'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' - A Movie Review

You know what you should do? Listen to the comforting sound of the wind. The world wouldn’t be the same without it.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a 1984 Hayao Miyazaki Japanese animated film. In a struggle to keep her village safe, Princess Nausicaa is in battle with two warring nations. A magnitude of large insects is at risk. It is in Nausicaa’s hands to save the world before the planet is destroyed.

I love films by Hayao Miyazaki! His movies have bold characters and strong storylines. Unlike other animated films, Miyazaki's films aren’t afraid to hold back. Not only in his storylines, but the animation is also eye-catching and beautiful! I could stare at screenshots from Miyazaki films all day because their essence is so descriptive.

Having seen most Miyazaki films, I’d never heard of Nausicaa until now. For a movie that was first released in 1984, the animation is splendid! There were a few noticeable twitches in the animation, but it’s not a distraction. Sequences with the characters flying through the sky are such an epic ride!

263 colors were used in production! And they were put to good use. The backgrounds are beautiful, too! In an instant, just from the detail, you know you’re in a post-apocalyptic world.

Nausicaa is a brave, empowering, and motivational character. Unlike films that have a female protagonist who is a warrior, Nausicaa shows vulnerability. Although confident, she has moments where she breaks down believing herself to be a failure.

That is a good lesson. Just because you’re a warrior doesn’t mean that you have to bottle up your emotions. That’s not bravery. Bravery is showing your emotions and how scared you are. It’s tough emoting, especially in front of people. Don’t be afraid to be scared.

Hayao Miyazaki always pays close attention to his secondary characters. There is a good balance of dialogue and screen time to let other characters evolve. They even add a touch of comedy. None of the dialogue is ever forced. It’s natural.

Each character has there own distinct look. Though the mustaches on most of the male characters felt a tad overdone.

Originally made in Japan, Miyazaki’s animated films have been dubbed to English translation. Voice credits in the English dub include Alison Lohman (Nausicaa), Patrick Stewart (Lord Yupa), Shia LaBeouf (Asbel), Uma Thurman (Kashana), and Chris Sarandon (Kurotowa). Tress MacNeille, Frank Welker, and Jeff Bennet also make a memorable appearance.

Designs of the humongous insects are beautiful and they’ll even make your skin crawl from how lifelike they are. It’s intriguing to watch how they move in this animation.

The safety of insects plays an important moral in the film. No matter how annoying insects can be, we can’t live without them. Don’t let them go extinct.

Sometimes you don’t realize how important something is until it’s gone. Without the wind, it would be quiet. Speaking of which, there were moments of sheer quiet. That’s something you don’t see a lot in an animated film. Action or background music is always playing. It’s okay for your films to be quiet.

The music is so beautiful! It captures you the instant it plays in the film. My favorite part was when a little girl was singing this lovely harmony. It’s really soothing.

Nausicaa is somewhat long and it is a bit slow in the beginning. Still, it moves at a fast and considerable pace. The story had a moving impact. Without Nausicaa, the film wouldn’t be a powerful message to the world.

I suggest that you go find this movie and watch it. You’ll become a Hayao Miyazaki lover in seconds.