Adventures with Miyazaki Part 2: Castle in the Sky

Castle in the Sky is an improvement over its predecessor Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind in nearly every way. The animation is more sophisticated and imaginative; the characters are more likable and their relationships with one another are better developed and more compelling; the plot is more complex without becoming too convoluted. It’s another fine work from the master of Japanese animation.

The main storyline follows Sheeta, a girl with a mysterious past and a magical pendant that gives the power of flight when the need is dire. After falling from an airship and floating unconscious to the ground, she meets Pazu, a boy with a penchant for adventure, whose father was obsessed with a mystery involving the floating kingdom Laputa. Despite the fact that no one believes him, Pazu is certain this magical castle exists. Together, he and Sheeta will become involved in a plot to find Laputa and save it from a band of soldiers and their ruthless leader Colonel Muska who will stop at nothing to rule over Laputa, using its magnificent powers to dominate the world.

The first time I saw Castle in the Sky, it was courtesy of a friend who let me borrow his VHS copy when I was in high school. I still wasn’t incredibly familiar with Miyazaki’s works (I’d seen and loved Princess Mononoke, but that was it), but I enjoyed it regardless. The more I watch it, the more I love it. Its first half is more of a straightforward action movie with fun characters, chase scenes and shootouts. The second half of the film delves a bit more into the mystery of the floating city Laputa and it’s in these scenes that Miyazaki’s aesthetic really shines. The floating island of Laputa and the mysteries it holds make for some unforgettable imagery, some of the most memorable Studio Ghibli has ever produced. I especially love the giant stone robots which seemed to be pulled straight from the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons. They’re rather spectacular.

Castle in the Sky isn’t my favorite work of Miyazaki’s but it still stands head and shoulders above other animated features as an imaginative and immensely entertaining piece of work.

FINAL RATING: 4/5