Winds of Anime's Past

Part of the ‘Move-ez’ blog of film reviews, this film was originally reviewed in 2009 of the re-release of the animated feature Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, a science fiction anime that was originally released decades earlier in the United States of America (as ‘Warrior of the Winds’), but was only in limited release and was so badly cut and dubbed in that many animation fans didn’t even see it at all and those that did saw a very different movie than was released in Japan.

The review includes a plot summary, some background information on the production itself, an appraisal of the art and the animation’s strengths and weaknesses (both in light of the times, and compared to today). It also discusses the relationship of the film to the other films of Studio Ghibli’s auteur director, Hayao Miyazaki, his trademark motifs, and how it compares to the broader oeuvre of Japan’s Toho studios, specifically the frequent theme of nuclear devastation and the subsequent retribution and/or benevolence toward mankind of kami (nature spirits in the Shinto religion).

Given the problematic previous English release, the review wraps up with some specific suggestions with regards to dubbing and subtitling for maximum viewing pleasure.

Rating: 8/10

→ Full review (on MOVE-EZ Movie Reviews)