Review of Castle in the Sky

"Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it." Not many studios can make a great movie on their first try, but Studio Ghibli did. While not Miyazaki's first movie, it's still a milestone in film history. Castle in the Sky is a simple, yet thorough tale of nature and how it contrasts with what us humans create to go alongside it. Story: 7 Our story follows Sheeta, a mysterious girl who is being chased by the government and a band of pirates. In order to save herself, she jumps down from an airship and floats to the surface below where she is caught by Pazu, a young boy.Pazu helps Sheeta flee from her chasers while also searching for Laputa, a castle in the sky.

While simple by today's standards, it is very effective in storytelling. There's a plot put in place plus some backstory thrown in for world building. While the story as whole is relatively predictable and won't be shocking you much, it's very engaging and may even leave you feeling a bit sad in the end.

Art: 9
It's Studio Ghibli, of course it's great. It's no surprise that the art is great. The scenery is vivid. The character animations are fluid. Despite being an earlier work, it still holds up incredibly well today, even if it's a bit basic when compared to Ghibli's other work.

Sound: 8
The music in the opening sequence is incredible as well as the song for the credits. While the music in between isn't remarkably memorable, it does a good job nevertheless.

Character: 8
Every character is distinct and wonderfully characterized. Sheeta is far from a typical heroine as she plays just as, if not bigger part than, Pazu whom is the male protagonist. However, the true stars of the film is Captain Dola and her children. While they're still a rag-tag team of pirates, they are a family at heart and even caring toward the protagonists. You can't help but like them. As for the villain, Muska, he's a typical menacing count who wants world domination. Though stereotypical, his intentions are clear and justified on his part to an extent.

Enjoyment: 9
It's a charming film. The action scenes are well done, and it is significantly funnier than most of Ghibli's films. If you enjoy the other Ghibli films, you'll like this one without a doubt.

Overall: 8
Though simple in nature, this film set a precedent for future Ghibli. Most importantly, it set down a foundation for all future anime films. You won't be finding a super deep story with a gigantic emotional plot twist, here, but a funny and down-to-earth adventure film.