Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Dir. Hayao Miyazaki

It was officially released before Studio Ghibli existed but a great many of the themes and techniques that the famous animation studio is now known for were birthed in Nausicaä.

The residents of the titular valley harness the full power of the wind to survive. It powers their post-apocalyptic machinery, but it also carries poisonous spores from the polluted forests and swamps that cover the Earth. So while it supports life, it also carries death.

The relationship between man and nature is a delicate one that's thrown into turmoil when a neighbouring nation pushes their hostile ambitions too far. The Princess Nausicaä finds herself stuck in the middle, forced to weigh her reverence for all life against the need to preserve and protect the innocent.

The three-decades-old animation is less sophisticated than modern Ghibli, but when placed in its own time it really shines, with the compassionate, level-headed Nausicaä on her glider being especially memorable. The ending is a little too abrupt for my tastes but the scenes played over the credits do help compensate.