12 Days of Anime: Studio Ghibli’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

This film came out before the founding of Studio Ghibli some people count it and some don’t, well I do. Nausicaä is a favorite of mine to rewatch because of the message I get from the film. I really love this film and artwork. Again like Porko Rosso aircraft was a big part of this animation as well as gigantic designs of insects. Wrapping myself in this world was so fascinating because of the different worldly things that exist. Thinking of it now parts of this movie reminds me of Princess Mononoke and the strong women characters that come from both of these films.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Trailer

I have a love for a good dystopian film or show, end of the world is my favorite genre to watch even though it isn’t a genre. I enjoy films that take beyond the world we know and what would happen is everything is gone and we’d have to start over. Nausicaä is that film that takes you there I believe this is after civilization as we know it. This is the time earthly things started protecting itself from the destruction humans cause. Time and time again humans prove they can’t cohabitate with living things and honestly it’s a sad truth.

Nausicaä is the savior in the prophecy that heals the world of this disease that was man-made. So in the land, they live on its divided by different kingdoms/states they name. There are three we know of and ran into one that was destroyed when we meet Lord Yupa At the start of the film. He mentions other cities being destroyed by the toxic jungle. The world as we know has certain parts that are consumed by the toxic jungle and others where the air is safe to breathe. There was a prophecy that needed to happen in order for the world to return back to what it was before.

Saving the world you’ve known all your life isn’t an easy fix. Nausicaä worked hard to try and figure out how the planet works and if there was a way to fix it within her lifetime. She did find a way to turn the toxic plants into a good one and it was all in the soil that’s in the jungle, that’s why the whole jungle is toxic. Fighting people along the way to saving the world in Nausicaä the artwork is breathtaking, even today. I was enchanted when I was younger but even as an adult, I’m still in love with this art style.

I really enjoyed Nausicaä for the storytelling and heroine actions taken to save her home and people. I would recommend this movie for people to watch if they haven’t and it definitely deserves a rewatch if it’s been a while. The animation is beautiful as well as the scenery in this world. I really love a great story with a happy ending. The pure effort and hard work it takes to bring animation alive is magic and it’s greatly appreciated by a fan.