7.5/10 One of those story adaptations that does itself justice. Almost every character here has a beard except for the main character that easily stands out not just through her looks but also with her keen observations of the wild life that's supposed to be detrimental to humans, her kind temperament and selfless courage. Right? Well, although kinda cliche... it works quite well here. Her understanding and compassion for those giant worm-bug creatures is touching, when most people would flee in fear and disgust just seeing one. It was a very good fantasy with a redeeming ending, worth of an 8 if not for it's under par graphics, but as it is an original anime movie, old and sweet like the wine, it can be forgiven.

"Nausicaä of the Valley" of the Wind is a movie that just seems to get everything right: how to take its audience to a fully-realized fantasy world (steampunk-tinged yet bursting with opulent color); how to tell a story with an emphatic but not smothering environmental message; and anchor it with a strong female character. I was just as enthralled with the animation as I was with the music.There's an amazingly empathic heart beating inside Nausicaä and it feels like a deeply personal effort. Studio Ghibli's reputation for quality and imagination is firmly established, and this is no disappointment in that respect.Absolutely worth seeing.8/10

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.

I have tried to see many more films from Studio Ghibli, the Japanese cartoon creators who have produced many magical films over the years, this was another one I found, dubbed into English, directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Ponyo). Basically a thousand years have passed since apocalyptic war the Seven Days of Fire, that destroyed civilisation and created the vast poisonous forest the Toxic Jungle, swarming with giant mutant insects. In the kingdom of the Valley of the Wind, a prophecy predicts a saviour will guide the people to the pure lands, the princess of the Valley of the Wind, Nausicaä (Drag Me to Hell's Alison Lohman), can communicate with its creatures, including the gigantic, armoured trilobite-like creatures called Ohm, she hopes the jungle and humans can co-exist. One night, while the Valley's swords-master Lord Yupa (Sir Patrick Stewart) is visiting, a cargo aircraft from the kingdom of Tolmekia crashes, Nausicaä tries to help a wounded passenger, Princess Lastelle of Pejite (Emily Bauer), who pleads her to destroy the cargo ship before dying, the cargo ship is an fact an embryo of a Giant Warrior, one of the lethal bio-weapons that caused the Seven Days of Fire. Military state the Tolmekians seized the embryo and Princess Lastele, but they were attacked by mutant insects, one of the insects emerges wounded from the wreckage, poised to attack the frightened villagers, but Nausicaä calms it and guides it away on her jet-powered glider. The next day, Nausicaä's father is killed and the Giant Warrior embryo taken by Tolmekian troops, led by Princess Kushana (Uma Thurman), and Officer Kurotowa (Fright Night's Chris Sarandon) who plans to use the mature Giant Warrior to burn the Toxic Jungle. Kushana takes Nausicaä and five hostages from the Valley, before leaving, Yupa discovers jungle plants in a secret garden, reared by Nausicaä, who determined plants that grow in clean soil and water are not toxic, but humankind has tainted the soil of the jungle. The Tolmekian ship carrying Kushana and her detachment is shot down by an agile Pejite interceptor, crash landing in the jungle it disturbs several Ohm, which Nausicaä soothes, she leaves to rescue Pejite pilot and Lastelle's twin brother Asbel (Shia LaBeouf), both are swallowed by quicksand and find themselves below the jungle in a non-toxic area, Nausicaä realises the polluted topsoil can be purified by the jungle plants, producing clean water and soil underground. Nausicaä and Asbel return to Pejite, but insects have ravaged the capitol, those remaining are making plans to recapture the Giant Warrior, Nausicaä is captured, but Aspel and his mother help her escape. While flying home Nausicaä finds a team of Pejite soldiers using a wounded baby Ohm to lead thousands of Ohm in a herd into the Valley, the Tolmekians deploy tanks, their firepower cannot the Ohm, and the prematurely hatched Giant Warrior is deployed, but disintegrates. Nausicaä frees the baby Ohm and gains its trust, they stand before the raging herd and are both run over, Nausicaä is killed, but she is revived by the Ohm, she is revealed as the saviour from the prophecy. In the end the Ohm and Tolmekians leave the Valley, the Pejites remain, helping the people rebuild, meanwhile deep underneath the Toxic Jungle, a new non-toxic tree is sprouting next to Nausicaä's lost aviation goggles. Also starring Mark Hamill as Mayor of Pejite, Edward James Olmos as Mito, James Arnold Taylor as Muzu, The Little Mermaid's Jodi Benson as Lastelle's Mother, The Simpsons' Tress MacNeille as Obaba, Scooby-Doo's Frank Welker as Gol and Tony Jay as Narrator. Set in a post-apocalyptic world it is a simple story of a warrior princess forced to take action to stop economical disaster, so there is an environmental message, the story is perhaps a little underdeveloped, perhaps confusing in moments, but the cast dubbing into English are chosen well, and the animation and colourful imagination is superb, overall it is an enjoyable animated fantasy adventure. Worth watching!