Review of Castle in the Sky

This is the most fun I've ever had watching a Ghibli movie! This is a fast-paced action adventure film that (although it is fun for kids as well) is full of gun violence, actual real stakes, and a soft-magic science fiction world that is not often replicated today. Story: 10/10 Very intriguing. After an hour and a half, I had no idea where it was going to go. This has elements of The Iron Giant, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet in the western world; and One Piece and Neon Genesis: Evangelion in the east. Yet it predates them all! I went into thisblind, and it was more than I could have imagined.

Art: 10/10 Although the character designs and some aspects of the animation are a bit... dated, this was also so experimental in some parts that teally blew my mind. Every time there was action, every impact displayed itself perfectly. The steampunk aesthetic is not overbearing (I won't spoil this aspect, as it blew my mind with ideas). When they (not a spoiler) get to the floating island in the final act, the setting is so creative, and you will be hard-pressed to find anything like that before 1986. Miyazaki has such an amazing mind!

Sound: 7/10 It didn't blow me away like Spirited Away, but not bad at all.

Characters: 6/10 The villain is so unlikeable (in a good way). He not only has a stereotypical "all the power in the world" motivation, but he also constantly abuses Shita in a PG way--but of course, still hard to watch. A perfect villain. However, Shita and Patsu are kind of blank slates when it comes to their characters. If the plot wasn't so good, this would definitely bring me out of the film.

Enjoyment: 10/10 There was never a dull moment. The pacing was perfect. The plot is admittedly disconnected, but you don't care because of how intrigue and connecting dots continually come up. The opening scene is masterful, and I cannot spoil it, as it really hooked me for the long haul. This deserves its PG rating. This is no Totoro.

Overall: 9/10 This was so fun. The animation in the climax was gorgeous. The creatures and other living things and inventions all fit. There is an interesting theme that is pretty subtle, yet cannot be missed--pretty bold, even if it was 37 years after WWII. A must-watch.