To celebrate the release of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki's final film The Wind Rises this weekend, I will be writing reviews for all of his films. (With the exception of Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, which I unfortunately do not have access to) I will try to release at least one or two per day in the days leading up to the film's release on Friday, February 28th. I hope you enjoy!
Despite the fact that it is preceded by The Castle of Cagliostro, the general consensus labels Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind as Hayao Miyazaki’s first ‘official’ feature. (Probably because The Castle of Cagliostro was an adaptation of a manga created by someone else) Many of the characteristics that would become staples of his later films are already on display here. You’ve got a strong female protagonist, a commentary on the importance of living in harmony with nature, fantastical flying machines, etc. And while Nausicaa shows Miyazaki still finding his way as a storyteller, it is still a successful and highly enjoyable effort.
It’s been a thousand years since the catastrophic event known as the Seven Days of Fire wiped out all life on earth, leaving a vast Toxic Jungle in its wake. Poisonous spores in the Toxic Jungle make human life without the assistance of breathing apparatuses impossible, but there are settlements established in which human beings can live free of these spores. Nausicaa is the princess of one such settlement – The Valley of the Wind. She spends much of her time researching the Toxic Jungle in the hopes of finding a cure for the poisons that threaten humanity. She also has a rare ability to commune with the strange creatures of the forest, including a species known as Ohm. (Think of ginormous roly-poly’s with dozens upon dozens of glowing blue orbs/eyes on their bodies) Despite her attempts to convince her people to live in harmony with the jungle, many feel it would be a better course of action to destroy it entirely and rid the world of the poisonous spores and creatures that inhabit it. Things take a turn for the worse when Nausicaa becomes involved in a plot to revive one of the powerful beings that brought about the Seven Days of Fire. It becomes clear that she alone holds the key to stopping this plan and saving not just her own people but the creatures of the Jungle as well.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’s animation isn't as polished as Miyazaki's later features, which isn’t much of a surprise considering it was made in the early 80’s when Japanese animation was still finding its way. Despite this, it still carries that transcendent Miyazaki style, which he would continue to develop over the years. Even this early on in his career his imagination fires on all cylinders; his designs are so spectacular and unique. The Ohm in particular are fascinating creatures and I loved the different airship/flying machine designs. Miyazaki’s outspoken view on the destructive nature of mankind and our ability to overcome it is on full display here and would end up appearing in practically every other film he made during his illustrious career. Although the characters in Nausicaa aren’t quite as sophisticated as the characters in Miyazaki’s later works and the storyline is a bit simplistic, it is still a superb piece of animated cinema and well worth a look for any fan of Miyazaki or animation in general.
FINAL RATING: 4/5
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