Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki
April 11, 2007
Changing trends are nothing new — as a “curious” species, we’re flighty and easily bored. I can’t remember how many favorite movies I’ve had, and my last pick is being replaced by several potentials of recent release. One trend in particular that I was apart of — the anime trend — has mostly passed. Now, I’ll watch anime, but I don’t get as excited about it as I used to. That foreign excitement that surfaced every time I watched a new series, that sense of uniqueness and quirkiness that overtook me when I saw anime movies like “Samurai X” or “The End of Evangelion” — it’s gone. There is an exception to this blunting of tastes, though: Hayao Miyazaki.
When asked what a good movie is, I often give a Miyazaki film – I name them all interchangeably — and a conversation similar to the following ensues:
Me: I love Castle in the Sky; I enjoy all the quirky forms of aviation Miyazaki creates.
Random Person: Isn’t that anime? Not a fan.
Me: Anime? Miyazaki isn’t anime; he’s film that’s been painted.
The meaning of “anime” has shifted since it absorbed Americans in its specifically “Japanese” personality. It’s a manufactured and serial, characterized by typical expressions (like the ecstasy eyes: ^_^) or epic, draw-out battle scenes. It’s rare to see films like Grave of the Fireflies and Howl’s Moving Castle that are so realistically depicted. Miyazaki’s films have a recurring central theme: reverence for nature. Princess Mononoke addresses man’s struggle versus nature, but Miyazaki began that story with the first animated film that he wrote and directed: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.
Nausicaa is set in a land whose ecosystem has been recovering for a millennium after an apocalyptic event, the “Seven Days of Fire”. Nausicaa is a glider-wielding (it does serve as a weapon), animal loving princess of the Valley of the Wind. She is able to communicate with the chaotic Ohmu, dormant giant insects that awakened and become enraged when humans destroy the land. Nausicaa must find a way to pacify the Ohmu while fending off the greedy and aggressive Tolmekia Empire.
Nausicaa was released in 1984, but Miyazaki pulls off a brilliant animation nonetheless. He pays great attention to detail and mechanics and action scenes, such as when Nausicaa is flying or fighting on her glider, are impeccably choreographed. Nausicaa isn’t a grand, chimerical heroine, either. She makes mistakes and has moments of physical vulnerability and weakness, and has to overcome them along with her greater struggler, but that’s what makes her so easy to identify with. She’s got exemplary qualities, but that aren’t too farfetched. The same can be said for all of Miyazaki’s work – their genius is in their humanness.
Waaaaait a minute. I could have sworn I’d already posted on this one. In fact, I remember responding to specific parts of your post.
At any rate, I think calling Miyazaki “film that’s been painted” is a spectacular way of putting an image into the reader’s head. Unfortunately, your format seems to water down what you say. If you’d be a little more straightforward, your 400 words would pack more of a punch instead of reading like excerpts from an essay.
I still like your post, though! And I absolutely LOVE Miyazaki.
I used to feel that way about animation and my father still thinks of it in the “not a fan” way, but I like the way you put it as: film that is painted. Great phrase.