Anime Movie: Nausicaa: of the Valley of the Wind

             This is an amazing movie which has a lot of the sames themes as Avatar, but is on earth set a 1000 years in the future of us completely destroying the ecosystem, from a war.
             The story revolves around Nausicaa a smart and beautiful girl, whom loves nature animals and all people. Nausicaa and her people live in a valley which has the purest air, which is needed because most of the world has developed a toxic forest that even the air in it is very toxic.
             Nausicaa studies the plants and giant insects to see why their so toxic. She has in her house the most toxic of plants with the purest water and soil, finding out the jungle isn't toxic, its actually absorbing the toxins we put into the earth and the bugs are protecting the forest.
            As usual humans wan't to destroy something that they don't understand, there is war going on between 2 countries. Their fighting over a ancient weapon, a giant robot that can burn everything in its path and there going to use it on the forest and other counties.
           Nausicaa ends up stopping the fight but already the plan went out, they were going to use a baby insect to make the rest go wild and leave the forest, to kill everyone in the other cities. Nausicaa sacrifices herself in front of the animals and it calms the beasts so they go back to the forest. there was a ancient story of a man in blue that walked in a field of gold, that a old woman told; that was passed down from her family. SPOILER: Nausicaa in the end is wearing blue, and the insects lift her and are mourning her, there feelers are golden, Nausicaa awakens walking on the feelers, making it look like the golden field.
           This is one of Miyazaki's older films and is one of his greatest about how use humans need to take care of the earth and wild life, or there will be consequences. next blog i'll talk about Castle in the Sky  which has a lot of the same themes.

Anime Movie: Kiki's Delivery Service

               Kiki's Delivery Service the first anime i ever watched and the first Miyazaki film. Its a great film about growing up, family, and friends, and finding your place in the world.
              The story goes Kiki is in training to be a witch, at 13 a witch must live on there own for a year, to especially  train in whatever field they decide. Kiki says goodbye to her friends and family, and leaves on her journey with her cat Jiji whom she can talk to. They finally find a city after sleeping in a train full of cattle, a beautiful city by the ocean and a Big Ben like clock tower.
              At first Kiki can't find a place to stay and gets frustrated, she helps a baker Osono by transporting a pacifier  back to a mother whom accidentally left it. Osono offers to let her stay in the upstairs room as long as she helps around the place, Kiki also meets a boy named Tombo whom at first greeting upset her.
            Kiki decides her only witch skill is flying so she decided to make a flying delivery service, during her delivery's she makes a couple friends, 2 old ladies Madame and her worker Bertha, and a artist Ursula that lives in the forest.
            Soon after working while and becoming friends with Tombo, Kiki loses her powers and is devastated. Ursula meets up with Kiki and decides to have a sleep over to help get flying off her mind, and to paint Kiki. after getting rest and Ursula explains how she sometimes cant draw, and that inspiration will come to her; Kiki goes home. The very next day Kiki sees on the news about a blimps test flight and her friend was on it, the winds pick up and Tombo gets in danger and is about to crash into the clock tower.
             This movie is a great loving movie, after I saw when I was like 12 I wanted to watch it again so bad, took me forever to find it. Kiki's Delivery Service is a must add to your Miyazaki collection.

Anime Movie: Spirited Away

          Spirited Away is one of the most seen of his movies, if u haven't seen it your one of the few. Spirited Away is another Miyazaki film, which about a child in a fantasy place, like i said in my last post pretty much all his movies involve children learning a lesson or young adult, in a alternate place may it be fantasy or nature.
           Chihiro(10) is sullen about moving away from her friends to a new place. Chihiro like most kids get fussy,  and pouts the whole trip. The father gets lost and they end up at this old gate, Chihiro wants to stay behind because shes scared but goes with them anyway through it. What they find appears to be a rundown theme park, as they go through they find a buffet with no one there. Chihiro feels like they could get inn trouble and walks off as her family pigs down thinking they will pay after the meal.
          As it turns night the spirits come, because it turns out this place is a bridge to the spirit world, Chihiro runs to her parents finding out their turned into pigs. The owner of the place; a witch, makes Chihiro runs into a boy named Haku he decides to help her, he sneaks Chihiro into the bath house and up into the bosses office, she asks for job, because Haku tells her about the creed they cannot turn anyone down a job. The witch makes a contract with her, and takes away her name and give Chihiro a new one, Haku tells her to remember her name its how the witch keeps you from going home.
         Chihiro goes on the journey of working at the bath house and finding a way to free her parents, she grows up and learns about true love and that change can be an adventure to. Most of Miyazaki films are great for the family and young at heart, a definite classic and a must watch. I suggest adding this to your Miyazaki collection.