Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

  • Review Date: December 3, 2011
  • PG
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • 2005
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Beautiful anime with eco message and an amazing heroine.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that a shortened version of this Japanese film came out stateside in the 1980s, but this is a review of the full 117-minute film readily available on DVD. The themes of protecting the environment, living peacefully, and respecting all creatures are very strong here and the heroine, Nausicaa, is extremely admirable. She faces a lot of danger, however, in the form of intense air ship battles with explosions, her people taken as hostages, and her father shot and killed. Nausicaa is also injured by gunfire protecting animals from harm.

  • There's a very strong message about the importance of protecting and understanding the environment, and that all creatures play a vital role in the ecosystem. There's also a call for peace, showing that violence just creates more violence.
  • Nausicaa is a pacifist who throws herself in harm's way to save people and animals, shouting that the violence has to stop. She's compassionate toward all animals and tries to understand them -- even the biggest, meanest-seeming creatures. She's also brave and very resourceful -- she has to be to survive in the toxic jungle.
  • Nausicaa's father is shot to death just before she enters the room. Nausicaa gets shot twice protecting the animals and gets sucked in by quicksand. Most of the violence consists of giant explosions during air ship battles and villagers held hostage and threatened. Giant insects called ohmu get enraged and charge when one injured baby ohmu is dangled as bait. A giant red creature comes back to life and looks menacing but then falls apart. A toxic jungle requires masks to enter and sickens those living close. Talk of the end of industrialized civilization 1,000 years before in "seven days of fire" and the whole human race still lives in danger of extinction.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

It's been 1,000 years since industrialized civilization ended in the "Seven Days of Fire." A toxic jungle has taken over where giant bugs rule, especially the fierce beetle-like ohmu. Humans live in smaller cities and villages now and travel via airship and glider over the jungles. Princess Nausicaa's village is in a valley along the ocean with a steady breeze to keep out the noxious gasses of the jungle. It's almost idyllic, until airships from Tolmekia invade, insisting that "uniting" all peoples and then destroying the toxic jungle is the only way for humans to survive. Nausicaa, who has come to understand the ways of the insects and discovers a secret beneath the jungle, tries to make the Tolkemians understand their folly before it's too late for her village and all of humanity.


Is it any good?

 

Of course it's beautifully done, it's from Hayao Miyazaki, director of Spirited Away, Ponyo, and many other striking Japanese animated films. And the level of creativity displayed in each crazy giant insect, toxic plant, and battered airship is captivating. Add to that a story with a great message and a very admirable heroine -- one of Miyazaki's best. The dubbing in this version is pretty good too.

Guaranteed many anime fans are thrilled that the original long version is now what's available here -- the one released in theaters back in the '80s was shortened. It does feel a bit long at times, but if kids' minds wander during a discussion of why one village is fighting another they can just stare at the cool animation until they get back into it.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about great heroines. What makes Nausicaa so admirable? What other great heroines can you think of?

  • Families can also talk about the movie's eco-message. How is the earth repairing itself? Why is aggressive action to destroy the toxic jungle the wrong way to save the human race? What's the right way? How does the movie's message translate to current issues?


This review was written by Carrie R. Wheadon
Kid, 12 years old
December 11, 2011
 
Wonderful Movie, Positive Messages
This movie is wonderful. The characters are self-sacrificing and lovable. Nausicaa had me captivated from the start and to the exhilarating finish. There is violence, but the overall message is echo-friendly. A MUST!

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Parent
January 16, 2012
 
Wonderful if you like flying, violence, guns, swords, war, female hero, cute pets, slightly scary rolypoly bugs
Amazing as always. Self sacrifice defeats brute violence. Some themes are clearly too violent for most young kids.

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This review was written by Carrie R. Wheadon
Topics:magic and fantasy
Studio:Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Director:Hayao Miyazaki
Cast:Alison Lohman, Patrick Stewart, Uma Thurman
Genre:Fantasy
Run time:117 minutes
DVD release date:February 22, 2005
MPAA rating:PG
MPAA explanation:violence.

This review was written by Carrie R. Wheadon
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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