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4.55 AVERAGE
4.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
First of all let me start this review by saying I am a huge fan of the movie. It is one of those films that holds a special place in my heart and while I get it is not a perfect film I enjoy it for what it is. I was expecting this to be more or less a continuation of the film....It is not really that. If you have seen some of Hayao Miyazaki's other works you can tell he has a few themes he generally works with, you will find those here too. Even though this is not a movie this is still very much a Miyazaki story. (If you haven't - what are you waiting for - go watch all of studio Ghibli's films ASAP!!!)
This manga is like the film, they have a lot of things in common, a lot of the things that happen in the first 2 chapters overlap somewhat with the film...although everything was different too. The movie and the manga, while similar, should essentially be seen as 2 different tellings of the same myth. If you are like me and you've seen the film more times than you can count this will offer you a lot of new material, while also simply adding to the lore of the world we see in the film. After the second Chapter we see basically only new things, we meet new tribes, see new places, find out more about how everyone lives and interacts with eachother. It was everything I wanted from it and more.
I loved the world building so much in this story, you really get a feel for the threat and how the tensions just keep rising throughout this first volume. You follow Nausicaä as she learns to understand both what caused the corruption of the planet, as well as she learns to navigate the realities of being at war, and being forced to fight in a war, including witnessing all the death and destruction that happens. Nausicaä is very much a Miyazaki Heroine, she is capable and smart and can do things on her own, but isn't a marry sue in that she never gets hurt and doesn't lose those she loves and very often does need the help of those around her, whether that is help from master Yupa, the Omhu, or some other characters. You also have a legion of side characters, all of which are unique in their motivations and are very complex, even the villains are multidimensional, they aren't just evil to be evil. You understand their motives, you may not agree with them, but you understand them.
I can't wait to continue with Volume 2 later because this one really leaves off on a cliffhanger!
This manga is like the film, they have a lot of things in common, a lot of the things that happen in the first 2 chapters overlap somewhat with the film...although everything was different too. The movie and the manga, while similar, should essentially be seen as 2 different tellings of the same myth. If you are like me and you've seen the film more times than you can count this will offer you a lot of new material, while also simply adding to the lore of the world we see in the film. After the second Chapter we see basically only new things, we meet new tribes, see new places, find out more about how everyone lives and interacts with eachother. It was everything I wanted from it and more.
I loved the world building so much in this story, you really get a feel for the threat and how the tensions just keep rising throughout this first volume. You follow Nausicaä as she learns to understand both what caused the corruption of the planet, as well as she learns to navigate the realities of being at war, and being forced to fight in a war, including witnessing all the death and destruction that happens. Nausicaä is very much a Miyazaki Heroine, she is capable and smart and can do things on her own, but isn't a marry sue in that she never gets hurt and doesn't lose those she loves and very often does need the help of those around her, whether that is help from master Yupa, the Omhu, or some other characters. You also have a legion of side characters, all of which are unique in their motivations and are very complex, even the villains are multidimensional, they aren't just evil to be evil. You understand their motives, you may not agree with them, but you understand them.
I can't wait to continue with Volume 2 later because this one really leaves off on a cliffhanger!
An explosive, action-packed adventure that chills me to my core.
In Nausicaa, the world has been mostly swallowed by a sea of corruption, a toxic forest with monsterous insects. This happened after technological advancements lead to rising industrialisation, wars, greediness, and finally, the destruction of the planet. Now people live in fear of the sea of corruption but also wars that seem to have taken over most of the world. Nausicaa is one of the only people who stop to listen to the Earth.
Nausicaa is very impactful because it seems like the dystopian world that we are headed towards. I liked the characters and the illustration style is magnificient. But I have to admit that the action got my head whirring at times. I wasn't sure who was doing what and why. If you're a fan of scifi with military strategy (like [b: Dune|39776179|Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1523123959s/39776179.jpg|3634639]) I bet you would fall in love with Nausicaa!
In Nausicaa, the world has been mostly swallowed by a sea of corruption, a toxic forest with monsterous insects. This happened after technological advancements lead to rising industrialisation, wars, greediness, and finally, the destruction of the planet. Now people live in fear of the sea of corruption but also wars that seem to have taken over most of the world. Nausicaa is one of the only people who stop to listen to the Earth.
Nausicaa is very impactful because it seems like the dystopian world that we are headed towards. I liked the characters and the illustration style is magnificient. But I have to admit that the action got my head whirring at times. I wasn't sure who was doing what and why. If you're a fan of scifi with military strategy (like [b: Dune|39776179|Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1523123959s/39776179.jpg|3634639]) I bet you would fall in love with Nausicaa!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's undeniable: Nausicaä is masterpiece. This manga series written by the now universally loved Hayao Miyazaki was turned into the very first Studio Ghibli movie. In a post-apocalyptic world that has been ravaged by pollution and corruption, Nausicaä, the princess of the Valley of the Wind, has a way of connecting with her people and the giant insects that most people fear. But the empire is at war so she gets pulled in too. Can she survive the war and help restore the planet from imminent devastation? This book is layered, dense, and complex. Often I had to reread pages to understand everything going on but ultimately the complexity makes for a thought-provoking landscape and rich storytelling which I am a sucker for. The book doesn't round off to a nice perfect ending but that's because it's part of a 7 book series that they've put into two big chunky hardbacks. I'm excited to see where Nausicaä's journey goes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Dementia
Just another classic reread of one of my favourite mangas. The character development, the incredible pacing and the philosophy of nature and even educational topics have been woven so intricately into each page. Hayao depicts the story with such clarity. Always in awe.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes