A simple story told from an epic background

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 this 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+