Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika)

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

88%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 16

91%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 71,504

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Movie Info

This impressive work from acclaimed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki represents a significant departure from traditional anime. Foregoing the gritty storylines, extreme violence, and adult content found throughout many anime, Miyazaki's works borrow as much from fairy tales as they do from science fiction. Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind is no exception. Centuries after war has devastated the earth, Princess Nausicaa leads the people of the Valley of the Wind. Feuding clans fight with planes and tanks as well as swords in a world that is both primitive and futuristic. In addition to her people's conflicts with other factions, Nausicaa must also contend with the insects of the jungle including the Ohmu, a race of giant, intelligent bugs that poisons the surrounding atmosphere - and is spreading rapidly. The setting of this 1984 animation owes much to the post-apocalypse genre spawned by Mad Max and other films, and the political subplot is often compared to Frank Herbert's Dune. However, the heroine here has more in common with the female protagonists of the Disney musicals such as Pocohantas and Mulan; Nausicaa is more concerned with harmony and communication than with conquest and revenge. Sympathetic to the Ohmu, she learns she must approach them with understanding to achieve peace and restore the dying world. This film is beautifully animated and written, and the moral to this ecological fable is difficult to miss. The film was dubbed into English in the mid-2000s, hence the presence of such actors as Shia LeBoeuf, who wasn't born yet when the film was originally made. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, Rovi

Cast

Alison Lohman
as Nausicaä (English)
Patrick Stewart
as Lord Yupa (English)
Shia LaBeouf
as Asbel (English)
Uma Thurman
as Kushana (English)
Edward James Olmos
as Mito (English)
Chris Sarandon
as Kurotowa (English)
Mark Hamill
as Mayor (English)
Tress MacNeille
as Obaba (English)
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Critic Reviews for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika)

All Critics (16) | Top Critics (2)

View All Critic Reviews (16)

Audience Reviews for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika)

  • Mar 04, 2015
    There's an argument to made that it's a tad overrated, yes it boasts the gorgeous visuals and unique world building that's a hallmark of Miyazaki's best work, but the themes get a little too heavy handed. Anyway I'm probably just nitpicking, the finale does have some great moments and it's positive ending seems earned.
    Alec B Super Reviewer
  • Mar 30, 2014
    Visually striking and with a sweeping, epic narrative, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind represents director Hayao Miyazaki at his least restrained.
    Isaac H Super Reviewer
  • Nov 11, 2013
    A grim and powerful epic that boasts an inventive, visually rich universe and an ecological message that only gets more and more relevant in our times - and it's wonderful to see a brave princess who fights to save her world with the fearlessness of a warrior.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Dec 12, 2012
    A motherfucking classic! One of the best heroines in cinematic history!
    ZACHO D Super Reviewer
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