GreyHorace
Member
... or Screenwriting 101 on how to write a compelling main female character.
So with some freetime during the quarantine in my country, I decided to take advantage of Netflix making available the entire Studio Ghibli library. I first watched Porco Rosso, which is just as hilarious as I remember it, and then moved to Nausicaa. I first watched this film years ago on an original Japanese laserdisc with no subs. At the time I was getting into anime fandom and numerous publications recommended I watch the works of Hayao Miyazaki. So through whatever means I could muster I watched them, even without the benefit of subs. Despite that I still enjoyed Miyazaki's films immensely, which speaks to his powers as a filmmaker that he could a point across despite the language barrier.
Watching Nausicaa again though, I'm glad to say it still holds up. In fact, I'd say it still ranks up there as one of the best animated films ever made. I can go on about how it's success made Hayao Miyazaki a household name in Japan and helped him found Studio Ghibli, or how it's environmental message gave it a recommendation from the World Wildlife Fund. It's influence in Japan can be felt through games like the Final Fantasy series (series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi cites it as a huge influence) and Granblue Fantasy. There is a lot to praise about this film, from Miyazaki's fantastic conception of a post-apocalyptic world to the great action and perfect pacing.
But I think the best thing about the movie is it's main character:
(Be forewarned, there will be SPOILERS for those who've not seen this movie)
I think Nausicaa is one of the best protagonists to ever appear on film, who just happens to be a woman. But her gender in no way is made a big deal of. The opening half hour of the movie deftly establishes key traits about her character. She's a capable pilot who regularly goes on expeditions to the Sea of Corruption to study it's flora and fauna, marking her as a scientist. She also has a way with animals as seen by the way she rescues Yupa from the rampaging Ohmu or how she befriends Teto immediately by letting him bite her. None of these is presented as outlandish or unbelievable because of the world Nausicaa lives in. In such a harsh landscape even a princess needs to be capable to survive.
And while Nausicaa is indeed capable, she's not presented as being moreso than the other characters in the film, including the men. In fact, Nausicaa looks up to her father Jihl, the king of the Valley of the Wind, and Yupa, the Valley's greatest warrior (and quite possibly the most badass character Miyazaki has created). She regularly looks to Yupa for advice and guidance when she loses control of her emotions due to tragic events in the film. At one point she flies into a rage after Torumekian soldiers slay her ailing father and she promptly kills them, only stopping when Yupa lets her stab his arm and calms her.
While Nausicaa can be a capable warrior if she wanted, what really defines her is her sense of empathy and compassion. These traits lead her to discover the true secret of the Sea of Corruption that is consuming the world. The Sea is actually healing the Earth of the radiation and toxins that have polluted the planet. Only through Nausicaa's patient understanding of the Sea and it's creatures is she able to come to this conclusion. And that same empathy is what leads her to sacrifice herself in the climax of the film to save the Valley from the rampaging Ohmu. Her kindness is then rewarded by the Ohmu resurrecting her so she can rebuild the Valley with her people.
In this age of 'progressive' creators trying to push strong female characters that oftentimes fall flat with film and tv audiences (*cough* Captain Marvel *cough*), it's amazing that a Japanese animated film from 1984 managed to do it right. Why couldn't they take notes of how Miyazaki did it and follow suit? There was some rumor that Rey from Star Wars was partially inspired by Nausicaa. It's too bad they couldn't follow through.
What say you GAF? Do you think Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind stands the test of time?
So with some freetime during the quarantine in my country, I decided to take advantage of Netflix making available the entire Studio Ghibli library. I first watched Porco Rosso, which is just as hilarious as I remember it, and then moved to Nausicaa. I first watched this film years ago on an original Japanese laserdisc with no subs. At the time I was getting into anime fandom and numerous publications recommended I watch the works of Hayao Miyazaki. So through whatever means I could muster I watched them, even without the benefit of subs. Despite that I still enjoyed Miyazaki's films immensely, which speaks to his powers as a filmmaker that he could a point across despite the language barrier.
Watching Nausicaa again though, I'm glad to say it still holds up. In fact, I'd say it still ranks up there as one of the best animated films ever made. I can go on about how it's success made Hayao Miyazaki a household name in Japan and helped him found Studio Ghibli, or how it's environmental message gave it a recommendation from the World Wildlife Fund. It's influence in Japan can be felt through games like the Final Fantasy series (series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi cites it as a huge influence) and Granblue Fantasy. There is a lot to praise about this film, from Miyazaki's fantastic conception of a post-apocalyptic world to the great action and perfect pacing.
But I think the best thing about the movie is it's main character:
(Be forewarned, there will be SPOILERS for those who've not seen this movie)
I think Nausicaa is one of the best protagonists to ever appear on film, who just happens to be a woman. But her gender in no way is made a big deal of. The opening half hour of the movie deftly establishes key traits about her character. She's a capable pilot who regularly goes on expeditions to the Sea of Corruption to study it's flora and fauna, marking her as a scientist. She also has a way with animals as seen by the way she rescues Yupa from the rampaging Ohmu or how she befriends Teto immediately by letting him bite her. None of these is presented as outlandish or unbelievable because of the world Nausicaa lives in. In such a harsh landscape even a princess needs to be capable to survive.
And while Nausicaa is indeed capable, she's not presented as being moreso than the other characters in the film, including the men. In fact, Nausicaa looks up to her father Jihl, the king of the Valley of the Wind, and Yupa, the Valley's greatest warrior (and quite possibly the most badass character Miyazaki has created). She regularly looks to Yupa for advice and guidance when she loses control of her emotions due to tragic events in the film. At one point she flies into a rage after Torumekian soldiers slay her ailing father and she promptly kills them, only stopping when Yupa lets her stab his arm and calms her.
While Nausicaa can be a capable warrior if she wanted, what really defines her is her sense of empathy and compassion. These traits lead her to discover the true secret of the Sea of Corruption that is consuming the world. The Sea is actually healing the Earth of the radiation and toxins that have polluted the planet. Only through Nausicaa's patient understanding of the Sea and it's creatures is she able to come to this conclusion. And that same empathy is what leads her to sacrifice herself in the climax of the film to save the Valley from the rampaging Ohmu. Her kindness is then rewarded by the Ohmu resurrecting her so she can rebuild the Valley with her people.
In this age of 'progressive' creators trying to push strong female characters that oftentimes fall flat with film and tv audiences (*cough* Captain Marvel *cough*), it's amazing that a Japanese animated film from 1984 managed to do it right. Why couldn't they take notes of how Miyazaki did it and follow suit? There was some rumor that Rey from Star Wars was partially inspired by Nausicaa. It's too bad they couldn't follow through.
What say you GAF? Do you think Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind stands the test of time?
