Review of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

A thousand years after the collapse of industrial society, most of the world consists of deserts and toxic jungles. A small village lives in harmony with the Earth and giant bugs. Wind power and fire are their only sources of energy. Many villagers are ill due to the toxicity, but they live happy dignified lives. Princess Nausicaa understands the wind and the feelings of bugs and inspires everyone with her courage and goodwill. I wish the whole film had been like this, but, unfortunately, there's a plot: there are other groups which want to control nature, moulding it to suit humanity's interests again -nothing as ambitiousas rebuilding civilization, but merely making the world more inhabitable for them, securing their existence, instead of allowing themselves to become extinct. A military conflict arises between them, which Nausicaa's village can't escape.

Nausicaa is a pacifist, which means she requires plot armour to survive. She is capable of losing her temper and is very strong, so she understands the value of peace. Through her fearless submission, she shows humans and bugs how to live. Both humans and bugs attack each other because they are afraid, especially of each other's fear, but they can't help trusting someone fearless.

Nausicaa is an early female heroine in animation cinema, a firm step forward, followed by a series of much more clumsy ones.

The desolate landscapes are beautiful. The soft colours make it seem like nothing bad is ever happening. The giant bugs look like wise sages, comforting you with enormous blank eyes.

The message of Nausicaa is that you shouldn't step on bugs. If they were bigger than humans, they wouldn't be as cruel as us. And don't worry about the destruction of human civilization. That won't mean the end of the world at all. Life, humanity included, can continue with or without it.