Just what I expected

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

In my eyes, "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" is perhaps THE animated film to see, because it has everything from exciting and fascinating visuals, ethereal music, great relevancy in its emphatic focus on environmentalism, compelling characters, and an extremely strong and very human main character. I'm not a big anime fan, yet "Nausicaa" is the big exception because of it being a fascinating and emotional story that won't get dated anytime soon.In short, I would recommend this film to anyone and everyone.

For some reason, this is often credited as Miyazaki's first movie even though he was clearly billed as the director of "The Castle Of Cagliostro" from 1979. For whatever the order, this is a wonderful film. I seriously think that this guy never had the same premise twice. This was apparently his attempt at a movie in a post apocalyptic world. Given the presence of giant insects and a giant resurrected body, I guess you could also consider this his try at a giant monster movie. For whatever he was trying, he got it right! The animation is as wonderful as ever. He's created such a beautiful world for us to look at, even though it does take place in a pretty dark world. I admit it was great to at least see that giant thing get at least two blasts at the giant insects at the end. I love these creatures. Even though it's not that relevant to the story, I like the fox-squirrel that appears. Seriously, it looks like an early pokemon. Wow, I wish this guy would work on the next pokemon movie! You get strong emotions and a nice environmental message which is rarely done well. ***1/2

I would rank this as Hayao Miyazaki's second best work, only after Princes Mononoke. In much the same spirit as Princes Mononoke a young heroine takes on political conflict and environmental devastation in a retro-sci- fi/fantasy world. The real wonder of this movie comes in the details, richness and charm, which are truly enchanting and unforgettable.Sadly this movie has gone largely unnoticed by anime fans and Hayao Miyazaki fans alike. My guess was that it came out too far ahead of its time for fans to fully appreciate. Many of these story elements have been recycled in later films, anime and games. Still I believe this moving truly stands apart from the crowd of media that used similar concepts.

One thousand years have passed since the Seven Days of Fire, an apocalyptic war that destroyed civilization and created the vast Toxic Jungle, a poisonous forest swarming with giant mutant insects. In the kingdom of the Valley of the Wind, a prophecy predicts a saviour "clothed in blue robes, descending onto a golden field, to join bonds with the great Earth and guide the people to the pure lands at last". Nausicaä, the princess of the Valley of the Wind, explores the jungle and communicates with its creatures, including the gigantic, armored trilobite-like creatures called Ohm. She hopes to understand the jungle and find a way for it and humans to co-exist.