Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Usually I try to compare one anime with another but I find it impossible to do for Nausicaa. I doubt if any other anime tried to repeat (or at least not successfully) the combination of science fiction, drama and medievalism that's in this film. However the most captivating (yet stereotypical perhaps) aspect of Nausicaa is her sympathy to all living things and her uncanny intuition about the things around her. Her abilities are the only drawback to this film because such characters can be found in most anime involving a heroine, whereas the storyline makes it a most unique experience.

I was somewhat dissappointed with the ending. I won't give it away but the character of the Princess was just made to conform to the "standards of a heroine". Animation was acceptable but not superb although the designs of some landscapes and characters were spectacular. Overall an 8.

Fmovies: "Nausicaa of the valley of the wind" is about an epic story of mankind in the wastelands of polluted earth. Thousand years after the end of industrialized civilization mankind is once again in the wrath of nature as it is taking it's vengeance for the brutality it has received from the human. Although being an action packed adventure, the main story of the movie is one of the most humane stories ever told. Nausicaa, one of the most powerful characters of modern motion picture, tries to find a way to make the connection between earth and human to save mankind from extinction. I will stop here for rest of the story you have to find out yourself. I can assure you that you will not regret it. And for movie lovers it is a movie that you just cannot miss.

There are actually only three 100% real Hayao Miyazaki movies. They are 1.Nausicaa of the valley of the wind, 2.Laputa: Castle in the sky and 3.Princess Mononoke. All these films are considered as masterpieces of the history of animation. Of all the movies that Hayao Miyazaki has created "Nausicaa's" is the best. Many people will argue with me on that point because they have not seen the original uncut Disney version. If you are a people outside South America and speak in a different language than English and Disney's animations are available in your native language only then you can understand the quality of a dubbing of Disney. So please see the movie with the English dub by Disney, I am pretty much optimistic that you will surely say that "Nausicaa of the valley of the wind" is the greatest movie ever built.

NB1: Please try to watch only the Disney dubbed movies of studio Ghibli if that is not found it is better to watch it English subbed.

NB2: Try to watch the real Miyazaki movies (the three I mentioned here and whisper of the heart) in theaters or at night in a quiet place. Believe me I have tried this and I was able to understand the movies better.

NB3: one of the main problems in Miyazaki's movies is the expectation. Here are some tips the three movies I mentioned here are real movies (I don't like to degrade them by saying they are animes) not cartoons. Howls moving castle and Lupin the third are animation movies and the rest are cartoons just like cars or toy story.

NB4: Many people argue about the fact of watching foreign movies dubbed. I won't argue with them. I will just go with Miyazaki in the point, he told 20% of the movie will be lost if you read the subtitles instead of watching the movie.

Special request: because of the kidified version of "Nausicaa of the valley of the wind" many people have rated it quite badly. So please watch the movie rate it according to your enjoyment and rate my review too.

Many thank for viewing.

Brilliant, captivating, and sometimes just plain awesome are some of things that come to mind while watching yet another one of Miyazaki's epic tales: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds. Deliberately slow-moving at points, yet undeniably exciting in and out of it's action sequences, and a fantastic introduction to anime itself.

Without revealing too much of the plot, it takes us through the life of Nausicaa, a princess of a small village, and her struggles to stop warring nations from destroying an important source that can save the planet. The planet has already gone through a major destruction that nearly wiped out humanity, and their are large insects called ohmu, that guard the source that is spreading through the world.

Miyazaki introduces an empowerment of female characters in his animes, such as Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, and his most recent, Howl's Moving Castle (Hauru no ugoku shiro). The characters are done with style and care, and, in Nausicaa, there is no exception.

It amazes me that this film created some controversy when released, being banned in Poland because of it's depiction of an ecological disaster. Though the movie is obviously fantasy, it turns out that some may consider it a touchy subject. I didn't find any offense whatsoever with anything the movie showed, just a futuristic disaster no doubt caused by man.

Combining fantasy and science-fiction, Nausicaa is nice to look at. It certainly shows it's age when compared to some newer animes, not having the help from high-end computers. Considering it was done in the 80's, Miyazaki's production team did a great job. Little details, backgrounds, gadgets, & animals are drawn slightly better then some Japanese animes from that time.

Keep in mind that my review is based on the Disney release (Feb 2005). It's cleaned up, unedited, with new voices from well known actors that sound great (but I still prefer subtitles). Keep far away from the old version 'Warriors of the Wind', which chops off more then half-hour from the movie.

9 out of 10

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind fmovies. Now that everyone knows Miyazaki is a great talent and he has been doing many great stuff, his earlier works are internationally popular. After Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi, Miyazaki's well deserved fame got huge. Since his fame increased, his older works has been taken from the drawers to upper shelves and this is leading to discussions of which of his works are better than which. Kaze no tani no Naushika has been compared many times with his Mononoke - hime, however regarding how Naushika formed a perfect background for the further works of Miyazaki, this comparison is not very fair. Kaze no tani no Naushika is the basis of Miyazaki's charming mastery which becomes more and more apparent in 1990s. It features one of the greatest heroines in anime history in an unusual sci-fi environment. The story of the film shows us how resourceful human imagination can be. What makes Naushika a cornerstone is not only this efficient story telling but also the visual fiesta that it has been presented in. So lose no time in comparing this film to another, instead savor it again and again.

The name of Nausicaä belongs to Greek mythology; she was the Princess who saved Ulysses from drowning. And the "Valley of the Winds" was loosely inspired from the tragedy of Minimata Bay and the way it maintained its ecosystem viable despite the pollution. "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds" finds the perfect balance between the theme of nature always finding its way and the dramatic struggle of a heroine saving humanity from "drowning" in belligerent wickedness.

I'm mentioning Minimata but the tragedy of Fukushima could have inspired a similar intuition that technological advances could only lead to the downfall of humanity inasmuch as men continue to display the same carelessness and arrogance. In his "Nausicaä", Hayao Miyazaki doesn't warn us but rather confronts us to a plausible future, a future with a few survivors driven to the last corners of Earth where wind and water prevented a toxic jungle name Fukaï from spreading.

The film, all in visual splendor, displays the usual Sci-fi and Fantasy archetypes but they don't distract from the environmentalist and pacifist message. We accept them in the sense that the story is set one thousand years after the apocalypse and we expect technology to have produced jet-propelled gliders and flying vessels. But the film also has a Renaissance look à la "Princess Mononoke", it's not an artistic license, the privileged people of the Valley represent a wiser side of humanity that got back to the roots, acknowledging the eminence of nature, a renaissance indeed.

They live in an oasis-like area where the air is breathable, outside; they must wear a gas mask, accentuating the dystopian look even within a natural setting. The hostility of nature is symbolized by giant mutant insects and the Ohm, armored trilobite-like insects whose eyes turn to an ominous red whenever they feel threatened. But Miyazaki never lets us get the wrong idea about these Ohm, understand they're not the most life-threatening creatures out there.

There's a key scene right in the beginning where a little fox-like creature bites Nausicaä, she patiently keeps her finger until its frenzy fades out and then the animal licks her wound. This moment is pivotal because it highlights the real tragedy that caused men's downfall, not violent actions but immediate assumptions of violence causing bad reactions. Only Nausicaä is capable of showing mercy and empathy toward any living creature, she challenges all the common conceptions and even tries to understand the place she lives in, which is the epitome of wisdom.

From the spores taken during regular expedition, she discovers in her laboratory that plants are capable of producing air, later in the film that some jungle plants purify the polluted topsoil and produce clean water. In other words, life always finds a way but humans can't see it. Nausicaä becomes the messianic character that will open the eyes of humanity, and as truth can be stranger than fiction, she's also a pivotal moment in Miyazaki's career, as the first film to have emerged from the fertile soil of his own imagination.

Nausicaä foreshadows all the elements that will define his work: the independent free-spirited heroine, the aerial settings and the environmental and anti-war messages, and more than that, the revolutionary notion that you don't need villains to make a story. Everyone is imperfect and fallible, even the most violent attacks are meant as defensive

The film of all times. My personal favorite of all films, anime and non-anime. It has it all, a great, involving story that holds many important lessons of life. Interesting characters. Action, adventure, and above all feeling, the mood just sucks me in and holds on till the very end and beyond. The music is epic, and the animation is top class. The setting is a futuristic kind of midevil inspired fantasy... if that says anything... but anyway it feels very real although fantastic and apeals to me. This movie is from the very heart of Hayao Miyazaki, the master of anime... Its so sad that the dubbed version was so butchered, it was the first version I saw(actualy the swedish dubbing of the american dubbing(sigh)) and I thaught it was great, but now that I have seen the original, a new door has opened and revealed a true masterpiece. I recomend this film to all and everyone. Average 10(10)