Watching Miyazaki: A Short "Film-Review" Series

So, I did this little "Miyazaki Film Review" series on my Facebook account and quite a few enjoyed it! And since I have not utilized this website for quite some time, I will fill it with exactly that.

I will be watching only Studio Chibli Animated films directed by the master, Hayao Miyazaki (except Lupin III Castle Casltoliogro, I am planning to watch the anime series first before that one. I'm looking to watch his original pieces.) These are short and general reviews, but I will go into detail if I see fit. My reason for this is that I personally believe that you should all go watch his films.

Hayao Miyazaki is one of my favorite storytellers to date. His animation surpasses that of Walt Disney, and have much more depth and substance; even his weaker films have substance in one shape or form. Regardless, he has had a fairly perfect record.

I have rewatched all his films twice and am planning on watching all of them again. That's how awesome Hayao Miyazaki is.

So without further ado, let's begin. Down the line!

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

(1984)

"That's right. Too much fire gives birth to nothing. Fire can reduce a forest to ashes in a day, while it takes the water and the wind a hundred years to grow one anew."

Nature; a constant theme throughout many of Miyazaki's films. But most importantly, one's respect of Nature.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is the second Miyazaki film I have ever watched and immediately I saw a pattern of themes in Miyazaki's storytelling palette.

In this post-apocalyptic story, radiation from the fallout of giant weapons of mass destruction known as Giant Warriors, giant humanoid creatures that could annihalate an entire planet. When all the Great Warriors withered away into myth, their radiation made the surface of the planet inhabitable, with poisonous plants and insects dominating the world.

Nausicaa, is the Princess of the Valley of the Wind, and her people have found a way to keep the poisonous spores away from their high altitude village and also steer clear of conflict between struggling nations. Until of course, one fateful day.

I'm going to leave that at that. Why? Because you have to watch this film. It is essential for the full Miyazaki experience This film sets the foundation for his future stories in terms of tone, theme, and characters. If there's one thing Miyazaki's characters are known for it is their ability to make true and sincere sacrifices and make that transition from childhood into adulthood much easier to cope with.

I have watched this three times and it gets better each time. I think this film is one of the more underrated and sometimes forgotten films by the Japanese animator. Nausicaa is a beautiful commentary on Nature and War-- and how violence never amounts to anything, even if meant for the greater good.

Definitely a must-watch.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) Trailer