In what was is this movie Steampunk? In what ways is it not? Back up your opinion with specific examples?
What was the theme of this film? Does it have themes in common with other Steampunk works (if it is Steampunk)? Are there themes common to Steampunk or, since it's more an aesthetic, do the themes vary too much to identify one or two common ones?
And the age-old question of deep characters and themes? Does this film have them or is it just about cool fantasy and sci-fi elements? Back up your opinion with examples.
And as always, be sure to post twice in the comment thread. Be sure to write deep, well-thought opinions that will really matter to the other people who read these. And be sure that at least one of your posts is at least 4-5 lines long.
P.S.: I would like to point out what a breath of fresh air this film was, for me, in comparison with the nausea-inducing sexism of Wild, Wild West. After we finished Nausicaä, I had some meditative time as I locked up the studio. I was thinking about how refreshing it is to see a movie with the kind of heroine I would want my daughter to look up to as she grows. The relief I felt to find such a heroine in media actually brought me to tears as I went through the studio, thinking. I will definitely be watching this film with my daughter as soon as she is old enough to appreciate its plot.
This movie is a very great film! I don't know if I've seen any other Miyazaki films but I'd like to believe this may be the best one. My opinion of this film is mixed. I had some problems with it, really like one continuity error, (When she threw the Ohnu eye away but then in the next scene she had it with her), and some of the dialogue in the beginning was kind of bad. Although, I do love how the movie tied together with Nausicaa fulfilling the legend.
ReplyDeleteIt kind of is a steampunk because of little elements, (like her mask and the airships), but it kind of isn't at the same time in some strange way. Just like Treasure Planet.
What do Treasure Planet and Nausicaä have in common?
DeleteThey both are considered steampunk but in a way go off from the genre and don't have a lot of steampunk elements. Treasure Planet has aliens and is set in an alternate world where a Victorian-like era happened in space and everything is powered by Aether, more of an Aetherpunk, while Nausicaa is more of a sci-fi where some of the machines in her land are powered by wind and the main creature is an Ohnu. The films aren't directly connected but in a way go off of the steampunk genre and do their own thing. Also, neither are considered steampunk by IMDb. Does that make sense or is it just rambling? I'm not sure how well I made my point.
DeleteAngell Chandler
ReplyDeleteMiyazaki happens to produce some of my favorite animations, and much like Carlos said I am going to have to agree that I think this is one of the best. Much like a lot of the other films that I have seen I am going to have to say that I only felt that a few elements were steampunk, and if I were just to sit down and watch it without thinking what genre it was it wouldn't really pop out at me. Despite that I think the film in amazing. I love the plot and how the story ends, but I still dislike how it isn't really screaming steampunk at me. I wish it had a lot more in it.
Miyazaki movies happen to be some of my favorites as well!
DeleteCarlos and Angell are saying that Nausicaä is not really Steampunk. Does anyone care to provide some specific examples to counter their arguments? Or does anyone want to provide more examples to back up their opinions?
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is one of the other "punks"? Do you see any elements of cyberpunk, dieselpunk, atompunk, biopunk, etc. in this film?
This ones hard. because steam punk is such a loose term in my head i'm not sure how specific it is. so can see both ways of it being a steam punk. if you want to get really strict i can see how it could not be steam punk. but i also see the goggles and the inventions.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love this movie it is definitely not steampunk. Why, you might ask? According to the story, this takes place in the future, way past the Victorian era. Since steampunk is mainly defined by time line, you can see how 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' falls out of this category.
ReplyDeleteand besides that it doesn't really have a steampunk look to it especially in the clothing.
DeleteI didnt like this movie. I dont like anime and this had all the reasons why i didnt like it, i guess the movie was interesting and cool and sad but the animation is what really set me off. It had a good story line
ReplyDeleteWhat qualities of anime do you not like that this film exhibited? Is it just the animation style?
DeleteI did not like it mostly cause I had to read. hahaha no just kidding. I didnt like it because it was slow and it bored me. It was a constant fight of me trying to keep myself awake during it and it was just gahhhhhhh
ReplyDeleteWe have to take into consideration that this movie was made before Steampunk had even made it's first appearance so to see it being before the innovation of the term means a lot. We can make the rules for what a movie has to be considered steampunk after we know what steampunk is but before is a lot harder. This is my argument for this movie being steampunk.
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ReplyDeleteTyler M.October 14, 2013 at 12:43 PM
It was a little slow an the upstart and kinda confusing at first but after it was really good. I didn't understand some parts but that's natural with any movie, however I really like Tento... HE WAS SO FREAKING CUTE!
I loved the movie. I love all his movies :) I don't know what the theme is, and with what Naomi says its based in the future and steam punk is in the past with future things so to me this isn't steam punk. the movie does have steam punk things in it and I can see how that could make someone think its steam punk. I can say that it was equal when it comes to the characters being deep but it also shows a lot of cool things. so I think it has a good balance.
ReplyDeleteAs far as this movie being the best Miyazaki, I definitely disagree. Wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteI think that it was a really good Miyazaki, but saying that he made his best movie 30 years ago an never made a better one is absolute rubbish.
It definitely shows his roots as a film maker, and definitely is a good example, but it's not his masterpiece.
I much prefer Spirited Away, or Howl's Moving Castle, or sticking with the big themes, Castle in the Sky. Which in my opinion is like this but better.
First off, it's totally not steampunk.
ReplyDeleteIt's straight up fantasy, there are some parallels in terms of the technology they used; but a defining part of steampunk is the fact that its anachronistic; the juxtaposition between level of technology and time period wasn't there. Because there was no time period. Because its fantasy.
Other than that and the distractingly dated music, I thought it was interesting and thought provoking and made me feel guilty as a modern consumer for my disregard of nature.
This movie is better on the first viewing.
Also I hated the voice actor for Nausicaa; she was extremely whiny and high pitched and irritating.
I agree with everything you just put down.
DeleteI do love this movie a lot, however I do agree that it is not suuuper steampunk. It can be argued either way, and there's a lot of strong opinions on it, so I'm not going to say much there. Just there are objects that can easily fool you for being steampunk, but really aren't and etc etc ya know. It's a great movie with a great story.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was great as with every hayao miyazaki film i've seen. so i honestly wouldn't call this a steampunk film, to me it's not a steampunk film because it doesn't really specify the power source and it doesn't look like a steampunk power source. secondly the outfits don't appear to be that of a Victorian style of clothing and much rather that of clothing from the middle ages. i personally thought the characters were great which is something that i really like about hayao miyazaki movies is the characters.
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