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「風之谷」是部極具環保省思的卡通漫畫。故事中看似死亡森林的腐海及居住在腐海中的巨大昆蟲以及群蟲之王「王蟲」皆是為了使污染的大地復元而生。而主角娜烏西卡從小生長的地方「風之谷」則象徵著人與自然共生共榮的處女大地。
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 1995
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About the author
Hayao Miyazaki
366 books3,497 followersHayao Miyazaki (Japanese: 宮崎 駿) is a celebrated Japanese animator, filmmaker, screenwriter, and manga artist, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of animation. He is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, the animation studio responsible for producing many of Japan’s most beloved and internationally acclaimed animated films. Over the course of a career spanning decades, Miyazaki has developed a reputation for creating visually rich, emotionally resonant stories that often explore themes such as nature, pacifism, flight, childhood, and the human condition.
Miyazaki was born in Tokyo and developed an early interest in drawing and animation. His father’s work in the aviation industry had a significant influence on him, particularly in fostering his fascination with aircraft and flight, motifs that would become prominent throughout his later works. After studying political science and economics at university, Miyazaki began his professional career in animation when he joined Toei Animation. There, he worked under the mentorship of directors like Isao Takahata, with whom he would later form a lifelong creative partnership.
In his early years at Toei and other studios, Miyazaki contributed to several television series and animated films. He worked as a key animator and storyboard artist, gradually gaining recognition for his storytelling abilities and attention to detail. Among his early projects were contributions to series such as Heidi, Girl of the Alps and Future Boy Conan. His directorial debut in feature films came with The Castle of Cagliostro, a film adaptation of the Lupin III manga series, which already showed signs of his distinctive style and sensibilities.
Miyazaki's breakthrough came with the film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, based on his own manga. The success of that film prompted the establishment of Studio Ghibli, which he co-founded with Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki. From that point forward, Miyazaki directed and wrote many of Ghibli’s most iconic works, including My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle. His films are known for their hand-drawn animation, strong character development, and philosophical underpinnings.
In 2001, Miyazaki directed Spirited Away, which became one of the most critically and commercially successful animated films of all time. The film received numerous awards and international recognition, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It also became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history at the time of its release. The film’s success further solidified Miyazaki’s reputation as a master storyteller and a visionary in global cinema.
Despite announcing his retirement several times, Miyazaki repeatedly returned to filmmaking. His later works, such as Ponyo and The Wind Rises, continued to showcase his evolving themes and storytelling maturity. His most recent project, The Boy and the Heron, marked a highly anticipated return to the director’s chair and once again captivated audiences with its dreamlike visuals and emotional depth.
Miyazaki’s films are often distinguished by their complex female protagonists, environmental messages, and moral ambiguity. Rather than presenting clear-cut villains and heroes, his stories explore the nuances of human behavior and often focus on characters finding their place in the world. Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades and honors for his contributions to the arts, including lifetime achievement awards recognizing his impact on both Japanese and international cinema.
His legacy continues to influence generations of animators and filmmakers worldwide, and Studio Ghibli remains one of the most respected names in animation.
Miyazaki was born in Tokyo and developed an early interest in drawing and animation. His father’s work in the aviation industry had a significant influence on him, particularly in fostering his fascination with aircraft and flight, motifs that would become prominent throughout his later works. After studying political science and economics at university, Miyazaki began his professional career in animation when he joined Toei Animation. There, he worked under the mentorship of directors like Isao Takahata, with whom he would later form a lifelong creative partnership.
In his early years at Toei and other studios, Miyazaki contributed to several television series and animated films. He worked as a key animator and storyboard artist, gradually gaining recognition for his storytelling abilities and attention to detail. Among his early projects were contributions to series such as Heidi, Girl of the Alps and Future Boy Conan. His directorial debut in feature films came with The Castle of Cagliostro, a film adaptation of the Lupin III manga series, which already showed signs of his distinctive style and sensibilities.
Miyazaki's breakthrough came with the film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, based on his own manga. The success of that film prompted the establishment of Studio Ghibli, which he co-founded with Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki. From that point forward, Miyazaki directed and wrote many of Ghibli’s most iconic works, including My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle. His films are known for their hand-drawn animation, strong character development, and philosophical underpinnings.
In 2001, Miyazaki directed Spirited Away, which became one of the most critically and commercially successful animated films of all time. The film received numerous awards and international recognition, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It also became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history at the time of its release. The film’s success further solidified Miyazaki’s reputation as a master storyteller and a visionary in global cinema.
Despite announcing his retirement several times, Miyazaki repeatedly returned to filmmaking. His later works, such as Ponyo and The Wind Rises, continued to showcase his evolving themes and storytelling maturity. His most recent project, The Boy and the Heron, marked a highly anticipated return to the director’s chair and once again captivated audiences with its dreamlike visuals and emotional depth.
Miyazaki’s films are often distinguished by their complex female protagonists, environmental messages, and moral ambiguity. Rather than presenting clear-cut villains and heroes, his stories explore the nuances of human behavior and often focus on characters finding their place in the world. Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades and honors for his contributions to the arts, including lifetime achievement awards recognizing his impact on both Japanese and international cinema.
His legacy continues to influence generations of animators and filmmakers worldwide, and Studio Ghibli remains one of the most respected names in animation.
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June 20, 2024
2024 update: original 2011 review hidden in spoilertags as it's a little... well... high school. But some folks liked it, so I didn't want to just delete it.
My 2011 self was far more enraptured than I was on reread, though I do still think this is a five-star story. It raises a lot of questions about morality and essential human nature, about who we value and how, and why. It also really presses the question of anthrocentrism, though in this case I think it would be more appropriately called anthrochauvinism - the idea that humanity is (and should be) the solution to every problem. The world of Nausicaa is built of layers on layers of humanity trying to 'fix' things and fucking it up in new and different ways, and it is that conceit which is, ultimately, the greatest antagonist of the story.
The differences between the manga and the movie are interesting; obviously, the manga's plot is longer and more nuanced, and I especially love that Kushana here is not an antagonist, but a foil to Nausicaa - both are women in leadership positions despite sexist traditions, both striving for ideals that contradict the harsh world they live in, but with fundamentally different outlooks; they shape each other, and Kushana becomes the first of several characters representative of their geopolitical factions who is swayed to Nausicaa's worldview.
(Also, Kurotawa is there. This manga really doesn't do exaggerated or goofy facial expressions, except Kurotawa either in the background or when he thinks he's at his scheme-iest, and it cracked me up EVERY TIME. The juxtaposition of this character who thinks he's a mastermind also being the visual comic relief is very effective.)
The Ohmu aren't as important to the story as they are to the movie, and that took me by surprise even on the reread; not recalling this last volume's plot, I had expected them to come back for the grand finale, but the story went in a very different direction. I do feel like Volume 7 misses some of the magic and wonder of Nausicaa's world, being more focused on the destruction and horror of incomprehensible power irresponsibly unleashed. Emotionally, I expected something more focused on ideas of renewal, but it does make sense to end, essentially, on 'the work continues'. Doesn't it always?
2011 review:
My 2011 self was far more enraptured than I was on reread, though I do still think this is a five-star story. It raises a lot of questions about morality and essential human nature, about who we value and how, and why. It also really presses the question of anthrocentrism, though in this case I think it would be more appropriately called anthrochauvinism - the idea that humanity is (and should be) the solution to every problem. The world of Nausicaa is built of layers on layers of humanity trying to 'fix' things and fucking it up in new and different ways, and it is that conceit which is, ultimately, the greatest antagonist of the story.
The differences between the manga and the movie are interesting; obviously, the manga's plot is longer and more nuanced, and I especially love that Kushana here is not an antagonist, but a foil to Nausicaa - both are women in leadership positions despite sexist traditions, both striving for ideals that contradict the harsh world they live in, but with fundamentally different outlooks; they shape each other, and Kushana becomes the first of several characters representative of their geopolitical factions who is swayed to Nausicaa's worldview.
(Also, Kurotawa is there. This manga really doesn't do exaggerated or goofy facial expressions, except Kurotawa either in the background or when he thinks he's at his scheme-iest, and it cracked me up EVERY TIME. The juxtaposition of this character who thinks he's a mastermind also being the visual comic relief is very effective.)
The Ohmu aren't as important to the story as they are to the movie, and that took me by surprise even on the reread; not recalling this last volume's plot, I had expected them to come back for the grand finale, but the story went in a very different direction. I do feel like Volume 7 misses some of the magic and wonder of Nausicaa's world, being more focused on the destruction and horror of incomprehensible power irresponsibly unleashed. Emotionally, I expected something more focused on ideas of renewal, but it does make sense to end, essentially, on 'the work continues'. Doesn't it always?
2011 review:
June 28, 2013
This review will be for the series as a whole. I have, of course, watched the movie version of Nausicaa. Which made the first volume and half of the second fairly familiar territory for me.
But once you get past the halfway point of the second volume, and into the ground the movie didn't cover, the story grows exponentially. More characters, and a much, much bigger story. A lot of the questions that I'd had about the setting after watching the movie are answered in a satisfying way in later volumes.
I also greatly appreciate Miyazaki's restraint in not assigning good and evil roles. Characters are flawed, and do terrible things. But I don't recall a single character that is entirely, unredeemingly evil. This is not the easy way to tell a story, and it speaks to the message that Nausicaa left me with, that flawed though humans are, there is still hope.
But once you get past the halfway point of the second volume, and into the ground the movie didn't cover, the story grows exponentially. More characters, and a much, much bigger story. A lot of the questions that I'd had about the setting after watching the movie are answered in a satisfying way in later volumes.
I also greatly appreciate Miyazaki's restraint in not assigning good and evil roles. Characters are flawed, and do terrible things. But I don't recall a single character that is entirely, unredeemingly evil. This is not the easy way to tell a story, and it speaks to the message that Nausicaa left me with, that flawed though humans are, there is still hope.
June 26, 2025
Fenomenalno, od prve do poslednje stranice serijala. Ono što me posebno fascinira - pored tema, dramaturgije, dizajna, SF koncepata, vrhunskog crteža - jeste kako Mijazaki prokleto dobro kadrira. Kako radnja odmiče ovo postaje najbolji, najuzbudljiviji, najsavršeniji fentezi/post-apokaliptični strip koji ćete IKADA citati. Decenije mu nisu oduzele ni trunku kvaliteta, niti smanjile čitalačko uživanje. Remek-delo sedme umetnosti i meni trenutno strip godine.
March 5, 2024
This volume concludes the Nausicaä story. Nausicaä learns the biggest secret of her world and she makes a choice--a very strong choice. It's a fitting end to the story. Miyazaki delivers a strong anti-nuclear message, and the environmental message that has been present throughout the series is at its strongest in this volume.
February 3, 2018
My second book of 2018 was actually seven books (this review is for all seven volumes): the seven volumes that make up Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. So depending on how you count them, I'm either way ahead of schedule or slightly behind.
Miyazaki is my favorite active filmmaker (tied with the Coen brothers), but this is my first time reading any of his manga work. This is by far his largest and most ambitious work in the medium, an effort that took him more than twelve years to complete.
The film version of Nausicaa is generally considered to be the beginning of Studio Ghibli as we think of it, and is a fine film in its own right. But it really only covers the events that take place in the first two volumes of the manga, and greatly simplifies even those.
The manga feels like Miyazaki reaching his artistic maturity. All of the main thematic preoccupations and favorite imagery are present (so many flying contraptions, living heads rolling around, etc.). It is both the clearest and most nuanced presentation of Miyazaki's enviromentalist themes. Sharply critical of nationalism and militarism. It is philosophically dense, clearly and powerfully informed by Miyazaki's thinking on animism, Buddhism, nihilism and existentialism.
Quibbles: Miyazaki clearly learns a lot about the medium over the course of the books. His gorgeously rendered pencil backgrounds in the first few volumes often obscure the main characters and make it hard to follow what's going on (it doesn't help that a lot of characters look very much alike). Even in later volumes, he'll occasionally shift scenes in the middle of a page or do a time jump without any sort of narration or establishing panel, and parsing out what exactly is happening in some of the more frenetic action sequences can be difficult. The dialogue is sometimes stiff and exposition-heavy (which could be translation issues).
That said, it's clearly a masterpiece, and essential for all Miyazaki fans, which should be just about everyone. My rating is Top-Notch.
I have a lot more to talk about, though, so from here on out:
SPOILERS
.
.
.
One of my favorite things about Miyazaki is that (usually) there aren't really any villains, or at least there isn't anyone that's pure evil. No-one in whose death we would rejoice. There were several times while reading this book where I thought that wasn't true of this story, particularly with respect to Miralupa and the Dorok Emperor, the Vai Emperor and the Vai Emperor's three sons. And for one of those sons and the Dorok Emperor, there is not really any redeeming quality or moment of understanding, but mostly because they don't get a chance to interact with Nausicaa.
Nausicaa, you see, is the vector in a kind of empathy contagion. Everyone she comes into contact with that we had previously seen as a kind of villain becomes more understandable, relatable, sometimes even admirable. This happens again and again: starting from the beginning with the Ohmu and continuing with Kushana, Kurotawa, Asbel, the Holy One, Charuka, Miralupa, the worm handlers, the god warrior and the Vai Emperor. And while the book makes it clear that these people are changing because of their interactions with Nausicaa (particularly with regard to Kurotawa and Charuka who occasionally find themselves bewildered at the kind, noble, or brave actions they are taking), it is also revealing good things about them that we just didn't realize. My favorite example of this is at the end with the Vai Emperor, who up until then has been characterized as basically a hateful monster who doesn't even care for his own family, driven only by a thirst for conquest. He enters the crypt of Shuwa to gain the secrets of the old world and basically just starts shooting everything he doesn't understand. Then Nausicaa comes in and interacts with the Master of the Crypt. The Emperor barely has the context to even understand what the discussion is about, but when Nausicaa rejects the Master's plan for humanity, he becomes downright dashing. Immediately he's into Nausicaa's play, all "to hell with the old gods!", and he gives his life to protect her. Brave, iconoclastic, gallant. Those qualities were there all along, we just viewed them as monstrous because they were also the cause of senseless atrocities.
And boy are there some senseless atrocities in this book. For a post-apocalyptic world that already has far fewer people, a huge number of people die. Not just soldiers, but children and animals, too. Nausicaa loses both her Artax (Kai) and her Hedwig (Teto), y'all, and when Teto died it messed me up. That's what gives the lack of villains in the story its weight, that even without true evil unthinkably awful things happen. And despite the empathy we grant them, it doesn't forgive the people who caused it. There's a great moment with the Vai Emperor's two sons where they're like "So you sympathise with us Nausicaa? You see how we had to do all these terrible things just to survive in the world we were born into?" And Nausicaa smiles sadly at them, because she does understand but she's thinking about all the people who died because of their cowardice and jockeying for position.
This use of Nausicaa as patient zero in an outbreak of goodness is not unique to this story. It's a kind of mini-genre, one of my favorite mini-genres. Miyazaki has other examples (Spirited Away is a more complicated one), but my favorite is Wall-e. Wall-e infects everyone he meets with his curiosity and sense of wonder, and in every case that progresses to their learning kindness and responsibility. It's also key to the story that both Wall-e and Nausicaa are pursuing their own goals and just affect others like this incidentally. These are not manic pixie dream girls/robots. I bring this up not only because it's one of my favorite kind of stories, but also because I can't think of a snappy name for it and I'm hoping someone else has one.
Other things I want to talk about but I'm getting too tired to type in anything but outline follow. If anyone wants to talk about them, I'd love to discuss them more, btw, especially if you've read Nausicaa:
-Charuka, who is probably the most fascinating character in the book to me.
-Doubling in the story, the way multiple characters fulfill similar roles at different times and are compared and contrasted by it (Nausicaa and Kushana, Nausicaa and Tepa, Nausicaa and Chikiku, the Holy One and Charuka, Miralupa and his brother, Kurotawa and Mito, Ohmu and Ohma, and many many more).
-The way the book constantly erodes the distinction between natural and man-made (which is genuinely one of the most bullshit distinctions that everyone believes in).
-The really complex philosophy in the book. In the heart of the Ohmu, Nausicaa has trouble with a kind of Buddhist conception of the universe that embraces the cycles of suffering and the distinction between it and nihilism. She ultimately rejects both but keeps a respect for suffering. She is also tempted by and rejects both Panglossian nonsense and the ascetic life (she emphatically does not just tend to the garden). Her goals are constantly shifting as she enters a new situation and decides what the best thing she can do in this situation is. And she's willing to make painful, pragmatic choices when necessary. The place she lands is kind of existentialist, informed by animism, I guess. But I find her decision in the crypt difficult to make sense of. The Master's philosophy is a kind of "ends justifies the means" thing on a vast time scale. She chooses a world that incorporates their horrific "means" but destroys the possibility of their utopian "ends." This is possibly related to the relationship the book has with death and how it affects and makes sense of the choices humans make. The Master of the Crypt (and the being in the garden before it) have cheated death and as a result are granted less sympathy by Nausicaa (and here I offer the caveat to my "no villains" argument, the Master is arguably treated as a true villain).
-The fantastical biology stuff, which is all great.
-Something something nukes, something something cynical politics.
-Gender and sexism, like whoa, I'd almost forgot how much there is to talk about this book's feminism. Start with the two most important and inspirational leaders being Nausicaa and Kushana. Also how much of what makes them so incredibly inspirational is their being indomitable in the face of extreme vulnerability, a characteristic that is intimately tied to their femininity, in ways both thought-provoking and problematic. (Oh, man, so much could be said about Nausicaa as the worm-handler's god- "She's just like our daughters! SHE'S JUST LIKE US!")
-Also, the importance of the idea of parent and child; Nausicaa as Ohma's mother. This book, like a lot of Miyazaki's work, is filled with good mentors/parents (Yupa and Jihl for Nausicaa, the Holy One for Ketcha, etc) and bad ones (the Vai Emporer, Nausicaa's mom, arguably Nausicaa for Ohma).
Okay, Imma stop there. Go read some other books.
Miyazaki is my favorite active filmmaker (tied with the Coen brothers), but this is my first time reading any of his manga work. This is by far his largest and most ambitious work in the medium, an effort that took him more than twelve years to complete.
The film version of Nausicaa is generally considered to be the beginning of Studio Ghibli as we think of it, and is a fine film in its own right. But it really only covers the events that take place in the first two volumes of the manga, and greatly simplifies even those.
The manga feels like Miyazaki reaching his artistic maturity. All of the main thematic preoccupations and favorite imagery are present (so many flying contraptions, living heads rolling around, etc.). It is both the clearest and most nuanced presentation of Miyazaki's enviromentalist themes. Sharply critical of nationalism and militarism. It is philosophically dense, clearly and powerfully informed by Miyazaki's thinking on animism, Buddhism, nihilism and existentialism.
Quibbles: Miyazaki clearly learns a lot about the medium over the course of the books. His gorgeously rendered pencil backgrounds in the first few volumes often obscure the main characters and make it hard to follow what's going on (it doesn't help that a lot of characters look very much alike). Even in later volumes, he'll occasionally shift scenes in the middle of a page or do a time jump without any sort of narration or establishing panel, and parsing out what exactly is happening in some of the more frenetic action sequences can be difficult. The dialogue is sometimes stiff and exposition-heavy (which could be translation issues).
That said, it's clearly a masterpiece, and essential for all Miyazaki fans, which should be just about everyone. My rating is Top-Notch.
I have a lot more to talk about, though, so from here on out:
SPOILERS
.
.
.
One of my favorite things about Miyazaki is that (usually) there aren't really any villains, or at least there isn't anyone that's pure evil. No-one in whose death we would rejoice. There were several times while reading this book where I thought that wasn't true of this story, particularly with respect to Miralupa and the Dorok Emperor, the Vai Emperor and the Vai Emperor's three sons. And for one of those sons and the Dorok Emperor, there is not really any redeeming quality or moment of understanding, but mostly because they don't get a chance to interact with Nausicaa.
Nausicaa, you see, is the vector in a kind of empathy contagion. Everyone she comes into contact with that we had previously seen as a kind of villain becomes more understandable, relatable, sometimes even admirable. This happens again and again: starting from the beginning with the Ohmu and continuing with Kushana, Kurotawa, Asbel, the Holy One, Charuka, Miralupa, the worm handlers, the god warrior and the Vai Emperor. And while the book makes it clear that these people are changing because of their interactions with Nausicaa (particularly with regard to Kurotawa and Charuka who occasionally find themselves bewildered at the kind, noble, or brave actions they are taking), it is also revealing good things about them that we just didn't realize. My favorite example of this is at the end with the Vai Emperor, who up until then has been characterized as basically a hateful monster who doesn't even care for his own family, driven only by a thirst for conquest. He enters the crypt of Shuwa to gain the secrets of the old world and basically just starts shooting everything he doesn't understand. Then Nausicaa comes in and interacts with the Master of the Crypt. The Emperor barely has the context to even understand what the discussion is about, but when Nausicaa rejects the Master's plan for humanity, he becomes downright dashing. Immediately he's into Nausicaa's play, all "to hell with the old gods!", and he gives his life to protect her. Brave, iconoclastic, gallant. Those qualities were there all along, we just viewed them as monstrous because they were also the cause of senseless atrocities.
And boy are there some senseless atrocities in this book. For a post-apocalyptic world that already has far fewer people, a huge number of people die. Not just soldiers, but children and animals, too. Nausicaa loses both her Artax (Kai) and her Hedwig (Teto), y'all, and when Teto died it messed me up. That's what gives the lack of villains in the story its weight, that even without true evil unthinkably awful things happen. And despite the empathy we grant them, it doesn't forgive the people who caused it. There's a great moment with the Vai Emperor's two sons where they're like "So you sympathise with us Nausicaa? You see how we had to do all these terrible things just to survive in the world we were born into?" And Nausicaa smiles sadly at them, because she does understand but she's thinking about all the people who died because of their cowardice and jockeying for position.
This use of Nausicaa as patient zero in an outbreak of goodness is not unique to this story. It's a kind of mini-genre, one of my favorite mini-genres. Miyazaki has other examples (Spirited Away is a more complicated one), but my favorite is Wall-e. Wall-e infects everyone he meets with his curiosity and sense of wonder, and in every case that progresses to their learning kindness and responsibility. It's also key to the story that both Wall-e and Nausicaa are pursuing their own goals and just affect others like this incidentally. These are not manic pixie dream girls/robots. I bring this up not only because it's one of my favorite kind of stories, but also because I can't think of a snappy name for it and I'm hoping someone else has one.
Other things I want to talk about but I'm getting too tired to type in anything but outline follow. If anyone wants to talk about them, I'd love to discuss them more, btw, especially if you've read Nausicaa:
-Charuka, who is probably the most fascinating character in the book to me.
-Doubling in the story, the way multiple characters fulfill similar roles at different times and are compared and contrasted by it (Nausicaa and Kushana, Nausicaa and Tepa, Nausicaa and Chikiku, the Holy One and Charuka, Miralupa and his brother, Kurotawa and Mito, Ohmu and Ohma, and many many more).
-The way the book constantly erodes the distinction between natural and man-made (which is genuinely one of the most bullshit distinctions that everyone believes in).
-The really complex philosophy in the book. In the heart of the Ohmu, Nausicaa has trouble with a kind of Buddhist conception of the universe that embraces the cycles of suffering and the distinction between it and nihilism. She ultimately rejects both but keeps a respect for suffering. She is also tempted by and rejects both Panglossian nonsense and the ascetic life (she emphatically does not just tend to the garden). Her goals are constantly shifting as she enters a new situation and decides what the best thing she can do in this situation is. And she's willing to make painful, pragmatic choices when necessary. The place she lands is kind of existentialist, informed by animism, I guess. But I find her decision in the crypt difficult to make sense of. The Master's philosophy is a kind of "ends justifies the means" thing on a vast time scale. She chooses a world that incorporates their horrific "means" but destroys the possibility of their utopian "ends." This is possibly related to the relationship the book has with death and how it affects and makes sense of the choices humans make. The Master of the Crypt (and the being in the garden before it) have cheated death and as a result are granted less sympathy by Nausicaa (and here I offer the caveat to my "no villains" argument, the Master is arguably treated as a true villain).
-The fantastical biology stuff, which is all great.
-Something something nukes, something something cynical politics.
-Gender and sexism, like whoa, I'd almost forgot how much there is to talk about this book's feminism. Start with the two most important and inspirational leaders being Nausicaa and Kushana. Also how much of what makes them so incredibly inspirational is their being indomitable in the face of extreme vulnerability, a characteristic that is intimately tied to their femininity, in ways both thought-provoking and problematic. (Oh, man, so much could be said about Nausicaa as the worm-handler's god- "She's just like our daughters! SHE'S JUST LIKE US!")
-Also, the importance of the idea of parent and child; Nausicaa as Ohma's mother. This book, like a lot of Miyazaki's work, is filled with good mentors/parents (Yupa and Jihl for Nausicaa, the Holy One for Ketcha, etc) and bad ones (the Vai Emporer, Nausicaa's mom, arguably Nausicaa for Ohma).
Okay, Imma stop there. Go read some other books.
March 5, 2025
Une belle série, de belles illustrations, des personnages attachants voire fascinants pour certains, des rebondissements, une fin magnifique et pleine d'espoir.
Nausicaa, ce n'est pas juste un manga ou un animé, c'est un plaidoyer pour la justice et l'équité entre les Hommes, c'est la reconnaissance et la défense de ce que la nature leur apporte, c'est la communion entre les êtres et la terre, c'est une écologie éthique et positive, c'est l'espoir que l'humanité peut ne pas se détruire et vivre en harmonie avec ce et ceux qui l'entourent.
Nausicaa, ce n'est pas juste un manga ou un animé, c'est un plaidoyer pour la justice et l'équité entre les Hommes, c'est la reconnaissance et la défense de ce que la nature leur apporte, c'est la communion entre les êtres et la terre, c'est une écologie éthique et positive, c'est l'espoir que l'humanité peut ne pas se détruire et vivre en harmonie avec ce et ceux qui l'entourent.
September 19, 2024
Some of this was confusing, but wow! What an end to the series! While I don’t really agree with ALL the messages of the story, it was fascinating and gave me some food for thought.
I definitely want to check out the movie now!
I definitely want to check out the movie now!
April 10, 2025
This whole series was quite something. The first four were breathtaking in scope, art, and theme. Truly masterful! The last three were intense with a bit too much violence and darkness for my taste. However, the theme of life was strong and beautiful. It's a story that makes you appreciate life. It felt like a tale of processing trauma and the good/evil in the human condition. I loved the closing line.
Definitely for older teens and adults due to the last three volumes.
Definitely for older teens and adults due to the last three volumes.
November 25, 2017
A very disappointing end to what would be a pretty good series...
What’s it about?
I honestly couldn’t tell you which is the main problem I’m gonna get into later.
Pros:
The art is very well done! Great job there!
There’s some pretty good action scenes throughout.
Some of the WTF parts of the book that are actually done well. Sometimes WTF parts of a book are just convoluted bulls*** which there is a bit of but some parts are well done WTF moments!
Cons:
The story is convoluted. Don’t get me wrong, I think I sorta understood the story and I have read some books that are a lot more unclear than this but could I attempt explaining it? No. Am I entirely sure what happened? No and I usually understand stories fairly well, even weird ones. Was I for a lot of the book thinking things like how the hell did we get here? Yep. That’s a problem.
The characters... I no longer gave a s*** about them while reading this volume. A lot of them are very bland and/or I got some of them mixed up.
The ending is very disappointing and not really an ending... really, it even said that there’s more to the story but this is where they quit telling it. Not to mention it sorta tries to tell you what happens to Nausicaa and says it could have been 2 different things. Call me boring if you want but I like my stories to have an ending in the final volume.
Overall:
I want to give this a better review but can’t bring myself to. At first I absolutely loved this series now... not really. The art and action were fantastic throughout but now the story feels convoluted, I don’t really care about the characters and the ending isn’t really a good one, so it fails to be a good finale though it’s not a horrible one either. If you were thinking about trying this series I wouldn’t recommend not doing so but if you weren’t going to I don’t think I’d recommend this series to anyone.
2/5
What’s it about?
I honestly couldn’t tell you which is the main problem I’m gonna get into later.
Pros:
The art is very well done! Great job there!
There’s some pretty good action scenes throughout.
Some of the WTF parts of the book that are actually done well. Sometimes WTF parts of a book are just convoluted bulls*** which there is a bit of but some parts are well done WTF moments!
Cons:
The story is convoluted. Don’t get me wrong, I think I sorta understood the story and I have read some books that are a lot more unclear than this but could I attempt explaining it? No. Am I entirely sure what happened? No and I usually understand stories fairly well, even weird ones. Was I for a lot of the book thinking things like how the hell did we get here? Yep. That’s a problem.
The characters... I no longer gave a s*** about them while reading this volume. A lot of them are very bland and/or I got some of them mixed up.
The ending is very disappointing and not really an ending... really, it even said that there’s more to the story but this is where they quit telling it. Not to mention it sorta tries to tell you what happens to Nausicaa and says it could have been 2 different things. Call me boring if you want but I like my stories to have an ending in the final volume.
Overall:
I want to give this a better review but can’t bring myself to. At first I absolutely loved this series now... not really. The art and action were fantastic throughout but now the story feels convoluted, I don’t really care about the characters and the ending isn’t really a good one, so it fails to be a good finale though it’s not a horrible one either. If you were thinking about trying this series I wouldn’t recommend not doing so but if you weren’t going to I don’t think I’d recommend this series to anyone.
2/5
August 21, 2019
Such a great series, a must read.
September 5, 2019
So ends this story. It was a bit of a tough read, and often I had to stop and think and re-read things to keep up, but at the end of the day I'm not sad that I did.
January 9, 2024
Je vais tout relire et m'arrêter mi-tome 6 pour mener une vie heureuse :)
March 28, 2025
20250327 12th read
最近因為大螢幕首映
可惜首週的海報因為出差拿不到QQ
既然沒得拿就不想花錢看電影
把漫畫拿出來重看，這次又看不出沙丘味哩
第十二回重看
稍稍看懂了改造人和腐海的關係
遠古超文明把地球玩壞了
只好設計出一個排毒生態系
裡面有腐海和改造人
等到毒素都排乾淨了
再放出保留起來的超乾淨人類
只是這個系統有個問題
既然是人造生態系
有必要弄出改造人來瞎攪和嗎
幹麻把重建世界的技術搞得神神秘秘的
讓改造人狐假虎威，奉陵墓主人
在那邊亂猜咒語，弄出一堆軍事科技
讓腐海慢慢的排毒就好，反正又不趕時間
等到適合的時候再讓那些永生的生化人教導新人類啊
當然不這樣寫就少了很多戲劇性的張力我是了解啦~
說什麼極具環保意識，似乎不是重點
倒是覺得宮老其實是想畫戰爭大場面吧~
巨神兵光束仍舊是核武的樣子
再混搭二戰加拿破崙時代的科技
創造出細節很寫實，深思卻很荒謬的戰爭場面
總覺得創意都用在這裡了XD
--
20231029 11th read
這回好像看出點沙丘味
--
20201013 10th read
每看完一遍都要許願，漫畫版變成動畫版吧~
--
2009/03/12 1st read
2016/10 7th read
2018/04 8th read
2019/02/11 9th read
好想看漫畫版變成動畫版啊~~ 只是預算應該是個無底洞吧....
最近因為大螢幕首映
可惜首週的海報因為出差拿不到QQ
既然沒得拿就不想花錢看電影
把漫畫拿出來重看，這次又看不出沙丘味哩
第十二回重看
稍稍看懂了改造人和腐海的關係
遠古超文明把地球玩壞了
只好設計出一個排毒生態系
裡面有腐海和改造人
等到毒素都排乾淨了
再放出保留起來的超乾淨人類
只是這個系統有個問題
既然是人造生態系
有必要弄出改造人來瞎攪和嗎
幹麻把重建世界的技術搞得神神秘秘的
讓改造人狐假虎威，奉陵墓主人
在那邊亂猜咒語，弄出一堆軍事科技
讓腐海慢慢的排毒就好，反正又不趕時間
等到適合的時候再讓那些永生的生化人教導新人類啊
當然不這樣寫就少了很多戲劇性的張力我是了解啦~
說什麼極具環保意識，似乎不是重點
倒是覺得宮老其實是想畫戰爭大場面吧~
巨神兵光束仍舊是核武的樣子
再混搭二戰加拿破崙時代的科技
創造出細節很寫實，深思卻很荒謬的戰爭場面
總覺得創意都用在這裡了XD
--
20231029 11th read
這回好像看出點沙丘味
--
20201013 10th read
每看完一遍都要許願，漫畫版變成動畫版吧~
--
2009/03/12 1st read
2016/10 7th read
2018/04 8th read
2019/02/11 9th read
好想看漫畫版變成動畫版啊~~ 只是預算應該是個無底洞吧....
March 12, 2023
I don't think I understand to the extent that I want to. As the end of the series, it wrapped up in such a way that answered many questions yet left me wanting. I feel as though there were some incredibly complex messages hidden within this book and series as a whole and without discussion, I don't think I'll find out exactly what I think I should.
Perhaps its one of the best graphic novel series ever written. I enjoyed it to the last page.
Perhaps its one of the best graphic novel series ever written. I enjoyed it to the last page.
January 14, 2022
“We must live.”
I can't fully fathom Miyazaki's brilliance in character development, world building and meaningful plot structure--he truly is a genius. Nausicaä is easily one of the most beloved heroines I've grown attached to in my life and I'm grateful this story was written and went beyond the walls of a stand-alone film. One of the most beautiful stories I’ve read in a long time.
I can't fully fathom Miyazaki's brilliance in character development, world building and meaningful plot structure--he truly is a genius. Nausicaä is easily one of the most beloved heroines I've grown attached to in my life and I'm grateful this story was written and went beyond the walls of a stand-alone film. One of the most beautiful stories I’ve read in a long time.
February 1, 2013
via NYPL - the confusion ends. Humanity chooses to live with uncertainty. I'd rate the whole thing 3.5 stars.
January 6, 2024
Je crois que ce que j'aime le plus avec Nausicaa, c'est la fatalité de la pollution qui représente une corruption beaucoup plus large que simplement environnementale, présente à travers les nations et les croyances tout le long de la série. Il y a toujours quelque chose de très saisissant dans une histoire ou le commencement renaît des cendres d'une civilisation industrielle qui est depuis tombée dans l'oublie parce que nous sommes en sous-entendu bien sûr, cette même société industrielle. Le cycle de la dégénérescence qui est un theme fort de la littérature fantasy est toujours quelque chose de très cyclique et un peu memento mori, il faut le dire mais il sert à nous sonder nous même, et remet sans arrêt en question la responsabilité et la culpabilité de l'homme dans son propre destin.
Le point fort de tout ça c'est sa critique du cercle de la violence et de la guerre, et de la déchéances des hommes à travers celui-ci. La véritable paix c'est à travers la compréhension mutuelle quelle peut exister autant entre peuples que entre les hommes et la nature, représentée par le personnage de Nausicaa. Au final l'histoire propose comme alternative aux atrocités de la guerre et aux extinctions de masses la compassion et la sensibilité pour chaque êtres vivants. C'est pourquoi l’expérience de la guerre à travers Nausicaa est si intense, on est forcé de regarder la mort dans les yeux et de prendre la décision de s'attacher à tous sans distinctions.
C'est aussi pourquoi elle prend un rôle d'atlas dans la préservation de son monde, une figure christique qui fait face à la souffrance en rétribution des homme face à eux même et les conséquences de leur passé. Elle fait le pont entre les opposés : guerre et paix, amour et haine et homme vs nature. C'est au final la conviction de Nausicaa d'une harmonie entre la mer de décomposition et les homme qui triomphe du dilemme final.
Après tout est ce que je peux vraiment être très objectif, c'était les mêmes livres que nous avions emprunté avec mon père quand j'avais 10 ans pour partir en vacance, tellement vieux qu'on a la même date de naissance, mais les seuls de la bibliothèque.
Le point fort de tout ça c'est sa critique du cercle de la violence et de la guerre, et de la déchéances des hommes à travers celui-ci. La véritable paix c'est à travers la compréhension mutuelle quelle peut exister autant entre peuples que entre les hommes et la nature, représentée par le personnage de Nausicaa. Au final l'histoire propose comme alternative aux atrocités de la guerre et aux extinctions de masses la compassion et la sensibilité pour chaque êtres vivants. C'est pourquoi l’expérience de la guerre à travers Nausicaa est si intense, on est forcé de regarder la mort dans les yeux et de prendre la décision de s'attacher à tous sans distinctions.
C'est aussi pourquoi elle prend un rôle d'atlas dans la préservation de son monde, une figure christique qui fait face à la souffrance en rétribution des homme face à eux même et les conséquences de leur passé. Elle fait le pont entre les opposés : guerre et paix, amour et haine et homme vs nature. C'est au final la conviction de Nausicaa d'une harmonie entre la mer de décomposition et les homme qui triomphe du dilemme final.
Après tout est ce que je peux vraiment être très objectif, c'était les mêmes livres que nous avions emprunté avec mon père quand j'avais 10 ans pour partir en vacance, tellement vieux qu'on a la même date de naissance, mais les seuls de la bibliothèque.
March 2, 2023
J'ai lu beaucoup de mangas, mais Nausicaa... C'est vraiment autre chose. Miyazaki est un génie, et plus encore que dans ses animes, j'ai découvert un condensé de l'humanité, dans ce qu'elle a de plus abject et de plus beau.
January 25, 2022
(écrit un bon bout de temps après lecture) Ce tome qui conclut la saga de Nausicaa n'est pas sans suspense ni moments grandioses. Les scènes du début dans les montagnes avec le dieu guerrier Oma gardant Nausicaa donnent des dessins impressionnants. Il y a aussi un côté pacifiste qui vient s'ajouter à la métaphore environnementale. Les Dorks et les Tolmèques essayent de briser le cycle infini de guerre et de guerre de répartie qui les mène à une destruction mutuelle. Le fil rouge du tome est le cimetière sacré de la cité sainte de [nom oublié] qui contient les secrets de la Mer de Décomposition, et tout le suspense repose sur cette course finale pour atteindre ledit temple.
Avant cela, une des scènes les plus marquantes est celle du Jardin. Au cours du périple Nausicaa atteint ce lieu mystique, qui n'est pas visible de l'extérieur, et qui constitue un sanctuaire luxuriant et plein de vie à l'abri des spores et des batailles. Nausicaa refuse cette opportunité de vivre en paix et d'enfin oublier ce monde douloureux, ce qui est une décision forte pour le personnage. Durant cet arc il est également révélé que la Mer de Décomposition est en fait une création humaine, générée par manipulation génétique etc. en dernier recours pour sauver la planète lorsque l'humanité d'alors comprit que rien d'autre ne pourrait sauver la planète. Une idée ma foi intéressante et qui prête à réflexion.
Après quelques scènes de bataille pour atteindre le cimetière central à l'histoire - scènes d'action qui sont esthétiquement riches en idées parfois, qui sont beaucoup plus claires que dans les premiers tomes, et qui portent un parfum de métaphore nucléaire lorsque Oma déchaîne sa puissance -, de nouvelles surprises sont révélées. Grosso modo, le cimetière est un reliquat du passé protégé par une forteresse et des moines guerriers. Depuis des siècles, ils payent le peuple qui contrôle la cité autour du cimetière en secrets et technologies, pour être protégés - sans souci pour l'équilibre du monde. La raison est que le cimetière renforme en son sein de quoi faire renaître une humanité nouvelle après que la Mer de Décomposition ait tout englouti et purifié. Le secret terrible est que les humains que nous suivons depuis le début ont en fait évolué pour vivre dans les miasmes pollués de leur temps, et ne survivraient pas dans un air pur comme il y en avait avant la grande guerre/Raz de Marée qui a créé la Mer de Décomposition et toute la dévastation qui a marqué le début du monde dans lequel Nausicaa vit. Un plot twist assez étrange et que j'ai trouvé moins satisfaisant que voulu.
Nausicaa se trouve alors donnée l'opportunité de protéger ce cimetière pour perpétuer cet espoir d'une humanité nouvelle qui vivra dans le nouveau monde pur, ou bien le détruire, et condamner l'espèce humaine à survivre comme elle l'est. Nausicaa choisit cette seconde option; elle sauve l'humanité actuelle au sacrifice de l'humanité nouvelle. Bien que moralement ambigu, ce choix est justifié par son amour de tous les peuples qui vivent à l'instant présent, sa conviction que l'on peut vivre en harmonie avec la Mer de Décomposition, et peut-être la conviction aussi que l'humanité nouvelle préservée par le cimetière répéterait le cycle et détruirait la planète à nouveau. Ce qui pousse à la question: ne vaut-il pas mieux que l'humanité s'éteigne? La saga se termine de façon assez abrupte par essentiellement une bulle de texte qui dit voilà c'est fini sans plus de perspective sur l'avenir de tous les personnages suivis - on se doute qu'ils vivront un peu dans l'état où on les avait trouvés au début du tome 1, mais avec une population réduite et une Mer étendue.
Ce tome en lui même est assez cool, présente beaucoup d'éléments scénaristiques intéressants et de scènes à l'esthétique somptueuse - c'est aussi le plus long des 7, ce qui lui donne plus de place. C'est peut-être le volume qui trouve le meilleur équilibre entre action et scénario.
La saga Nausicaa globalement est un manga d'action assez sympathique, avec une métaphore écologico-pacifiste intéressante et avec beaucoup de facettes. On regrette cependant qu'elle ne soit pas approfondie et se retrouve souvent couverte par de l'action brouillonne et un peu trop fatigante par moments, surtout dans les tomes de milieu de saga. L'univers est en revanche somptueux et assez unique, esthétiquement et conceptuellement. J'aurais préféré que la Mer de Décomposition prenne plus de place par rapport à la guéguerre. Au final, très peu de scènes y prennent place, et toute l'optique de vivre en harmonie avec elle n'est qu'effleurée en surface. Je ne regrette pas la lecture, et certains moments prêtent à réfléchir. L'avoir lu en parallèle de l'Atlas de l'Anthropocène en a renforcé très grandement le propos. Mais dans l'ensemble, je préfère le ton et l'atmosphère du film, même s'il est beaucoup plus limité scénaristiquement. La saga est un 3.5/5, ce tome-ci un 4/5
Avant cela, une des scènes les plus marquantes est celle du Jardin. Au cours du périple Nausicaa atteint ce lieu mystique, qui n'est pas visible de l'extérieur, et qui constitue un sanctuaire luxuriant et plein de vie à l'abri des spores et des batailles. Nausicaa refuse cette opportunité de vivre en paix et d'enfin oublier ce monde douloureux, ce qui est une décision forte pour le personnage. Durant cet arc il est également révélé que la Mer de Décomposition est en fait une création humaine, générée par manipulation génétique etc. en dernier recours pour sauver la planète lorsque l'humanité d'alors comprit que rien d'autre ne pourrait sauver la planète. Une idée ma foi intéressante et qui prête à réflexion.
Après quelques scènes de bataille pour atteindre le cimetière central à l'histoire - scènes d'action qui sont esthétiquement riches en idées parfois, qui sont beaucoup plus claires que dans les premiers tomes, et qui portent un parfum de métaphore nucléaire lorsque Oma déchaîne sa puissance -, de nouvelles surprises sont révélées. Grosso modo, le cimetière est un reliquat du passé protégé par une forteresse et des moines guerriers. Depuis des siècles, ils payent le peuple qui contrôle la cité autour du cimetière en secrets et technologies, pour être protégés - sans souci pour l'équilibre du monde. La raison est que le cimetière renforme en son sein de quoi faire renaître une humanité nouvelle après que la Mer de Décomposition ait tout englouti et purifié. Le secret terrible est que les humains que nous suivons depuis le début ont en fait évolué pour vivre dans les miasmes pollués de leur temps, et ne survivraient pas dans un air pur comme il y en avait avant la grande guerre/Raz de Marée qui a créé la Mer de Décomposition et toute la dévastation qui a marqué le début du monde dans lequel Nausicaa vit. Un plot twist assez étrange et que j'ai trouvé moins satisfaisant que voulu.
Nausicaa se trouve alors donnée l'opportunité de protéger ce cimetière pour perpétuer cet espoir d'une humanité nouvelle qui vivra dans le nouveau monde pur, ou bien le détruire, et condamner l'espèce humaine à survivre comme elle l'est. Nausicaa choisit cette seconde option; elle sauve l'humanité actuelle au sacrifice de l'humanité nouvelle. Bien que moralement ambigu, ce choix est justifié par son amour de tous les peuples qui vivent à l'instant présent, sa conviction que l'on peut vivre en harmonie avec la Mer de Décomposition, et peut-être la conviction aussi que l'humanité nouvelle préservée par le cimetière répéterait le cycle et détruirait la planète à nouveau. Ce qui pousse à la question: ne vaut-il pas mieux que l'humanité s'éteigne? La saga se termine de façon assez abrupte par essentiellement une bulle de texte qui dit voilà c'est fini sans plus de perspective sur l'avenir de tous les personnages suivis - on se doute qu'ils vivront un peu dans l'état où on les avait trouvés au début du tome 1, mais avec une population réduite et une Mer étendue.
Ce tome en lui même est assez cool, présente beaucoup d'éléments scénaristiques intéressants et de scènes à l'esthétique somptueuse - c'est aussi le plus long des 7, ce qui lui donne plus de place. C'est peut-être le volume qui trouve le meilleur équilibre entre action et scénario.
La saga Nausicaa globalement est un manga d'action assez sympathique, avec une métaphore écologico-pacifiste intéressante et avec beaucoup de facettes. On regrette cependant qu'elle ne soit pas approfondie et se retrouve souvent couverte par de l'action brouillonne et un peu trop fatigante par moments, surtout dans les tomes de milieu de saga. L'univers est en revanche somptueux et assez unique, esthétiquement et conceptuellement. J'aurais préféré que la Mer de Décomposition prenne plus de place par rapport à la guéguerre. Au final, très peu de scènes y prennent place, et toute l'optique de vivre en harmonie avec elle n'est qu'effleurée en surface. Je ne regrette pas la lecture, et certains moments prêtent à réfléchir. L'avoir lu en parallèle de l'Atlas de l'Anthropocène en a renforcé très grandement le propos. Mais dans l'ensemble, je préfère le ton et l'atmosphère du film, même s'il est beaucoup plus limité scénaristiquement. La saga est un 3.5/5, ce tome-ci un 4/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2023
Hieno lopetus, vaikka vähän auki jääkin. Olihan tämä näyttävä eepos ja vaikka välillä vähän hitaasti eteni, jäi lopulta oikein hyvä maku.
October 24, 2013
After 1,000 pages of this, I can say that it's really quite brilliant. It's easy to see how it influenced things like Final Fantasy and a host of other things. It's actually the first manga I've ever read, and I sort of have a hard time believing anything will be much better.
If you've only seen the film, it's worth reading this. The film is sort of a condensed version of the first two volumes, that consolidates a lot and skips a lot of the coolest things, I think. It's a great adventure story and surprisingly graphic. Miyazaki's known for children's stories, but this deals with some pretty big themes that aren't really for children. It reminds me more of Princess Mononoke than any of his other films, with its focus on war and destruction.
Despite the annihilation of much of the world that happens in these pages, it's quite hopeful, and is sort of an optimistic existentialism, in that regard. It's about reclaiming agency and so on.
But, yeah, could probably say more, but this is good for now. I highly recommend it.
If you've only seen the film, it's worth reading this. The film is sort of a condensed version of the first two volumes, that consolidates a lot and skips a lot of the coolest things, I think. It's a great adventure story and surprisingly graphic. Miyazaki's known for children's stories, but this deals with some pretty big themes that aren't really for children. It reminds me more of Princess Mononoke than any of his other films, with its focus on war and destruction.
Despite the annihilation of much of the world that happens in these pages, it's quite hopeful, and is sort of an optimistic existentialism, in that regard. It's about reclaiming agency and so on.
But, yeah, could probably say more, but this is good for now. I highly recommend it.
February 9, 2023
4.5 stars , 5 stars for the whole series
this was a great ending of a series
I am sad its over
I would recommend to anyone who loves the movie
it was a great series , it was different then the movie once you get past volume 2 but it was amazing
great art work , great characters and a great story
this was a great ending of a series
I am sad its over
I would recommend to anyone who loves the movie
it was a great series , it was different then the movie once you get past volume 2 but it was amazing
great art work , great characters and a great story
July 18, 2019
As with other comics/manga series I will write my review for the whole series on the final volume, because I think it makes little sense to review each installment individually.
On the whole, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a beautiful, melancholy work by now-acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, creator of such classics as My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke. It leans closer to the latter than the former, and plays with many of Miyazaki's favorite themes; lost innocence, redemption for villains, environmentalism, and the senselessness of war. It represents Miyazaki's first and only real exploration of a story in this long medium, and Nausicaa seems a story tailor-made for it. While the Nausicaa film adaption (also by Miyazaki) is fine, it is lacking in the depth and sense of the world that marks so many of his other films. This is because it's obvious, upon reading the manga, that the story is severely stripped to suit a 90 minute runtime, and is able to barely touch on the major plot points of the story.
Taking place in a post-apocalyptic world populated by gargantuan insects and towering forests of fungus that give off poison miasma, human civilizations struggle to survive on a mostly uninhabitable world. Our story follows Nausicaa, gentle-hearted warrior princess of a small and idyllic country who is summoned to contribute to a war led by their liege emperor. Disliking the war, but wanting to honor her allegiances, Nausicaa goes to the front and follows a chain of events that leads to the daikaisho--a second apocalypse, which will decimate most human and animal life that has remained. Torn between desires for vengeance, despair at humanity's capacity for evil, and her mysterious connection to the fungal forest and its insect inhabitants, Nausicaa comes of age in a harsh and brutal world, uncovering secrets, lies, and her own capacity for evil.
And whew. What a tale. While playing with many of Miyazaki's favorite pet themes about war, environmentalism, and the like, Nausicaa still feels harsh, even when placed alongside Princess Mononoke, which expands on many of the same ideas. Part of this is the medium, which allows far more graphic depictions of violence than any of Miyazaki's other films. Light and fluffy Ponyo/Totoro fare this is not. Decapitations, children murdered in war, torture, and lots of dismemberment are depicted in as much horror as black and white can render. This isn't to say this is some kind of pornographic glorification of violence; Miyazaki pulls us into this awful nightmare world to show us our own human capacity for violence. Even the sometimes Messianic figure of Nausicaa herself commits acts of violence and brutality because it is all she knows, it is the world she lives in. But that is not to say this story is bleak; while it does explore the depths of human evil and depravity, one of its major themes is that of morality not actually being black and white. As I said, Nausicaa herself fails in her own commitment to nonviolence. And while everyone she meets along the way is touched by her almost supernatural goodness, they do not magically become better people. While her bitterest of enemies are inspired by her example, and it drives them to strive, along with her, for a better tomorrow, they are still humans who have been shaped by violence, and they are wildly imperfect. This gives them a lot of ambiguity, but also very real humanity. No one is truly pure evil, even in evil times, because with our great capacity for awfulness, we have an equal capacity for goodness. While Nausicaa at times seems overly-perfect, Miyazaki seems to be really concerned for this idea; everyone has both light and dark inside them. This actually becomes a central theme at the core of the story, particularly in the last chapters of the book.
Which leads me to my major complaint; the ending. I won't say it's a bad ending; it's appropriate and, while not exactly uplifting, has a lot of hope. But the tone does seem to shift from a fairly grounded science-fiction setting to a more magical world. I understand that Japanese folklore and The Odyssey are the major inspirations for the story, and there are certainly some mythological elements towards the end of the story that feel out of place in a world that has mostly revolved around civil wars and giant bugs. The introduction of a "bigger bad" at the end also felt a little abrupt; not that there wasn't build up for it, but since so much of the story is philosophical, it felt unnecessary, even if Nausicaa essentially "beats" said monster through philosophical debate. Still, it had a better, more solid pacing than many of Miyazaki's films (especially his early ones) and fleshes out this world and characters tremendously. Overall it's a darkly epic story shot through with dancing lights of hope, and is gorgeously drawn and written as well. A must-read for Miyazaki enthusiasts or those who want more to the story and world than the film rightly presents, or those who just crave a wonderfully realized modern myth.
(I will say the copies I read [the collectors editions] should probably be revisited by their English editor; there are numerous typos.)
On the whole, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a beautiful, melancholy work by now-acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, creator of such classics as My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke. It leans closer to the latter than the former, and plays with many of Miyazaki's favorite themes; lost innocence, redemption for villains, environmentalism, and the senselessness of war. It represents Miyazaki's first and only real exploration of a story in this long medium, and Nausicaa seems a story tailor-made for it. While the Nausicaa film adaption (also by Miyazaki) is fine, it is lacking in the depth and sense of the world that marks so many of his other films. This is because it's obvious, upon reading the manga, that the story is severely stripped to suit a 90 minute runtime, and is able to barely touch on the major plot points of the story.
Taking place in a post-apocalyptic world populated by gargantuan insects and towering forests of fungus that give off poison miasma, human civilizations struggle to survive on a mostly uninhabitable world. Our story follows Nausicaa, gentle-hearted warrior princess of a small and idyllic country who is summoned to contribute to a war led by their liege emperor. Disliking the war, but wanting to honor her allegiances, Nausicaa goes to the front and follows a chain of events that leads to the daikaisho--a second apocalypse, which will decimate most human and animal life that has remained. Torn between desires for vengeance, despair at humanity's capacity for evil, and her mysterious connection to the fungal forest and its insect inhabitants, Nausicaa comes of age in a harsh and brutal world, uncovering secrets, lies, and her own capacity for evil.
And whew. What a tale. While playing with many of Miyazaki's favorite pet themes about war, environmentalism, and the like, Nausicaa still feels harsh, even when placed alongside Princess Mononoke, which expands on many of the same ideas. Part of this is the medium, which allows far more graphic depictions of violence than any of Miyazaki's other films. Light and fluffy Ponyo/Totoro fare this is not. Decapitations, children murdered in war, torture, and lots of dismemberment are depicted in as much horror as black and white can render. This isn't to say this is some kind of pornographic glorification of violence; Miyazaki pulls us into this awful nightmare world to show us our own human capacity for violence. Even the sometimes Messianic figure of Nausicaa herself commits acts of violence and brutality because it is all she knows, it is the world she lives in. But that is not to say this story is bleak; while it does explore the depths of human evil and depravity, one of its major themes is that of morality not actually being black and white. As I said, Nausicaa herself fails in her own commitment to nonviolence. And while everyone she meets along the way is touched by her almost supernatural goodness, they do not magically become better people. While her bitterest of enemies are inspired by her example, and it drives them to strive, along with her, for a better tomorrow, they are still humans who have been shaped by violence, and they are wildly imperfect. This gives them a lot of ambiguity, but also very real humanity. No one is truly pure evil, even in evil times, because with our great capacity for awfulness, we have an equal capacity for goodness. While Nausicaa at times seems overly-perfect, Miyazaki seems to be really concerned for this idea; everyone has both light and dark inside them. This actually becomes a central theme at the core of the story, particularly in the last chapters of the book.
Which leads me to my major complaint; the ending. I won't say it's a bad ending; it's appropriate and, while not exactly uplifting, has a lot of hope. But the tone does seem to shift from a fairly grounded science-fiction setting to a more magical world. I understand that Japanese folklore and The Odyssey are the major inspirations for the story, and there are certainly some mythological elements towards the end of the story that feel out of place in a world that has mostly revolved around civil wars and giant bugs. The introduction of a "bigger bad" at the end also felt a little abrupt; not that there wasn't build up for it, but since so much of the story is philosophical, it felt unnecessary, even if Nausicaa essentially "beats" said monster through philosophical debate. Still, it had a better, more solid pacing than many of Miyazaki's films (especially his early ones) and fleshes out this world and characters tremendously. Overall it's a darkly epic story shot through with dancing lights of hope, and is gorgeously drawn and written as well. A must-read for Miyazaki enthusiasts or those who want more to the story and world than the film rightly presents, or those who just crave a wonderfully realized modern myth.
(I will say the copies I read [the collectors editions] should probably be revisited by their English editor; there are numerous typos.)
January 20, 2025
I liked the ambiguity, of the different ideas of how to save humanity and Nausicaä’s willingness to risk it all for her own vision. I liked the utopias that tried to trap her and her son the god-machines attempt to live up to her expectations.
April 10, 2024
This was the most beautiful story I've ever read. I can't properly express how much this series filled me with a renewed hope and love for the human race and for the Earth.
September 8, 2022
I'm a little disappointed at the end of this one because the story became a little jumbled and confusing. It was hard to tell what was going on (though it has been a fat minute since I read the previous six) but there was a lot going on all at once.
The art is still fantastic and it is very different from the movie. There are things I wished turned out a different way and others where I enjoyed how it ended. All in all a solid manga, and I'd read it again.
The art is still fantastic and it is very different from the movie. There are things I wished turned out a different way and others where I enjoyed how it ended. All in all a solid manga, and I'd read it again.
May 28, 2024
One of the few manga series I've read so far (as I dip my toes into the pool of Japanese comics) that I can confidently say was incredible cover to cover, volume to volume. Themes of spirituality, class struggle, environmentalism, indigenous ways of living, all explored with true sincerity and clarity. Gorgeous art, compelling story, imaginative worldbuilding. A must read, especially in our current and bubbling climate crisis.
March 4, 2025
Nyt se sitten loppui. Seuraava arvostelu ei sisällä mitään uutta, mitä en olisi jo sanonut. Mielestäni vähän liian pitkäksi venytetty. Tarina oli ihan okei, mutta en useinkaan pidä tämän kaltaisista jutuista. Kuvat olivat mustavalkoisia ja mustemmat kuvat tosi epäselviä, osa jopa tosi pieniä. Jos olisi ollut paremmat kuvat - olisiko tarina toiminut paremmin? Yksinkertaisemmista ja vaaleammista kuvista sai paremmin selvää. Plussaa ehdottomasti naispääosasta.
May 7, 2025
Il manga rimane molto buono dall’inizio alla fine, nonostante i (numerosi) momenti di confusione sia legati alla trama che ai vari cambi di scena senza alcun preavviso (probabilmente la non divisione in capitoli non ha aiutato in questo).
Miyazaki ha sempre considerato difficile il mestiere del mangaka e quest’opera lo dimostra.
Nausicaä è e rimane la mia eroina preferita del mondo Ghibliano.
Miyazaki ha sempre considerato difficile il mestiere del mangaka e quest’opera lo dimostra.
Nausicaä è e rimane la mia eroina preferita del mondo Ghibliano.
February 5, 2025
No me esperaba encontrar un trabajo tan redondo de Miyazaki fuera del cine. Si en la película el politiqueo y la cuestión teológica aparecen casi como un esbozo, aquí aparecen totalmente desarrolladas; en muchos sentidos esta es la obra más ambiciosa de Miyazaki a nivel político. Impresionante.
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