a greatly condensed story , being adapted from a manga that it's creator wrote which was quite lengthly . That being said , this movie is PERFECT .
The animation may be old , but it rivals , and sometiems even demolishes , animation released in the theaters today . The action sequences ( and particularly the flight sequences ) are truly amazing to behold . The sound effects are marvelous . The music is mind-blowing . The pacing is perfect , the voice-acting beyond perfect . The quality of the artwork continues to astound . But that's not why this is the greatest animated film ever .
At it's heart this is s complex story of man vs . nature and man vs . man . How many times have we been over the topic of how man's meddling is threatening to destroy the world , and how perhaps one day the world will fight back ? In the world created in this film , the world has been destroyed by what can only be desribed as an apocalypse ( of man's doing ) . In response , plants and giant bugs are taking over the whole world and inhabiting vast patches fo wasteland . Various countries are fighting endless wars with each other in a quest to survive . A new danger arises though , as one of the ancient weapons which destroyed the world is found . The nations all claim they want to use it to destroy the bugs that would destroy humanity ( not to destroy each other , as each nation claims it's rivals would ) .
Toss into this mix an oasis from the harshness of the desert wastelands where everyone lives in peace and harmony . . . and a young girl may hold the secret to ending the eternal battle between man and nature .
The story in Nausicaa is incredibly stong , and the plot is quite deep . What really holds this movie together though , is Nausicaa herself . This young girl is the single greatest anime character ever to grace film . The key lies in something Miyazaki himself once said . A man who is the protagonist would destroy his enemies and defeat them . But the real world is not like that . In the real world , empathy and understanding is the only thing that can save us . And so rather than fight everyone to the death , Nausicaa takes on the far more dangerous goal of making everyone stop fighting before they annihilate everything worth saving . The Japanese are very in touch with the theme of the futility of war ( having experienced its effects first-hand ) , and this film is a perfect example of the pinnacle of where that philosophy can take us .
Miyazaki has changed in his views over time , and this film is not what he considers his best work . I find this to be the ultimate irony . The man doesn't even realize the magnitude of what he has created . . .
I said it before and I'll say it again . This is the greatest animated film of all time . It covers the full range of emotion , from friendship and understanding to death and destruction and the chance of forgiveness and renewal . I can often tell whether I will enjoy a movie by it's beginning . This movie has the best beginning of any movie I have ever seen . I always know if I will continue to love a movie when it ends , and this movie has the best ending of any movie I have ever seen . . .
002 4 I have been an animation fan all of my life . I've seen almost every Disney animated flick countless times . I've studied the work of Chuck Jones and marveled at the best of Don Bluth .
I have been a fan of Japanese animation in partuclar for years . I have seen countless animated films and studied them in depth . I own almost every Studio Ghibli film ever made ( including Whisper of the Heart , the Cat Returns , Castle in the Sky , and Castle of Cagliostro ) . I am here to tell you that Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is without a doubt the greatest animated film I have ever seen in my life . . .
First of all , this is the first film that the animation genius Miyazaki ever attempted through his own studio . It is also a greatly condensed story , being adapted from a manga that it's creator wrote which was quite lengthly . That being said , this movie is PERFECT .
The animation may be old , but it rivals , and sometiems even demolishes , animation released in the theaters today . The action sequences ( and particularly the flight sequences ) are truly amazing to behold . The sound effects are marvelous . The music is mind-blowing . The pacing is perfect , the voice-acting beyond perfect . The quality of the artwork continues to astound . But that's not why this is the greatest animated film ever .
At it's heart this is s complex story of man vs . nature and man vs . man . How many times have we been over the topic of how man's meddling is threatening to destroy the world , and how perhaps one day the world will fight back ? In the world created in this film , the world has been destroyed by what can only be desribed as an apocalypse ( of man's doing ) . In response , plants and giant bugs are taking over the whole world and inhabiting vast patches fo wasteland . Various countries are fighting endless wars with each other in a quest to survive . A new danger arises though , as one of the ancient weapons which destroyed the world is found . The nations all claim they want to use it to destroy the bugs that would destroy humanity ( not to destroy each other , as each nation claims it's rivals would ) .
Toss into this mix an oasis from the harshness of the desert wastelands where everyone lives in peace and harmony . . . and a young girl may hold the secret to ending the eternal battle between man and nature .
The story in Nausicaa is incredibly stong , and the plot is quite deep . What really holds this movie together though , is Nausicaa herself . This young girl is the single greatest anime character ever to grace film . The key lies in something Miyazaki himself once said . A man who is the protagonist would destroy his enemies and defeat them . But the real world is not like that . In the real world , empathy and understanding is the only thing that can save us . And so rather than fight everyone to the death , Nausicaa takes on the far more dangerous goal of making everyone stop fighting before they annihilate everything worth saving . The Japanese are very in touch with the theme of the futility of war ( having experienced its effects first-hand ) , and this film is a perfect example of the pinnacle of where that philosophy can take us .
Miyazaki has changed in his views over time , and this film is not what he considers his best work . I find this to be the ultimate irony . The man doesn't even realize the magnitude of what he has created . . .
I said it before and I'll say it again . This is the greatest animated film of all time . It covers the full range of emotion , from friendship and understanding to death and destruction and the chance of forgiveness and renewal . I can often tell whether I will enjoy a movie by it's beginning . This movie has the best beginning of any movie I have ever seen . I always know if I will continue to love a movie when it ends , and this movie has the best ending of any movie I have ever seen . . .
003 4 Absolutely , BUY THIS FILM . IT IS ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF ANY TYPE EVER MADE .
Disney , after originally having scheduled the release of this masterpiece for August 31 , having moved it to Feb . 22 , and having taken it off the release list , has now reinstated its release on Feb . 22 . It will be released with Porco Rosso and The Cat Returns ; originally , it was to be released with My Neighbor Totoro , but The Cat has been substituted . This is mistifying , because Cat is a sequel to Whisper from the Heart , a sweet and endearing film that has never been released in the U.S . ; a studio does not usually release the sequel first . What is Disney thinking , and what is to be done with Totoro ?
That said , Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind was Miyazaki's first full-length original film ( I don't count the Lupin films because they're part of someone else's work ) , and it is utterly superb . It is adapted from the epic manga series that he created in between projects while working for other directors , and only covers about 30% of the enormous story . It has a heavy ecological message , and shows Miyazaki's trademark fascination with flight and unusual animals . The story is deep , rich , emotional , and satisfying . The soundtrack , Jo Hisashi's first for Miyazaki , is one of his best ; it is not extremely varied , but it is rich and emotional .
A version of this film was introduced as Warriors of the Wind in the late 1980 ' s in the U.S . While the dub was excellent , twenty minutes of cuts made in the film infuriated Miyazaki to the point where he refused to allow any more U.S . sales of his films until Disney agreed to release the films uncut and to do their prodigious best with the vocal talents for the dubs . I still do not feel that their choice of voice actors has always been the best ; some of the performances in Castle in the Sky and Princess Mononoke were at best lackluster , but there's always the subtitles and original Japanese soundtrack for purists who aren't happy with the results .
This film is an absolute must-have for any animation fan . Even being Miyazaki's first film , it is a detailed , mature work far beyond the scope of most animation directors and storytellers . I just hope that Amazon will release this film in a 3 - pack with Porco Rosso and The Cat Returns .
006 4 This classic anime by Hayao Miyazaki pits a spunky , loving princess against those who misunderstand the precarious balance of nature in their diseased environment . Like most Miyazaki heroines , Princess Nausicaa is an independent girl , full of wisdom despite her young age , and one who approaches life with both awe and determination . When well-meaning but ignorant invaders from another land threaten to destroy the Valley of the Wind , Nausicaa must rely on her special understanding of nature to save them all .
Some of the themes and undertones of later Miyazaki works can be seen in this earlier film . In particular , the environmental interdependence of man and his environment that later defines Princess Mononoke begins in Nausicaa . The ohmu , giant armored bugs who attack when one of their own is injured , have the mysterious inner lives that many of the fantastical spirits / gods possess in Spirited Away . His fascination with wind and flight , lush and complex scenery , and the dynamic acting of his characters mark Nausicaa as an archetypal Miyazaki work .
Although I watched this anime in the original language with subtitles , Disney has assembled a remarkable cast of voices : Uma Thurman , Chris Sarandon , Patrick Stewart , Edward James Olmos , Alison Lohman , and Mark Hamill . ( The extras in the DVD contain interviews with these English-speaking actors about their dubbing experiences . ) I watched bits with these voices , and they are actually quite good in that they capture the emotional force and rhythms ( to a degree ) of the original . For those who get too distracted by reading subtitles , the high-quality dubbing should be appreciated . Still , I am a purist , much preferring the original language .
Because of its larger issues , Miyazaki's animation appeals to adults perhaps more than to children . His intense battles and ominous creatures will probably frighten younger kids , hence the PG rating . Highly recommended .
007 4 This is my favorite Miyazaki movie ; I like it better than Laputa ( Castle in the Sky ) , Spirited Away , or even Mononoke . As amazingly imaginative and touching as those movies are , I found Nausicaa to be even moreso . It just moved me in a way that is hard to describe . Visualy , the film is just plain beautiful . Even by today's standards . The music , as someone else stated , is haunting . Miyazaki's wonderful inventiveness is at its greatest here ; the unusual post-apocaliptic world the film is set in is alive and unique .
The great tragedy is that I've only been able to watch this movie as a poor copy-of-a-copy fansubed bootleg . It simply has not been available in the States in any other form . Hopefuly we'll soon see what we were missing ; props to those responsible for finaly getting this movie released here .
If you've liked any of Miyazaki's other films , or if you are an anime fan in general , check this movie out .
008 4 Before I start my review , let me state that I did manage to see this film subtitled at an art museum in New York . For me , it was a very interesting experience to discover Miyazaki in his youngest days . While some may find the quality of this film to be a bit dated upon initial glance , it is important to remember that NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND was made back in 1984 , so the animation , likewise , does not have as much polish as Miyazaki's later work displays . But this is not to say that NAUSICAA is unwatchable because of that . This is a deeply complex , imaginative tale set in a post-apocalyptic world that will remind many of PRINCESS MONONOKE , only the protagonist is a girl . Nausicaa is a compassionate princess who prefers to solve problems with peace , not vengeance . Her struggle to resolve a bitter conflict between two warring kingdoms and prevent them from reaching her home valley is not a good vs . evil tale . The characters are all flawed , believable people with their own agendas and redeeming qualities .
In a testament to Miyazaki's admiration of nature , the film offers a sub-plot involving a supposedly poisonous jungle . The product of a terrible global war , this thick , lush forest not only showcases Miyazaki's imagination ( those insects sure are creepy-looking ! ) but also emphasizes the dangers of world pollution .
While NAUSICAA is an older movie from Miyazaki , it manages to hold surprisingly well - - most classics have such staying power .
Its long journey to America is a story in and of itself . In 1985 ( a year after the film broke records in Japan ) , NAUSICAA debuted in America - - renamed WARRIORS OF THE WIND , drastically altered , and cut by a quarter of its two-hour running time , much to the outrage of Miyazaki and his colleagues . Since that time , Miyazaki declared that any adaptations of his films for American release must be done under the supervision of his company , Studio Ghibli .
As much as some folks love to hate Disney these days , one can credit them for taking the time to strike a deal with Miyazaki to distribute his films globally . While the Mouse House has made their share of marketing mistakes with his films , the dubs they've produced thus far - - KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE , PRINCESS MONONOKE , SPIRITED AWAY , and CASTLE IN THE SKY - - all have maintained a quality of excellence and strong performances from a solid cast of well-known actors and actresses . This brand new English version of NAUSICAA is no exception .
As the title character , Alison Lohman provides commendable sincerity , compassion , and vulnerability , and is amply supported by a grand cast of side characters , which include Uma Thurman ( the embittered empress Kushana ) ; Chris Sarandon ( the sneaky , smarmy Kurotowa ) ; Edward James Olmos ( feisty , loyal Mito ) ; and unexpected appearances by veteran character stalwarts Tress MacNeille , Jeff Bennett , Tony Jay ( who does a brief opening voiceover ) , and the Little Mermaid herself , Jodi Benson . Shia LaBeouf's Asbel sounds a bit rocky at first , but he grew on me . Mark Hamill , fresh from his outstanding turn as the evil Muska on the brilliant yet underappreciated ( on some places anyway ) CASTLE IN THE SKY dub , plays a small role as the Mayor of Pejite . He only appears in two scenes , and consequently , his performance here isn't as remarkable as his work in CASTLE IN THE SKY , but it's nonetheless great to hear his golden voice in another Miyazaki dub . Arguably the highlight of this dub is Patrick Stewart as Nausicaa's mentor , Lord Yupa . He speaks with strong Shakespearian diction and carries the dub as a whole through his subtle , charismatic rendition of this skilled swordsman .
Miyazaki declared that any new adaptation of his masterpiece should be nothing but a straight translation and no cuts . English dub scriptwriters Donald H . Hewitt and Cindy Davis Hewitt ( who worked on Spirited Away ) honor his wishes through their adaptation , remaining faithful to the story while tweaking a bit of terminology for comprehension purposes .
As with Miyazaki's other works , Joe Hisaishi provides the music score . Compared to the more lush soundtracks he composed for Miyazaki's later films , his score for NAUSICAA , while undeniably beautiful , occasionally comes off as a tad primitive , notably when it breaks into sometimes jarring techno-synth jingles . For better or worse , his score remains intact in the new cut of NAUSICAA , which will no doubt please purists . I was a bit disappointed , however - - especially when his ambitious reworking of the CASTLE IN THE SKY score ( composed exclusively for that dub ) turned out so well IMO . A film like this deserves a 5.1 remix ! Nonetheless , it's my one quibble of this otherwise top-notch English track of Miyazaki's most revered masterpiece .
The DVD sports a near flawless visual transfer and a humble serving of extras - - which include the typical English voice talent featurette we saw on Disney's previous wave of Miyazaki's films , trailers and TV spots , and a second disc devoted entirely to storyboards . The most noteworthy feature on this disk is a 30 - minute long documentary , The Birth of Studio Ghibli , which is undistractingly dubbed into English . For fans that are curious about the upbringing of this animation studio and wondering which of their films have yet to be released , this is a must-see .
As someone who has been very pleased with Disney's releases of Miyazaki's works so far , I am delighted to say that they have done yet another bang-up job on polishing this legendary classic for new generations to cherish . Don't be fooled by its primitive looks ; NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND's status as a masterpiece resonates from the first minute to the last .
009 4 From the director of academy award winning Spirited Away , Hayao Miyazaki brings to us his personal first , Nausicaa of The Valley of The Wind . This epic fantasy is based off the manga , and shortend to bring it to the delight of fans everywhere .
Nausicaa takes place a thousand years after a global war which left many parts of the earth covered in toxins an unihabital to humans , but not to bugs which are literally the size of houses . Nausicaa , the princess of the Valley of the Wind , leds the people of the Valley of the Wind , which is one of the places still populated , with courage and heart unlike any other . The people look to her for strength and reasurance when they are invaded by an empire looking to awaken one of the Giant Warriors to exterminate the bugs they view as the problem of the toxins . This remains untrue due to Nausicaa's discovering it is in fact that these bugs protect the forest which are slowly cleansing the earth of the toxins . it is now left up to her to stop the empire's that threaten the vally from angering the bugs and destroying the world .
This epic fantasy focuses on the environment and a possible future which could happen years from now if nations keep waring and destroying the earth . Its a touching tale one sure to keep you on the edge of your seat , and im not just saying that . It goes from one susupensful scene to another as you watch Nausicaa strive to save her home and her people : she sacrifice everything to save them . The music in this film is also absoluting enchanting , i love films with great music and this one tops it off . Plus it has such vivid color and imagination that you forget that its a movie and not the real thing . Its simply breath taking .
I personally love the japanese voice track myself , but with an all star cast doing the english track , and you can tell the hard work they put into it to make the story flow right and stick to the original script , it makes it doubly enjoyable . While i do think they could have gotten a better voice for Nausicaa in the English track all the other voices are A + . Voice talents include : Alison Lohman , Uma Thurman , Patrick Stewart ( awesome choice ! ) , Edward James Olmos , and Mark Hamil .
Here are the features that come with in the two disk set :
- Behind the Microphone with the english voice talents listed above
- Complete Storyboards : Get an insiders look at the films artistry
- Original Japanese Trailors
- The birth Story of Studio Ghibli Featurette
Technical Specifications
- English and original Japanese Soundtracks
- THX-Ceritfied , including THX Optimizer
- Widescreen ( 1.85 : 1 ) - Enhanced for 16x9 televisions
This movie is surly made for anyone who loves great fantasy and a deep lover of anime and Miyazaki's work . I have watched this film a dozen times all ready and i never tire of it . It is surly the best anime i have ever seen . I hope there is more to come . You will not be left wanting when you watch Nausicaa , i gaurantee it .
012 4 This is the movie that started it all . Without this , Hayao Miyazaki wouldn't be where he is today . There would be no Princess Mononoke or Sprited Away .
( ok , maybe that's wrong . But wouldn't be as big as they are )
Nausicaa has all the ingredients a Miyazaki movie needs . Beautiful pictures , rich human characters , complex but highly relatable and understandable themes , amazing imaginations made into reality ( almost . . But you likely will forget that you are watching a CARTOON ) , great music by legendary Joe Hisaishi , and above all this , the flying sequences ! There's no good or bad in this story . There are people just like us trying to survive on the edge of collapse . Even though it takes place in distant future ( 2000 years later ) , you can see the same is happening in today's world .
This was made 20 years ago , so that the graphics maybe a little primitive compareing to his later work . But I know you will be totally sucked into it once the openning credits starts . ( Be aware of the openning theme tune , too . It's hauntingly beautiful )
Mr . Miyazaki reportedly isn't as fond of this movie as his fans are , because of the religious imagery in the end . But If you liked his other work , This movie is a MUST SEE ! I'm very happy that It's finally going to be released in the states , and the rest of the world ( I assume ? ) , because this movie carries a very important message , especially since the state of the world now is more alarming than ever . Also because I get to see it again !
Thank you Disney . Can't wait ' til August . But I wish this would be released in the theatres .
015 4 If you do , then watch this movie !
When I was younger , I got the entire set of Nausicaa books from the library , and read them straight through . Looking back , they are one of the few manga I actually read through , and thats some five hundred pages of comic . Ever since , I've died to see this movie , and it didn't disappoint . It's a lot tamer than the comic version , which was not written with young children in mind , but it certainly has the enviromental and heritage themes intact . In fact , Miyazaki wrote this comic because they said his movie would fail unless he had a comic to base it on . So , he wrote it and it became the most popular comic to ever run in Animage magazine . To this day , one of the most beloved and recognized comics ( besides akira toriyama's stuff ) in Japan .
As an action animation , it still portrays its message , and has enough plot that you won't have to read 500 pages of comic to understand whats happening .
- Being Miyazaki's first film , it has many of the nuances and plot devices of his later works . ( First if you don't count the Lupin the Third work ) - We start off with a young girl who lives in the Valley of Wind , and knows everything about the wind . She can control a small glider with jets through the air , and rides currents all over . But , everything is not just fun and games . A thousand years before , the people of the planet had great technology , and used it for everything , polluting the air / water / ground ( think near future ) . But , they became power hungry and went to war , creating large ' God Beasts ' that fought and brought on the Seven Days of Fire ( Miyazaki's analogy for nuclear war ) . After the seven days , everything was destroyed , and out of the ashes a toxic forest arose , full of vile bugs that destroy everything living in their path . Nausicaa is special , and feels she can communicate with the bugs , especially the Ohmu , a giant caterpillar that is generally kind and gentle , but when provoked becomes a raging beast . The valley is on the fringe of the toxic forest , and her people have come to coexist near the forest , even as it poisons them . The king , Nausicaa's father , has succumb to the sickness . Soon , Torumekian soldiers come to their valley , hiding a secret from a warring state called Pejite . With this secret , comes bugs and poison seeping into the valley . . .
This story is so in depth , yet it's about a fourth of the books . I suggest to anyone who likes this movie , or wants something to write about in an enviromental studies class , get them . All four Perfect editions . As for the movie , the same great art is preserved well in the dvd transfer . Obviously , for an ' 84 animation this one could be pretty bad , but disney gave a little retouch it would seem , or Studio Ghibli ( miyazaki's design house ) was just this good . Colors are vibrant , lines are sharp , little fuzz . The sound is crisp , in both languages , and the music is a sweeping score ( great in surround sound ) .
The reason this disc gets a star taken away , is special features . Disney did this and two others at the same time , ( The Cat Returns , Porco Rosso , and Nausicaa ) and they mostly have similar features .
On the movie disc is a featurette called Behind the Microphone , featuring the english voise talent from the film discussing their experience and being all excited . This is nice , considering the all-star talent ( Mark Hamill , Patrick Stewart , Shia Lebouf , Alison Lohman , Edward James Olmos , and Uma Thurman [ almost another star taken away for her ] ) . Next is a great featurette called Birth of Studio Ghibli , told from producer Isao Takahata's perspective . This guy has been Miyazaki's main man since the beginning , and influential in Ghibli's success . Four japanese trailers , one english , and other Ghibli movie trailers are nicely implemented . The second disc is , again ( same as all new two disc disney editions ) , entirely storyboards set to the audio tracks . Interesting for up-and-coming artists , enthusiasts , and comic fans . Otherwise , you'll probably pop it in for a few minutes , then turn it off . This is where the extra star went . I was expecting something special from this new version , and on two discs , I'm sure there were more features they could have translated . . .
Overall , one of the great Miyazaki films . I'll be showing it to my kids for sure .
016 4 I cannot descibe how important this film is . If this masterpiece does not change your life , or make you want to change the world - well , you have lost yourself .
Maybe Joe Hisashi's greatest soundtrack ( which is saying alot ) .
Forget about Lord of the rings , or star wars , this film is the beginning of the Miyazaki universe . Laputa takes place somewhere in this world , as does Princess Mononoke .
The review before mine is much more detailed - all I can say is that This is in my top 3 favorite films of all time ! Allow yourself the pleasure of experiencing this . my Teto !
018 4 Growing up , I loved the early Japanese cartoons like Speed Racer , Star Blazers and Battle for the Planets . I saw this movie first when it was called Warriors of the Wind and was amazed at the style of animation . It was the first full length Japanese anime movie I saw and loved it . Then I found out later that Warriors of the Wind was a poor hack job of a port of the real movie . So I was hoping to see the real version of this amazing movie . When I heard Disney signed a deal with Hayao Miyazaki to bring out all of his films , I was excited . Was alittle disappointed when Nausicaa was not in the first batch of films to be released but I did in enjoy the first set ( Castle in the Sky was my favorite from the first batch ) . The day Nausicaa finally did get released , I bought it the first day and took it home to watch . I was not disappointed . The original film was way better than Warriors of the Wind . Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is still my favorite Japanese Anime film .
022 4 I was a little hesitant to buy this version of Nausicaa . This is my absolutely favorite Miyazaki film . It was the first movie of his that I ever saw , and made me an absolute fanatic for his work . I have two fan bootlegs and an ( * ahem ) import Chinese version of this movie . I even imported the soundtrack from Japan over 15 years ago .
There were two reasons I was hesitant to buy this . First , infamously , when Naussicaa was first released in the U.S . as Warriors of the Wind , it was ridiculously edited , missing large portions of the movie . That release was so awful that Miyazaki did not release another movie in the U.S . market until the early 90 ' s video release of My Neighbor Totoro . Second , with the bare bones release of Disney titles , I didn't know what else this movie would have to offer over the other versions that I have .
I am so glad that I bought this ! First off , the voice overs are very impressive . Uma Thurman , Patrick Stewart , Edward James Olmos , and Mark Hamill all do a wonderful job , and match the characters very well . Standing out in the cast , though , is Alison Lohman . She matches the inflection and emotion of the Japanese voice artist very well . I am an avid subtitle fanatic , but with this impressive cast , it was no problem watching the movie in English . As a bonus , there is a Japanese soundtrack for purists , with subtitles having a more exact translation . Did I mention that the video transfer is beautiful ? It is .
For a bonus feature , there is a featurette on the history of Studio Ghibli , starting from its inception , up to the release of Monoke Hime . As an avid Miyazaki fan , this alone was worth the price of the disc . Seriously ! I haven't even watched the second disc of bonus material , but any anime fan will want that featurette .
For those who have stumbled across this film because they have seen Spirited Away , or they see the Disney name , I think you will be happily surprised by Nausicaa . I don't have kids , but there are some sophisticated themes in this movie , as well as a demon and some violence ; so I think you'd probably be safe showing this to a 10 or 11 year old . As with most Miyazaki films , the main character of the film in an incredibly strong an complex girl , which I think is a wonderful thing for the younger generations to see in a movie .
For those who have never seen the movie , Naussica takes place far in the future after the world has been virtually destroyed by environmental damage as a byproduct of war and industry . Poisonous forests and giant insects have taken over much of the world ; yet , some kingdoms and small villages still survive , managing to stave off the advances of the forest . The Valley of the Wind is a small kingdom that has managed to survive by trying to find a balance with the forest around it . ( These are themes that Miyazaki will visit again in Princess Monoke . ) The embodiment of this attitude of balance and respect for nature is held in the young princess of Valley , Nausicaa . Soon , outsiders come crashing into the little village and disrupt the life in the Valley , and Nasicaa is forced to grow and deal with situations beyond her control .
This is a simply wonderful , and magical film . 18 years ago I was a fan of loud , violent , nasty , and grotesque anime . Then , when I saw Nausicaa at an anime convention , it opened me to an entire new world of film . Miyazaki is the master of making movies that people of all ages can enjoy . In my opinion , he does this better than Disney . He never dumbs-down or panders his films for the younger audience . He creates young characters who are strong , and yet still show the weakness , indecisiveness , and playfulness of youth . His young characters are never sappy or , even worse , precocious . This is a film for everyone , whether you love anime , animation , or film .
025 4 Nausicaa has always been my favorite Miyazaki film . I'm not a big fan of post-apocalyptic future stories , but Nausicaa is the one major exception . The scenes of flight have not been matched in any film , animated or live-action .
Although US parents may feel it is a little too violent for children , they may want to consider it first before rejecting it off hand . The ultimate message here is that violence is futile and pointless . It is only when Nausicaa completely gives up and makes a selfless sacrifice that anything in the movie is solved . Never since Lord of the Rings ( the books ) has there been such a moralistic story touching upon tolerance , compassion , environmentalism and love for living things told without preaching or beating the audience over their heads . By the end you're completely unaware that any messages have been transmitted at all , yet they are there .
Nausicaa is so much wiser than the adults around her and they respect her for that . Which teaches kids another lesson in responsibility and maturity as well .
The later Miyazaki film Mononoke Hime tried to revisit these same themes ( with the same Nausicaa character designs ! ) with a lesser effect .
And who doesn't want a Teto of their own ? : )
027 4 I have long awaited this release on DVD and am so excited to see it FINALLY come out .
About 17 years ago this film was on HBO quite a bit , but aired as Warriors of the Wind . HOWEVER this DVD has footage that was originally cut out of the film by the US distributor . . . .20 minutes worth ! !
A great environmental message , and although it's from way back the film is a masterpiece . If you like it , you should check out the graphic novel that Miyazaki did - it's what the movie is based on !
Like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke , the central character is a strong woman who fulfills an ancient legend to end all wars and tie the strings of the earth together .
A must have for anime fans and environmentalists alike !
031 4 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is probably one of my favourite movies of all time and I am incredibly delighted that it has finally seen the light of day uncut in North America . The horribly altered Warriors of the Wind ( an early dub of the film back in the ' 80 ' s ) had rekindled an interest in Japanese animation in me that picked up where Battle of the Planets left off and I have been a fan of director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's output ever since .
Miyazaki's later films ( all of which are great ) certainly look better than Nausicaa ( such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away ) and there's no debating that , but considering this was only his second job as director for a theatrical film and it was made in something like 3 months ( his later films have taken more than a year ) it still holds up pretty well . It is starting to show its age of course , 20 years after it was originally released , but Miyazaki's story telling still stands tall .
I have mixed feelings about the new dub , which to my ears is the worst sounding of the Disney releases of Miyazaki's films . It is an improvement over the Warriors of the Wind dub where Nausicaa sounded like Rocky the Squirrel ( and it is an urban myth that it was the same voice actor as Rocky ) , but it does suffer from a lot of Explaino ( a comic book method of explaining the plot details to viewers things that would be immediately obvious to the characters themselves ) . However , a lot of that is present in the Japanese script , so it can't be solely blamed on Disney . Most of the actors are fine in their roles ( where else can you get the Captain of the Enterprise and the ( new ) Cmdr . Adama together in one sci-fi related film ? ) . However , Alison Lohman has a tough job in trying to convey the intricacies to Nausicaa'a character and while it's not bad , just doesn't convey it as well as her Japanese counterpart .
Commenting on some of the other reviews I have read for this film , there seems to be a lot misinformation out there . The music in Nausicaa is unchanged - it's exactly the same as the original Japanese release ( the CD is available on Tokuma 35ATC - 3 and is great as well ) . The script is faithful to the original and for the most part is the same as most fan translations I've seen and my limited Japanese language ability can tell . The complaints about the slow pacing in parts are valid , but this type of introspection is common in most Japanese cinema , from the classics of Kurosawa and Ozu , to even other weel known animations such as Ghost in the Shell . It's a cultural quirk that makes Japanese movies unique from their US counterparts and I for one don't have a problem with it . A lot of these scenes were cut in Warriors in the Wind , and while it made for a tighter , action packed film , it removed a lot of details in what motivates Nausicaa to do what she does . Without character , there's no heart .
Also , there are a lot of people who compare the film to the manga ( comic ) version by Miyazaki . The film was created about 10 years before the serialization of the manga was completed , so obviously there are going to be huge differences between the two . Only about 2 volumes of the 7 - volume work were completed at that time . Comparing the two is like apples and oranges . The scope of the film is by necessity limited , but that doesn't make the end result better ( or worse ) than its source material . The manga is a sprawling epic and is much darker and mature than the film would lead one to believe however . It's well worth checking out as well . It's highly unlikely that the entire story will ever be animated and with Princess Mononoke more or less a sequel in spirit ( since it touches on the same themes as Nausicaa - - the film and manga ) I think Miyazaki may have said all that he wants about the subject .
032 4 As other reviewers have said , this is Miyazaki's best , and one of
the best movies of all time , in any genre .
The new Disney DVD release is good . The visuals are wonderful - -
great color , very crisp , very clean . The transfer does justice to
Miyazaki's sweeping , highly detailed visual style .
The English dub is also quite good . It's quite faithful to the
original dialog , with only a few cringe-inducing moments . The
voice acting is sometimes rather flat , though , lacking the
emotional intensity that it deserves .
The audio is quite good , though the sound effects sometimes get
pushed farther down in the mix than they should .
Overall , the English translation , voice acting , and audio mix is
significantly better than that of the Castle in the Sky DVD .
Not quite as good as the original Japanese audio track , but very
listenable .
The DVD extras are pretty skimpy , but then with a movie this good ,
who needs extras ?
Highly recommended .
033 4 I am glad that Disney has decided to release this movie in Region 1 , enabling me to view it on a Region 1 player . I understand that Miyazaki initially began work as an animator in 1963 at Toei Animation and there met Isao Takahata ( Anime Explosion , the What ? Why ? & Wow ! of Japanese Animation , Drazen , Patrick , Stone Bridge Press , Berkeley , 2003 ) . Together , Miyazaki and Takahata with Yasuo Otsuka , made an animated feature , Prince of the Sun , Hol's Great Adventure ( hint . . hint . . . will someone release this on DVD ? Will some anime festival please show this in the United States ? ) . Lupin III , Castle of Cagliostro was co-written and directed by Miyzaki for Toho Studios in 1979 / 1980 . However , I think it is safe to say that this is the first Ghibli Studio full-length movie . But enough of history . . .
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is my favorite Miyazaki film . I am sure that other reviews will summarize the plot , so I will not discuss that in this review . Instead , I will say that as in Princess Mononoke , there are strong ecological overtones and strong female roles in this film . The Princess Nausicaa exhibits independence , intelligence , kindness , compassion , bravery and leadership . Nausicaa has a strong interest in animals , including insects , which Miyazaki apparently cites as supported in Japanese folklore from a story from the twelve century collection entitled Tsutusmi Chunagon Monogatari ( Drazen , 2003 ) . What more could one ask from a role model , let alone a female one .
The animation is superb . While perhaps a little simplistic , remember this is circa 1984 , it is still very enjoyable . The attention to detail , realism and color , stand the test of time and are watchable over and over again . Miyazaki's flying machines , as in Castle in the Sky , are a treat . Another production note is that this movie marks the arrival of composer Joe Hisaishi who contributed the film score , the first of many Ghibli movies he scored ( Drazen , 2003 ) .
There is a plot . There is a story . There is character development . Perhaps not enough plot twists . Perhaps too predictable . There is some violence . This is a story of a prophecy . This is a war story , a war between the animals ( the Ohmu ) and man , between men ( the different nations ) , between loyalty to one's own values and one's homeland ( Asbel ) . It is a relatively complex story , animated or not . I am only sad that , not knowing Japanese , I wonder if I am losing something in the translation and dependence on the whim of the dubbing script ? ( Drazen , 2003 ) . Sometimes the film might also appear a bit preachy . However , despite these caveats , I think this film deserves status as an essential anime in any collection . I am glad that Disney has finally released this for viewing in Region 1 ( the United States ) . At least we won't have to depend on Quinton Tarentino to force Disney's hand or watch an American reissue a la Shall We Dance or Point of No Return [ La Femme Nikita ] . Where can I get a stuffed Teto doll ? My Princess Nausicaa lunchbox . . . er . . bento box .
038 4 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( 1985 ) - Hayao Miyazaki
There really needs to be something said about the work of Hayao Miyazaki . His completely unique vision and overall creativity has manifested in possibly the most amazing streak of great animated films ever produced . In fact , it even gives early Disney , renaissance era Disney , and modern day Pixar a fight . His body of work is truly astounding . He just about never fails to deliver an extremely engaging story filled with wonderful characters and amazing visuals , and with Nausicaa , he succeeds once again .
This is without a doubt one of his best films , although it has an overall different feel and tone when compared to some of his later masterworks . I have read a few critics calling it less refined than some of his later works , such as Mononoke and Spirited Away , but I don't think they really know what they're talking about . I'm almost certain that the more subdued overall feel is a choice , and never does the film feel clunky , which is what one reviewer called it . Now , what does this overall slower pace and muted tone lead to ? For one , it leads to a more meditative feel , which fits this film perfectly because , thematically , Nausicaa is probably Miyazaki's strongest . It deals with the situation of man vs . nature and pacifism vs . war . It's clear that Miyazaki strongly believes in pacifism over violence and he displays it beautifully through the main character of Nausicaa , who has to be one of the greatest heroines in all of film . The choices and sacrifices she makes throughout the narrative create a genuine inspiration within the viewer that is hard to contain .
Oh , and there's the visuals . Miyazaki is a master of visual art , bottom line . His creativity is absolutely amazing ; he is able to create worlds filled with so much detail that they almost appear real , even if they occur only in dreams . The cavern of petrified trees below the Sea of Decay , in particular , is absolutely stunning . Thus , in summary , please buy this movie . You will not be disappointed .
On an interesting note , all of my friends that have read both the manga and watched the movie unanimously agree that the manga is infinitely superior , which is a little frightening , considering how good the movie is .
041 4 I cannot say enough about this movie . My brother and I saw it when I was 10 or so and he was 5 . We rented it from Pick a Flick until the tape gave out . We had no idea it was Japanese , had no concept of Anime . It wasnt until a year or so ago I found the original Japanese version . It IS different from the American release but not too much so . It was edited down for American audiences .
This is a great nonconventional fairytale about a girl willing to give up everything to save her home with out giving up her ideals . She sacrifices everything and gains everything in return .
It does have a rather typical message from movies this age , that technology is bad and nature is good but its not rubbed in your face like some movies ( Wizards - Fern Valley )
The music is wonderful , the animation is flawless .
To get my copy I had to import it from Japan . It was well worth the effort and I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves good animation , or just a good story .
044 4 I had only seen one other movie of Hayao Miyazaki , Spirited Away . I fell in love with that movie , so my friend recommended me to watch Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind . After watching Nausicaa , I am glad to say that my admiration for Hayao Miyazaki's movies has only become stronger .
The story is about Nausicaa , the princess of the Valley of the Wind . The human civilization is near extinction , because there is a toxic plague spreading in the air , killing everyone . These poisonous fumes come from the spores , which are protected by giant insects called Ohms . The villagers of the Valley of the Wind are safe since the air of their land is protected from this poison . Nausicaa , the fun , loyal and courageous princess of the Valley of the Wind , feels that everything can be solved without resolving to violence , and tries to find a cure to this poison . However , as their land is invaded from Tolmekians , who feel that they have another solution to saving the human race , even if it resorts to bloodshed , it is up to Nausicaa to save the people , even if it means putting her own life on hand .
While this movie starts off with a simple storyline ( a girl trying to find a cure for the fumes of the sea of decay ) , it slowly introduces more characters along with more plot lines , making it an adventurous rollercoaster ride for the viewer . We get to see how people turn against one another during hardship , how things are not always what they seem , along with a girl who shows courage , bravery , trying to spread peace and love by ending a war , convincing people , while risking her own life in the process . It is clear to see that Miyazaki's imagination is flowing throughout this movie . We get to see new gadgets , a new world , with strange looking creatures , as well as a steady storyline to keep us focused .
I am surprised at the wonderful quality of this DVD . When I saw this movie , I had no idea it was a 1984 movie until I came online to write this review . There is an audio track to listen to the movie in Japanese as well as in English . Along with this , we also get to see original trailers , and two featurettes of the movie : Behind the scenes of the English voice recording , where they interviewed the cast of the English version of the movie ( such as Patrick Stewart and Uma Thurman ) , as well as a Birth of Studio Ghibli featurette , where , being a newbie to Miyazaki's movies , I learnt a lot about Miyazaki's works in a chronological fashion .
This is a wonderful movie that a person of any age will enjoy watching . Therefore , I recommend you to get the movie and watch it , because you will not be disappointed .
045 4 I first saw this film almost fifteen years ago and was struck even then as just how fantastic a film it is . Though it was released in the US in the 80s as ' Warriors of the Wind ' , it was abridged and most of the drama of the film was lost . It has been a source of wonder to me that such films , so much more intimate and sincere than nearly anything our own animated film creators has procuded , have remained viewable only to those willing to struggle with the original Japanese language or second rate fan-subtitlers .
This film , and several others also of Miyazaki's creation , remain some of my favorites . Disney bought the rights to release them , and it is flatly astounding that so few have been released as yet .
At any rate , this is a simply wonderful film , as anyone who has seen it will say , and I can't recommend it enough . Further , support of these recent studio Ghibli releases will hopefully cause the other , more obscure films to be released as well . One can only hope .
046 4 Unlike like quite a bit of the general populace ( although I hardly think of myself as general ) , I have seen the subtitled original release of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind . I am also a huge fan of what Disney is doing for America's exposure to anime ( if not a huge fan of Disney itself ) . I've seen the original subtitled , as well as the dubbed , versions of all of Miyazaki's films brought to America by Disney and I have no complaints . Most of the voice actors that Disney chooses are fairly accurate for what was originally portrayed in the Japanese releases and Disney didn't butcher the translations ( well , not in too many cases ) .
Anyway , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is one of my favorite Miyazaki films ( if not THE favorite ) , and I am ecstatic that Disney is bringing it to us . I love this movie and I have illiterate adult friends that couldn't watch the subtitled version and I was afraid they might never be able to . I'm surprised Disney hasn't done this sooner , as they brought Spirited Away very quickly to the U.S . despite containing some of the more abstract Taoist beliefs that most children wouldn't understand . Nausicaa seems to be right up Disney's alley , sporting some of the more environmentalist ideals prevelent in some of their other films . As you may have noticed , I have no intentions of giving you a synopsis of the movie as that's what online film databases are for . Just rest assured that this is a fun film that is easily enjoyed by people of any age .
047 4 When Myazaki came to an arrangement to release Ghibli films through disney , he had strict guidelines for such release . In exchange for exclusive rights to rerelease Studio Ghibli films , Disney agreed not to alter the films ' content . Thus , all Buena Vista rereleases of studio Ghibli films have been true to the originals .
Miyazaki's films have a far reaching social impact and often touch on topics of environmentalism and the human impact . His mastery of making the viewer relate intimately is amazing .
if you are a fan of any of his work ( princess mononoke , Spirited away , etc . ) then you will not be disapointed in this movie . My faith in this statement is so strong that although the Buena vista release has not arrived , I am assured that it will be of the utmost quality .
048 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
This is one of my favorite movie from Studio Ghibli . Nausicaa is one of my favorite main character and she travels using one of my favorite flying machine , mehve , which is known as a glider . A fox-squarrel , named Teto , is a very cool pet that I like to call it since Teto is a friend of Nausicaa . Nausicaa cares for the environment and the laws of nature . During the flashback , I love the child singing , which is quite silly to my mind , but I don't let that get to me . However , after I watched the entire movie , my mind still wanted to listen to that sing over and over again . It's just hauntingly beautiful ! ! ! So , during the time when I still have that movie rented from Netflix , I kept watching it again and again the next two days from when I watched . Thus , I was having a hard time mailing the movie back to Netflix , so I bought the movie . Ohmu , a friend of Nausicaa , cares for her at the end of the movie . Hayao Mazaiki ( don't know the correct spelling ) did a great job with the movie ! ! ! I enjoyed the music and this really helps tell the story of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ! It just matches perfectly with the scene the director intended .
I'd like to thank Disney for not including the introduction as part of the movie when the movie watcher selects Play Movie . In my opinion , it's probably just a spoiler .
I watched the movie in Japanese version and the motions that the director intended to convey is not lost : if you select the Japanese as the soundtrack and enable the English subtitle ( not the English for the hearing impaired , as the dialog can be a bit different ) , you can watch this movie and still read the captions . This is even if you don't know Japanese .
Personally , I like Japanese version of the soundtrack because I like it with less voicing , but that does not matter . In comparison to other movies : Castle in the Sky's English soundtrack has much more voicing than the Japanese soundtrack , which I do like the Japanese version better . If there's one character's voice I like in the English version of Nausicaa of the Valle of the Wind , it will be Lord Yupa . But that doesn't mean Lord Ypa's voice in Japanese needs to be improved , since the movie has originally been released around 1982 , which is the year of when I was born . Choosing a voice for a character is very important , in my opinion , so I like the teenager's voice for Asbel in Japanese version of the movie better than the sound of an adult in the English version . I can easily say the same for Castle in the Sky , but this movie is no big deal .
Will I watch this movie again ? Sure I would ! I love this movie a lot because - - well , it's excellent ! ! ! I watched the movie in a 57 HDTV with my home theater system , and it's amazing looking at Nausicaa in the main DVD memu .
049 4 This is one of my favorite movie from Studio Ghibli . Nausicaa is one of my favorite main character and she travels using one of my favorite flying machine , mehve , which is known as a glider . A fox-squarrel , named Teto , is a very cool pet that I like to call it since Teto is a friend of Nausicaa . Nausicaa cares for the environment and the laws of nature . During the flashback , I love the child singing , which is quite silly to my mind , but I don't let that get to me . However , after I watched the entire movie , my mind still wanted to listen to that sing over and over again . It's just hauntingly beautiful ! ! ! So , during the time when I still have that movie rented from Netflix , I kept watching it again and again the next two days from when I watched . Thus , I was having a hard time mailing the movie back to Netflix , so I bought the movie . Ohmu , a friend of Nausicaa , cares for her at the end of the movie . Hayao Mazaiki ( don't know the correct spelling ) did a great job with the movie ! ! ! I enjoyed the music and this really helps tell the story of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ! It just matches perfectly with the scene the director intended .
I'd like to thank Disney for not including the introduction as part of the movie when the movie watcher selects Play Movie . In my opinion , it's probably just a spoiler .
I watched the movie in Japanese version and the motions that the director intended to convey is not lost : if you select the Japanese as the soundtrack and enable the English subtitle ( not the English for the hearing impaired , as the dialog can be a bit different ) , you can watch this movie and still read the captions . This is even if you don't know Japanese .
Personally , I like Japanese version of the soundtrack because I like it with less voicing , but that does not matter . In comparison to other movies : Castle in the Sky's English soundtrack has much more voicing than the Japanese soundtrack , which I do like the Japanese version better . If there's one character's voice I like in the English version of Nausicaa of the Valle of the Wind , it will be Lord Yupa . But that doesn't mean Lord Ypa's voice in Japanese needs to be improved , since the movie has originally been released around 1982 , which is the year of when I was born . Choosing a voice for a character is very important , in my opinion , so I like the teenager's voice for Asbel in Japanese version of the movie better than the sound of an adult in the English version . I can easily say the same for Castle in the Sky , but this movie is no big deal .
Will I watch this movie again ? Sure I would ! I love this movie a lot because - - well , it's excellent ! ! ! I watched the movie in a 57 HDTV with my home theater system , and it's amazing looking at Nausicaa in the main DVD memu .
051 4 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a landmark anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki . The film is based off of a manga by the same name that was made by Miyazaki .
The film takes place one thousand years after the Seven Days of Fire . This catastrophe destroyed human civilization and most of Earth's original ecosystem . A few scattered human settlements survive , but they are isolated from each other by the Sea of Decay ( a lethally toxic jungle of fungus that is swarming with giant insects ) .
Nausicaa is the princess of the Valley of the Wind , and she possesses an unusual gift for communicating with the giant insects in the Sea of Decay ( where she will go , while wearing a mask , to conduct scientific research ) . The valley is threatened when another state unearths a God Warrior embryo ; the God Warriors were one of the giant , biological weapons used in the ancient war . The embryo is stolen by another state , and this state's ship crashes into the valley while transporting the embryo . The people of the valley are forced into armed resistance , and Nausicaa must find a way to bring a resolution to the situation .
This DVD release contains two DVDs . The second DVD just includes the storyboard version of the film . The first disc contains three extras : a Behind the Microhpone documentary ( interviews with the English dub cast ) , a documentary entitled The Birth of Studio Ghibli , and the original theatrical and TV trailers for Nausicaa . The documentary was very informative , but I was disappointed that Disney decided to overdub English over the Japanese audio , instead of leaving the Japanese audio and putting subtitles on the screen .
The film is wonderfully done , and utilizes its environmental undertones well . The writing , storytelling , lush animation , and music combine together to make this film a masterpiece .
052 4 I first saw this film in Japanese at a Sci-fi / Fantasy convention in the early 1990 ' s . I couldn't understand a word , there were no subtitles , but I was completely mesmerized . The imagination behind this film is incredible . Epic in scale , it seems to belong to something far bigger than the already vast landscape you see on the screen . Even without the dialog , I understood enough of the story through the visuals alone that it swept me along right up until the near-catastrophic ending .
Now I have the DVD . I still prefer to watch it in Japanese because the English voice-overs don't get the characters quite right . I like Miyazaki's brand of feminism , where the female lead is strong not in spite of her female sensitivities , but because of them . Her strength comes from kindness , compassion , self-sacrificing , curiosity , and a quiet courage that allows her to give in when giving in is best for others . Although it is cool to hear Patrick Stewart as Lord Yoppa , I felt that the girl who voiced Nausicaa didn't quite get it .
Unlike some of the other Disney DVD releases of Miyazaki's films , this one includes a documentary about the making of the film . It isn't as snappy as some making-of documentaries I've seen , but I found it very informative .
I do think that whoever decided to put Nausicaa in tight , nearly skin colored leggings made a poor style choice . That disturbed me for the first several minutes until I realized she actually was wearing pants ( whew ! ) .
This film contains some violence and frightening images ( besides the leggings ) but should be fine for children over 10 .
054 4 What an amazing movie . I purchased this for my kids , but whenever it is playing , I find myself plopping down on the sofa with them . Like most of the other Miyazaki movies I've seen , the animation is a gorgeous feast for the eyes ; there's simply nothing like it among today's crop of computer generated animated fare .
Beyond the rich visuals , I think the storyline of Nausicaa translates for American audiences better than many of the other Studio Ghibli productions . A more serious work than Totoro , making it appealing for older kids , it also avoids some of the more graphic and at times startling images and themes found in Princess Mononoke and Sprited Away , although I was a little surprised when I first realized that Nausicaa apparently wears no underpants .
The actors who dubbed the English version all acquit themselves nicely , making the dialogue merge effortlessly with the images .
A wonderful movie .
059 4 I don't know what it is but there's this thing that happens with Hollywood where when something is big or something upcoming , then you re-release the previous stuff , and sell it as special editions . So after Spirited Away won the Oscar , is it any surprise that Hayao Miyazaki's films got a bigger release than previously ? But that's ok since Nausicaa is actually a very good film anyway but still , it's odd how we get wind of it only after he won a big award .
Years after the Earth got decimated by the Seven Days of Fire , people live in fear of a jungle , which happens to contain poisonous spores and massive insects . The princess of the Valley of the Wind , Nausicaa , wants to investigate and study the jungle rather than exterminate it . This poses a problem since a well meaning but wrong way kingdom wants to resurrect a giant Warrior , huge beasts that are incredibly powerful . So Nausicaa and her friends have to stop not only the kingdom from using the Warrior but saving the Earth from poison .
With Miyazaki films , you can obviously expect big wondrous locales and extravagant worlds and of course Nausicaa has them all . With airships , giant insects and an ecological message , it's undoubtedly a Miyazaki film . Even character designs are quite similar with big eyes and small noses . In fact in one scene , a character is able to slip by a guard by pretending to be somebody else even though he's basically the male version of her face .
What's quite a good surprise is the English VA's . Alison Lohman is perfect as Nausicaa and for once there's a strong female protagonist and Alison is quite capable . Then we have also reliable Patrick Stewart , Edward James Olmos , the Bride herself Uma Thurman and Chris Sarandon , best known probably for doing Jack the Pumpkin King . Each actor doesn't overplay their part and if a line of dialogue may be up to snuff , at least the emotion is .
You can probably make a strong case that many of Miyazaki's films are rewritten : many of the films are characters experiencing or living in a world beyond simple reality with fantastic elements and taaalll things . But that's ok , Nausicaa's a great film anyway and an anime highlight .
060 4 This is a must for any animation ( not just japanese ) fan . The music in the action scenes is a little dated but the animation and story are solid . As classic Miyazaki you can count on wonderful characters and story-telling that is surprising and not one-sided . This is the version you want , totally intact and what Studio Ghibli intended it to be . Has extra features and two language tracks , I highly recommmend the Japanese .
069 4 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind was one of the most breath-taking anime films I have ever seen ! I've been a huge fan of anime for most of my life , and Nausicaa has made me love it even more !
Nausicaa is one of Hayao Miyazaki's ( creator of Spirited Away , Princess Mononoke , etc . ) earlier films . To be frank , it came out in 1984 , I believe . However , don't make the mistake that because it's a little old , the animation isn't very good . It was gorgeous ! It gave that indescribable feeling of it being REAL , unlike so many animated works today ( including Japanese animation ) .
The characters are realistic and inspiring . The main character is Nausicaa , princess of the Valley of the Wind . She is a sweet sixteen-year-old girl who is not afraid to fight for the good of others . Being an older teen girl myself , I found myself almost cheering out loud for Nausicaa . She has become a sort of role model for me . Another good character is Asbel , prince of Pejite . He's a strong character ; a good role model for the men watching .
Since there are so many other reviews , I won't go into detail about the plot , but PLEASE GIVE THIS MOVIE A CHANCE ! It has a beautiful message woven into its lush world that will leave you really thinking . Also , Joe Hasaishi's soundtrack is absolutely beautiful .
The dub work was great , with Alison Lohman as Nausicaa , Shia LeBeouf as Asbel , Uma Thurman as Kushana , and some other famous names .
All in all , Nausicaa presents some very real messages and characters that make you want to watch it again and again .
070 4 First off , credit must be given to Walt Disney Studios for allowing us to finally get a chance to see this amazing work of animated art . Also , I give a nod to Pixar here because many executives at Pixar encouraged Disney to pick up the rights to Miyazaki's films . Thanks go to both of these great family oriented entertainment giants .
Nausicaa is the first real effort of the animator called Hayao Miyazaki . It is an amazing and detailed work of animated art that can be enjoyed by the whole family . This film established all of the familiar themes of Miyazaki , which are :
1 . Anti-War : Miyazaki dislikes violence and shows war as a destroyer of not only people , but also a destroyer of society and the planet itself .
2 . Everyday Life : There is a constant theme of simply enjoying everyday life , the normal work , toil and rest of an ordinary day .
3 . Showing the feminine as an integral part of creation : the Miyazaki film always shows feminine figures as something other than shallow fashionistas and / or weak victims . Usually , the main protagonist is a heroine who saves her society ( and / or her friends ) in some way . However , there is usually a evil woman somewhere in the film who is a foil to the heroine ( in Nausicaa it is the brutal woman who seeks to destroy nature to ensure Human survival ) .
Please give this film a rental and see what you think . If you enjoy this , please consider Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke . Thanks for taking the time to read this !
084 4 Yet another great Miyazaki film . No need to qualify great with animated . Miyazaki-san is a wonderful artist whose medium happens to be animated films . This version of Nausicaa ( there is an earlier inferior version that you want to avoid ) joins the ranks of Howl's Moving Castle , Castles in the Sky , Spirited Away , and Kiki's Delivery Service as top-notch , share-with-the-whole-family experiences . If you are wondering ( as I was ) if this one could possibly compare with those others , the answer is Yes !
090 4 This is NOT a cartoon . There is real depth here . The overarching theme is suvival in a post-apocalyptic world . This apocalypse was precipitated by the hubris of prior generations . As the story unfolds we see that the goodness of the title character is the cure for the past ills .
I first rented this film from NetFlix , primarily based on the strength of other films by Miyazaki . These movies are anime but the background illustration is fine art quality . Distributed by Disney , Disney wishes they could find such compelling story lines and flawless cell-based animation . However , hats off to Disney ( and John Lassiter ) for bringing this to life in the english-speaking market . Also hats off to the voice actors for bringing emotion and reaity to the characters from a sound booth and in perfect pace to such a foriegn language .
I'm almost 50 and I've been a student of animation all my life . I watched this 7 or 8 times in a row and picked out new layers each time . My 6 year old daughter was just as entranced as I . ( I secretly want her to grow up to be just like Nausicaa . )
I will be purchasing more Miyazaki to stand up alongside Star Trek and Babylon 5 .
093 4 I am a conservative . If I were famous , Rosie O'Donnell would hate me . But guess what ? I still think this is the best animated movie ever created . Don't be afraid that Mr . Miyazaki is trying to insult you in this movie . Miyazaki did not create this film to preach about global warming at all of us un-enlightened fools , he made it because it is a great story . The environmental message is that mindlessly destoying the earth is bad , not that driving a car is going to melt Antarctica . This film showcases the power of human creativity , not our evil treatment of the earth . Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is set in a world where a horrible war devistated the planet and now it must heal . The environmental problems of Nausicaa's earth are immense , not like the possible issues that some people think might be happening and / or might happen on our earth . Nausicaa is a wise , careful girl that actually understands how to deal with environmental problems and she ended up saving the world because of her patience . She shows how despite our human imperfections , we can still do great things . She is not a flawless , she gets angry in multiple scenes and is certainly not perfect , which shows how human this whole story is . And some other characters demonstrate how human sinfulness can cause abysmal mistakes . This is a classic among classics and whether anime is your thing or not , you will love this movie ( I would know , I don't like most anime ) . Miyazaki never made a bad movie , so anything by him is recomended by me , especially Spirited Away .
098 4 Nausicaa is the first original full length animation film Miyazaki did . Back then , Studio Ghibli wasn't even a viable business . I am a terminal case addict for all Miyazaki / Ghibli films , but this is the one made me that way . The story so original , so powerful , and the graphics so stunning , accompanied by such beautiful music by Joe Hisaishi , no one ever produced something like Nausicaa , ever . Animation or live action .
In my humble opinion , not even Miyazaki himself surpassed this great work .
Yes , I love Spirited Away , Porco Rosso , Princess Mononoke , Castle in the Sky , Howl's Moving Castle , Totoro ( though English version could use some work ) and the like , this is still my unflenching number one choice .
What's even more stunning about this story is that the film features only 1 / 3 of the whole epic saga of princess Nausicaa . When he propose this full length animation film , the movie studio blasted at him , that how can they invest on such project when it doesn't even have an original story . So Miyazaki wrote the original epic saga featuring the kite flying princess . Only the first 1 / 3 made it to the movie . Now that the maestro is retired , there is no hope that the rest of the story will ever be made to the silver screen , but the English translated version of the books ( there are six volumes ) are released in the U.S .
If you watch this , and loved the story , you should get the book , too .
100 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
I first saw Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind when it was shown on cable TV in the late 80s . I remember being amazed at the artwork , the design of the aircraft , the way the insects and the jungle were brought to life . I had seen Star Blazers and was watching Robotech but this movie was on a whole different level . Now the masterpiece is back .
The story , like many Studio Ghibli would make deals with mankind and how we treat ourselves and our Earth . We have poisoned the planet , by either war or other reasons , and now it is trying to heal itself . A toxic jungle tries to cleanse the soil while giant insects , the biggest being the Ohmu , guard the jungle .
Nausicaa , voiced by Alison Lohman , is a Princess of the Valley of the Wind who is studying the jungle and the insects , trying to understand what is happening , why it is happening and if she can protect her people from it . For as the trees clean the soil they also poison the air - this seems to be a byproduct of the process . Asbel , voiced by Shia La Beouf , is a Prince that she helps see that warfare and violence , against other people or against the forest , is nothing but a dead end .
Other voices include Chris Sarandon , Mark Hamill , Edward James Olmos , Patrick Stewart and Uma Thruman .
Fox-squirrels can also be seen in Castle In The Sky , so I am not sure if the events in Nausicaa , the movie , happens after or before the events seen in the later one or even if the two are somehow linked . It could just be an inside joke . They have them in most of the movies made by Ghibli .
without THIS film there would have been no other films as it was the one that gave birth to Ghibli !
101 4 I first saw Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind when it was shown on cable TV in the late 80s . I remember being amazed at the artwork , the design of the aircraft , the way the insects and the jungle were brought to life . I had seen Star Blazers and was watching Robotech but this movie was on a whole different level . Now the masterpiece is back .
The story , like many Studio Ghibli would make deals with mankind and how we treat ourselves and our Earth . We have poisoned the planet , by either war or other reasons , and now it is trying to heal itself . A toxic jungle tries to cleanse the soil while giant insects , the biggest being the Ohmu , guard the jungle .
Nausicaa , voiced by Alison Lohman , is a Princess of the Valley of the Wind who is studying the jungle and the insects , trying to understand what is happening , why it is happening and if she can protect her people from it . For as the trees clean the soil they also poison the air - this seems to be a byproduct of the process . Asbel , voiced by Shia La Beouf , is a Prince that she helps see that warfare and violence , against other people or against the forest , is nothing but a dead end .
Other voices include Chris Sarandon , Mark Hamill , Edward James Olmos , Patrick Stewart and Uma Thruman .
Fox-squirrels can also be seen in Castle In The Sky , so I am not sure if the events in Nausicaa , the movie , happens after or before the events seen in the later one or even if the two are somehow linked . It could just be an inside joke . They have them in most of the movies made by Ghibli .
without THIS film there would have been no other films as it was the one that gave birth to Ghibli !
102 4 I don't know anime , but I know what I like . I've always said it , and probably will always say it . Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , a 1984 film by Hayao Miyazaki , is a film I like a lot . It's unique , it's got atmosphere , and it's got a great message , I thought .
Nausicaa is the pretty , caring and well loved princess of the valley of the wind , a communal little place who get by on their crops and various wind powered devices . They live in a world far into our future , a world where civilization as we know it has been destroyed and reinvented . It's a world of giant insects , poisonous forests and deadly spores , of petrified trees , of rival kingdoms , of prophecies and complex ecosystems . It is a very interesting world indeed .
It's a colourful and unique work , and the curious creatures in the film are intriguing . It's all very well drawn , and well paced , there's enough time to soak it all in , to consider what everything is and what's going on . Though it's used sparingly , ( which is a good thing ) I quite liked the music . There's some organ , some synths , a bit of orchestral stuff and some pretty 1980s drums ( I think its a drum machine ) . Fitted the film well , I thought . Nausicaa is a sensitive yet strong girl , and she's as fascinating as everything around her as a character . The themes are pretty fascinating too . Even in the far future , it seems that man is still the same here , squabbling among itself , misunderstanding the environment that keeps it alive . The idea of nature itself being able to solve its own problems ( by forcing a threatening species to become extinct ) was a notable one , too .
Special features include some original 1980s Japanese trailers , a full set of storyboards that go along with the film and a documentary in Japanese ( with subtitles ) called The Birth of Studio Ghibli ) . There were quite a few things I didn't know , like how to pronounce Ghibli , or that one of the young animators who worked on Nausicaa went on to be one of the guys who worked on Neon Genesis Evangellion ( some anime I quite like actually ) .
If you're at all interested , I recommend you get a hand on this DVD . It'd be a good watch for anime fans , fans of interesting animation of all kinds , I reckon .
103 4 FIrst of all , if you have never seen any of the Miyazaki movies , do so IMDIATELY ! He is a master of story telling and will sweep you away with grandeur and splendor beyond belief ! ! !
NOw to my actual review . . .
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is the timeless story of a young princess desperate to save her peaceful valley from the warring kingdoms of man and nature in an apocolyptic future world .
This is certainly a gorgeous , gorgeous film worth watching in any sense . Miyazaki has a beautiful gife for storytelling and will keep you entranced with his epic storytelling and unforgettable characters .
Headed by reknown stars such as Patrick STuart , Uma Thurman , and even Alison Lohman , the vocal performances are strong and the script well plotted .
THough My personnal favorite still remains Castle in the Sky , I found this film highly engaging and thought provoking . In this movie I could see hints of future characters such as SHeeta and San ( from Princess Mononoke ) .
Some may argue that Nausicaa is a little too perfect , however , I find her perfectly relatable , unlike the sterotypical characters of modern films . THough I am not exactly into animals , I found her care for the forests and their inhabitants touching as well as her pleas to end the violence . In todays world and society I find this a highly encouraging message and this is certainly an excellent film for even some younger viewers ( six or seven and older ) .
If you enjoy this film , please be sure to look into this artist's other works such as PRincess MOnonoke , SPirited Away , Howl's moving castle , and my favorite , Castle in the Sky !
105 4 In an age of stunning CGI films , I was afraid that Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , with its hand drawn animation , might be showing its age . I am happy to report that I was wrong .
With lush landscapes that will come to no surprise to devotees of Miyazaki's work , Nausicaa is filled with a vivid palette of colors , and vivid colorful characters .
The English dub is fantastic , as well . Alison Lohman is perfect as the gently brave Princess Nausicaa . Patrick Stewart is a perfect fit for the wise and revered Lord Yupa . Edward James Olmos is utterly believable as the loyal and feisty Mito . And Uma Thurman is fabulous as the cold and cynical Kushana .
And the story still stands the test of time , being itself an ageless tale .
The extra features are also worth the time and energy , especially the interviews with the voice cast , and the brief history of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli .
This is a movie for the whole family to enjoy .
109 4 Quite possibly the best animated film made during the 1980 ' s , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind crosses science fiction with war scenes of palpable emotional impact . The end result is more ambitious than expected , as the movie reflects on the hypocrisy of war , and mankind's capacity of terrible acts during times of conflict . Even without too much graphic human suffering , Nausicaa . . . leaves a mark the way Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter left theirs . Yes , the movie also contains flying airships , strange creatures , and psychic powers , but writer / director Hayao Miyazaki merely uses them as context for the issue that's really preoccupying him .
The movie takes place one thousand years after a fiery cataclysm decimates humanity . All remnants of the human race have dispersed , and a Toxic Jungle serves a natural barrier between nations . This enchanted forest contains giant insects , trees that would dwarf the redwoods , and plants that release strange white spores . Inhaling the spores over long periods of time can prove fatal , as the people of the Valley of the Wind , who used to live closer to the Toxic Jungle , know all too well .
In hopes of finding a cure for the lethal powders produced by the flora , Princess Nausicaa , pride and joy of her people , makes regular journeys to the Toxic Jungle . A top gun behind the controls of her jet ski / hang glider hybrid , the princess is even more likable for how much she clearly cares about her subjects . When she stumbles across the abandoned shell of an Ohm , an elephantine mollusk whose shell features translucent skylights for eyes , Nausicaa's first thoughts have to do with the potential benefits for the valley . Unfortunately , casual activities such as this , and saving her friend from a ticked-off insect that chases him halfway across an adjacent desert , eventually give way to a more serious story . Very soon , war arrives at the doorstep of her home .
The kingdom of Tolmekia does not formally declare war on the Valley of the Wind . However , some very important cargo crashes down nearby , and their army rushes in to secure it . The siege leaves Nausicaa's father , the king , murdered , and her people inducted into the Tolmekians ' master plan . Unfortunately , Tolmekia's main enemy , another relatively advanced kingdom called Pejite , cannot separate unwitting foes from genuine ones , so they plan to wipe out the entire valley using a very clever strategem .
Miyazaki , who has addressed the topic of war in other features ( most recently , Howl's Moving Castle ) , paints the conflict in Nausicaa . . . as a potentially endless cycle of atrocities . Ironically , those who inflict there terrible deeds , the director argues , sincerely believe that humanity will benefit from their actions . For example , the Tolmekians plan to use the cargo , which they stole from Pejite , to destroy the Toxic Jungle once and for all . The way Princess Kushana , the officer in charge of the Tolmekian army , sees it , the forest must be destroyed , or mankind will spend the rest of eternity living at the mercy of the insects .
On the flipside , Pejite is ready to unleash a glowing , red-eyed Hell upon the Valley of the Wind . Their main purpose , however , isn't preventing their rival's machinations , but getting the cargo back , so they can level the Toxic Jungle themselves . Like the Tolmekians , Pejite also wants to return mankind to its former , loftier position . However , they are deathly afraid of Tolmekia being the sole possessor of a power as destructive as that cargo . To Nausicaa , who spends time as a prisoner of both kingdoms , the mutual willingness to kill innocents to achieve a goal makes Tolmekia and Pejite equals in her eyes . But Asbel , a vengeful young pilot / prince from Pejite , takes umbrage . All the Tolmekians want is to take over the world , he says . We are nothing like them . His words only serve to underscore his naivete . After all , since when does any participant in a war not view themselves in a superior moral light compared to the enemy ?
Luckily , Miyazaki constantly reminds the audience what fighting a just war really implies . As the conflict between the two nations draws in creatures from the Toxic Jungle , it's the weak who suffer most , while those in power get to indulge their most sadistic impulses . Whether it's images of women and children huddled together , hungry and scared , while the menfolk prepare war plans ; the old adage burning a village in order to save it brought to startling reality for heroes returning home ; a battlefield littered with the corpses of soldier dragonflies ( an allegorical shot that's just as potent as what Miyazaki intended them to represent ) ; or , most appallingly , a display of near-unbearable cruelty visited upon an innocent life for the expressed purpose of stirring up its comrades , trust that in Nausicaa . . . , war contains enough pain for everyone , regardless of gender , age , or species .
Indeed , like most modern war movies , Nausicaa . . . is a veritable minefield of moral transgressions . Even the titular heroine commits one . It's out of character , of course ; through most of the movie , she shows nothing less than absolute respect towards all living things . This one action becomes a blemish , something she spends the rest of the movie trying desperately to redeem . Interestingly , Miyazaki won't excuse her simply because it is wartime . Human beings are not animals , he seems to be arguing . Our ability to rationalize , to accept the complexities of a given situation , sets us apart from the beasts , who are slaves to their baser instincts .
These baser instincts , such as the need for revenge , cause Nausicaa's people to take up arms against the Tolmekian invaders . It seems that their doomed airship carried spores from the Toxic Jungle , spelling the end for a beloved orchard . Can Nausicaa save her people's souls , lest they become beasts , or worse , standard-issue characters from a war flick ? Miyazaki's other films during the same decade ( Castle in the Sky , Kiki's Delivery Service ) tended towards happy resolutions , so don't expect the writer / director to deviate this time , either , even if that makes Nausicaa . . . less tragic , and radically different , from just about every other lock-and-load epic that came before .
110 4 Monday , June 13 , 2005 / 5 of 5 / Defense of the agri-community
Going back through the Miyazaki catalogue after Spirited Away , Mononoke , and Lupin I hit Nausicaa first . Like the prior mentioned two , this is another 5 star effort with nature and personal growth at its heart . A young girl , a princess , attempts to save her peaceful agri-centered valley from twin dangers . The industrial complex of a warring nation and the monstrous slug like insects that are treated as apocalyptic harbingers . As usual , a young beau is thrown into the mix and they must rely on their wits and inner courage to save the day . Sweeping once again with glider rides and war machines of the air , Nausicaa doesn't disappoint . Highly recommended .
112 4 For a lot of Miyazaki fans from 80s , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind gave them the defining moment of anime experience . In Japan , though a lot of people did enjoy it , anime had always been seen as a sort of geeky pleasure , only kids and those adults who were a bit recluse and anti-social really got into it . The quality of Miyazaki's films did really change that landscape ( at least for Miyazaki's films ) . You'll see why after watching this classic - - - Miyazaki was already doing it in early 80s !
The theme of the film reflects the days when Cold War was still in progress , and Miyazaki's own struggle in reconciling the world shared both by the strong and the weak - - - he was made deeply uncomfortable by Darwinistic thoughts back in the day . The world dominated by the poisonous plants and mutated insects instead of human being is the reflection of the thoughts . Human's greed and misuse of civilization led to their own demise , and it is the human who became the weaker in the world of Nausicaa . How do the human survive in the world dominated by now antagonistic mother nature ? You'll find out by watching this film ! !
If you have seen Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke , you will see the common underlying theme . However , Nausicaa is much more satisfying in that the film was completed when Miyazaki was still unsure of how human can reconcile their destructive thoughts and actions with the mother nature , of which they are only a tiny part after all . To me that ambiguity made Nausicaa less preachy .
It is true that the * true * Nausicaa story does not end the way the film version does . When Miyazaki had to finish the movie , the graphic novel version was still in progress , so the film version does not really end the way Miyazaki really wanted to end ; I think he wasn't sure at the time if ending it with a resurrection of messiah of some sort was the best idea . Anyhow , if you really come to love Nausicaa , I really recommend the graphic novel version . The story is a few orders of magnitude more elaborate and enjoyable .
I definitely recommend this film to anyone , not just kids . This is the film that made Miyazaki a very well respected film maker .
114 4 My mother would rent any animated movie the store had in attempt to keep us kids happy . I saw Warriors of the Wind when I was 10 or so . I loved that movie . It was the first real animated movie ( i.e . not made for kids ) I had ever seen . Since DVD first became popular , I have been searching for this movie . By accident I found an Anime Guide in a music / video store and looked it up . This is where I discovered that the movie was made by Miyazaki ( I knew Spirited Away ) and that the version I had seen was merely a knock-off of the original . What was a half-hearted search to find a childhood favorite became an earnest quest to get my hands on the original . Now , with the release of the full , unadulterated original my anxiety is growing . I haven't seen the full cut , but I'm sure it will be worthy of my preemptive 5 - star rating .
116 4 I've seen the R2 version , and was blown away . Sure , we're talking a 20 year old animation here , but the story and characters are marvellous . We may not have state of the art CG dodads flying at us , but the quality , and the creators involved are first rate all the way .
The R2 disc featured comments by Kazuyoshi Katayama , a production assistant , later responsible for The Big O , Appleseed , and Argento-soma . It also features the legendary Hideaki Anno . A Key Animator , who designed the Giant Robots for Miyazaki . Anno is , of course , famous for directing Nadia , Secret of Blue Water , Wings of Honneamise and his claim to fame , Neon Genesis Evangelion .
The music is by Joe Hisaishi , and it has touches that bring to mind things he does later in Castle in the Sky , Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away . The music was done under tight budget constraints , so they seem to have used a lot of synthesizers . But hey , it's the 80 ' s , so it's understandable . Overall , a must have DVD by one of the great artists of our time , with a veritable who's who of anime supporting him . Nausicaa is a wonderful look at Hayao Miyazaki's genius , so obvious in this , his first original film . I would also suggest the Graphic Novels . It took Miyazaki 12 years complete the tale he touches on in Nausicaa . His true masterpiece .
117 4 I am writing this for serious Miyazaki fans since watching either Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away . Some of you who have watched this movie may find this critque interesting .
This movie has an excellent animation , moving story and well designed character development . Having said that I am going to give ratings to all his other movies , so that you will know what to expect of his other movies .
1 . Nausicaa
2 . Laputa ( castle in the sky )
3 . Mononoke
4 . Totoro
5 . Conan
6 . Luipin III , cagliostro
7 . Kiki's delivery
8 . Porco Rosso
9 . Spirited Away
10 . Holmes
11 . Heisei Tanuki Ponpoko
12 . Cat Returns
As a side , I'd like to state that this movie is what Miyazaki devoted his whole life into . The movie itself is actually a shorter version of his comic book that has taken many years to complete ( mostly because he took a long break right after 6th book ) . So if you really want to understand his works , you need to get those comic books . ( I think there are 7 of them ) . It has been said that Princess Mononoke is a reenactment of Nausicaa in a comic book . The story is very complex and very intriguing .
123 4 The box on the DVD says that this is Miyazaki's masterpiece . While this movie was a huge influence on my life with movies , I don't really think that this movie would be the crowning jewel on his celebrated career .
I have seen the movie Warriors of the Wind which was the first release of Nausicaa in North America . It was so cut up according to Miyazaki that he refused to put his name on it and refused to release more movies unless he had total control . In the 1990 ' s he then relented , releasing Totoro through Fox Pictures and then made his deal with Disney to re-release his other movies either through a theatrical release or video . Nausicaa , his second feature , comes direct to video .
The movie takes place a thousand years after the seven days of fire that destroyed the modern world . The land was scorched and eventually replaced with a toxic jungle poisonous to mankind . The creatures of the seven days of fire represent the nuclear capabilities of man and the toxic jungle represents the response of the nature to protect them from Man . There are some disparate kingdoms and one of them is the Valley of the Wind . They are blessed with the wind from the sea , which keeps the deadly spores of the jungle away and the people have developed a symbiotic relationship ( some would even say a love of ) the jungle . The daughter of the king , Nausicaa is one of those people . She often travels into the jungle , trying to find a way to live in harmony with the jungle , while others find ways to destroy it . One day , she meets Lord Yupa , a traveling warrior / philosopher unlike Gandalf in the LoTR , who is a friend of the King , who has taken ill . Right after his arrival , an airship from the Kingdom of Tolmekia , a war like nation who conquers others in the name of unity and protecting them under their umbrella for the good of humankind ( ahem , that sounds familiar ) . They are on their home from a recent conquest of the Kingdom of Pejite ( which is represented as a vaguely Arabic nation ) after finding out that the Pejite recently discovered a demon responsible for the seven days of fire . The ship , of course and infested with creatures of the jungle , crash lands and they discover the demon ( in a hibernating state ) . Soon , the Tolmekians take over the Valley with their vast military army , kill the Valley's King and plan to take Nausicaa back to Tolmekia .
On the way back , the Pejite launch a counterattack , led by their Prince Asbel . Asbel and Nausicaa go back to Pejite , and discover the Pejite military have launched counterattack which involves destroying the occupying Tolmelkian army in the Valley of the Wind . The death of the valley would be collateral damage .
While this seems like a plot driven movie , there are two underlying themes throughout the movie . The first is the pettiness between nations to conquer others in the guise of protecting the weak against an evil foe ( the toxic jungle ) and the evils of this power against a fragile world that will defend itself from man's intervention . It is this geo-political-environmental theme that plays out in say Princess Mononoke ( the natural world vs . man ) . I believe that Miyazake portrays this more subtlety than he does with Mononoke , where they have animal gods roaming throughout . The animation has become a touch outdated as the years have gone by , Miyazake has been outdone in person animate by anime auteurs such as Otomo and Oshi but in terms of creative design on an epic scale , I will say that no one comes close . I think the design of the Ohmu and the Ushiabu creatures were simply amazing at the time .
Miyazake also fleshes out his celluloid characters and gives Nausicaa lots of character that is missing nowadays in an era of Diva's who would rather portray themselves than dive into a character . Nausicaa is a contradiction , being a pacifist and a warrior , a mature adult and child , girly yet strongly feminist , etc . She is voiced extremely well by Alison Lohman , who seems accurate in her voicing . Lord Yupa's voice was an inspired choice . Patrick Stewart has a deep , masterful and wise voice and it bodes well for the well worn traveller . Other actors like Uma Thurman , Chris Sarandon , and Edward James Olmos do a great job as well . The only voice I didn't like too much was Prince Asbel , voice monotonously by Shia LeBeouf ( where was the beef in that performance Shia ? )
The movie is a little too violent for children and the Disney version is very clean with a good ( but not great ) sound transfer . It is a two disc , but the second disc is for Nausicaa nutz only because the only feature is the full length storyboard .
Compared to Miyazaki's work , it ranks in the lower middle of his works . It was better than Lupin III and Porco Rosso and I liked it the same as My Neighbour Totoro and Princess Mononoke on story , but I feel it was inferior to Spirited Away , Kiki's Delivery Service , and Castle in the Sky . Still , even though it is not his best , it is better than any other direct to video animated movie this year . . . . . Rating B +
124 4 Wow ! I've finally got to see the uncut version of Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind , the very first masterpiece by the great Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli ! Sore wa Sugoi Desu Yo ! ( Japanese : It's so awesome and amazing ! ) Alison Lohman and the rest of the English cast have really done their homework to portray their roles respectively . I especially love Ms . Lohman as Princess Nausicaa and Patrick Stewart as Lord Yupa , because they both have regal bearings too ! Wow ! They're as good as it gets !
Everything is so awesome ; the soundtrack , the voicework , the story , the action scenes , the art work , and everything else is so perfect , and well done too . Everything has been refined to the state-of-the-art level , which is what Studio Ghibli has been famous for . What's more , the message for peace , perseverance and prosperity , along with harmony and enviornmental protection and balance , have really touched deeply in my heart right from the start .
Overall , I'd like to say Doomo Arigato Gozaimasu to the great Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli for their great masterpiece , and shall give them 5 out of 5 stars for outstanding performance ! Sayonara !
127 4 A technical complaint first , and then the real review . : - )
I'm not sure what it is about Disney's DVDs , but the widescreen format never quite works correctly on my system . I have to play with the zoom setting to see the whole picture , but by then it's much smaller than the screen on ALL sides ; playing it without the zoom cuts off the sides and it looks like any old FULLscreen cut . EVERY Disney DVD that I own does this and it's quite annoying , as the rest of my widescreen DVD's work just fine from any other studio . It's a real headscratcher .
Aside from that complaint , the film itself is beyond perfection ! Gorgeous animation , strong characters , amazing story , BRILLIANT film score , wonderful voice cast for the English track . Just to have the entire movie , and not the horrid U.S . edit ( Warriors of the Wind ) , is a wonderful WONDERFUL thing . I had no idea this was coming out , so my surprise at seeing this on the shelf in the video store was such that I had a few tears welling up in my eyes and I bought it immediately . I'm so happy Miyazaki's films are getting a well deserved release here in the US ! ^ . ^
Also , Joe Hisaishi is one of the most brilliant film composers of all time ; every film I watch with a Hisiashi score , it's the music that I remember the most ; it is so touching and beautiful , and affects me in powerful ways - as GOOD music should .
128 4 I am a big anime fan . I love Miyazaki's work . I've seen and own Princess Mononoke , I've
seen Spirited Away ( I'd don't own it yet but plan to ) , and I've seen Castle in the sky . This
movie , Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind is probably , in MY opinion , his best work .
This movie has been though a lot though . This movie was released a long time ago ,
without Miyazaki's permission , as a horribly cut up version of the original film called
Warriors of the Wind . I have Warriors of the Wind on VHS . Even horribly cut up , this
was probably one of the best animated films I have seen . The first time I saw the movie it
had me sitting on the edge of my seat , it made me laugh , and it made me cry , but the
greatest feeling I got was from the ending ( I will not spoil it for those of you who haven't
seen it ) . This movie has the same gorgeous artwork that Mononoke has , the same
wonderful uplifting music , and I think good voice-overs ( mind you I saw the Warriors of
the wind version so the voices might be different on this one ) . If you like Miyazaki films , if
you like gorgeous artwork and awesome music , then you must see this work of art ,
because that is what Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind is , a true work of art .
132 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
Hayao Miyazaki , the master filmmaker from the Academy Award-winning , Spirited Away , really outdid himself in his first true feature length film with Studio Ghibli . Nausicaa is filled with heart , hope , and gives an unprecedented perspective on the natural world and the humanitarian role with it . I can watch this movie over and over again and still see it for the first time . It is exciting and suspenseful ; with scenery hand-painted so beautifully that no computer-animated film could match . I would recommend this movie to everyone , both young and small .
134 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have brought man timeless classics to animated film . His stories always reach the hearts of viewers and the imagination , musical score and characters are some of the best in animation . Miyazaki uses very human-like movements in his animation . In addition , much of the art is done using water colors . These stories offer heart felt compassion , strong moral values and a sense of respect towards nature and man .
Nausicaa is among my all time favorites of Miyazaki's films .
The Main protagonist , Nausicaa is a young and fun-loving princess of the serene Valley of the Wind . Viewed by her followers as charismatic and peaceful , she is adored by all . With an uncanny ability to communicate with the giant insects that thrive in the forest around the village . The Forest has been stained with poison , which infested the plant-life and takes to the wind in the form of spores . The guardian of this Poisonous Forest is the Ohmu , a larger than life armored caterpillar-like insect . The Insects come in many shapes and sizes with the Ohm being the most feared and revered amongst them . The insects are able to communicate with each other and sense threats in the forest . When the insects become filled with rage their eyes glow red , and when returned to a state of calm they radiate blue . Thanks to Nausicaa's persistent visits to the Poisonous Forest to gather supplies and research the toxic nature of the valley she calls home . The inhabitants of the valley have become accustomed to living with the insects and forest . Nausicca is an adept fighter taught by Lord Yupa a wondering samurai style character . Who mentors her in fighting skills and wisdom . Nausicca takes to the air on a glider with jet proficiency . Her ability in Wind-riding serves her well in her exploits and offers a peaceful get away from the hustle and bustle of valley life .
But when an airship crashes into the valley things begin to take a turn for the worst . Nausicaa rushes to the wreckage to find a young girl shackled to the burning airship . The young girl turns out to be a Princess from another kingdom , who warns her that the cargo of the plane must be destroyed . The cargo , a Giant Warrior . An ancient evil created in a time of war . When a form of Military intervenes and tries to rid the forest of the poison and insects alike , the valleys wise woman Obaba warns that doing so will anger the Ohmu and a catastrophe will follow . The people of the Valley of the Wind are in for tough times and Nausicca leads the way to peace .
Legends tale of a fabled man in blue , that will appear surrounded by a sea of gold and reunite the people of the valley with the nature that surrounds them .
I highly recommend films by Hayao Miyazaki . The are amazing works of art , with meaningful messages and wonderful characters .
135 4 Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have brought man timeless classics to animated film . His stories always reach the hearts of viewers and the imagination , musical score and characters are some of the best in animation . Miyazaki uses very human-like movements in his animation . In addition , much of the art is done using water colors . These stories offer heart felt compassion , strong moral values and a sense of respect towards nature and man .
Nausicaa is among my all time favorites of Miyazaki's films .
The Main protagonist , Nausicaa is a young and fun-loving princess of the serene Valley of the Wind . Viewed by her followers as charismatic and peaceful , she is adored by all . With an uncanny ability to communicate with the giant insects that thrive in the forest around the village . The Forest has been stained with poison , which infested the plant-life and takes to the wind in the form of spores . The guardian of this Poisonous Forest is the Ohmu , a larger than life armored caterpillar-like insect . The Insects come in many shapes and sizes with the Ohm being the most feared and revered amongst them . The insects are able to communicate with each other and sense threats in the forest . When the insects become filled with rage their eyes glow red , and when returned to a state of calm they radiate blue . Thanks to Nausicaa's persistent visits to the Poisonous Forest to gather supplies and research the toxic nature of the valley she calls home . The inhabitants of the valley have become accustomed to living with the insects and forest . Nausicca is an adept fighter taught by Lord Yupa a wondering samurai style character . Who mentors her in fighting skills and wisdom . Nausicca takes to the air on a glider with jet proficiency . Her ability in Wind-riding serves her well in her exploits and offers a peaceful get away from the hustle and bustle of valley life .
But when an airship crashes into the valley things begin to take a turn for the worst . Nausicaa rushes to the wreckage to find a young girl shackled to the burning airship . The young girl turns out to be a Princess from another kingdom , who warns her that the cargo of the plane must be destroyed . The cargo , a Giant Warrior . An ancient evil created in a time of war . When a form of Military intervenes and tries to rid the forest of the poison and insects alike , the valleys wise woman Obaba warns that doing so will anger the Ohmu and a catastrophe will follow . The people of the Valley of the Wind are in for tough times and Nausicca leads the way to peace .
Legends tale of a fabled man in blue , that will appear surrounded by a sea of gold and reunite the people of the valley with the nature that surrounds them .
I highly recommend films by Hayao Miyazaki . The are amazing works of art , with meaningful messages and wonderful characters .
142 4 This was the very first Miyazaki film I ever saw . It was on either HBO or SHOWTIME in the early 1980s when VCRs were still rare things in the average home . I fell in love with every aspect of the film - the artwork , the story , the music . I made a copy which I watched until it fell apart . And then it was gone . Lost . I thought I would never see the movie I knew as Warriors of the Wind ever again .
It was not until comparatively recently that I learned about the man behind the film . It was in a review of Princess Mononoke that I learned the origin of this wonderful epic .
I was shocked to learn that the version of the film I had seen had been butchered to make it more palatable to American audiences . All the names had been changed . Nausicaa had been changed to Zandra . The Omu were called Gorgons . And key scenes had been chopped out . This DVD restores the film to what it's original form . For this we have John Lasseter of PIXAR animation to thank . Without his friendship and respect for Mr . Miyazaki , this film , as well as his other masterpieces , might never have been seen in this country in their proper form .
If you love this film as much as I do , you should check out the original manga series on which it is based ( drawn and written by Hayao Miyazaki of course ) . The manga is even richer and there are many more factions vieing for power in the post-apocalyptic world of the Toxic Jungle . The events from the film are in the manga , but they are only the merest tip of a huge and very rich iceberg .
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , Vol . 1
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , Vol . 2
As a final note , I have personally put together a kind of trilogy of Miyazaki films
Princess Mononoke
as the past ,
Spirited Away
as the present , and Nausicaa as the future . I think we can also work
Castle in the Sky
and
Howl's Moving Castle
into this series as well .
151 4 I've had the manga since the early 80 ' s and was overjoyed when it showed up on VHS . I think the title was renamed the Windriders of the Valley or some such nonsense . What a butcher job that was . Retitled and carved like a Christmas Ham , it was quite simply garbage .
This time around Studio Ghibli told Disney they could distribute it if they kept their mitts off it . And it shows , the voice actors are top-notch and the story line is kept intact . If you are looking for some classic anime you can't go wrong with this version . I've read that the animation looks dated but i have to disagree here . It's nice to see olde anime as you can get an idea of how anime has progressed thru the years .
While it's no AKIRA as far as anime goes it still holds up quite well in today's anime circles . If you've enjoyed any of Studio Ghibli's work such as Kiki's Delivery Service , Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away then this is a must for your collection .
153 4 This movie has wonderful characters , visual appeal , a great story , a strong plot and a message about peace and compassion that is so sorely needed in this world . Like other works of Miyazaki , ( Kiki's delivery Service , Spirited Away ) this is a story where kindness and love are used to solve difficult problems .
This movie is terrific for both kids and adults . Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed it and we have viewed it several times .
168 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
This is the latest movie we have added to our family's collection of movies by Miyazaki and as usual we were not disappointed one bit . My daughter was so taken with it she is planning on being Nausicaa for Halloween ( she was Miyazaki's Princess Mononke last year ) . As is typical you are pulled into the story at once and you never want to get out . We have viewed it at least a half a dozen times or more since we got it and we are not tired of it one bit . You can see in these characters the germs that will be the the two main characters in Castle in the Sky , which was his next project . If you liked Spirited Away or any others by Miyazaki you will find this one just as satisfying . If you have never seen a Miyazaki movie and are wanting to see one this is fantastic , though Spirited Away or Castle in the Sky ( if you have a little girl , start with Kiki's Delivery Service ) might be slightly better for a first one . But do definitely see them all , they ROCK !
169 4 This is the latest movie we have added to our family's collection of movies by Miyazaki and as usual we were not disappointed one bit . My daughter was so taken with it she is planning on being Nausicaa for Halloween ( she was Miyazaki's Princess Mononke last year ) . As is typical you are pulled into the story at once and you never want to get out . We have viewed it at least a half a dozen times or more since we got it and we are not tired of it one bit . You can see in these characters the germs that will be the the two main characters in Castle in the Sky , which was his next project . If you liked Spirited Away or any others by Miyazaki you will find this one just as satisfying . If you have never seen a Miyazaki movie and are wanting to see one this is fantastic , though Spirited Away or Castle in the Sky ( if you have a little girl , start with Kiki's Delivery Service ) might be slightly better for a first one . But do definitely see them all , they ROCK !
019 4 One night when I was about 14 , I was staying up late watching HBO as I often did , when a movie came on that captured my imagination , Warriors of the Wind . At the time , I was not an animation fan outside of the cartoons like The Transformers I stopped watching at around 12 , OK 13 .
Anyway , at 2 a.m . , sitting alone in a dark room , I was drawn into the mind of Master Miyazaki and his amazing vision . I was completely amazed by the alternate world this story took place in and the characters involved .
After the movie was over I tried desperatly to find the name of the movie , since I had picked it up after about 15 - minutes . I found it in the HBO guide and proceeded to tell all my friends about the movie . None of them had ever heard of it .
Up to just a few months ago I continued to mention it whenever the topic of animation came up . I could never find a copy of the movie and few spoke to had heard of it . The film always represented this phantom thing that I could share with no one or find out more about . Until just a few months ago a co-worker , and real anima fan , told me how this movie was a bad redoing of an original creation by Master Miyazaki . She told me the original name and mentioned it was supposed to be released in its original form . When it came out , I rushed for my copy .
Needless to say at 31 I still find the concepts and images of the movie amazing and I can't wait to share it with my young daughter when she is old enough to watch .
Now the movie I always tried to find out more about has a name and sits in its proper place in my video collection .
074 4 OK this is one of my favorite aneme movies because of the idea with an insect whisperer . It was such a good idea . What is so interesting about this movie is that you can actually calm insects my doing hypnotizing movements . For example , you can actually catch a dragon fly with your fingers by doing a circular motion toward the insect . And you guys thought it was all make believe ! The soundtrack was great . The scene where she is flying through the clouds with the music rushing her through is awesome . The characters were fun , clever , and humorous .
087 4 When I got this , I was weary about it looking dated due to it being over 20 years old . Nothing could be farther from the truth as the animation and storyline put to shame most other animated movies of today . Really awesome and entertaining movie .
129 4 I saw this as young Japanese in Japan when released in 1986 . Perhaps this movie astonished me as to what Anime was capable of representing to us . With this Nausicaa Miyazaki's name became unforgettable in Japan , never realizing at the time that the movie would be translated into other languages and be enjoyed by many . I truly believe this movie was the turning point of Anime . Or perhaps the movie was made in such an era . Anime had never been so sophisticated and beautiful before that era .
Nausicaa , as it may be typical in Miyazaki's movies , is a character with a high moral standard and capabilities of carrying out the act of helping people and the harmony of all things . If one is Miyazaki's fan , Nausicaa is a must see movie . When Miyazaki started being recognized in the US or other countries , Nausicaa was already an old movie , and that's why it is not as known as the other recent ones , but I know , as a Japanese , that Hayao Miyazaki is and will be always Hayao Miyazaki of Nausicaa no matter how many great movies he has made or will make . Nausicaa was the clue of Japanese Anime going up to a higher level of Art . I do not consider this movie a mere entertainment . This is a work of Art .
I need to mention the music in this movie . I think they are wonderful .
023 4 I found this masterpiece like so many of us in the United States badly chopped up and limping from the ungainly cuts made to the original vision of Master Miyazaki . That being said I carried the love of this piece with me for twenty years , always hearing from those who had seen the original Japanese version about how lacking it was when it was the Warriors of the Wind . I did not care , this vision of the tenuous and hostile future was populated by the perfect heroine for a 12 year old girl who had never seen a truly strong and dedicated female role model in any anime until Nausicaa herself .
When Disney did the only honorable thing it could and released this polished original I bought it the first day it was available , I knew that I had to have it . I was expecting to still love it the same as I did when I was a young girl , but now as a mother and a grown woman . I find that love Nausicaa even more . The scenes that had been brutally removed from Warriors in the Wind took my breath away . The animation is timeless , no matter how advanced we become , it will always be beautiful .
The new voices for the characters work as well , James Patrick Stewart is unmistakable as Lord Yupa , the other cast members do a wonderful job of conferring emotion and the proper spirit of the film . This is one that must be bought now , who knows how long Disney will allow it to be out so snap it up . Enjoy and treasure this wonderful work for a long time to come .
Tatianna
077 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
This movie was like a breath of fresh air . Very memorable story , and a very interesting characters . I wish there was a sequel . This was my first Miyazaki film , and my most favorite of them all . I highly recommend it . I however would recommend reading the book , for it has more detail , which the movie does not cover , leaving many loopholes .
079 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
It's 1,000 years set into the future . Modern society as we know it is long dead . Human civilization is divided into isolated kingdoms that struggle to survive against an expanding poisonous jungle . Three kingdoms feature prominently , and the people of the Valley get caught up in a war between two other kingdoms over control of an ancient warrior that all believe can destroy the jungle .
The protagonist , Nausicaa , is a brave , heartwarming , albeit naive character , and the vocal characterization by Alison Lohman is on target . Also memorable is the vocalization of Patrick Stewart as Lord Yupa .
Miyazaki's pacing is perfect , which is what I like most about him . He gives us plenty of time in the beginning to drink the scenery in . The scenery is beautiful and the music totally immersive . The pace speeds up in the end , and it is a little difficult to keep up with all the things going on at once , but after a couple of viewings you get the picture .
My only beef with the movie is that the ending is very brief , and a key conflict is left unresolved . Is not the jungle still poisonous and still expanding ?
080 4 It's 1,000 years set into the future . Modern society as we know it is long dead . Human civilization is divided into isolated kingdoms that struggle to survive against an expanding poisonous jungle . Three kingdoms feature prominently , and the people of the Valley get caught up in a war between two other kingdoms over control of an ancient warrior that all believe can destroy the jungle .
The protagonist , Nausicaa , is a brave , heartwarming , albeit naive character , and the vocal characterization by Alison Lohman is on target . Also memorable is the vocalization of Patrick Stewart as Lord Yupa .
Miyazaki's pacing is perfect , which is what I like most about him . He gives us plenty of time in the beginning to drink the scenery in . The scenery is beautiful and the music totally immersive . The pace speeds up in the end , and it is a little difficult to keep up with all the things going on at once , but after a couple of viewings you get the picture .
My only beef with the movie is that the ending is very brief , and a key conflict is left unresolved . Is not the jungle still poisonous and still expanding ?
081 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
I bought this DVD several years ago and I enjoyed it very much . This time , I bought one for my friend , who will enojoy it just as much as I did .
086 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
When I got this , I was weary about it looking dated due to it being over 20 years old . Nothing could be farther from the truth as the animation and storyline put to shame most other animated movies of today . Really awesome and entertaining movie .
088 4 This was the second Hayao Miyazaki film I saw back around the 80s ( the first was ' Castle of Cagliostro ' ) . I first saw this film around 1986 , two years after its release back in 1984 . I found the structure and pacing of this story remarkable and very rare for an animated film at that time . The story and drama unfolds slowly , almost peacefully . Later , the drama and action unexpectedly builds to an unforgettable and jaw-dropping climax . Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a great motion picture , a cinema classic , and a masterpiece .
089 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
This is NOT a cartoon . There is real depth here . The overarching theme is suvival in a post-apocalyptic world . This apocalypse was precipitated by the hubris of prior generations . As the story unfolds we see that the goodness of the title character is the cure for the past ills .
I first rented this film from NetFlix , primarily based on the strength of other films by Miyazaki . These movies are anime but the background illustration is fine art quality . Distributed by Disney , Disney wishes they could find such compelling story lines and flawless cell-based animation . However , hats off to Disney ( and John Lassiter ) for bringing this to life in the english-speaking market . Also hats off to the voice actors for bringing emotion and reaity to the characters from a sound booth and in perfect pace to such a foriegn language .
I'm almost 50 and I've been a student of animation all my life . I watched this 7 or 8 times in a row and picked out new layers each time . My 6 year old daughter was just as entranced as I . ( I secretly want her to grow up to be just like Nausicaa . )
I will be purchasing more Miyazaki to stand up alongside Star Trek and Babylon 5 .
094 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
What a great way to show the world what we need to take care of now . Kind of scary what the imagination of the future may hold .
097 4 Hayao Miyazaki is one of my favorite directors . Anime has been very important to me since I was in my teens . The first time I saw Nausicaa it was a lame US dub , edited to the point of butchery and yet I held on to my copy of that film for ever . Even in that horrible state it was amazing to watch . Eventually I got the real japanese version on EBAY even before it was released domestically . I watched it at least 100 times . It's one of the few films I never seem to tire of . laputia by Hayao Miyazaki is also way up there alongside this film . All his films are so great . Still Nausicaa is my favorite . It has a great story , amazing characters , fantastic landscapes and creatures , wonderful music , and is beautifully animated . I have since tracked down the CD score , as well as an amazing book , The Art of Nausicaa .
The New US release is dubbed well and is a must own . It comes with many extras any fan of this film will want .
I love this film and I recommend it , and any Hayao Miyazaki film to anyone who enjoys good films , as well as top notch animation .
106 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
I have loved this movie since I was a child and was greatly looking forward to its new release on DVD . I was especially looking forward to the addition of those scenes cut from the originally English dubbing and the corrected storyline , and was not at all disappointed in them . In fact they were exactly what the original release needed and should never have been cut in the first place .
However except for the voice acting by Patrick Stewart , the English dubbing is far from superb . Naussica and others come across as dry and unfeeling in the film compared to that of their original counterparts . Whether this is due to the actors themselves or translation issues from the original I don't know , I am even willing to chalk it up to my nostalgic remembrance of the original voice work .
Either way I definitely recommend this movie for any home library .
Overall I give this new release 7.5 out of 10 .
107 4 I have loved this movie since I was a child and was greatly looking forward to its new release on DVD . I was especially looking forward to the addition of those scenes cut from the originally English dubbing and the corrected storyline , and was not at all disappointed in them . In fact they were exactly what the original release needed and should never have been cut in the first place .
However except for the voice acting by Patrick Stewart , the English dubbing is far from superb . Naussica and others come across as dry and unfeeling in the film compared to that of their original counterparts . Whether this is due to the actors themselves or translation issues from the original I don't know , I am even willing to chalk it up to my nostalgic remembrance of the original voice work .
Either way I definitely recommend this movie for any home library .
Overall I give this new release 7.5 out of 10 .
118 4 Miyazaki's movies extol virtue . The lead character in this work derives her power from an understanding of the world in which she lives and from her unselfish service to others . Interestingly and in contrast with most movies this director rewards the good characters and punishes the bad without ever seeming formulaic .
This movie is set in a post-apocalyptic world and reflects a strong environmentalist mindset - - take care of the Earth and all that - - but it is much more . As opposed to written works , movies do not have the time to explore characters and have to use shorthand to clue you in - - the Japanese do this well . You would have to go as far as Kubrick's 2001 to find another movie as bizarrely imaginative as this one .
My wife shakes her head when I keep bringing these Miyazaki movies home , but I've got to say that I find them so much more enjoyable than the typical movie offerings because they are so imaginative . Whether about bathhouses for spirits , flying pigs , evil cat kings , etc . , these movies all demonstrate the value of being good and honorable - - they are worthy entertainment .
137 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
I absolutely love this movie ! It's perfect for families or adults . : ) The young Nausicaa is mature and charming . I love that Miyazaki's movies always have an environmental aspect to them and in this day and age it's great to educate children young on how important plants and trees are to our lives .
141 4 This is another gem from Miyazaki , It is another environmental morality tale like
Princess Monanokee , but set in a post apocalyptic setting . My five year old and I were both
delighted by the story . The character motivation is at some points a little hazy ,
but this is more than made up for by beautiful animation and a fascinating
vision of what if .
143 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
Hayao Miyazaki's movies always has complex and interesting characters . His understanding of female characters in particular s multi faceted and complex . He greats the big bangs and noise , but he always interested ultimately how do people live in peace and grow as people . This is why his moviesm are so different than others .
155 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
when i first saw this film i thought to my self it's ok , it could be better , but then i watched it again and was mystified ! this is a beautiful story of a young girl fighting to save the humans that are left and the earth . the story takes place after a nuclear war that destroys the planet and most of the people and animals on it , the only forest left is a poison forest full of giant insects that protect it . its a cautionary tale of how if we let our selves go to far their will be nothing left , this is one of the reasons i love Mr . miyazaki's films so much most of the say that we half to protect our world , because if we don't , who will ?
161 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
How i can describe this ?
I will put my impressions in simple words : Nausicaa is one of the best
anime movies ever made , and i must note that is one of the best movies
in science fiction too , his level of excelence are not only restricted
to the world of animation . Simple one must see movie .
166 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
One of the best anime films I have seen . Excellent story , creativity abounds , and animation is wonderful . Once you watch it , you will want to own a copy !
030 4 I first saw this anime when I was a pre-teen . It was the first Japanese anime I ever saw . I was absolutely captivated . Now at age 27 , I am still as captivated by it as the first time I saw it . The first version I saw was the abridged English dubbed version . I also had possession of the Japanese version but without subtitles . Both were bootlegs and I watched them both several times ( despite my inability to understand Japanese ) . Before the Disney release hit the stores , a friend of mine found a boot leg copy of the Japanese version with English subtitles . The subtitles were sloppy and inaccurate . There was some dialogue that was never even translated . However , with the understanding provided by the additional scenes in combination with a more accurate portrayal of dialogue than the English dub version , Nausicaa took on a whole new and deeper level of meaning and plot .
I recently watched part of the Disney release with the modern dubbing . I did not particularly care for the voice talent and acting . Worse was the translations chosen for some of the dialogues . Nausicaa , the main character , IS the ideal woman . She is brave , strong , hopefull , compassionate , loving , gentle , intelligent , humble , and very human ( she , despite being wonderful , has weaknesses just like everyone else ) . I felt that the modern Disney English dialogue played down several of these strong virtues in Nausicaa's possession . Being that her character is the central attraction of the movie , down playing these virtues is detrimental to the emotional impact of the movie .
Tonight , I just watched Nausicca on Turner Classic Movies ( TCM ) . They showed the film in the original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles . This was not the same version as the boot leg that I already own . The version the TCM showed was by far the best rendition that I have ever seen of Nausicaa . Her inteligence shines in the dialogue , more so than any other version and her sweetness and humility are just a strong as the older English dubbed version . I am not sure which edition TCM showed ( perhaps it is the Disney release but with the viewing options of Japanese with English subs instead of English dubs ? ) , but it was by far the most excellent rendition of the dialogue .
If you want the full impact of this wonderful story , the version shown on TCM is what you want to get . Be sure to sacrifice English dialogue and read the English subtitles . It is well worth it .
In the scope of all movies , animated or not , this is the movie that holds top place in my heart . If you want a story synopsis , read some of the other excellently written reviews . As for me , I will tell you that it is a wonderful and inspiring story . Definitely a breath of fresh air in a world that is often gloomy and cynical . It captivates the imagination , warms the heart , and just seems magical to watch .
014 4 Mr Miyazaki was active as a film maker before this movie . But factly the first movie that let people over the world know the reputation of Miyazaki was this Nausicaa , that is , as the directer and the original writer . About 20 years passed since the film was made , but we can look at Nausicaa with very pleasure , excitement etc . I am not able to believe that the film making was more than 20 years ago , very real animation , for instance the scene that Nausicaa helped the old man Yupa riding a animal who was followed by a holy insect , Oumu is that . At that time , Nausicaa helped Yupa by letting him know the escape way with riding a unique airplane , Meve . The scene that Nausicaa overlooked the surface from Meve was incredible real animation . Even if I consider that the movie is a old movie , the animation is marverous , that is , the scene that landscape aprroached near and near .
The story of Nausicaa was wonderful . The movie implyed Miyazaki's anti war principle by using the intro scene , [ Death Seven Days War caused by Gigantic Army ] , by the war , the world covered with Daath Acid . I think that Miyazaki made the scene while he knew the truth that there were a lot of falling acid after atomic bombs fell at Hiroshima in Japan under World War 2 . I think that he not only made just a animation movie , but also was included the movie the important message . And the point is different to Disney movie . And when I looked at Aumu first time , I disliked Aumu for the grotesque looking . But as I felt the Aumu's deep tenderness , my emotion changed . Maybe Miyazaki will want to say what should see thorough the inner things , not outer things .
Anyway , this is a great movie that I am thought about many things , peace , love , tenderness , friendship and familyship , not only the real animation .
Thank you for reading my poor English .
024 4 First of all - I have loved this movie since I saw it in 1986 in Japan as a kid . I first saw images on a huge screen inside a mall in Tokyo . I gasped and oo'd and awe'd until my Japanese host family decided they had to take me to go see it . It is truly awesome on a big screen , even if you don't speak Japanese .
That being said , the disney release is the best of at least 3 translation / subtitled versions of Nausicaa that I have seen . They did a very good job of expanding the dialogue a little bit so that the plot is comprehensible .
I will admit it has huge appeal to chicks . Being a chick I love the theme , love the heroine and I love how she's basically on no one's side - she's on the side of reason and sanity ! How many heroes in most action flicks shout that the killing has to stop - how many stand up unarmed against what is wrong ? That is what makes her so appealing to me .
The big powers in this world are nuts . Though some have commented that they seem dated and cold war like , I think some of it is quite topical to this day and age . These powers are fanatical and willing to kill each other indiscriminately and at any cost - that is probably a familiar thing in any era . There are always little countries being threatened by bigger ones . There are always powers who think they are good , right and justified in what they do , no matter how powerful or big they are .
026 4 Miyazaki Hayao's first big film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds was released in 1984 . Based upon Miyazaki's manga , it follows the futuristic barren wasteland that Earth has become , ravaged by industrial toxins and radiation . Small pockets of civilization perch on the edge of the Sea of Decay , among them Nausicaa's Valley of the Winds , untouched by toxic mold spores . Nausicaa is a young princess with the ability to talk to animals and insects , using charms to keep them from destroying themselves and others . She is a fearless leader of her people , who wants to stop the bloodshed between warring factions and stop the murder of giant insects such as the Ohmu . Although altruistic , she possesses a dangerous , unpredictable rage . There is a prophecy in the land that a . . . a person clad in blue standing in a golden field will find the bond between humanity and the earth , and lead the people to a pure land . . .
The Valley is threatened when a ship from neighbouring Pejite crashes and releases toxic mold spores , along with a much more dangerous foe : one of the Giant God Soldiers responsible for the Seven Days of Fire , in which the world was nearly destroyed by nuclear radiation . Nausicaa finds the princess of Pejite inside , chained and mortally wounded .
The Valley is threatened by the appearance of Princess Kushana of Torumekia , who seizes power in a coup , killing Nausicaa's father . She seeks to resurrect the Giant God Soldier , whose nuclear weapons can destroy both enemies and the hordes of destructive insects that ravage the land . Nausicaa escapes , and must save her beloved valley from a stampede of enraged Ohmu . . .
The story , visuals , music , and sheer creativity are simply amazing . This is one of Miyazaki's most original , moving efforts , and I've seen nearly all his films from Nausicaa to Howl's Moving Castle . His frequent lament on the destruction of nature is at its most poignant here , the small seeds of hope blossoming into renewal . Visuals are strongly drawn from medieval costumes and castles in the Valley , the ships look like something from Star Trek , and the insects gave me nightmares ( and I thought the giant cockroaches in my office were scary ( ! ) . I hope to get my hands on a copy of the original manga ( in Japanese ) to read more fully into the lush backstory of Nausicaa . Poetic , spiritual , and unique , this is my favourite Miyazaki film .
028 4 I'd say Nausicaa of Valley of the Wind . Its flying machines , settings and creatures , all wonderfully created that can make you believe , for a second , that these things exist . These elements all show you a glimpse of how far imagination ( especially Miyazaki's ) can go . . . anywhere and everywhere .
As for the storyline , sure , there has been many movies about how we must save the environment and anti-war , and many more storylines dealing with a post war society , but Miyazaki does it in a purely non-preachy way . Also , the storyline is not just anti-war and pro-environmentalism , but also attacks the deeper questions , such as What kind is sacrifice is really okay ? when those retaliating the military plan on sacrificing other people for the ' good ' of everyone . It also has its elements of differences from other movies with the same storyline , such as the misunderstanding of the mutant bugs and the Toxic Jungle , which deviates from the common they are here to destroy the humans plot , but instead take a beautifully role in the movie . This movie was made in 1984 , and it still applies to the world today . Pretty impressive for a movie that old .
Last but not least , Joe Hisaishi does the music , which matches every single shot of the movie , communicating the feelings and emotions of the story . If you don't appreciate the movie , at least you'll enjoy the music , although I seriously doubt not liking the movie is even an option .
040 4 Even though Nausicaa is the first full-length film made by Miyazaki , it is the last one I watched . In fact I have watched Howl's Moving Castle before watching Nausicaa . If Howl is the most beautiful hero Miyazaki created , then Nausicaa is the most beautiful heroine .
Miyazaki's later adventurous film usually start with a bang and the story reach a climax after a few minutes into the film e.g . Spirited away and Howl's moving castle . With Nausicaa the story moves more slowly in the beginning to pave way for the climax toward at the end of the film . I highly recommend you to watch Nausicaa because it is one of Miyazaki's best work .
056 4 This movie did an excellent job of showing environmentalism in a context that kids can understand .
It was a bit violent and its depictions of war was harsh , but I still think
it would be suitable for most children .
The Americanized version , Warriors of the Wind , has less of the political
statement but also lacks the spirit .
061 4 I can't wax poetic about how wonderfully artistically and technically this film is - but as a layperson I can tell that it is so . While I have to admit that there's a definite common thread to Miyazaki's movies ' themes , this is yet another one of his works that has effortlessly blown me away .
Casual Film Buff's Verdict : Breathtaking , with a degree of depth often lacking in America's popular cinema
062 4 Hayao Miyazaki has directed many great films this one though I must say , ( because I've watched it a total of 11 times-in the past 4 days , ) that It is the best in the world , a great story from beginning to end , it was great . To tell you the truth , great is just not good enough for it . In fact I looked it up in a thesaurus . Excellent , Splendid , Grand , Top-notch , Favorable , Noble , Superior , Fit for a King all this and more . I bet I could watch this over and over without getting bored .
In this movie Hayao Miyazaki included it all , action and drama , magic and war , peace and understanding . He surely got it all and stuffed it in one darn wonderful story , as one of my best friends would say .
For all you people who haven't seen it , I'll try not to spoil it for you . In this movie A courageous princess leads her people in the struggle against a powerful insect race determined to take over their land . - the back of the Blockbuster case . At the beginning of the film this line is said by Patrick Stewart - A thousand years have passed since the collapse of industrialized civilization , a toxic jungle now spreads threatening the last of the human race . ( So many big words ) In my words , Princess Nausicaa must defend her people from giant bugs trying to destroy everything . - Me , Laurah Spencer , It's just easier that way , you see .
If you are like me and like action and drama , war , guns and tanks and all that stuff you should see this movie . ( But always remember to remind your RAT it's only rated PG ) ( RAT stands for Responsible Adult Type )
If you are also like me and like magic and peace , love and all that mushy crap , you should see this movie . ( Even if you have to close your eyes and plug you ears during the tragic parts ) ( That was not me closing and plugging , it was my seven-year-old sister )
076 4 Moreover than any of Miyazaki's other work's , Nausicaa is the closest to my heart . Without this film I would truly not be the person that I am today . It literally changed the direction of my life - inspiring me to begin studying animation at an early age and setting me down the path towards becoming the award winning filmmaker and professor of animation that I am today .
Though each of his films might be an opus unto themselves , only one was able to touch me so significantly at that early age nearly two decades ago - this film . It is long overdue and well worth the investment .
104 4 A thousand years after the Seven Days of Fire destroyed human civilization and most of the Earths original ecosystem . Scattered human settlements survive-isolated from one to another by the Sea of Corruption ( fukai , sea of rot / fungus in Japanese ) , a lethally toxic jungle of fungus swarming with giant insects-which come together only to wage war .
In the 1980 ' s this movie was edited on HBO and it's only rated PG . All because back then disneys movies were for general audiences .
111 4 It took a while for me to start liking this film . It starts with presenting the setting : a post-apocalyptic wasteland . Greed has caused a global ecological disaster . Only a few places are still fit for humans to live . The Valley of the Wind being one . Even there there are dangers of climate extremes and mutated animals , but it will have to do . Nausicaa's people try to build a new society , one that is in harmony with nature , but they do not know how . Only later in the film do they learn that even they are causing great damage to the environment , and misunderstanding the signs .
While Nausicaa's people try to learn from their mistakes , others try to revive the old and dangerous technologies and use them for conquest . Like so many other would-be world conguerors they cloak their ambitions by claiming it is all for the common good . When Nausicaa escapes the invaders she learns the awful truth of her world . Humanity has misunderstood everything again , but this time there is a chance of redemption ; that is if she can make anyone listen before it is too late . . .
One thing that is interesting in this film , and in Princess Mononoke also , is the Japanese ambivalent attitude towards authority and duty . If I understand the Japanese attitude correctly you cannot do anything wrong for as long as you honourably do your duty . Since even the conquerors sincerely believe they are acting in the common good they cannot be totally evil . Therefore you do not see this manichean division into good and evil as you see in all Hollywood films . The problems and solutions described in the film become more complex and more interesting .
145 4 I am totally amazed by this movie . The animation is exceptional for a movie made in the mid 80 ' s . The story line is fantastic and the illustration of the toxic jungle is life-like . Miyazaki makes incredible movies that touch right to the heart and soul .
I have most of his movies and the kids and I enjoy watching them over , and over , and over again . It is entertaining throughout this entire movie . I still can't believe how well they illustrated the warrior near the end of the move .
Steven K .
162 4 How i can describe this ?
I will put my impressions in simple words : Nausicaa is one of the best
anime movies ever made , and i must note that is one of the best movies
in science fiction too , his level of excelence are not only restricted
to the world of animation . Simple one must see movie .
057 4 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is actually the best movie created by Miyazaki . He is a genius , and always creating something that is one of a kind and extordinary . Nausicaa is about a girl that can see something within the Earth that no one else can . She is special , just like this movie is special . She sees the good in the bugs and good in the deadly forest . And through patience , scientific anaylsis , and love of adventure she uncovers the unbelievable and shows with love and kindness how great the world can be . Nausicaa is a movie that any anime or even movie lover should have , and I believe it to be the best that Miyazaki has ever made ^ _ ^
165 4 I was looking for Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind for a while and when I finally saw it I wasn't disappointed . For being one of studio Gibli's first works its animation quality was better than I expected and its story had substance . I'm happy I bought it .
071 4 Not being an expert critique of this producers works like so many others , I originally purchased the VHS copy of this movie ( Warriors Of The Wind ) for my son when he was small and we watched it many times together and enjoyed it . A short time ago I introduced this same video tape to his son , my grandson and was able to also enjoy it again thru his eyes . I was unaware that it was being re-released on DVD under the name Nausicaa Of The Vally Of The Wind until I saw it for sale and then I was confused as to whether or not it was the original we had loved or a sequel to that story due to the re-naming . For those apparent few , like ourselves , whom knew no better and still loved the story in it's original release form ; this remake will be a miracle and a minefield . It is extremely well done and I definitely recommend it's purchase - but the dialogue is drastically different from the original . Not bad , definitely not worse ; but VERY different from what we veterans of only the VHS release expect based on that original release . The hardest thing for my grandson to accept is that it is the same film , and yet so very many things are now called something different and ( especially ) that the name of the princess / heroine is different - he is not happy with my explanations that Princess Zandra is now Princess Nausicaa . In looking over the existing reviews for this release , I don't see that this small fact has been mentioned before . So for anybody else out there that is wondering like I did ; the video and audio are done extremely well - but the movie will be jarringly different simply because of all the additional video bits & pieces that have been restored and because the dialogue is so completely re-written . You will love it - but it will take a bit of getting used to if you , like us , are expecting what you watched before to be unchanged .
034 4 As others have mentioned , Warriors of the Wind is a shortened version of Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind . I have both versions of this movie on VHS , & even though I grew up loving Warriors , once I saw Nausicaa , I knew I had been robbed of seeing a great movie all my life . Nausicaa contains scenes that were cut , for whatever reason from Warriors . I was in shock when I saw the complete version last year , because I never knew that there was so much I had never seen . If you really want to enjoy this film , I strongly urge you to get Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind . I know that Ebay has at least one full page of Hayao Miyazaki auctions , not only for Nausicaa . I own several of his titles , & I have not been disappointed yet .
119 4 Let it first be said that Warriors of the Wind is an edited version of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind . WOTW is missing one third of the original length . Disney has since bought the rights and ( presumably ) will be releasing ALL of it again sometime in the not too distant future under Buena Vista video . Regarding the movie itself . It is simply amazing ! Never before has an animated movie reached such levels . Hayao Miyazaki is perhaps the best creator of anime ever . Find the comics if you can as they continue this story well beyond part 1 ( the movie alters the story to give it a definite ending ) . The translation was done by Topcraft , makers of The Hobbit movies . It shows in the music and some of the voices . They also changed a number of character names . Nausicaa is called Princess Zandra ( voiced by Rocky the flying squirrel ) . and the Ohmu are now Giant Gorgons etc . . . Other movies by Hayao Miyazaki include : Kiki's Delivery Service , Princess Laputa ( sp ? ) , and Princess Mononoke . ( got a thing for princesses I guess : )
108 4 I first saw the english version Warriors of the Wind when I was a little kid . Somehow we recorded it , and I practically destroyed the tape watching it over and over . And as I grew up , I found more about the film to love , rather than growing out of it . And everyone in my family loved it as well . Then one day I lost my beloved tape and so began searching for a copy on the internet . Only then did I find out the film wasn't the whole of the story , but was actually inferior to the original . I found a rather poorly subtitled Japanese version , and gobbled up the suddenly new film . As I was searching for a copy ( not easy to find , btw ) I came across stories that Disney was going to re-do the english version and release it in the states in the near to distant future . I was bouncing off the walls ! I'm so excited to see it coming out now . I do think Disney should have gone to theatres though . I can't wait to see what has been done to this special story of mine . Nausicaa was my hero , and no one had ever heard of her . I hope now others can share in the joy I have for all these years .
115 4 This movie is a must see for all fans of anime , and for people who love exceptional movies in general ( even those who don't generally like anime ) . In the early 80s some friends of mine from Toronto , Ontario had great connections with anime fans in Japan and were able to get a copy of the original on videotape . It was purely in Japanese . . . no subtitles . . . I wandered in about 15 minutes into the movie and was utterly captured . It was one of the most moving and beautiful films I had ( and have ) ever seen , and every animated feature I have seen since has been judged against it . I have read the graphic novels , but I've been longing to see the movie again in its original form , and August 31st can't come soon enough for me !
042 4 The name Nausicaa comes from Homer's Odyssey - - she is the princess who finds Ulysses on the beach and takes him to the king's palace . She is one of the most endearing figures in Homer's story . This moview develops an enviromental story of a princess beloved by her people who dwell in the Valley of the Winds . The moview is beautifully done , most imaginative , and the characters are rendered very well . It's one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen .
043 4 This I think , is a lovely movie . I absolutley adore it , and can watch it again , and again . I must say that I love Nausicaa , the main charecter . She is so nice and brave . I wish that evryone in the world were like her . Once again I must say that I adore this movie , and you will to .
050 4 I recommend this movie highly for children seven and up . My son and I selected this film rather than go to the theater to see the latest summer blockbusters . The message of the piece about respecting nature and not taking it for granted was definately worthwhile . I viewed the film as did two nine-year-old boys and a twelve-year-old girl and we all enjoyed it . The children agreed it was one of the best films they had seen in a long time . There is some violence and it may not be appropriate for children younger than seven .
067 4 One of the best family films I have seen in a while and entertaining for all ages . It also subtly hints at a very enlightening view of environmental ecology that I believe was thought provoking for my kids , while at the same time conveying a positive moral message . Whoever created this film was with no doubt in my mind a philanthrophist .
068 4 This film was wonderful to watch . There is a steady undercurrent of strong morality coupled with a deep concern for the environment . One of the best foreign films that I have seen to date . Nausicaa is inspiring and profound . Would recommend to anyone with a penchant for foreign films , or someone interested in Miyazaki's works . Perfect for children and adults !
078 4 This movie was like a breath of fresh air . Very memorable story , and a very interesting characters . I wish there was a sequel . This was my first Miyazaki film , and my most favorite of them all . I highly recommend it . I however would recommend reading the book , for it has more detail , which the movie does not cover , leaving many loopholes .
082 4 I bought this DVD several years ago and I enjoyed it very much . This time , I bought one for my friend , who will enojoy it just as much as I did .
120 4 I love this wonderful film it has excellent animation and wonderful story I highly recommend it
125 4 I watched this movie in Japan when it first came out . I was only a child then and even made a VCR copy before we left . Unfortunately , my fatehr taped over it and I had been searching for it ever since . When the DVD came out , I immediately bought it . It is still as beautiful as I remember . A definate masterpiece . This is my favorite movie !
130 4 Unlike many Anime's this one has a female heroine that cares for all living creatures . The heroine is a young girl that gets around on a flying wing . She has a small pet that looks like a furry squirrel . When giant caterpillar type creatures attack civilization she finds the reason and stops those attacking them . Exceptional story , animation , and music . This is suitable for all ages . My entire family and many friends and relatives have enjoyed this movie . This is as good as anything I have seen by Disney or Bluth .
131 4 I saw this movie when I was very young , and I only realized that it was anime a few weeks ago ! It was one of my favorite videos of all time . The parts of it I could remember were fantastic .
139 4 Excellent , righteous lead heroine and compelling message in this film . My favorite of all the Miyazaki films , ironically is his first .
147 4 I very much enjoyed this story , i have been looking for it for a long time , and to find it and watch it was very pleasurable .
157 4 I love this movie . The animation is amazing . The story line is fun . And it has a great message . I recomend it completley . I never tire of watching it .
167 4 One of the best anime films I have seen . Excellent story , creativity abounds , and animation is wonderful . Once you watch it , you will want to own a copy !
171 4 I cannot go on enough about Hayao Miyazaki . Anything he produces is stunning and high quality . He clearly loves the natural world . I highly recommend all of his animated films for every parent ! The parents will love these films as well . Also a great gift idea for any child . My kids are now teenagers and still watch this film and others of Miyzaki every month ! Truly fantastic !
140 4 Even if Miyazaki had made no other movies , this one would have firmly placed him in the cinema hall of fame . The story has depth ; at no point would adult viewers feel that they are not the target audience . Yet , its elements are amazingly understandable ( at different levels ) to children as well . The messages are nothing trivial . Human struggle for survival , arrogance of power , evil often as a result of fear rather than bad intentions , values of hard work , sacrifice , respect and cooperation , harmony with the nature through her understanding by intellectual inquisitiveness , yet while retaining awe and respect for the mystical , love of life , people and living creatures . This all in fantastic animation and with superb dubbing .
075 4 This is a movie our entire family from 4 - 50 truly enjoyed . The characters and story are incredible . Our older child was given a gentle lesson about environmentalism and this has become one of our favorite movies .
085 4 This movie is definately a must . There is a moral to the story regarding humans and nature , so sad for nature .
149 4 This is an excellent movie for any young woman . A heroine who saves the day .
163 4 Even though this is a bit environmental in nature , it is still a truly marvelous film . Anyone who buys it won't be disappointed !
a story about a girl , Princess Nausicaa of The Valley of the Wind . This minute , windmill-filled town is one of few places on Earth untouched by the Toxic Jungle . Due to horrible wars and tragedies among the human race , most of the Earth is covered by a mutated , poisonous forest that no human can survive in without a breath mask . To make things worse , enormous insects called Ohm live in this worldwide jungle - - when someone disturbs the Ohm , everyone pays for it .
However , Nausicaa does not hate and fear the Ohm like the rest of humankind does . She is a sort of ' Doctor Dolittle ' - - someone who loves and understands all animal and insect life . She dares to venture out to the Toxic Jungle , exploring its nooks and crannies .
But the remnants of past conflicts still remain hidden on the Earth . Several gigantic creatures , doomsday machines of sorts , were put into hibernation at the end of the last war . Now , power-hungry kingdoms , still untouched by the Toxic Jungle , lust after those creatures and begin planning to awaken one , intending to use it for domination of the world . Nausicaa becomes irrevocably involved in this drama .
This story is classic to anime - - incredibly convoluted and filled with commentary on humankind's mistakes . It remains a perfect fantasy that can be enjoyed and understood by everyone .
066 4 there's obviously plenty of good , long reviews here . i'll just say that i caught most of this on pbs ( why ? i don't know , but it was on tv , i swear ) one summer when i was a teenager ( it was still a newish movie then ) , and the flying scenes blew my mind . i couldn't get it out of my head for years ! i lived in a small town and didn't have the resources to find out what it was . i ran across the manga ten years later and a bootleg of the film shortly after that . i've been a devoted miyazaki fan since . this movie is beautiful , despite any gripes about massive plot compression ( read the manga ! ) , voice dubs ( watch the japanese version ! ) or comparisons to later ghibli films ( watch them all ! ) . just watch this movie and it will make you feel good .
072 4 Please ignore John q . Public's review , as he obviously hasn't seen this film . Glancing at his other , mostly negative reviews , he reviews things like Brittney Spears biography , which he obviously didn't read , but just wanted to post a negative review to be a jerk . This is Hayao Miyazaki's second film , and the first one he really wrote with his own character designs . It is one of my favorite films of all time and is based on his long running manga ( which seriously expands the story , in case you are interested ) . Yes , it is not like Loony Tunes , but rather a mix of Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings . It is not to be confused with typical Japanese anime , though .
096 4 For the past few years , I've seen several of Hayao Miyazaki's movies . All of them are wonderful in their own way . However , even though it's 22 years old now , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind shines as one of his best movies ever .
The plot is simple : a story about a girl , Princess Nausicaa of The Valley of the Wind . This minute , windmill-filled town is one of few places on Earth untouched by the Toxic Jungle . Due to horrible wars and tragedies among the human race , most of the Earth is covered by a mutated , poisonous forest that no human can survive in without a breath mask . To make things worse , enormous insects called Ohm live in this worldwide jungle - - when someone disturbs the Ohm , everyone pays for it .
However , Nausicaa does not hate and fear the Ohm like the rest of humankind does . She is a sort of ' Doctor Dolittle ' - - someone who loves and understands all animal and insect life . She dares to venture out to the Toxic Jungle , exploring its nooks and crannies .
But the remnants of past conflicts still remain hidden on the Earth . Several gigantic creatures , doomsday machines of sorts , were put into hibernation at the end of the last war . Now , power-hungry kingdoms , still untouched by the Toxic Jungle , lust after those creatures and begin planning to awaken one , intending to use it for domination of the world . Nausicaa becomes irrevocably involved in this drama .
This story is classic to anime - - incredibly convoluted and filled with commentary on humankind's mistakes . It remains a perfect fantasy that can be enjoyed and understood by everyone .
122 4 Nausicaa is definitely one of Miyazaki's best ! Similar in theme to Princess Mononoke ( the tendency of humanity to be self-destructive in regards to the environment ) , it's slightly less violent and graphic , but still full of great action sequences . The actors who provided the voices for the dub-over were well chosen - - Patrick Stewart , Uma Thurman , Chris Sarandon were all perfect . Alison Lohman ( whom I've only seen in Big Fish ) was great as the voice of Nausicaa . Loved the visual , loved the music , loved it ! ( One word of caution : the tune sung by the little kid voice during the flashback moments will become inextricably lodged in your brain for several weeks after watching the film . Beware . )
150 4 This is one of Miyazaki's best movies . It has a strong environmental theme but that is one of the aspects that makes his movies great , the built in morality lesson that accompanies a great , entertaining story line . The movie is voiced by several well known actors such as Mark Hamill , Edward James Olmos , and Patrick Stewart . The bonus features in which these stars are interviewed is also interesting , and this is coming from someone who usually doesn't care for the extras . All in all a great movie and a great buy .
154 4 This has one of the best stories and presentations of all of Miyazakis films if you can stand the environmental catastrophe line that is so common in SciFi these days . Say , if there's such catastrophe coming why is everyone living better than ever ? The characters are interesting , the dubbing is well done , the artwork as with all Miyazaki films is better than first rate .
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
I admit , I came late to Miyazaki's work . I first saw things like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away , and now I'm working my way down the list of his older movies .
Nausic。 ä is a welcome addition to that list . It has the Miyazaki trademarks of a strong young girl as the lead character , and a fascination with flight . This time , the girl ( she's Nausic。 ä ) is princess of a small band of people . The live on the edge of the Toxic Forest , a lethal piece of ecological wreckage from some hinted-at catastrophe a thousand years before . Nausic。 ä has a unique affinity for the beings in that forest , including the Ohmu who guard it . The forest and village come under attack , and she discovers just how her people depend on that forest despite its hazards .
This movie is a very likeable and reasonably kid-safe , despite some monsters , fighting , and mildly graphic injury . It's also clear that this is one of Miyazaki's earlier works , a step on the way to his current greatness . A lot of the plot , especially early on , is driven by a talking to myself mechanism instead of real visual storytelling . The Nausic。 ä character is closer to the long-legged , micro-skirted anime standard than his later characters , and the animation lacks the fluency of his later work . These are minor problems , though , and it's interesting to see how Miyazaki outgrew them .
This is another enjoyable film from Miyazaki . I fault it only for not meeting the standards that Miyazaki set in his later work , but it's still miles ahead of most other animation .
/ / wiredweird
053 4 This is my wife's favorite of the Miyazaki movies . Great strong female lead character . Interesting story , beautiful animation . Holds up well over time .
055 4 This is THE BEST MOVIE I。VE EVER SEEN ! Don't listen to bad reviews , this moive ROCKS ! Its great from all ages but for the littler ones you must be careful . They might be scared from the monsters in it . I watch it over and over and I can't wait to buy it ! I have the plushie , poster , and comic books . If you also like this guys other movies , like Spirited Away , you must by this movie !
* Great Music !
* Lively characters , its very well done !
* Its not the bad ! Read the reviews , if you like this guys other works than you will be attached to this like I am .
Nausicaa Lover ,
Cassie .
064 4 I admit , I came late to Miyazaki's work . I first saw things like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away , and now I'm working my way down the list of his older movies .
Nausic。ä is a welcome addition to that list . It has the Miyazaki trademarks of a strong young girl as the lead character , and a fascination with flight . This time , the girl ( she's Nausic。ä ) is princess of a small band of people . The live on the edge of the Toxic Forest , a lethal piece of ecological wreckage from some hinted-at catastrophe a thousand years before . Nausic。ä has a unique affinity for the beings in that forest , including the Ohmu who guard it . The forest and village come under attack , and she discovers just how her people depend on that forest despite its hazards .
This movie is a very likeable and reasonably kid-safe , despite some monsters , fighting , and mildly graphic injury . It's also clear that this is one of Miyazaki's earlier works , a step on the way to his current greatness . A lot of the plot , especially early on , is driven by a talking to myself mechanism instead of real visual storytelling . The Nausic。ä character is closer to the long-legged , micro-skirted anime standard than his later characters , and the animation lacks the fluency of his later work . These are minor problems , though , and it's interesting to see how Miyazaki outgrew them .
This is another enjoyable film from Miyazaki . I fault it only for not meeting the standards that Miyazaki set in his later work , but it's still miles ahead of most other animation .
/ / wiredweird
065 4 I first saw the badly dubbed US version of this film , Warriors of the Wind , when I was 13 , but still fell madly in love with it . Since then , a love of anime and Miyazaki films has blossomed . Anyone open to Miyazaki's films will not be disappointed . And while I had been skeptical of Disney's hand in these films since I heard about it ( and the poor dub of Kiki's Delivery Service not withstanding ) , the voice acting here is very good . The entire cast give this film the professional care and polish it deserves . I am very happy !
099 4 Another fantastic animation from Mr . Miyazaki . In the 90 ' s our love of his films started with Kiki's Delivery Service , and grew from there . The great imagination of the animation put into the films is wonderful , and our whole family sits down to watch this movie over and over again . It is a movie that makes our children think and become aware of our surroundings ; and the damage we as a society do to nature and natural resources that we have come to need to survive .
113 4 While many people call Spirited Away Miyazaki's master work , I would have to say that Nausicaa : Valley of the Wind is his best film to date . While all of his films are wonderful this is my favorite . Miyazaki is the man that inspires the people at Pixar . Finally , an American version of Nausicaa that isn't edited for the American short attention span . This magical film works on all levels , a wonderful children's story that has some serious issues and can be explored very deeply . Not to mention being beautifully animated and like all Miyazaki works ; extremely imaginative and inspirational . A must have for any Miyazaki fan . FYI , a unedited English version of Nauiscaa is a huge deal because the first time Miyazaki released the film in the US it was butchered in the editing room . He was so upset by this that he has forever had a bad taste about America as a audience . Now we can finally enjoy the work the way it was meant to be viewed .
133 4 Hayao Miyazaki , the master filmmaker from the Academy Award-winning , Spirited Away , really outdid himself in his first true feature length film with Studio Ghibli . Nausicaa is filled with heart , hope , and gives an unprecedented perspective on the natural world and the humanitarian role with it . I can watch this movie over and over again and still see it for the first time . It is exciting and suspenseful ; with scenery hand-painted so beautifully that no computer-animated film could match . I would recommend this movie to everyone , both young and small .
136 4 I LOVE this movie . It's great for kids , but it also has deep environmental themes , and I like seeing a window into how Miyazaki uses similar-looking women to convey themes .
138 4 I absolutely love this movie ! It's perfect for families or adults . : ) The young Nausicaa is mature and charming . I love that Miyazaki's movies always have an environmental aspect to them and in this day and age it's great to educate children young on how important plants and trees are to our lives .
144 4 Hayao Miyazaki's movies always has complex and interesting characters . His understanding of female characters in particular s multi faceted and complex . He greats the big bangs and noise , but he always interested ultimately how do people live in peace and grow as people . This is why his moviesm are so different than others .
152 4 Nausicaa was a great Miyazaki movie , as it speaks out about our connection to the earth and what damage we cause it . Another great movie by Miyazaki .
156 4 when i first saw this film i thought to my self it's ok , it could be better , but then i watched it again and was mystified ! this is a beautiful story of a young girl fighting to save the humans that are left and the earth . the story takes place after a nuclear war that destroys the planet and most of the people and animals on it , the only forest left is a poison forest full of giant insects that protect it . its a cautionary tale of how if we let our selves go to far their will be nothing left , this is one of the reasons i love Mr . miyazaki's films so much most of the say that we half to protect our world , because if we don't , who will ?
158 4 I have seen all of Miyazaki's films and this is easily my favorite . Beautiful music and scenery mixed with a futuristic message for protecting the environment .
160 4 The exhilarating feature by Spirited Away director-animator Miyazaki , Nausicaa is an epic masterpiece about an issue very much on the minds of young people today : sustainable living and the future of our planet . Borrowing its apocalyptic scenario from Miyazaki's own manga originals , this dark fantasia pits a band of warrior activists against the encroachment of a poisonous environment . As always with Miyazaki , this is a world where good and evil coexist , sometimes in the same character . Splendid visuals , great voice acting by Thurman , Stewart , and Lohman , and an absorbing finale make this a science-fiction film with a heart , mind , and message .
164 4 Simply amazing , just like all of Miyazaki's films . He is arguably the greatest anime director ever . I highly suggest this film for anyone of any age .
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
In the early nineties , one of my pre-school daughter's favorite videos was something entitled WARRIORS OF THE WIND . As an adult , I found much in it to be of interest , and much of the animation to be of an exceedingly high quality , but overall the film lacked balance and a cohesive structure to make it a truly great animated film . Later I learned that the animator / writer / director Hiyao Miyazaki had been horrified with the way his Japanese original had been transferred into English and that many of the ecological concerns of the film had been muted by aggressive editing on the part of the American distributors . During the past two decades the English-language revision of NAUSICAA AND THE VALLEY OF THE WIND , the film which through reediting became WARRIORS OF THE WIND has generated as much anger as any film ever made . Now , however , arguably the greatest injustice in the history of animation has been redressed with a marvelous new edition of what is easily one of Miyazaki's greatest achievements .
There is a lot of debate about where NAUSICAA AND THE VALLEY OF THE WIND stands among all of Miyazaki's films Even while there has been a growing consensus that Miyazaki is the greatest maker of feature length animated film ever , there is controversy as to whether this film is or is not his greatest film . I'll confess my bias that it is his finest film , though I certainly can understand why someone would defend the assertion that THE PRINCESS MONONOKE or SPIRITED AWAY deserves that designation . Both of those films are a bit more polished and even more lavishly and elaborately drawn . My own reasons for preferring NAUSICAA are several . First , I personally believe that NAUSICAA is the first truly great Miyazaki film . Although he had done many superb films before this one , it was at this point that his art reached an apex that he has matched on other occasions , but never unquestionably surpassed . Second , I loved the story , both the scope of Miyazaki's vision , the cohesiveness of his narrative , and the richness of the moral message underlying the film . Finally , the animation of the film just blew me away even in the bowdlerized version of the film , and does so even more in this fully restored version . Miyazaki pioneered in animation the framing of images in cinematic fashion . For instance , Miyazaki manipulates in scenes in which Nausicaa flies her glider beside a larger ship to be from the same point of view a camera would be if it were a live action scene . His perspective is always driven by an imaginary camera , unlike , say , the Disney films , in none of whose films from the forties to the eighties can be found a similar manipulation of perspective . Several Disney films from the late eighties to the present display such perspective at times , but I would suggest that it is not an accident that these were made after Miyazaki had perfected the technique in a number of films . Perhaps Miyazaki has made minor improvements in his films since NAUSICAA , but none represent the quantum leap forward that this one did .
One reason my daughter watched and rewatched WARRIORS OF THE WIND , until she literally wore out the video , was the lead character . If my memory serves me correctly , they changed the central character's name from Nausicaa to some far blander name , a change that is emblematic for the production as a whole . But even in that version , Nausicaa stood out as not merely one of the most compelling heroines in animated film , but in all films . In fact , even today Nausicaa compares favorably with such characters as Ripley from the ALIEN films and Buffy Summers as a compelling heroine . She is at moments subject to the kind of preciousness that mars many moments in anime in particular and Asian film in general ( think of key moments in films when Jackie Chan ceases his chase of the villains to save a baby in danger , or the way in this one where Nausicaa cuddles with the half cat / half fox creature that attaches itself to her ) , but all in all , she is utterly courageous , amazingly inventive , unstintingly moral and compassionate , fiercely uncompromising in her principles , and unfailingly resourceful . In scene after scene after scene , Miyazaki invents new and strangely believable ways for his diminutive heroine to resolve seemingly impossible crises . By the end of the film , one has as much confidence in Nausicaa to save the day as Superman or Batman or Indiana Jones . As the father of a girl I can't express how important it was to her when she was young to have such a female heroine to enjoy . Male or female , heroic characters do not come any better than Nausicaa .
No review of this film would be complete without adding some praise for the score . Although I had a tad bit of trouble with the childlike voice that intentionally intones lyrics slightly off key ( Sarah Vaughan would famously sing out of tune when she would sing the Ira Gershwin line The way you sing off key , but she even sang off key musically in a way that enhanced the song as a whole ) to produce a decidedly irritating effect , the score as a whole is amazingly effective .
The wonderful thing about the entire series of new issues of the entire Miyazaki catalog is that they consistently provide both the original which can be watched with subtitles and an extremely high quality dubbed version . In live action films I am an unstinting purist . I simply won't watch a dubbed version of a film with live actors , since one gains so much from hearing the actual voices of the actors . I always get a kick on the X-FILES DVDs listening to the various foreign language dubbings and chuckling at the gap between , say , the voice of Gillian Anderson as Scully and the voice of the low-voiced actress dubbing her into German . But with animation it is a different matter . For one thing , the animated characters do not possess actual voices , but have only what any actor gives them . Additionally , animation is even more than live action films driven by the images on the screen . I find I always enjoy the visual aspect of the film more by not having to focus both on what is on the screen and on subtitles . Luckily , one can with this DVD set do both , watch it first in the dubbed version and then in the subtitled , or vice versa . I very much enjoyed the actors used to dub the English version . There were some obligatory big names-Patrick Stewart , who is outstanding as Lord Yupa , Alison Lohman ( who voiced Nausicaa ) , Uma Thurman , Edward James Olmos-but most of the people were highly appropriate for the character they were dubbing .
My only complaint with the DVDs is the way that Disney programs the DVDs to try to steer you to an endless series of Disney commercials when the discs are first inserted . Such spamming is just not appropriate to DVDs and especially not to an otherwise high quality version of a Miyazaki classic . Still , I applaud Disney for taking the effort to make almost Miyazaki's entire incredibly impressive corpus available . Only a few years ago , before the release of PRINCESS MONONOKE , Miyazaki was still unknown to most American filmgoers . He still doesn't enjoy the reputation that he deserves , but the release of his films on DVD is treated as event even by Wal-Mart and Target . He truly is without his peer in the world of feature length film animation , for not only does he do an amazing percentage of the animation himself , he also writes the stories , and acts as both producer and director . No other great animator has involved himself in his films at such great length and in such detail .
004 4 This review is from :
Warriors of the Wind [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
The five star rating is not for the English language version of this film , but for the original though subtitled Japanese version . My hope is that with the Oscar that SPIRITED AWAY won , following the enormous success of PRINCESS MONONOKE , Disney will bring out a new and unbutchered version of this great , great Miyazaki classic .
Hayao Miyazaki may finally be on the verge of being commonly recognized in the United States as the world's greatest animator . For years I have been hawking his genius to friends and acquaintances , few of whom recognized his name . Several knew MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO or KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE , but were unaware that they were by the same person . But with the growing realization in America that all these great , great films , far surpassing the entire output of Disney in quality and originality , are all by the same creative genius , Miyazaki is finally getting the recognition that he truly deserves .
NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND , to give WARRIORS OF THE WIND its proper title , is one of Miyazaki's greatest films , and one that shows most clearly his preoccupation with ecological concerns ( the butchered American version eliminates much of this ) . As in all of his films , the quality of the animation is scarcely to be believed . The only non-Miyazaki film that renders trees and forests as well is the opening sequences of BAMBI . And as in most of his films , Miyazaki , unlike the Disney habit of almost always updating some classic tale , creates a completely original and previously untold story . He is not merely a cartoonish : he is an original storyteller .
Even in its heavily edited American form , WARRIORS OF THE WIND retains a degree of the power of NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND . When my daughter was in kindergarten , at a time when she was acutely aware of a paucity of strong female role models , she would watch this film over and over . Two movies seems to provide her with better female role models than any others , this film and THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN . Many other movies delighted her , but these two made her feel that the world was a place for girls who with things they wanted to accomplish as well , that women , and not only men and boys , could be heroes as well .
With such Miyazaki films as CASTLE IN THE SKY and KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE getting a first rate release on DVD in the US , one can hope that NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND wouldn't be far behind . The big difference between those films and the latter is that they were not especially altered when first produced in English version , while NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND was dramatically altered . For a new dubbed version , Disney will need to first restore all of the cut scenes from the American original , and then produce a new soundtrack . In other words , bringing NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND to the American market anew will require more work than on any of Miyazaki's other films . But the work will definitely need to be justified by the produce , which is one of Miyazaki's finest films . I wonder if before bringing it out on DVD , they might not bring a newly reproduced film to theaters first . Whatever their decision , there does seem to be significant reason for optimism that we might finally get the opportunity to hear and see this film in the way that Miyazaki wanted us to see it .
FEBRUARY 2005 addition : We got it ! In the ongoing rerelease of all of Miyazaki's films on DVD , this one has been fully restored and redubbed . I just ordered my copy !
005 4 The five star rating is not for the English language version of this film , but for the original though subtitled Japanese version . My hope is that with the Oscar that SPIRITED AWAY won , following the enormous success of PRINCESS MONONOKE , Disney will bring out a new and unbutchered version of this great , great Miyazaki classic .
Hayao Miyazaki may finally be on the verge of being commonly recognized in the United States as the world's greatest animator . For years I have been hawking his genius to friends and acquaintances , few of whom recognized his name . Several knew MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO or KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE , but were unaware that they were by the same person . But with the growing realization in America that all these great , great films , far surpassing the entire output of Disney in quality and originality , are all by the same creative genius , Miyazaki is finally getting the recognition that he truly deserves .
NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND , to give WARRIORS OF THE WIND its proper title , is one of Miyazaki's greatest films , and one that shows most clearly his preoccupation with ecological concerns ( the butchered American version eliminates much of this ) . As in all of his films , the quality of the animation is scarcely to be believed . The only non-Miyazaki film that renders trees and forests as well is the opening sequences of BAMBI . And as in most of his films , Miyazaki , unlike the Disney habit of almost always updating some classic tale , creates a completely original and previously untold story . He is not merely a cartoonish : he is an original storyteller .
Even in its heavily edited American form , WARRIORS OF THE WIND retains a degree of the power of NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND . When my daughter was in kindergarten , at a time when she was acutely aware of a paucity of strong female role models , she would watch this film over and over . Two movies seems to provide her with better female role models than any others , this film and THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN . Many other movies delighted her , but these two made her feel that the world was a place for girls who with things they wanted to accomplish as well , that women , and not only men and boys , could be heroes as well .
With such Miyazaki films as CASTLE IN THE SKY and KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE getting a first rate release on DVD in the US , one can hope that NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND wouldn't be far behind . The big difference between those films and the latter is that they were not especially altered when first produced in English version , while NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND was dramatically altered . For a new dubbed version , Disney will need to first restore all of the cut scenes from the American original , and then produce a new soundtrack . In other words , bringing NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND to the American market anew will require more work than on any of Miyazaki's other films . But the work will definitely need to be justified by the produce , which is one of Miyazaki's finest films . I wonder if before bringing it out on DVD , they might not bring a newly reproduced film to theaters first . Whatever their decision , there does seem to be significant reason for optimism that we might finally get the opportunity to hear and see this film in the way that Miyazaki wanted us to see it .
FEBRUARY 2005 addition : We got it ! In the ongoing rerelease of all of Miyazaki's films on DVD , this one has been fully restored and redubbed . I just ordered my copy !
010 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
In the early nineties , one of my pre-school daughter's favorite videos was something entitled WARRIORS OF THE WIND . As an adult , I found much in it to be of interest , and much of the animation to be of an exceedingly high quality , but overall the film lacked balance and a cohesive structure to make it a truly great animated film . Later I learned that the animator / writer / director Hiyao Miyazaki had been horrified with the way his Japanese original had been transferred into English and that many of the ecological concerns of the film had been muted by aggressive editing on the part of the American distributors . During the past two decades the English-language revision of NAUSICAA AND THE VALLEY OF THE WIND , the film which through reediting became WARRIORS OF THE WIND has generated as much anger as any film ever made . Now , however , arguably the greatest injustice in the history of animation has been redressed with a marvelous new edition of what is easily one of Miyazaki's greatest achievements .
There is a lot of debate about where NAUSICAA AND THE VALLEY OF THE WIND stands among all of Miyazaki's films Even while there has been a growing consensus that Miyazaki is the greatest maker of feature length animated film ever , there is controversy as to whether this film is or is not his greatest film . I'll confess my bias that it is his finest film , though I certainly can understand why someone would defend the assertion that THE PRINCESS MONONOKE or SPIRITED AWAY deserves that designation . Both of those films are a bit more polished and even more lavishly and elaborately drawn . My own reasons for preferring NAUSICAA are several . First , I personally believe that NAUSICAA is the first truly great Miyazaki film . Although he had done many superb films before this one , it was at this point that his art reached an apex that he has matched on other occasions , but never unquestionably surpassed . Second , I loved the story , both the scope of Miyazaki's vision , the cohesiveness of his narrative , and the richness of the moral message underlying the film . Finally , the animation of the film just blew me away even in the bowdlerized version of the film , and does so even more in this fully restored version . Miyazaki pioneered in animation the framing of images in cinematic fashion . For instance , Miyazaki manipulates in scenes in which Nausicaa flies her glider beside a larger ship to be from the same point of view a camera would be if it were a live action scene . His perspective is always driven by an imaginary camera , unlike , say , the Disney films , in none of whose films from the forties to the eighties can be found a similar manipulation of perspective . Several Disney films from the late eighties to the present display such perspective at times , but I would suggest that it is not an accident that these were made after Miyazaki had perfected the technique in a number of films . Perhaps Miyazaki has made minor improvements in his films since NAUSICAA , but none represent the quantum leap forward that this one did .
One reason my daughter watched and rewatched WARRIORS OF THE WIND , until she literally wore out the video , was the lead character . If my memory serves me correctly , they changed the central character's name from Nausicaa to some far blander name , a change that is emblematic for the production as a whole . But even in that version , Nausicaa stood out as not merely one of the most compelling heroines in animated film , but in all films . In fact , even today Nausicaa compares favorably with such characters as Ripley from the ALIEN films and Buffy Summers as a compelling heroine . She is at moments subject to the kind of preciousness that mars many moments in anime in particular and Asian film in general ( think of key moments in films when Jackie Chan ceases his chase of the villains to save a baby in danger , or the way in this one where Nausicaa cuddles with the half cat / half fox creature that attaches itself to her ) , but all in all , she is utterly courageous , amazingly inventive , unstintingly moral and compassionate , fiercely uncompromising in her principles , and unfailingly resourceful . In scene after scene after scene , Miyazaki invents new and strangely believable ways for his diminutive heroine to resolve seemingly impossible crises . By the end of the film , one has as much confidence in Nausicaa to save the day as Superman or Batman or Indiana Jones . As the father of a girl I can't express how important it was to her when she was young to have such a female heroine to enjoy . Male or female , heroic characters do not come any better than Nausicaa .
No review of this film would be complete without adding some praise for the score . Although I had a tad bit of trouble with the childlike voice that intentionally intones lyrics slightly off key ( Sarah Vaughan would famously sing out of tune when she would sing the Ira Gershwin line The way you sing off key , but she even sang off key musically in a way that enhanced the song as a whole ) to produce a decidedly irritating effect , the score as a whole is amazingly effective .
The wonderful thing about the entire series of new issues of the entire Miyazaki catalog is that they consistently provide both the original which can be watched with subtitles and an extremely high quality dubbed version . In live action films I am an unstinting purist . I simply won't watch a dubbed version of a film with live actors , since one gains so much from hearing the actual voices of the actors . I always get a kick on the X-FILES DVDs listening to the various foreign language dubbings and chuckling at the gap between , say , the voice of Gillian Anderson as Scully and the voice of the low-voiced actress dubbing her into German . But with animation it is a different matter . For one thing , the animated characters do not possess actual voices , but have only what any actor gives them . Additionally , animation is even more than live action films driven by the images on the screen . I find I always enjoy the visual aspect of the film more by not having to focus both on what is on the screen and on subtitles . Luckily , one can with this DVD set do both , watch it first in the dubbed version and then in the subtitled , or vice versa . I very much enjoyed the actors used to dub the English version . There were some obligatory big names-Patrick Stewart , who is outstanding as Lord Yupa , Alison Lohman ( who voiced Nausicaa ) , Uma Thurman , Edward James Olmos-but most of the people were highly appropriate for the character they were dubbing .
My only complaint with the DVDs is the way that Disney programs the DVDs to try to steer you to an endless series of Disney commercials when the discs are first inserted . Such spamming is just not appropriate to DVDs and especially not to an otherwise high quality version of a Miyazaki classic . Still , I applaud Disney for taking the effort to make almost Miyazaki's entire incredibly impressive corpus available . Only a few years ago , before the release of PRINCESS MONONOKE , Miyazaki was still unknown to most American filmgoers . He still doesn't enjoy the reputation that he deserves , but the release of his films on DVD is treated as event even by Wal-Mart and Target . He truly is without his peer in the world of feature length film animation , for not only does he do an amazing percentage of the animation himself , he also writes the stories , and acts as both producer and director . No other great animator has involved himself in his films at such great length and in such detail .
029 4 I have never seen another movie as good as this one ( Except for Hayao's other movies ) . I mean that for live action and animated films . This is SUCH a great movie , and I mean it . I can't express it , and I am not overreacting . trust me . YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS MOVIE . The first movie from Hayao Miyazaki I saw was Kiki's Delivary service , and I saw it when I was six or seven . I never get tired of it . NEVER . YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS MOVIE . You will never regret it . Trust me . Watch it . There is a LITTLE bit of violence , so parents might want to watch this with their younger kids . But hey , these are family movies anyway . ( p.s . I am sorry if I acted a little crazy in this review but I really want people to share in the joy of the movies . )
039 4 All I can say is that I am obssessed with Miyazaki I currently own 6 of his movies including . . . Castle I The Sky , Nausicaa of The Valley of The Wind , Princess Mononoke , Howls Moving Castle , Kiki's Delivery Service , and my very first and favorite one SPIRITED AWAY . I rate this movie and all his others 999,999,999 stars . Nausicaa is a wonderous story about a young girl named Nausicaa . She lives by the toxic jungle and the ocean . Her village has a beautiful forest welcoming visitors . But one day Talmicians crash into the sea cliffs sending spores though the forest being forced to burn it down . This movie focuses on our world . We must stop polution think about our earth and never kill a living thing . Wht can we not live in peace as Nausicaa does . I garentee you will love Nausicaa of The Valley of The Wind and all of his other masterpieces .
091 4 This review is from :
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( DVD )
This is a VERY typical Japanese film with their TRUE wish and desire to the WORLD . . . . . . Promoting LOVE and PEACE via Anime and metaphor . I LOVE the Japanese way of thinking WORLD PEACE , there is no enemy , nothing to kill , nothing to die for , and every Nation has a right to live in love and peace . . . . . . We Americans can learn so much from this Japanese Anime . Pass it on . . . . and on to your children . GOD BLESS THE WORLD . . .
the enormous insects called Ohmus . They have thwarted all attempts to take over the Fukai . But , as the Tolmekians point out , no humans before them possessed an ancient soldier-God . The people of the valley do not agree with the methods of the Tolmekians ( they think humans should try to live in peace with the insects ) , and so Nausic。 ä is taken hostage as insurance . The film climaxes with a huge battle scene in which Princess Kushana uses the reconstructed soldier-God against the furiously stampeding Ohmus .
The DVD also includes a great documentary on the beginnings of Studio Ghibli . It tells the story of just how difficult it was to get a Japanese studio to produce Nausic。 ä . Miyazaki and others tried to make this movie without an accompanying Manga ( unprecedented for the time ; most movies then typically went from Manga to film ) . The solution was obvious : they made Nausic。 ä into a highly successful Manga and then the studios agreed . After the subsequent film also became a huge hit the people involved decided to form their own studio . So Studio Ghibli was born . But the documentary doesn't stop there , it goes on to summarize all of Ghibli's films up to The Cat Returns ( and , according to this documentary , Castle in the Sky was actually the first offical Ghibli release ) . All Ghibli fans should see this piece .
Anyone who has enjoyed Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away should also check out Nausic。 ä of the Valley of the Winds . It presents a great story with incredible animation . The amount of work that goes into these films must be staggering . But the effort pays off , as the detailed animation and backgrounds never lose their magnificence even after multiple viewings . And as the years went on Ghibli just kept releasing amazing films . Hopefully they'll keep on going .
013 4 I saw ' Warriors of the Wind ' and felt it was an amazing film . Then I saw the original , uncut ' Kaze no Tani no Naushika ' and thought , my god - what had they done . This is a landmark film that cannot truely be appreciated in its edited version . New World Pictures felt it could only be marketed as a kid's action movie , so they cut out about a quarter of the movie ( the parts they felt were slow moving ) and garbled the storyline in the process . [ Writer / Director ] Miyazaki was horrified when he found out what they had done to his film , and Ghibli [ studios ] asks everyone to forget that this version ever existed . Fortunately , New World Video's rights to Nausic。ä expired in 1995 . The distribution rights are now held by Disney , who did a nice job on ' Princes Mononoke ' . One can only hope they will do as well with Nausic。ä .
021 4 Today's computerized animation cannot begin to hold a candle to the gorgeous hand-drawn animation of days past ( well , almost past ) . That may change someday , but until it does some of the most beautiful animation currently created comes out of Japan's Studio Ghibli . And the team that created Ghibli started out with this movie . Nausic。ä , of the Valley of the Wind , released in 1984 , explores themes and characters that appear throughout Studio Ghibli's films ( particularly those of Hayao Miyazaki ) . Including powerful lead female roles , nature versus technology , domination through technology , the diminishing returns that can occur when humans try to control nature through their creations , and redemptive villians . Thus , it provides an appropriate starting point for the now world famous studio .
The story revolves around Nausic。ä herself , the last surving daughter of King Jil of the valley . The Fukai , a poisonous forest threatens this valley ( and slowly ossifies the bones of its residents ) , and giant insects of many forms roam the earth . Humans no longer possess the top spot on the food chain . Of course some humans miss thier dominant place , and attempt to destroy the Fukai . A Tolmekian ship , carrying dangerous and mysterious cargo , crashes near the valley . This prompts an invasion of the valley by the Tolmekians . Their leader , Princess Kushana ( whose husband will see much worse ) , reveals that the Tolmekians will attempt to destroy the Fukai with an ancient soldier-God and give the earth back to humanity . One big thing ( or more accurately , many big things ) stand in the way : the enormous insects called Ohmus . They have thwarted all attempts to take over the Fukai . But , as the Tolmekians point out , no humans before them possessed an ancient soldier-God . The people of the valley do not agree with the methods of the Tolmekians ( they think humans should try to live in peace with the insects ) , and so Nausic。ä is taken hostage as insurance . The film climaxes with a huge battle scene in which Princess Kushana uses the reconstructed soldier-God against the furiously stampeding Ohmus .
The DVD also includes a great documentary on the beginnings of Studio Ghibli . It tells the story of just how difficult it was to get a Japanese studio to produce Nausic。ä . Miyazaki and others tried to make this movie without an accompanying Manga ( unprecedented for the time ; most movies then typically went from Manga to film ) . The solution was obvious : they made Nausic。ä into a highly successful Manga and then the studios agreed . After the subsequent film also became a huge hit the people involved decided to form their own studio . So Studio Ghibli was born . But the documentary doesn't stop there , it goes on to summarize all of Ghibli's films up to The Cat Returns ( and , according to this documentary , Castle in the Sky was actually the first offical Ghibli release ) . All Ghibli fans should see this piece .
Anyone who has enjoyed Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away should also check out Nausic。ä of the Valley of the Winds . It presents a great story with incredible animation . The amount of work that goes into these films must be staggering . But the effort pays off , as the detailed animation and backgrounds never lose their magnificence even after multiple viewings . And as the years went on Ghibli just kept releasing amazing films . Hopefully they'll keep on going .
058 4 The opening sequence in this film is so exhilaratingly beautiful , it brings tears to my eyes every time I watch . Princess Nausic。ä is the very epitome of the Studio Ghibli / Hayao Miyazaki ideal - a strong , spirited , rational , intelligent , compassionate and gentle young woman , who dominates the film .
We find ourselves a thousand years in the future and an earlier global war has made almost all of the earth uninhabitable by humans . Various despotic and rogue states vie with each other for the meagre resources and habitable spaces left for mankind . Remnants of an earlier highwe level of technology are left over , but most of the what is left of the human race has reverted back to a pseudo-Medieval state , with its associated level of technology . Mutated insects and plants now rule the earth .
The film is also a morality tale and a warning about our treatment of the world in which we live . Yes , it is an animation , well , an Animé , actually ! , but it is a film probably better suited to older children , teenagers and adults .
Nausic。ä : Valley Of The Wind is a sustained and powerful film from the master film maker , Hayao Miyazaki . You should see it at least once !
126 4 The film Nausic。ä and the Valley of the Wind is the timeless tale of a pure , goodhearted person trying to do what's right during a time of uncertainty . With a post-apocalypse as the backdrop , quite popular during 1980s anime ( see Akira ) due to the Cold War , we are introduced to a world where human technology and power has destroyed our land . Sparse kingdoms are seperated by an ever-growing forest of deadly spore-emitting plants while the beasts which protect them swarm . Nausic。ä lives in a peaceful valley by the sea until an airship crashes with two things of importance : a captured princess and the hibernating form of a destructive monster which ravaged the land 1000 years ago during a time called The Seven Days of Fire . Soon , an empire sends their troops to recover the monster , and Nausic。ä is pressed into hesitant action to prevent the destruction of both her people and the actually gentle creatures of the forest .
While watching Nausic。ä , I noticed many hints at characters Miyazaki creates later in his career . Our title heroine reminded my own mother of Kiki in Kiki's Delivery Service . I saw San ( see Princess Mononoke ) in her spirited defense of her people and the forest . Azabel , the young prince of a kingdom trying to prevent the monster from falling into the wrong hands , reminded me of Pazu from Castle in the Sky .
Although the movie itself is quite good , I found the music odd . Too electronica , influenced by the 80s . I would love for Joe Hisashi to orchestrate a new score to this terrific movie .
Overall , the movie is almost a giant sketch for forecoming works Miyazaki would create . While a fantastic film ( especially with the strong pro-nature and anti-war theme ) , I feel many of Miyazaki's works later on are greater in their execution . That should not prevent one from watching this film , on the contrary , do so now . Just don't expect the movie to be the director's best . Definately one to watch , even though Miyazaki has gotten better .
