Nausicaä is right up there in Ghibli’s darkest films, second only to Grave of the Fireflies. This is a land almost overtaken by desolation- one where breathing the air for too long will send you to an early grave, as is happening with Nausicaä’s father, one where the hardest struggle may not guarantee your survival.

Even in the face of this, Nausicaä remains optimistic- that perhaps she can cure her father’s disease, and that they can live in peace with the creatures of the forest if humans take the time to understand them instead of simply fighting against them. Her fairly peaceful world is shattered when a warship carrying an important prisoner crashes in her valley with a weapon of devastating power left from the war that destroyed the world.

Nausicaä is a powerful work of anti-war, pro-environmentalist themes that never is preachy or condescending or takes it to a level that would make people unconfortable. The story is strong enough that it feels as natural and obvious as anything- and not in a bad way. Even looking back, there are lessons that are true in it. Nausicaä brings the conflict home in her character- in a fit of rage, she ends up killing others, but hates herself for it and vows to never allow it to happen again. She also tries her hardest to protect others from death. Since she understands the motivations behind how the creatures of the forest act (and they are animals, acting on mostly natural instinct), Nausicaa teaches others how to respect them and shares her knowledge- they can live together on each other’s periphery if humans can learn to calm down.

There’s action, adventure, and the plot threads are tied together very nicely. It’s a wonderful film in its own right- no need to actually read the manga it’s based off of. (Side note: The manga and the anime are quite different. The movie is the adaptation of the first volume or so- the manga goes its own route after that).

Violence/Gore: The ideas of death are very prevalent. Nausicaä’s father is killed onscreen, a girl dies from injuries, there’s the implication of the Sea of Decay killing the inhabitants of a kingdom. The reminders that this is a deadly world are everywhere. No death is graphic or gory.

Nudity/Sexual Content: I didn't notice anything except one scene where Lady Tolmekia says that whoever marries her will 'see a lot worse', referring to the injuries that have disabled her and implicitely implying that he'd see them when they were intimate. It will go over the heads of the youngest.

Theological Themes: There is a legend of a messianistic figure that will help save the Valley. Rocklobster put it exactly in his review above.

ReviewBefore I go any further, I must tell you–I love Studio Ghibli! They truly know how to tell a story using every aspect of the medium. The backdrops are lush and colorful; the animation is fluid; and the story is excellent.

The film has a slight environmentalist feel to it, but is not nearly as preachy as most films with this theme. My favorite characters are Nausicaa, Lord Yupa, and Lady Tolmekia.

Nausicaa is a heroine who is very easy to admire. She is a compassionate woman with indomitable courage. Although she has a strong temper, her anger is justified because of the pollution and destruction she has encountered.

Lord Yupa is also an excellent hero. He is an aged warrior, and his best years are clearly not behind him. He’s the kind of person you clearly wouldn’t want to mess with.

The villain, Lady Tolmekia, is an excellently-written villain. Conquest is her only desire and she feels all her actions are justified. In fact, she is one of my all-time favorite villains.

Sub/Dub: Although the sub is okay, I think the dub truly surpasses it. My main problem with the sub is that Nausicaa sounds too young to my ears. The dub is thanks to its star-studded cast: Patrick Stewart, Chris Sarandon, Uma Thurman, and even Shia Labeouf (yes, that Shia Labeouf) all have excellent performances.

Music/Score: Joe Hisaishi is one of anime’s best composers and here he doesn’t disappoint. He does an excellent job at giving the movie an excellent, haunting score. I love both the opening theme and the leifmotif given to Nausicaa.
Violence: 4/10 A small amount of blood and some mild shooting scenes. If your children cannot handle intense violence even when it is not graphic, you should be aware of this.



Nudity: (2/10): A quick blink and you miss shot of Nausicaa’s breasts when she coaxes her pet fox-squirrel to hide in her dress is all you get.

Religion: (2/10): Spoiler: It is believed that a messianic figure will one day restore the valley. The movie seems to suggest that Nausicaa is that figure. However, it is obvious her people do not worship her, nor does she wish them to.

Related Media: There is also a manga. Although the story in the manga is similar to the anime, there are some distinct differences, or so I’m told. (I sadly have yet to purchase it) I have seen some of the artwork, and it is excellent.

Violence: There is some fighting. A few characters die on screen. There is some blood.

Sex and Nudity: The only reason I gave it a 2 was a single line where a female soldier with a prosthetic arm says whoever marries her will see a lot worse. Most kids won't pick up on the intent of the line anyways.

Theological Themes: There is a legend that features a messianic figure who will save them all from the wasteland.

Problematic Themes: None.

Overall: I really liked this movie. The art was gorgeous, especially the backgrounds. Nausicaa felt like a traditional virtuous hero, who could serve as a role model for young children. The story itself felt like a hero's journey, though it didn't feel cliche at all. I definitely want to read the manga now, which continues the story. I recommend this one for older children and up. It's very lovely, as to be expected from Studio Ghibli.