Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Publisher
Optimum
Director
Hayao Miyazaki
Production
Tokuma Shoten, Studio Ghibli, Top Craft
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Film
Running time
116 mins
Year
1984

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind

By John Huxley
13th Oct 05

The other day I had the “pleasure” of watching Kiki’s Delivery Service for the first time. Now, you might be wondering why I went and stuck some inverted commas around the word ‘pleasure’ in that last sentence. Surely there’s not a Ghibli film in existence that isn’t anything less than pleasurable? I would have agreed wholeheartedly if I didn’t have the misfortune of watching Kiki’s Delivery Service under the influence of an oversized Chinese takeaway. Bloated and unable to fully focus, my impression of the film was (obviously) severely lessened through my foolish overeating. Don’t worry, I’ll take some time out to reassess the film at a later date, as I’m sure it’s a much more enjoyable experience than my memory believes it to be - that’s just the sweet and sour talking.

Which is why I was determined to watch Nausicaa in the right environment. In fact, I was so concerned that I struggled for several minutes in an attempt to quieten the DVD player’s irritating whirring noise. Of course I forgot that you can’t really hear it when the film is actually playing, so that was several minutes wasted. When it finally started, I needn’t have worried because Nausicaa more than lives up to its billing as the film that made Studio Ghibli.

Nausicaa follows the story of a young princess, aptly named Nausicaa (with an umlaut, wherever that is on my keyboard); an extraordinary young girl who genuinely cares for her people and the environment in which they live. The valley of the wind is a picturesque little town, so called because it sits on the edge of the sea of decay. A result of the great war that consumed mankind centuries ago, the sea of decay is a poisonous forest of giant insects and alien plant life that has spread across the earth destroying everything in its path. However, protected by the strong winds that pass through the valley, Nausicaa’s people are content with their peaceful existence.

Yet the uneventful lifestyle of Nausicaa’s people is endangered when a giant airship crashes in a nearby field, pursued by the ruthless Tolmekian army. Soon Nausicaa finds herself embroiled in a struggle to prevent mankind from instigating its own downfall as the bullish Tolmekians attempt to resurrect the ‘god warrior’, a terrible remnant of the great war they hope to use for their own selfish needs.

The simple structure of the story lends itself well to the relatively short running time, despite the fact that the original manga upon which Nausicaa was based (its origins are actually more complicated than this...check the DVD extras for the full story) goes into much more depth than the scope of this film allows. Nevertheless, Miyazaki works wonders with the allotted time, cramming in an extraordinary amount of characterisation and plot development whilst preserving the immaculate pacing. Yes, it could have easily been a little longer or perhaps split into several chapters, but as a companion piece to the more substantial manga this is virtually flawless.

If you’ve seen any of Miyazaki’s more action-orientated films you’ll know what to expect of Nausicaa’s sizeable cast of characters. Nausicaa, herself a typically strong female lead, comes into contact with many characters both good and bad (and everything in-between) over the course of her adventure. While most of these are secondary characters with a very direct role to play, there are a few instances in which certain characters do end up feeling disappointingly underdeveloped. If this is a result of the transition from manga to anime is really a moot point because the central cast is strong enough to carry the film on its own. Nausicaa herself is likeable enough, yet it’s the villains that really steal the show here. Where Castle of Cagliostro featured an amusingly pantomime villain (which was perfectly suited in this instance), Nausicaa’s Tolmekians are an altogether more complicated bunch. Not necessarily evil in the traditional sense, the central pairing of Princess Kushana and Kurotawa are more a product of a world corrupt by greed. A weasely little character with more than a dash of Clark Gable about him, Kurotawa in particular is a joy to watch. It’s just a pity he doesn’t get more screentime.

While the story may appear to be a little more straightforward than later Ghibli efforts, it’s this very simplicity that lends Nausicaa such great accessibility. Much in the same way that Castle of Cagliostro and Castle in the Sky (the films that immediately preceded and followed Nausicaa, respectively) feel like old-fashioned adventures, the prominent fairytale elements of Nausicaa really give it a fantastic story-book quality that should appeal to anyone regardless of age, taste or gender.

On a side note, perhaps the more westernised aesthetic that’s evident throughout much of Nausicaa (despite the overbearing presence of Miyazaki’s distinct designs) contributes to this perceived accessibility? Whatever the case, there’s little doubt in my mind that Nausicaa is the perfect example of a good story told well.

Speaking of fairytales and storybooks, there’s a none-too-subtle message hiding behind this inviting facade. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic world, the poisonous vegetation and vengeful insects of Nausicaa point towards a future in which mankind has lost control of his environment and yet continues to struggle against mother nature. The overbearing message here is of respect; to appreciate and care for your environment whatever it may bring. Nausicaa’s villains prove the point amiably by fighting with the insects which expectedly makes things worse, while Nausicaa herself leads by example, attempting to understand and eventually embrace the poisonous insects. On paper this may seem a little too cheesy for its own good, yet in reality the execution is such that it rarely comes across in such a condescending manner. It’s a potent subject matter, but not one that interferes with your enjoyment of the film in any way.

Considering that Nausicaa is based around a very believable future (albeit a future that owes as much to Lord of the Rings as it does Darwin and co.), there’s very little here that will challenge your suspension of disbelief despite the various fantastical creatures that inhabit Nausicaa’s poisonous forests. There are no transforming dragons here, no flying witches and certainly no cat buses - everything featured in Nausicaa is within the realms of possibility. Although this could be construed as lacking imagination compared to more recent Ghibli films, I would argue that Nausicaa’s more straightforward approach merely offers a different experience to their recent efforts such as Howl’s Moving Castle. For better or worse, along with the two aforementioned films, Nausicaa represents a side of Ghibli we’ll probably never see again.

But rather than lamenting this loss, Nausicaa is an opportunity to appreciate everything that’s good about this period in the history of Japanese animation. And Nausicaa really is a piece of animation history - not only because it’s credited as the film that established Studio Ghibli, but also because the production values are obviously beginning to show their age. Yet much in the same way that a vintage wine retains its flavour (or so I’m told, it’s not like I could actually afford expensive wine or anything!) with time, there’s an obvious quality running throughout Nausicaa that belies its otherwise ageing animation. Obviously it wouldn’t compare favourably to the likes of Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away, yet the standard of craftsmanship evident is exemplary for Japanese animation of the time.

This is most apparent during the film’s many action sequences. Never does Miyazaki rely on time-worn anime budget saving techniques (no need to go into detail here...you know what I’m talking about!), preferring instead to rely on nothing but the skill and dedication of the Ghibli staff. And for the most part, the results are very impressive. The action sequences, which vary from ariel dogfights to hand-to-hand combat, are appropriately exhilarating thanks to the combination of such quality animation and Miyazaki’s expert direction. Occasionally I was left wishing a particular sequence was several minutes longer, but I guess that’s the price we have to pay for such quality!

Unfortunately less convincing is the dated music. Although the overall score is generally very good, there are a few electrobeat pieces that date Nausicaa pretty badly. If this is a good or bad thing is really up to you - personally I felt the electrobeat music added a certain charm to the proceedings that I find enjoyable in most anime of this period.

Now I’m really scratching the barrel here! Despite my best efforts, I’m really finding it impossibly difficult to criticise Nausicaa without sounding like a cynical old critic. It’s just such an enjoyable experience, and one that’s crafted with such expertise that you end up feeling ashamedly pernickety in criticising it. Which is why I can wholeheartedly recommend that you run down to the shops (or online retailer, if you’re feeling a little lazier) and grab yourself a copy of this as soon as you can. It’s been long overdue in reaching these shores, but I for one and am extremely grateful that it’s finally here. Now let’s hope the rest of Ghibli’s back-catalogue can make the journey intact...

R2 DVD Notes

Features: Complete storyboards - get an insider’s look at the film’s artistry, original japanese theatrical trailer, the birth story of Studio Ghibli featurette

Release information: UK: Optimum, 26/09/05

Notes: Alongside a few trailers and other such treats, the main attraction here is the revealing documentary that chronicles Ghibli’s rise to fame. Apparently released to promote the original Japanese release of Princess Mononoke, it’s only apt that such a historical document should be packaged alongside Ghibli’s first genuine production. Light and fluffy (and clearly made for TV), this is nevertheless essential viewing for any self-respecting Ghibli fan. Extras aside, this is about as good as you’d expect for such an ageing animation. Both the picture and video appeared to be of a decent quality (remember I’m no expert) and the inclusion of a genuine subtitle option is greatly appreciated considering certain *other* Ghibli DVD releases (naming no names here...). Overall, this is a pretty good release from Optimum which gives me high hopes for the rest of Ghibli’s back catalogue.

-- John Huxley 13th Oct 05

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Images