Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

I would like to clarify something before moving on with this review. It is important for my readers to realize that a 9/10 for a manga is not the same as a 9/10 for an anime. Manga’s in my opinion are the superior form of storytelling...I think this opinion of mine needs clarification. Anime as a form of media is saturated with many restrictions. What is allowed to be showed (censorship), how long the animation must be, how many viewers, etc… While manga itself does have some restrictions, they are much more minuscule when compared to anime. This is perhaps the main reason why themanga of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki is perhaps undoubtedly his greatest work of art. Think of the comparison between novels and movies. Novels will most of the time always be better due to them having more time and less restriction in adding massive detail that expands the story and characters within a specific world. Censorship in manga is practically none existent thus Miyazaki was able to go all out in terms of narrative in order to deliver to us his most poignant and thought provoking story ever penned. With all that said, the reason why I give Nausicaa a 9/10 instead of a 10/10 is because my standards for manga are simply higher than that of anime’s. If this was an anime show, it would have gotten a 10/10 perfect score no doubt about it (a point I should have specified in my earlier reviews such as in Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan...woops). With that out of the way, let us delve into the beautiful world that is Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Going back to my point on how censorship sometimes limits writers, this argument is completely nullified when reading Nausicaa and my god does it show. Miyazaki pushes the envelope of what he usually does by giving us his most violent story ever. The brutalities of war, limbs flying off, women and children burning, fantastical environments fighting back, etc… He really wanted to show and give us an anti-war and environmentalist message that depicted in an accurate way the horror’s that men can do to themselves and their world. Religion and politics is also a very large topic and theme that Miyazaki delves into. Very controversial stuff that makes you wonder just what exactly is Hayao Miyazaki trying to say here? Nausicaa is a very religious and morally incorruptible figurehead who basically saves the world, humans and animals alike. The people and animals in the manga worship her as a savior and the political leaders view her as a threat, but they eventually learn that she is graceful beyond human comprehension. Is Miyazaki trying to tell us that the world needs religion and a messiah in order for it to be saved? Or maybe does it just need a strong leader that can inspire people? Whatever the case may be it would seem that Miyazaki is much in favor of a socialist world where in which the people are in charge of their own lives. Nausicaa and Kushana are both great inspirational leaders, but they refuse to take long lasting charge of their own populace. They consider themselves equal to everyone and they never believe for a second that they are superior. In fact that is how the manga ends, the world at peace and saved but also left without a ruler. Nature versus nurture is also a subject very much discussed within the story. Miyazaki never really takes a stance for one side but rather finds an equal balance between the two which in turn also shows his views on just how precious life in general is. It’s a fascinating story filled with heart, emotion, and intricate themes which are almost all very well thought out. One also must ask himself whether Miyazaki was partly inspired by Shakespeare caricatures when he wrote Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Many of the characters within the story, especially the King’s, are tragic figures that draw many parallels from Shakespeare’s classic works. I would hate to spoil anything but story elements such as brother killing brother to gain power (hamlet) and mad king paranoid of his own children (King Lear) all make an appearance. The Torumekian King actually has three sons and one daughter which is very similar to the tragedy of King Lear where in which Lear has three daughters and one son. It could just be a coincidence, but it is still hard not to notice these similarities. Actually the Torumekian King by the end of the story gets a sort of redemption just like Lear does and he even walks around with his own personal fool who kind of acts like his crazy adviser…actually forget what I said, this can no longer be a coincidence. This is definitely a parallel and homage to the tragedy of King Lear. Nausicaa and Kushana as described previously are head strong religious and political leaders. Nausicaa can definitely be related to a messiah figures such as Jesus or Buddha but with her own unique personality and moral qualities. She even at one point leads someone into the afterlife, if that doesn’t scream religious leader to you then I have no idea what will? Bravery, unwavering in the face of challenges, loving, caring, motherly, and selflessness are all qualities Nausicaa develops throughout the plot and it is fascinating to read. Kushana on the other hand is noble and honorable when dealing with her own people. She exhibits many signs that make her great political leader of men but she is also vengeful, vengeful towards her father and brothers who constantly fight over power. It is Nausicaa’s influence that cleanses the hate away and turns her into the right leader she was born to be. Her gaining that experience towards the becoming of a better person is the reason why she is the most interesting character in the manga. There are also many other interesting sub characters that help Nausicaa on her journey, the prime example being her mentor called Master Yupa. Many of Nausicaa’s teachings and morals came from him and he has many great moments throughout that story. The roles of the many characters within the story are very well handled and defined. Remember how back in paragraph two I stated at the end how all the themes are “almost” all very well thought out…well this almost comment needs to be brought up since all stories have flaws. The biggest flaw in this manga is the drop in a specific character trait found in Nausicaa, being her uncontrollable rage and battle prowess shown in the first volume. It is as if Miyazaki completely forgot about it and never spoke of it again. One can argue that the inner rage was controlled once she traveled and developed herself as a morally incorruptible leader, and I would have been willing to buy that excuse if there were at least one or two signs of violence exhibited by Nausicaa later on in the plot…which there isn’t. She always does the right choice and violence is never an option she comes across or even thinks about. She always rejects it completely and chooses the non violent method. No display what so ever of inner turmoil about the use of violence. Why bring up that character trait if it is never going to be seen or read of again? If it had been used then it would have made Nausicaa much more interesting. Even under all her moral perfection, even she is not immune to human violent tendencies and instincts. I could see the potential right now. Kuchana learned from Nausicaa how to overcome the path of vengeance and Kushana in turn could have taught Nausicaa how to control her violent instincts. Makes sense since Kushana is a proper warrior and army general. I would expect her to have control and training over her own combat skills. Kushana herself in the story does not get proper closure. She becomes a much better person thanks to Nausicaa but then the story kind of forgets about her and puts her on the sidelines for the ending climax of the series. It is a shame because the ending climax has to do with her father’s redemption (the Torumekian King). The redemption itself could have had much more impact and emotional investment if it involved Kushana in some way. Kushana helping her father see the error of his ways would have been a very rewarding conclusion to all the experience she amassed throughout the story. Instead she is just tossed to the side after volume 5 and becomes a normal sub character. The art style Miyazaki employs in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is very well detailed and beautiful to look at. The fantasy world itself, the creatures, and people are rich with emotion and life. My only problem with the art in the manga is the panel sizes. While the art itself is well detailed, it is sometimes hard to depict what is happening due to how small the images are on the page. It’s like Miyazaki crammed all panels into seven volumes just because he wanted seven and nothing more. I would have welcomed an eighth volume in order to see better what was going on. In order to prove my point even further, the last volume is about 230 pages long which is about 70 or 80 more pages than the average earlier volumes. He really did want seven books for some reason? For symbolism maybe, I have no idea but it does hurt the quality a bit...just a bit. Whether you agree or not with the morality themes found in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, it is impossible to deny the intricacies and fantastic execution of the plot. Many if not all characters are likeable in their own way and almost everything including story and themes blend in together thanks to fantastic writing and art. The characters and story do reference to many other works, but the references in and of themselves are unique in their own way. That word “almost” popped up again didn’t it, and yes I did have complaints about the story but one must not let that get to them. This is a definite must read and remember that my 9/10 is really a 10/10 when being compared with anime. The rating scale says a 9/10 is “great” but that is an underestimate because it is more a masterpiece than anything else. No doubt about it.

This series undoubtedly deserves the place among top ten manga titles, which it currently has on MAL. Though the film is failry good, it does not cover even half of what is depicted in manga. There are a lot of post-apocaliptic series about humankind trying to make ends meet in severe conditions of wreched world. But they are not as deep and moving as this one. Of course, you should keep in mind that bringing up a topic of world's balance, of our race's place in it, is Miyazaki's forte, be it manga or animation. This series not an easy read, it has a lot of ideologicalclashes. However in contrast to all the violence and agression we have right now emerging in manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind remains a pivotal oasis of its genre.

While many anime viewers and especially Studio Ghibli enthusiasts have seen Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind movie, much fewer have read the original manga that served as the template for the movie. While the anime movie continues to holds up well even after 35 years since its release in 1984, the manga version of Nausicaä – serialized from 1982 to 1994 – is a mammoth work of both art and storytelling in the manga genre that is even more relevant even after all these years since its release. However, before I start the main review – permit me to take two detours. Detour 1:The foremost question in most potential readers’ minds would be “Is reading the manga worth it given that I have seen the movie?” I’d say Yes. The manga is much more complex, tackles environmental and philosophical themes in much more depth, has several characters and even countries that are limited to just the manga. In addition, the manga is much more darker than the anime. While the movie version of Nausicaä is also bleak, glimmers of optimism are present meant to leave the movie viewers with some hope. The manga, on the other hand, is devastatingly pessimistic in its outlook. Miyazaki purposefully builds a story that is meant to impart an impending sense of doom and dread in the reader. What makes Nausicaä so compelling is that despite the bleak undertone, we as readers root for our lead characters and hope that they survive. ** Detour 2: Let’s skip to Spring 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic is raging and several parts of world are in lockdown with many countries trying to “flatten the curve” to reduce the spread of this unknown disease. Soon, videos on the internet emerge from various parts of the world that document how the environment in the absence of regular human activity is becoming “fresher and greener”. The canals of Venice, typically muddy with silt and waste, suddenly start running clear and are populated with swans and ducks. People in Northern India, used to living under a perpetual blanket of thick brown smog, suddenly see the snowcapped peaks of the Himalayas from more than 150 kilometers away for the first time in their lives. People in London start appreciating bird songs, songs that were previously inaudible under the omnipresent traffic noises that snarl the megacity. Then a Tweet goes viral: “Air Pollution is down. Water Pollution is clearing up. Natural wildlife is returning home. Coronavirus is the Earth’s vaccine. We – the humans – are the virus”. ** Main Review: I brought up Detour 2 because the theme of treating “Mankind as a Virus” (‘Eco-fascism” is the scholarly term for this) is a crucial theme in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. In mid-way through the manga our lead character – Nausicaä – remarks: “I don’t need to be told that we are a cursed people. We’re the ugliest of all creatures. We do nothing but harm to the Earth. Plundering it and polluting it and burning it… Are we worth forgiveness?” Now consider that Nausicaä is a manga that began serializing in 1982! This theme is still as relevant, if not, prescient of the events that we are experiencing now! Simultaneously with such themes of ecocide and eco-fascism, the manga tackles other heavy moral themes that are equally heavy. For instance – what is the role of optimism when people have no control over the events in their lives? Can political power ever be held without leaders becoming swayed by corruption? Can we hold the notion of pacifism during a war? How should one deal with refugees in a conflict between two nations? Such questions, and more, saturate the world of Nausicaä making it one of the most intricate moral works that I have read in the realm of manga. This is not to say that Nausicaä is a philosophical work (though it certainly is brimming with such themes). It is packed with non-stop action: countries wage wars – both on land and air – against each other, genocidal mass slaughter occurs, wildly imaginative beasts rampage through the earth, biological weapons go awry, a sentient nuclear weapon runs amok – all of these events and more happen at a breakneck pace one after another making this as one of the most exciting and energetic works that you could possibly read in both intensity and scale. In addition, unlike Shonen manga like One Piece or Naruto where the plot nicely breaks into a “story arcs” with reprieves in the middle, the action in Nausicaä does not permit the reader to take a break. In its entire 1100 pages (or so), there are only a handful of moments where action is not present. Be prepared – there are few manga that hold a candle to the Nausicaä when it comes to action in terms of intensity! However, as much as the action is enjoyable, what pushes Nausicaä into further greatness is the grandeur of the world constructed by Miyazaki. The manga comes with its own map just as how The Lord of the Rings comes with the map of Middle Earth. The movie (which covers roughly 20% of the manga) roughly takes place in a limited area corresponding to an area the size of the Shire in Middle Earth. After the events of the movie, the plot expands and an entire continent the size of East Asia is introduced. New nations, new tribes and even new languages (which are often left untranslated) are introduced. However, we are never truly told a lot about this post-apocalyptic world. It’s like as if Miyazaki – a master storyteller that he is – refuses to completely lift the veil from Nausicaä’s world – preferring to imbue it with an innate sense of mystery and wonder. We as readers know that this world has a long and deep history but as readers we can only guess and remain in awe. All the while, Nausicaä’s character is like a pawn piece in a three sided game of chess. We follow her (along with a handful of other characters) and see how this 16 year old girl tries to make sense of the chaos around her. Again, her character stands in stark contrast to most protagonists in action manga. While most action manga have protagonists that are overpowered (e.g. Luffy in One Piece), Nausicaä’s role in this manga is as I described it earlier – like a pawn. While she does have agency, she doesn’t have any ability to fundamentally alter the events taking place around her. She has to go with the flow and simply do her best to avoid the bloodshed and carnage taking place around her. Miyazaki is famous for making strong female characters and I think Nausicaä is the archetype from which all his female characters in his other works such as Sheeta from Laputa, Eboshi and San from Mononoke Hime, Sen from Spirited Away etc. emerge. As a result, she is truly a unique female character and I don’t think I have ever read any piece of fiction that comes close to having a female character this multi-faceted. She is simultaneously strong and fearsome but still fragile and delicate, empathetic with both her friends and enemies, a motherly figure to the less fortunate people around her, deeply moral and intensely resolute in her ethics, saintly and yet – dare I say it? – sexy and sensual. Despite all this, inwardly she is just as person would be in a war – given to tears, searching for help and support, trying to be kind in a world that is cruel. It is interesting that while contemporary Western media looks to female action heroines like Wonder Woman or Captain Marvel for inspiring millennial girls, they choose to overlook Nausicaä. This is a character who is almost messianic and yet so deeply human that in the end, one is just left with one word to feel from her – awe. I am not a girl, but if I were – I think Nausicaä is what I would aspire to be. Finally, what makes Nausicaä as a standout manga is its art. Miyazaki is renowned for his artistry and nowhere is his talent on as much display as is here. Each panel is meticulously drawn, with shading and penciling that leaves regular manga artists in the dust. There are panels here so breathtakingly gorgeous with such intricate artistry that the reader is just supposed to stare at the page and revel in the art for a minute before moving on to the next page. And then there are scenes that if enlarged could easily become posters that could adorn a teenager’s bedroom wall. It is almost as if Miyazaki has thrown the gauntlet, daring other manga artists to come close to level of detail that he puts in into his panels. If there is one thing that could be faulted in this work, it is that it doesn’t end on as strong as note as one would expect. While we do get an ending which is satisfactory, it is an ending that leaves too many threads open. Like his subsequent work – Mononoke Hime – we leave the work satisfied but we know that an entire other story that chronicles the events after the end of Nausicaä could also be told. This shouldn’t be surprising given that the world of Nausicaä has so many nations, so many tribes and so much history. Like Tolkien’s Lengendarium, it could spawn an entire franchise but Miyazaki simply concludes the story which, to some readers, could feel more like an ellipsis rather than a full stop. In addition, Miyazaki tends to focus a little too much on Nausicaä, giving short shrift to certain characters such as Asbel, Kushana and the Worm Handlers. Miyazaki himself remarked in a later interview that he would have liked to expand on these characters but felt that it would lengthen the manga even more than what it is presently. I remember reading Nausicaä the first time almost 15 years ago. At the time, it felt like a superb action manga with a kick-ass heroine as its lead character. That wouldn’t be an incorrect characterization but it would certainly be an incomplete characterization of this work. Nausicaä is an artistic achievement that is rarely seen in manga containing themes that remain as relevant as they were 35 years ago. Time is a fickle monster that often leaves works of art, wildly popular at the time of production, irrelevant after a few years. For instance, consider the show Baywatch. It was one of the hottest shows when it aired back in the 90s. Now, no one, apart from diehard Pamela Anderson fans, watch it. It is a show with themes that, in 2020, feel quaint. The same can’t be said for Nausicaä. It is as great a work as it was when it began serializing in 1982. Truly great art can withstand the test of time. And because Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind can do so, it deserves a 10/10.

There might be no bigger challenge in a review than properly conveying impressions on works I cherish as masterpieces, all while clearly stating elements that might persuade or dissuade other people. Nonetheless, I finally proceed with Nausicaä. Two points before we get started: 1.) First, it’s neither easily digestible nor your typical manga, for it is highly complex and brimming with ideas, as well as too packed with dialogues. 2.) Second, it’s Hayao Miyazaki on his most unfettered. Not a single sample of his lifework conveys everything he stands for more vividly. [1. Beginning with the story…]“The greatest of the mind is determined by the depth of its suffering.” – Nausicaä. Worldbuilding is the most important element of a good fantasy setting, for it not only provides the story with a framework to develop on, but also keeps the audience invested and immersed to its unique workings. I occasionally have an issue that also extends to sci-fi: the setting is not truly interactable and a prominent player of the narrative. It devolves to framework and eyecandy. Nausicaä is not such a work. Its environment’s role is omnipresent and on top of that, the setting is not your typical apocalyptic; unlike ones that feature ecological collapse, life is abundant yet humans and most other fauna are threatened with extinction by the toxic environment of the so called Sea of Corruption. Concerning its “human geography”, the Torumekian Empire and the Dorok Principalities are the prominent geopolitical players, with lesser chiefdoms known as the Autonomous States of the Periphery being involved into a global scale conflict, as tributary states of the Torumekian Empire. The protagonist is born and raised into one such state, as the chieftain’s daughter and obliged to join the Torumekian army, thus her adventure begins. During the conflict, war is portrayed at its most brutal; belligerent nations are engaged in total war, unrestricted in either the weapons used or the tactics employed. Biological warfare and scorched earth tactics are but a few blatant atrocities of this conflict, and there is no apparent resolution, other than total annihilation of one side. While the big picture of the conflict and the looming apocalypse is being presented, Miyazaki is also laying foundations towards an alternative resolution while simultaneously expressing multiple concerns. This is achieved by successfully interweaving broad ideas drawn from social science, humanities and natural science with personal journeys. No easy solutions are offered throughout the narrative, many questions are left unanswered and also, it’s necessary to view the work from multiple angles to grasp a bigger picture. More are noted on sections [2.] and [3.], where the subjects and characters are described. [2. Continuing with subjects and a parallel…] People often contrast depth with broadness as if they are mutually exclusive qualities, but in reality they are complementary. This shows in Nausicaä, its narrative being a vast yet deep ocean composed of miniature seas. a.) Bioethics strongly influenced Nausicaä’s writing, for the presence of conflicting attitudes towards manipulation of life is persisting throughout the story. And of course, influence from environmental science is omnipresent in its unique setting, connected with ideas drawn from fields such as cultural anthropology, philosophy and religion (e.g. Christianity and Buddhism). Apart from that, influence from linguistics also left its mark. As a languages’ enthusiast I was more than pleasantly surprised when Miyazaki depicted language barriers (e.g. Dorok language being mutually unintelligible with Torumekian), and only select characters being presented as bilingual. b.) Interjecting with a parallel, for I believe the historical period should be considered. Nausicaä was written throughout (later phases of) the Cold War period, whose influence shows; the conflict draws parallels with the hypothesis of a total war between the NATO and the Soviet Union escalating into nuclear war, and guarantying a nuclear holocaust. And this observation might be far-fetched, but the Dorok nation is composed of 51 principalities, calling to mind the United States’ 50 states and one federal state. Of course, given the means warfare is conducted, concerning tactics parallels might be made to earlier phases of World War I (presence of cavalry and aircraft, entrenched positions, importance of artillery, extensive use of biological warfare). c.) Psychological elements are also prominent; the importance of empathy and compassion especially (but also the limitations of these powers), as is the value of introspection and facing our “shadow”, not only in order to cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves, but also in order to leave a lasting positive impact on the world. More are noted on section [3.]. Society is connected with nature, and likewise the big picture with the human condition. However, characters are not treated as mouthpieces, but as the next essential element in uniting the multiple miniature seas into a vast ocean. [3. And so we proceed with the characters…] a.) Nausicaä - “In this world of ours, the sparrow must live like a hawk if he is to fly at all.” – Yupa. The protagonist of the namesake epic, she combines compassion and a strong personality with true character flaws and development to make for a complex individual with messianic traits, yet without ever appearing as insufferably pure. She proves herself early on as an intelligent and independent young woman, who is deeply attuned with nature and other people, and will not tolerate injustice. But also, she is characterized by a naïveté and immaturity fitting her inexperience with real world situations. Throughout the journey, she has displayed unconditional love towards all life, enormous kindness and bravery and, but also recklessness and a rather underdeveloped self-image, evident of a still-growing young adult who struggles with coming to terms with crueler aspects of reality. Nonetheless, she is increasingly forced to rise to the challenge of preventing the total extinction of mankind, by strengthening her resolve and achieving internal harmony. Her personal journey is one of self-discovery and resilience. b.) Kushana - “Blood has not sullied, but cleansed you.” – Yupa. She is the deuteragonist of this epic, and a foil to Nausicaä. She also combines a strong personality with true character flaws and development, and Miyazaki himself has described the princesses as “two sides of the same coin” but with Kushana suffering from “deep, physical wounds”. Unlike Nausicaä who was raised in a loving environment, albeit one where she was the only among eleven siblings to survive into adulthood, Kushana grew at a toxic familial environment, likened to a “nest of vipers”. In order to survive, prosper and fulfill her ambitions she has shown herself to be assertive, brave, calculating yet also very ruthless. In a way, she can be likened to a lioness: a mother to her soldiers and genuinely supportive of whomever earns her respect, but cold and dismissive of anyone outside her troops of the Third Army, who commit their fair share of atrocities. Her personal journey is one of salvation and embracing a more empathetic outlook, and is by no mean an easier journey or one with simple answers. c.) Other characters - “Can’t they see that they’re just rushing down the path to self-destruction?” – Nausicaä. The rest of the cast is highly variable and helps in keeping the plot’s development constantly fluid. Some are less fleshed-out but serve their purpose of supporting the main characters, whereas others are written with more complexity and depth, providing the reader with a bigger picture on the world and ideas. By no means have I liked all (e.g. Asbel), but the cast includes many whose role I appreciated. An example is Kurotawa. Of commoner upbringing, he is an attaché that serves as Kushana’s staff officer, and these two have an intriguing and entertaining dynamic, for he acts as a spy and agent of her father, but at the same time provides the reader with a more pragmatical if callous point of view, in juxtaposition with the more idealistic views of Nausicaä. [4. And concluding with the artwork section...] [+] One of my favorite aspects is the character designs. Characters look expressive and richly detailed, plus highly identifiable and not similar. Outside those, Miyazaki showed astonishing care behind imagining and meticulously depicting weaponry of all sorts, clothing, fauna, aircraft and other machinery, as well as the ecosystem within the Sea of Corruption. Not limited to eye candy, they bring into life rich human and natural ecosystems, their inhabitants and workings never losing their organic and plot-relevant feel. Many scenes have poignant presentations, e.g. when portraying the atrocities of the battlefields, and inspired me intense emotions during the manga’s highlights. [-] However, I’m obliged to be fair towards any future readers and point out aspects of artwork that might be considered as negatives. Backgrounds can be hit-or-miss, sometimes drawn simply in contrast with key details, but sometimes they are overpacked. Panels are connected to this issue; pages are A4 size, but the panels themselves can be very small and overpacked with both details and dialogue, thus making it rather hard to discern everything. Occasionally, key details blend excessively with backgrounds and make for a chaotic and confusing mélange. This issue though is mostly limited to earlier volumes, as by later ones Miyazaki’s artwork has evolved; otherwise overpacked scenes allowed me to better discern details, e.g. thanks to more proper use of shading. [5. Also sharing my personal impression...] Nausicaä is among the works I consider closer to perfection, and one that reached my core for a very specific reason. Simply put, it reaffirmed my love for the world, my studies and people in a period when I started to get increasingly empty, detached and overcritical, but also furthered my understanding and offered me with a new sea to dive in. Hope you enjoyed my review! I also highly recommend reading "The Greatest Ekostory Ever Told: The Nausicaä Project", either after you complete the manga (if it's your first time) or while/during a re-read.