Princess Nausicaa lives in a tiny kingdom on the coast and she has learned the ways of the jungle. She lives her days pretty idyllically until another kingdom's airship crashes, bringing the kingdom of Tolmekia to her doorstop. The main conflicts rise around not defeating the insects, but in finding peace with both human and nonhuman neighbors.
It is definitely a predecessor of future Ghibli works: featuring a strong, youthful heroine at the center and themes of environmentalism and living in peace with nature. And while there are "bad guys", they are not quite so cartoonishly flat as Lupin's.
Nausicaa as a main character was just barely not annoying. Somehow she manages to be inspiring, rather than uber-perfect. Perhaps because by the climax she finally has a problem that is worthy of her? Ugly hats aside, the girl is true to her beliefs and never experiences a moment of doubt. In fact I'd even go so far as to say she's a Christ figure. I personally like my heroes to falter a little before finding their way in the world (a reason why future Ghibli films touch me much more deeply). Nausicaa has one moment where she gives into her rage, but it is brief and she snaps right back to her supergirl tactics.
Luckily, the world Nausicaa inhabits is utterly real in terms of warring kingdoms, violence and things just generally not working out the way a proper Disney-esque movie events should. Important people die. There are consequences to actions. Bed-ridden old men are shot for their political value and entire towns are considered equal payment for victory against a war-like neighbor.
The animation showed its age, especially with the characters. Their costumes were either bland or better left forgotten (especially the headgear). The setting, however, was gorgeously textured. The flight sequences are great, though I know Ghibli's work on this will only get better. In Nausicaa, one person on a glider is the same as two, with no effects on balance or speed.
The music is far better than Lupin's. The childlike main tune is downright haunting and the electronic instrument use is kept to a minimum. The dub is not much to write home about. If you listen closely, you can see where the script has marks for emphasis on certain words and syllables. Still if Patrick Stewart is in it, you can bet my toes are curling in delight. Early works by Alison Lohman and Shia Labeouf are also featured and recognizable, while Uma Thurman seems to be having some fun as Kushana, the princess of a rival kingdom who provides a direct comparison with Nausicaa (what makes a good ruler and what makes a bad one).
I'd love to see where Kushana comes from, what made her the vicious (and yet somehow aching for comanionship) sort of woman that she's become. The manga are on order from a local library so hopefully I will find out, though I dread to discover the fate of Teto, the squirell-fox (who I've associated with Ampersand, the fantastic animal companion of Y: The Last Man: highly recommended and suitably post-apocalyptic to mention here). I swear if the manga makes me cry like Y: The Last Man did I will not be pleased....
Seriously How cute is this?
The pace of the story tends to meander, aside from Nausicaa's urgency. This is also where the electronic soundtrack does no one favors. And really, this is not a show for children. I'd love to hear what my little cousins think of it, if they'd really understand the relationships between kingdoms and how Nausicaa inspires such loyalty in her subjects.
I look forward to comparing this to Princess Mononoke (which I remember as not particularly enjoying). Up next, though, is Laputa: Castle in the Sky, which is officially the first Ghibli Film.
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