Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä

A millennium has ed since the catastrophic nuclear war named the "Seven Days of Fire," which destroyed nearly all life on Earth. Humanity now lives in a constant struggle against the treacherous jungle that has evolved in response to the destruction caused by mankind. Filled with poisonous spores and enormous insects, the jungle spreads rapidly across the Earth and threatens to swallow the remnants of the human race.

Away from the jungle exists a peaceful farming kingdom known as the "Valley of the Wind," whose placement by the sea frees it from the spread of the jungle's deadly toxins. The Valley's charismatic young princess, Nausicaä, finds her tranquil kingdom disturbed when an airship from the kingdom of Tolmekia crashes violently in the Valley. After Nausicaä and the citizens of the Valley find a sinister pulsating object in the wreckage, the Valley is suddenly invaded by the Tolmekian military, who intend to revive a dangerous weapon from the Seven Days of Fire. Now Nausicaä must fight to stop the Tolmekians from plunging the Earth into a cataclysm which humanity could never survive, while also protecting the Valley from the encroaching forces of the toxic jungle.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Nausicaä Main

Shimamoto, Sumi Japanese

Kushana Main

Sakakibara, Yoshiko Japanese

Lord Yupa Main

Naya, Gorou Japanese

Asbel Main

Matsuda, Youji Japanese

Teto ing

Yoshida, Rihoko Japanese

Ohmu ing

Kurotowa ing

Kayumi, Iemasa Japanese

Niga ing

Yada, Minoru Japanese

Pejite Mayor ing

Mugihito Japanese

Mito ing

Nagai, Ichiro Japanese

Takahata, Isao Producer

Miyazaki, Hayao Director, Script, Screenplay, Character Design, Original Creator

Shiba, Shigeharu Sound Director

Tanazawa, Takashi Episode Director

Reviews

Apr 9, 2025

NullRay_85

Recommended

1984's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is often regarded as Studio Ghibli's first-ever film, but it wasn't! It released just a year before the studio's foundation. Produced by Topcraft, it featured the talents of Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki--- all of whom would go on to found Ghibli shortly after the film's release. I haven't seen a good Ghibli flick in a while and Nausicaä looked like something I might enjoy. So, did it deliver?


STORY - After a tragic calamity destroyed the world 1000 years ago, humans live in a ravaged land as dominated by deadly inscets known as "Ohms" and ... struggle to get by. Nausicaä, a princess of the wind kingdom, explores the world using her sky-glider while yearning for peace between humans and the ohms. When her home is invaded by a neighboring kingdom, she must fight to protect it while discovering her destiny.

Other than the invading Empire of Tolmekia, the main "villain" of the film is nature and how humanity has wrong it by endless pollution and war. The Ohms and gigantic warriors serve as avatars for its wrath, which made for complelling viewing. Action was few and far between given the film's an adventure first, with the focus being on exploring the world's hidden secrets. Themes of anti-war and environmentalisim are prevelant and while they are important to discuss, they were pretty predictable in how they're delivered.


CHARACTERS - The titular Nausicaä was a great lead as her kind nature to both friend and enemy made her instantly likeable. Her tendency to always run about and explore or aid those in need was an equally compelling traits of her as well. Side characters like the master swordsman Lord Yupa, wise old lady Obaba, and Nausicaä's loyal friend Mito were all likeable characters too.

The more prominent ones were Nausicaä's adorable pet Teto and newfound pal Aspen, who gave the film an extra layer of charm. Warrior Princess Kushana may be a one-dimensional villain whose foucsed on uniting all kingdoms under her nations rule, but I did enjoy her exchanges with Nausicaa and the Valley people as she slowly started to open-up to their views.


PRESENTATION - Despite being 40-years-old, the film still surprised me with many of its awe-inspiring sceneries like the lush-but-deadly forest in the opening and Nausicaä's home of the wind valley. The sky shots when Nausicaä takes flight and night-time scenes were also amazing as well. The character designs are what we would later come to expect from Ghibli with Tolmekian army's armor looking pretty neat. The standout were the Ohm designs, which were disturbing and detailed-- at times even eerie when their eyes glow into a bloodshot red when angered.

Nausicaä marked the first time composer Joe Hisaishi collaborated with Miyazaki and his score is packed pleasant and soothing tracks that compliemented the wondrous nature of the story well. However, I would have liked to hear more of it since many scenes were filled with "dead air" and music would've helped embellished them. The entire soundtrack's length is only 40 mins, so more tracks were definietly needed. The voicework (English) was great with the highlight being Patrick Stewart as Lord Yupa.


OVERALL - I enjoyed Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind a lot thanks to its dazzling visuals and impactful tale of coexisting with nature. While it's technically not a Ghibli film, Nausicaä comes as a solid recommendation for fans of Miyazaki and company's work.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Jan 28, 2025

ravenagotica

Recommended

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is a film that deeply touches both reason and emotion. It invites us on a journey of contemplation about humanity’s relationship with nature, war and hope.

From the beginning, the film evokes a bittersweet sense of beauty and melancholy. The world ravaged by pollution and war takes us to a future that seems both distant and frighteningly close. In the midst of this chaos, Nausicaä emerges, a protagonist who not only defies conventional standards of heroism, but redefines them. She seeks not to destroy her enemies, but to understand them. Her affection for the Ohmus (the giant insects) and ... her willingness to dialogue even with those who see her as an enemy teach us about empathy and sacrifice.

Joe Hisaishi’s score elevates this emotional experience, with melodies that oscillate between serenity and tension, reflecting the spirit of the protagonist—gentle but firm in her convictions. There are moments in the film that are truly moving, such as when Nausicaä discovers the truth about the Toxic Forest and realizes that nature is not at war with humanity, but rather trying to heal it.

The film is a powerful allegory about the human impact on the environment and the consequences of wanton destruction. Released in 1984, Nausicaä anticipates ecological debates that are more urgent today than ever. The Toxic Forest, initially seen as a deadly enemy, represents nature regenerating itself after the devastation caused by man. This reflects a real concept in ecology: natural systems often find ways to regenerate themselves, but human perception treats them as threats rather than allies.

The film also warns us about the illusion of power and the destructive cycle of war. The nations of the Valley of the Wind, Pejite and Tolmekia are trapped in a cycle of violence, trying to use weapons of the past to secure a future that may never come. It is a commentary on how humanity often repeats its historical mistakes, even when the lessons are before its eyes.

At its core, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is not just a film about ecology or war—it is a film about hope. It reminds us that understanding and empathy are forces as powerful as any weapon. The image of Nausicaä walking on a sea of ​​golden tentacles at the end, fulfilling the prophecy of a blue-robed savior, is one of the most beautiful metaphors for sacrifice and renewal that cinema has ever produced.

Hayao Miyazaki gives us a warning, but also a promise: if we learn to listen, respect, and care, perhaps there is still time for a future where humanity and nature can coexist.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Sep 29, 2024

Achi88

Mixed Feelings

I'm only writing this review since there's so few mixed or negative ones, if I had enjoyed the film I wouldn't have bothered since that would just be heaping praise on the huge pile of prior praise, but more negative viewpoints might be more important to showcase.

The film started out strongly by setting up an interesting post-apocalyptic world. But as the story progressed things just happened willy-nilly with zero to no explanation, and by the end the whole story and world just felt shallow and basic. At the start you might wonder: Wow, why is the world ruined like this? Why are there giant ... insects roaming about and why do they have a spreading eco-system that kills the world? Why does Nausicaä seem to be able to communicate with insects? What's all that stuff about a prophecy? The answers given were: WAR BAD. POLLUTION BAD. INSECTS CLEAN POLLUTION SOMEHOW. SHE JUST CAN SOMEHOW. LOL I DON'T KNOW, MAGIC I GUESS. Not satisfactory answers in the slightest, so at the end I just felt like I'd watched a two hour long children's fable or an overly convoluted and long Captain Planet-episode.

The positives are the good (not great) animation, the fact that the violence depicted in the film actually has realistic effect (not like in Porco Rosso where the guns don't seem to actually do anything and I don't even understand why people are afraid of them), and the music is quite pleasant as well. If the runtime had been ~90 minutes and if they had explained the stuff that happened a bit better then the movie would have been a 7 or 8, but as it stands I can't give it more than a 6, slightly above a ing grade.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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