Review of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Miyazaki's first work he can 100% call his own, Nausicaa really set the standard for all-age anime cinema a notch up from Castle of Cagliostro. This anime goes down to be one of the most influential with its environmental message in a post-apocalyptic world. Unlike many anime before it, the cast of characters is huge, the plot complex, and the scope is epic, redefining what anime can do. There are small problems, some dealing with the dialogue. There is often needless dialogue where Nausicaa talks to herself, explaining things to the audience. Examples: "An Ohm!" "Gunshots!" "It came off!" "It even chipped a ceramic sword!" Yes, Nausicaa. We know. Wecan figure it out ourselves. This expositional dialog is childish and distracting, and would be better off removed.

The music is hit and miss. A lot of the music is 80's keyboards, and some of it is beautiful orchestra. I think the orchestrated music is amazing, and so I can forgive it. (Maybe someday. I'll forgive you someday, Nausicaa. Someday. =p)

Although the animation pales in comparison to Miyizaki's later work, it's the story and the well-developed world that makes this a classic. It's as enjoyable as eating a nice, fresh, slab of greasy delicious bacon in the morning before going to school. Yes, it's that good. Buy it, and forget about its faults. It's an old movie, 1984 for cryin' out loud.