


He might be the closest thing to the idea of an "auteur" which filmdom has.What strongly supports this anime is the excellent animation which stunning and the music, which while not jaw-droppingly amazing, still does not leave anything to be desired. While even the greatest of directors have to rely on cast and crew to carry out their visions, Miyazaki pretty much IS the film. But Pixar is a collection of talent (all of whom pretty much worship him), while Miyazaki is a singular force. Only Pixar has been able to rival Miyazaki's creative energies in forming entirely new sights, sounds, and stories with each subsequent film. These creeds and themes are held dearly and instinctively by the young and hopeful, and its Miyazaki's ability to convey these naturalistic ideas through his visual imagination, which makes him unique.Īnd his imagination. We sense his hope in women more than men, believing them to be the key to humanity's progress as opposed to man's history of violence. He is in love with flight with his heroes soaring through the sky, representing our dreams of breaking through our limitations. He favors gorgeous green panoramas usually near blue bodies of water. Like most of his films, his timeline here isn't technological, but pastoral, with people relying more on each other and the Earth. But Miyazaki tends to look back instead of looking forward, inward instead of outward, looking at treasures of futures past that might have been. Much of anime in the past 20 years has concentrated on a utopian future, filled with technological wizardry and innovation, which is abundant in Japanese culture. Compare this to his contemporaries who have to rely on cutesy gimmicks, frantic pacing, or glitzy style to draw in audience interest.īut its "what" he illustrates that captures our hearts as well as our minds. It allows for his characters and narrative to "breathe" (and breathe deeply), with moments of contemplation and authentic feeling taking hold. Like the very best of Japanese animation, there is a warmth and softness to his illustrations (thanks to his pristine watercolor motifs) that make it almost effortless for viewers to accept and acclimatize to what unfolds on the screen.

Miyazaki accomplishes this not only by his storytelling techniques, but also through his visual artistry. To know that children will grasp and want to grasp his story and ideas. It takes a deep wisdom and understanding of youth to be able to carry out this vision. But despite this moral complexity for an animated film, it all fits Miyazaki's big picture, and in the end we see it. For much of the film, there is no one problem/solution. The film's story does concern good versus evil, but they aren't manifested in simplistic ways.

Miyazaki's refusal to narrow down conflict to two or even three sides is refreshing, and quite admirable considering its target audience. The film's largest creations, the ohmus, are wholly original, and are almost proof that the eyes are the window to the soul. It's huge arthropod denizens never come off as oozing grotesques, but wondrous (though scary) creatures. Here, the toxic jungle isn't so much an inhospitable realm as it is a fearsome marvel of nature. He does so with positive reinforcement, hardly ever resorting to demonizing, moralizing, or sermonizing. In every film since he has made his case for man to grow closer to nature as a return to the olden days. The film is considered to be the first of Miyazaki's works to showcase his strong environmental inclinations. Ranging from underground caverns, to heart of the toxic Jungle, and even to the very stratosphere. This leads to various adventures, escapes, revelations, and locales of staggering creativity. The Valley soon learns that its ominous load is a prize sought by warring kingdoms, one of which lays siege to the Valley. Having come from the neighboring jungle, it brings spores which threaten the Valley's forest, as well as an uneasy cargo. That same evening a massive airship crashes near the valley, attacked by an insect swarm. He has returned from his search for a prophesied savior only to return with grim news. One day she is visited by Lord Yupa, a noted Valley resident revered for his wisdom and unparalleled swordsmanship. One remaining beacon is the Valley of The Wind, a peaceful and prosperous feudal community, seemingly protected from the jungle by its bordering forest and strong winds. A few kingdoms remain, at war with the jungle and each other. A vast toxic jungle envelops the land, teeming with monstrous insects, hostile to anything that disturbs the expanse. The film's story takes place in a dystopian timeline where human civilization appears to be in its last throes.
