Studio Ghibli Movies

Laputa:Castle in the Sky : Movie Info | Synopsis

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:01:00 +0000

Title	Laputa: Castle in the Sky Tenku no Shiro Rapyuta
Release Date	August 2, 1986
Director	Hayao Miyazaki
Writer	Hayao Miyazaki
Production	Studio Ghibli / Tokuma Shoten
Producer	Yasuyoshi Tokuma / Isao Takahata
Music	Jo Hisaishi
Genre	Adventure / Fantasy / Drama / Action
Rated	PG
Runtime	124 min.

Synopsis

One night an airship travels though the clouds. On board are Sheeta, owner of the blue levitation stone, and Muska, the government agent who abducted her. Suddenly and without warning, Dola and her gang of air pirates attack the airship. Like Muska, they too want Sheeta and her stone. The pirates invade the ship, and during the ensuing chaos, Sheeta manages to knock Muska unconscious. The pirates break into Sheeta's room, and she tries to hide clinging to the outside of the ship. However, she loses her grip and falls into the night sky.
As the unconscious Sheeta hurtles toward the ground, the levitation stone emits a mysterious light slowing Sheeta's descent. From a small mining town (Slag's Ravine), a young boy named Pazu sees the light of the stone descending from the sky and runs to investigate. Upon reaching the mineshaft, he reaches out to catch the falling girl. To his amazement, she appears weightless. That is, until the stone stops glowing... Pazu decides to take her back to his home.

The next morning, Sheeta awakens to the sound of Pazu blowing his trumpet on the roof. After introductions to each other, Pazu asks to see the stone. Pazu then tries to levitate himself with it, only to crash through the roof in the attempt. Later, Sheeta notices a picture of the legendary kingdom of Laputa on a wall in Pazu's home. The picture was taken by Pazu's father, and Pazu explains how his father saw the floating island among the thick, stormy clouds during an airship trip. Pazu's father returned, but no one believed his discovery, and he died in misery. Now, Pazu is building a huge onrithopter so that he can rediscover Laputa.
It's not very long though, before the pirates track Sheeta down to Pazu's house. A street brawl starts between the townspeople and the pirates while Pazu and Sheeta sneak away and board a small train. Dola, after gathering up her men, chases after them. This has not gone unnoticed. One of Muska's agents spots Sheeta and soon, with a large military force, they too are chasing Pazu and Sheeta. As a result of this altercation, Pazu and Sheeta are forced off the tracks and seemingly fall to their doom. However, the levitation stone once again goes to work. Both the pirates and the military troops watch in awe as the two float gently downward.
The two descend into a mineshaft. At the bottom they meet Uncle Pom, an old eccentric miner. Pom explains that he came down here to see the rocks glowing in the dark. The rocks have the vein of the levitation stone, and he then shows what happens when they are exposed to air. Sheeta notices that her stone is glowing with the rest of the stones. She shows it to Uncle Pom who, in amazement, tells them that it is a crystal. Uncle Pom says that only the people of Laputa knew how to create such crystals, and in doing so were able to construct a huge floating island in the sky. Through this new knowledge Pazu and Sheeta are able to ascertain that Laputa truly does exist.

Pazu and Sheeta leave the mine, only to be captured by Muska and the military. They are taken to a military base (Tedis Fortress), and Pazu is locked in the tower. Meanwhile, Muska escorts Sheeta to a room where a robot soldier is kept. Muska explains that the robot fell from the sky one day and is proof of the existence of Laputa. He shows Sheeta that the marking on her levitation stone and the one on the robot are the same, and says that the stone, once activated, will show the way to Laputa. He wants the activation spell, but she has no such knowledge. Muska discloses that her real name, Lusheeta Toel-ul Laputa, indicates that she is the true heir to the throne of Laputa, and threatens that Pazu's fate is in her hands. So, Sheeta agrees to go along with Muska's plan and tells Pazu to leave her alone. Pazu, shocked at Sheeta's request, agrees and walks back home sulking with three gold coins Muska gave him for his services.

By nightfall, Pazu reaches his home. He is greeted by Dola and her pirates (actually her sons), who have taken over Pazu's home as a temporary base. Once they have tied up Pazu, Dola points out how naive he was to have misinterpreted Sheeta's actions. She also mentions that Muska probably won't let Sheeta live after he gets what he wants from her. Meanwhile, Sheeta, back in her room, sadly recites a saying that her grandmother taught her to make trouble go away. The stone, in response to Sheeta's words, starts to emit mysterious rays and, as a result, activates the robot soldier in the basement. Awakened from its dormant state, the robot begins to create havoc within the castle, as it attempts to locate Sheeta.
Back home, Pazu asks Dola if he can join her pirates so that he can save Sheeta. Dola agrees, and they leave for Tedis Fortress using the flapters. Back at the fortress, all attempts to stop the robot soldier have failed. The robot chases Sheeta to the top of a tower and tries to communicate with her. The stone, still shining, emits a light towards the sky, which Muska interprets as the location of Laputa. Muska then cuts the communication lines, preventing the General (Genearl Mouroa) from asking his personnels about the situation Suddenly one of the shots from the fortress' gun turrets hits the robot and disables it. The soldiers rush to the tower thinking that they are victorious. However, the robot reactivates. Now, in an almost crazed state, it begins to obliterate the entire fortress, firing at anything that looks hostile. Sheeta, shocked by the carnage it has caused, tries to stop the robot by covering its head. The robot moves Sheeta to a safer place, only to be destroyed by the airship Goliath. Pazu saves Sheeta from the burning tower as he passes over in Dola's flapter. The pirates make their escape easily, however the stone is now in possession of Muska, and is still emitting a beacon towards Laputa.

The pirates, accompanied by Pazu and Sheeta, make it back to their airship (Tiger Moth). Once there, Dola makes quick use of Pazu and Sheeta, giving them both jobs to do onboard the ship. They head east, in the direction Sheeta's stone was shining previously in the Fortress. Later, while Pazu is up on the top of the ship keeping watch, Sheeta goes up to talk to him. She tells Pazu that she actually doesn't want to go to Laputa, and that she feels sorry about the robot. She is scary of the power of her levitation stone, and wishes that it didn't exist at all. Pazu points out to her, that with the rapid advances in aviation technology, someone will sooner or later find Laputa and that they can't let someone like Muska find it first. Sheeta also tells him about the different charms her grandmother taught her, including the "Doom" charm, which she is never supposed to use.
Then, Pazu sees a silhouette of the Goliath in the clouds beneath the Tiger Moth. He wakes the crew, and the Tiger Moth dives into the clouds to avoid confrontation. Pazu and Sheeta take off in a glider to help guide the Tiger Moth towards Laputa. Pazu tells Dola to head into the big storm ahead, since that was what his father did before. There the Goliath finds them and attacks. The Tiger Moth is hit, and the glider is disconnected from the ship. Pazu and Sheeta plummet towards the ground. Suddenly, Pazu, while trying to get the glider under control, sees the image of his father. Guided by the lightenings, the glider make it through the storm and emerge into clear sky.

They arrive at Laputa, the legendary floating kingdom. However, there is no one living there. Pazu and Sheeta are greeted by a solitary gardener robot who takes care of the lush gardens of the upper portion of Laputa. The robot leads the children to a grave plaque in the central gardens, and offers Sheeta a flower. Then, the sound of an explosion is heard below. It is the government troops, raiding the treasure hall of the castle. They see that Dola and the pirates have been captured, and try to reach them, but Muska and his men see them. Soon Sheeta is captured and taken by Muska to the inner chambers of the castle. Meanwhile, Pazu succeeds in freeing the pirates. Dola gives him a canon and two shells so he can rescue Sheeta.
Muska reaches the control center of Laputa, which contains the giant levitation stone that keeps Laputa aloft. Sheeta, wondering how Muska knows so much about Laputa, asks who he really is. Muska reveals himself as also being a descendant of Laputa. Now in control of the castle, Muska tells General Mouroa and his men to come to the observation room so that he can demonstrate the awesome power of the castle. The general thanks Muska for his services and tries to kill him. Muska, prepared for this, opens up the floor of the observatory and sends the general and his men to their deaths. He then unleashes hundreds of robot soldiers onto the remaining troops. The troopers quickly scramble back to the Goliath in fear, but the robots destroy the giant airship. Sheeta is able to catch Muska off guard while he is enjoying the destruction of Goliath and manages to grab the stone away from him. Muska, unable to control Laputa without the stone, chases after her.

Pazu looks for Sheeta, and finally he finds her. But they are separated by a wall between them. Sheeta, in an act of desperation, passes the stone through a hole and tells Pazu to throw it away. Immediately Muska arrives and tries to shoot Pazu, but he misses. Pazu uses his weapon to enlarge the hole and goes after him. Sheeta reaches the throne room, but Muska comers her. Realizing she's trapped, Sheeta confronts Muska and tells him that people can't live in the sky away from the ground. That is why there is no one living on Laputa. Muska refuses to believe Sheeta and prepares to kill her. Pazu arrives just in time and tells Muska he'll never get the stone if he harms Sheeta. Muska allows Pazu to talk to Sheeta for three minutes. Pazu, asks Sheeta to tell him the Doom charm so they can both say it together. They say the charm, causing the stone to emit a blinding light. This not only blinds Muska but also releases the large levitation stone holding up Laputa. The castle and the great robots, now powerless, fall into the sea.

Dola and the pirates, escaping the destruction on their flapters, think that Pazu and Sheeta are dead and mourn them. Then the island stops descending. The large levitation stone had simply moved up the island and is now caught in the roots of the great tree. Pazu and Sheeta manage to survive, and find their glider and bid farewell to Laputa. They catch up with the pirates, who are very glad to see them alive. Soon after, Pazu and Sheeta say their farewells and head for home. As the story closes Laputa floats upwards into the sky...

Source:
http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/laputa/synopsis/

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Links

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:21:00 +0000

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Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:41:00 +0000

Images of Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind

collected in this slide show

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Music

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Music

Original Sound Tracks

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Track	Title / [English translation]	Time
1	Kaze no Tani no Naushika (Opening) [Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind (Opening)]	4:39
2	Ohmu no Bousou [An Ohmu Stampede]	2:35
3	Kaze no Tani [The Valley of Wind]	3:14
4	Mushi Mezuru Hime [The Princess Who Loves Insects]	3:12
5	Kushana no Shinryaku [Kushana's Invasion]	3:29
6	Sentou [Battle]	3:11
7	Ohmu to no Kouryuu [Interchange with the Ohmu]	1:39
8	Fukai nite [In the Sea of Corruption]	2:33
9	Pejite no Zenmetsu [Annihilation of Pejite]	3:51
10	Mehve to Korubetto no Tatakai [A Battle Between Mehve and Corvette]	1:17
11	Yomigaeru Kyoshinhei [The Resurrection of the God Warrior]	3:29
12	Naushika · Rekuiemu [Nausicaä · Requiem]	2:55
13	Tori no Hito (Ending) [Bird Person (Ending)]	3:48

Source:

http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/soundtracks/nausicaa/

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Trailers | Clips

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:31:00 +0000

Trailers

Walt Disney DVD + Studio Ghibli
Length : 3:00 min.

Korean Version
Length : 2:12 min.

Opening
Length : 2:09 min.

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Characters | Casts

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Characters

Nausicaä

Nausicaä is the beloved Princess of the Valley of The Wind. She is a skilled jet-powered glider pilot and also has a special connection with animals. She does not share the same fear for them that most others do, and is often visits the Fukai to do research.

Yupa

Yupa is from the Valley of the Wind and is an old friend of Nausicaä's father, King Jiru. He is also Nausicaä's mentor, but left the Valley when she was 14 in order to research the Fukais. His goal has been to solve the mysteries of the Fukais, in hopes of preventing them from spreading and eliminating the existence of mankind. Yupa is a well respected person in the Valley, and his return to the Valley after a year and half of wandering was welcomed by all. During his time away, he visited many villages there were destroyed the Fuakis, and sadly reported that wars and famine now exist in too many places of Earth. Yupa is a skilled sword/knivesman, and saved the Pejite people from being killed by the Tolumekians.

Grandmother

Old, wise and a bit kooky, the old woman simply called "Grandmother" is also a highly respected person in Valley of the Wind. She has poor eyesight, lives in the castle and has watched Nausicaä grow up. Grandmother was the one told us about the legend of the saviour who will come to help mankind, and it is she realizes Nausicaä is the saviour. When the Valley forest was infested with Fukai poison, the people went to her for guidance. She decided that the only way to save the rest of the Valley was to destroy the forest.

Mito

Blind in one eye (cause unknown), he is a loyal and trusted friend of King Jiru and Nausicaä. Although he is quite rough in some occassions, he is a highly skilled pilot and shows much care for the people of the Valley. When Nausicaä was attacked by a Tolumekia airship, he saved her by quickly shooting it down. He helped protect the people of the Valley by warning them of the Omhu attack, and guided them to safety.

Asbel

Prince of the Kingdom of Pejite, Asbel took revenge on the Tolumekians when they kidnapped his twin sister Lastelle. He shot down their planes, but when he saw Nausicaä signalling him to stop, he was distracted and was shot down himself. Although young in age, he is a very good fighter pilot. At first, he was in support of the Pejitians' plan to terminate the Tolumekians at all cause, including killing the people of the Valley of the Wind. However, after he meets Nausicaä, he realizes what they are doing was wrong. He triesto save Nausicaä, but was knocked unconscious by his men. Later however, with the assistance of his Mother, he succeeds. He pushes Nausicaä off to save her people while he himself stays behidn to fight the attacking Tolumekians.

Kushana

The Fourth Imperial Princess of Tolumekia, Kushanta's goal in life is to destroy the Fukais all the Omhus in exsistence. Her motive behind her determination is the fact that when she was a child, she was attacked by an Omhu, and as a result, her arm and two legs were amputated. She had to grow up with a metal shell as an arm and has been very angry ever since. Although at times she appears to be mean and cruel, she is actually very afraid. She puts up a strong front in order to hide her fears and actually has a very caring heart. As the story unfolded, she changed into a gentler and more caring person. When Mito returned to the Valley, she ordered her troops to stop firing at him because she was worried about Nausicaä's safety. So even though she led the invasion of the Valley, Kushanta is not a hateful character. Her plight generates sympathy, and her goals and ideals are understandable. She could not have predicted the results of her actions and did not do anything out of cruelty or evilness.

Kurotawa

Kurotawa is Princess Kushanta's General and has a love/hate relationship with her. He was quite happy when reports came in that Kushanta has been killed, but when she returned, he didn't seem to be angry at all. He is the type of person who likes to be in command of battles rather than actually be in them. Although he led the invasion on the Valley of the Wind, he is not exactly a bad guy. Like Kushanta, he is not a hateful character because he is not evil, or mean or cruel. He just happens to have different ideals and goals than the people of the Valley of the Wind and he does what he does in the belief that they are for mankind's best interest.
King JiruBeloved King of the Valley of the Wind, he was dying of Fukai poison. He moved his people to the Valley of the Wind in order to escape from the wars outside, as well as the poison which exist in most parts of the Earth. He is killed by a Tolumekians when they attacked the Valley.

Ohmu

Guardians of the Fukai, lords of the insects. [Note: "Ohmu" is literally, "King (or Lord) Insect". In this script "Ohmu" is both singular and plural term]

Tedd

Nausicaä small fox-squirrel.

Giant Weapon (Kyoshinhei)

Lastelle

Princess of the Kingdom of Pejite, and twin sister of Asbel. She was kidnapped by the Tolumekians when they destroyed her kingdom and stole the fire demon. She was being transported to Tolumekia when the soldiers angered some Fukai creatures and the airship was attacked. The airship crashed into the mountains and Lastelle suffered grave injuries. As her last words, she asks Nausicaä to destroy all cargo aboard the airship. Nausicaä tells her the fire destroyed everything, and Lastelle died happy with that knowledge. It is discovered later on that the fire demon survived the crash. Fortunately, Lastelle died without that knowledge.

Source:
http://www.wingsee.com/
http://www.bestanime.com/

Casts

Sumi Shimamoto	Nausicaä (voice)
Mahito Tsujimura	Jihl (voice)
Hisako Kyôda	Oh-Baba (voice)
Gorô Naya	Yupa (voice)
Ichirô Nagai	Mito (voice)
Kôhei Miyauchi	Goru (voice)
Jôji Yanami	Gikkuri (voice)
Minoru Yada	Niga (voice)
Rihoko Yoshida	Teto / Girl C (voice)
Masako Sugaya	Girl A (voice)
Takako Sasuga	Girl B (voice)
Chika Sakamoto	Boy A (voice)
Tarako	Boy B (voice)
Yôji Matsuda	Asbel (voice)
Mîna Tominaga	Rastel (voice)
Mugihito	Mayor of Pejite (voice)
Akiko Tsuboi	Rastel's mother (voice)
Yoshiko Sakakibara	Kushana (voice)
Iemasa Kayumi	Kurotowa (voice)
Tetsuo Mizutori	Commando (voice)
Takeki Nakamura	Pejite citizen (voice)
Takako Ôta	Pejite girl (voice)
Bin Shimada	Pejite citizen (voice)
Shinji Nomura	Torumekia soldier (voice)
Hisako Ayuhara	Boy (voice)
Hôchû Ôtsuka	Torumekia soldier (voice)

Source:
http://www.imdb.com/

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Movie Info | Synopsis

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Title	Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Kaze no Tani no Naushika Warriors of the Wind
Release Date	March 4, 1984
Director	Hayao Miyazaki / Kazuo Komatsubara
Writer	Hayao Miyazaki
Production	Top Craft / Studio Ghibli / Tokuma Shoten
Producer	Isao Takahata
Music	Jo Hisaishi
Genre	Fantasy / Drama / Sci-Fi
Rated	PG
Runtime	116 min.

Synopsis

It has been a millennium since a global war known as the "Seven Days of Fire" destroyed human civilization. Only a tiny remnant of humanity survives, huddled in small enclaves across the continents. The Fukai, a thick jungle whose spores and plantlife are poisonous to humans, covers much of the Earth's surface.
Feeding on the pollutants of the former human civilization, the Fukai continues to expand, enveloping the outposts of mankind and consuming them. Giant mutated insects are now the dominant form of life, living both in and above the Fukai. Of these, the Ohmu reign supreme - seventy-meter long pillbug-shaped guardians of the Fukai.

One of these islands of humanity is known as the Valley of the Wind. Protected from the spores by strong winds from the sea, these winds also power a forest of windmills to perform work and pump water from underground wells. Nonetheless, the inhabitants of the Valley must still be vigilant to ensure that the fungi do not gain a foothold amongst their crops and water supply.

All those who dare enter the Fukai must wear breathing masks, lest the spores rot their lungs. One of these explorers is the Princess Nausicaä, the only surviving child of King Jil, ruler of the Valley. Riding far above the fukai and desert on her mehve, she sails over the fossilized remains of the kyoshinhei - "Giant God Soldiers" - who destroyed civilization during the Seven Days of Fire.

Nausicaä sets down at the edge of the jungle and enters to collect spore samples. As she explores, she comes across the recently-sloughed carapace of an Ohmu. Excitedly, she removes one of the eyepieces to take back to turn into a window. As she prepares to return, she hears the report of a gunshot. Rushing back to her mehve, she sees a figure on birdback exit the forest, followed moments later by an ohmu, its dozens of eyes red in anger. She flies in front of the ohmu, dropping flashbombs to stop it and soothe its anger. Slowly, the eyes turn blue and the ohmu renters the Fukai.

Nausicaä lands next to the individual, and is surprised to see that he is Lord Yupa, a teacher who travels amongst the remaining human communities. Yupa explains that, in rescuing a small mammal, he had fired on an insect. He opens his pouch and out pops a small fox-squirrel. Though defensive at first, the fox-squirrel soon settles down and Nausicaä names him Teto. Yupa adds that he is on his way back to the Valley, and Nausicaä rides on ahead.

That evening, Yupa and Jil are discussing Yupa's travels and the continual decline of humanity as the Fukai moves ever onward. Though protected from direct contact with the poison, it nonetheless affects everyone, slowly ossifying their bodies as it ages them prematurely.
Oh-baba, an elderly blind wise woman, claims that Yupa travels the world seeking a hero that legends say "...is a person clad in blue standing in a golden field who will find the bond between humanity and the earth, and lead the people to a pure land..." Yupa denies this, stating that he is studying the makeup of the Fukai.

During the night, Nausicaä is woken from her sleep by a large windstorm lashing the Valley. Troubled, she dresses and climbs onto the roof with the night watch. To their horror, they see a massive Torumekian transport appear out of the storm, covered in a swarm of attacking insects. The crippled vessel attempts to continue on, but is finally brought down, crashing near the fields in a massive fireball.

Nausicaä is the first to arrive at the site, and begins to search for survivors. She finds a young girl about her age in the wreckage, and is incensed to see she is a prisoner, her hands chained. Nausicaä pulls her out, but discovers that the girl has suffered a fatal injury. The girl tells Nausicaä that her name is Rastel and that she is a princess of the kingdom of Pejite. She asks Nausicaä to be sure that the transport's cargo is destroyed. Looking over the blazing inferno, Nausicaä assures Rastel that whatever the ship was carrying has been incinerated. Relieved, Rastel settles back and quietly passes away.

Fungi from the doomed transport have landed in the fields, and the inhabitants of the Valley scramble to burn the infection before it spreads and ruins their crops. They come across one of the insects, injured, and prepare to kill it. They are stopped by Yupa, who explains that if attacked, the insect will summon a swarm which will wipeout the Valley. Using a whistle spun rapidly on the end of a string, Nausicaä lures the insect into the air and out of the Valley.

The next day, a squadron of transports and corvettes from the Torumekian Empire descend upon the Valley. Disgorging troops encased in armor and tanks, they quickly secure the Valley. Nausicaä, out in the fields when the invasion began, rushes back to the castle to find a squad of soldiers over her father, who lay dead in his bed.

Consumed in rage, she lashes out and engages them in combat. However, her weapons prove ineffective against the armor and only the sudden appearance of Lord Yupa in the middle of the fight saves Nausicaä from sharing the fate of her late father.

Outside, the inhabitants of the Valley learn of Jil's death and prepare to rush the Torumekian line, though it would mean certain death. Nausicaä appears before them and orders them to stand down. Princess Kushana of Torumekia, the commander of the invasion force, explains to the population that it is the intention of the Torumekian Empire to burn the Fukai and reclaim the earth for humanity.

Oh-baba warns Kushana that other great empires have tried to destroy the Fukai. However, the ohmu and other insects have risen up and destroyed the empires, instead. Kushana explains that this time humanity will prevail. She reveals that the transport that had crashed the night before was carrying a proto-God Soldier. The Torumekians plan to revive it and use it against the Fukai.

Kushana decides to revive the God Soldier in the Valley, and take Nausicaä and the Valley's elders back with her to the Torumekian capital as hostages to ensure that the residents of the Valley behave. She leaves her Chief of Staff, Kurotawa, in charge of the revival process.

Yupa seeks Nausicaä in the castle basement and discovers that she has been tending a secret garden. Nausicaä tells him that she has been raising the spores she has collected in the Fukai. If grown in clean soil and fresh water, the spores do not give off toxins. She is depressed that the garden will now die in her absence, as she hoped to discover a way to cure the pollution-induced disease that had been killing her father and the other elders.

Once airborne, the Torumekian force is set upon by a single Pejite fighter under the control of Prince Asbel, brother of the slain Rastel. He manages to destroy the Torumekian transports, but Nausicaä, horrified at the death occurring around her, climbs onto the transport and opens her arms to the diving Pejite fighter. Asbel, seeing Nausicaä, for a second sees his sister Rastel and his hesitation allows a Torumekian corvette to shoot him down. Nausicaä, Mito, and Kushana escape their burning transport aboard the Valley gunship, taken by Kushana as part of her booty. They link up with the remaining hostages, who were carried along in a glider. To the consternation of the others, Nausicaä removes her mask to show them that the upper atmosphere has been cleansed of poisons. The group settles down on a large, clear lake to determine their next course of action. However, Kushana removes a concealed gun and attempts to assume command. Before she can do anything, a group of Ohmu rise from the depths and encircle them. Nausicaä, unafraid, allows the Ohmu to examine her with their feelers and they recede.

Nausicaä boards her mehve and starts to explore the lake area. She comes across Asbel, under attack by a group of insects. Out of ammunition, the insects force Asbel off a cliff. Nausicaä catches him as he falls, but her mehve is clipped by a large insect and they crash to the jungle floor, sinking from view in the fine sand.

Unconscious from the impact of the fall, Nausicaä dreams of her past. On a trip with her parents and retainers, she had come across a baby Ohmu. She tried to shelter it from view, but her father took it away as Nausicaä pleaded for them to spare it.

She awakes from her dream to find herself in a massive underground forest. Huge trees spread their branches in a canopy, with the fine sand sifting down from between the branches. Nausicaä discovers that the trees of the fukai are absorbing the poisons, crystallizing them in their dieing cells. This process has cleansed the water and soil of poisons. They determine that the floor of the Fukai is anchored in the branches of these forest giants. The Fukai is actually slowly purifying the water and soil of Earth. Happy with their discovery, they share a meal of chico nuts (given to Nausicaä by the girls of the Valley before she left) and go to sleep.

Back in the Valley, Yupa discovers the Torumekian plans to revive the God Solider. While he leaves to find Nausicaä, the rest of the villagers rise up against the Torumekians.

The following morning, Nausicaä and Asbel fly to the capital city of Pejite, only to find that the insects of the Fukai, led by the Ohmu, have attacked and destroyed it. Standing in the ruins, they see a Pejite transport land. Asbel learns that the Torumekians lured the insects to Pejite, and that they plan to do the same to the Torumekian forces now occupying the Valley of the Wind. They will then capture the God Soldier for themselves and use it to destroy the Fukai, which is now absorbing their city. Nausicaä attempts to escape to warn her people, but is restrained. Asbel moves to help her, and is knocked unconscious by his troops.

Nausicaä awakes aboard the transport. The Queen of Pejite, along with some of the other women, release Nausicaä from her prison aboard the plane. They then dress her in the outfit of one of the Pejite girls and take her to her mehve. However, a Torumekian gunship appears and grapples the Pejite vessel in a boarding operation. Nausicaä launches from the transport, and is chased by the gunship. She successfully evades them long enough for Yupa and Mito to appear in the Valley gunship and dispatch it. Nausicaä transfers to the gunship and they head off to find the baby ohmu. By the failing light, they see a literal sea of ohmu moving towards the Valley, their eyes red in anger. She moves on, and comes across the object of their anger - a baby ohmu has been suspended with barbed hooks from beneath a Pejite Flying Jar. The creature has been run through with harpoons and is bleeding profusely.

Enraged by the atrocity she sees before her, she tries to get the Pejite to stop. They respond with gunfire, and Nausicaä is hit in the shoulder and ankle by rounds as she does a flying tackle into the Jar. The Jar descends to an island in the middle of an acid lake, and the tortured ohmu yanks the Jar out of the sky as soon as it attains landfall. Nausicaä goes to the creature, which is trying to return to its kind by heading for the acid lake. She pleads with it to stop, but it moves onwards. The movement aggravates its injuries, and its spurting fluids stain Nausicaä's outfit blue. As the acidic water flows across her boot and into her wound, she cries out and collapses in pain on the beach, grasping her ankle. The ohmu immediately stops, and deploys its feelers into the wound. There is a soft glow and the wound is healed. It then moves onto her shoulder and heals that wound as well.

By now the Pejite are stirring, and Nausicaä turns her gun upon them. She orders them to take the ohmu to a point before the advancing horde in an attempt to get them to stop their advance.

The inhabitants of the Valley, outmatched by the Torumekian forces, have fought a withdrawal back to an ancient and shattered starship from before the Seven Days of Fire. Kushana has since returned from the Fukai and gathers her forces to put down the rebellion. As she arrives, she sees the advancing ohmu horde and orders her troops to take up a defensive position around the starship while she returns and gets the God Solider. Kurosawa tells her that it is too soon, but she replies that their situation is too pressing and leaves. The troops, seeing the huge insect force bearing down on them, soon break ranks and start to run. However, Kushana appears on the hill atop an armored vehicle.

To the awe and horror of Torumekian and Valley-person alike, a massive humanoid form appears, climbing over the hill and over Kushana. The God Soldier, its flesh flowing like mud, turns toward the approaching ohmu. At Kushana's command, a beam of pure energy lances out across the forward echelon of ohmu and a multi-kiloton nuclear fireball erupts, vaporizing the entire front group. However, the God Soldier was birthed far too soon and the flesh starts to pour from its inner skeletal structure. Again, the nuclear beam fires and another huge group of ohmu are destroyed. However, by now the nuclear core is exhausted and the God Soldier crumbles into a pile of liquid flesh and bones. Though savaged, there are still thousands of ohmu who continue to charge. Those on the starship brace themselves for their impending deaths. Suddenly, shouts and cries erupt from the crowd as Nausicaä appears over the acid lake. The Pot sets the baby ohmu down and Nausicaä leaps out. They stand before the ohmu horde that, blinded by their rage, plow right over them. Nausicaä is thrown high in the air by the impact of the thousands of legs, disappearing in the heaving mass.

Assuming their princess is dead, the Valley-people mourn. However, the ohmu suddenly stop. From the center, the red eyes of anger turn the cool blue of peace. Like the ripples of a pebble dropped in a pond, the blue expands outwards amongst the ohmu until all are at peace. The ohmu surrounding the broken body of Nausicaä put out their feelers and lift her into the sky, healing her. As she awakes and rises to her feet, the sheer number of glowing feelers supporting her make it look as if she was standing in a field of golden wheat.

When the children describe the scene to the blind Oh-baba, she cries out that the prophecy of the one in blue upon a field of gold has come true. Nausicaä is the one who found the bond between humanity and the ohmu.

We are treated to scenes of life returning to normal in the Valley. The Torumekians board their transports and depart, Yupa and Prince Asbel explore the Fukai, and Nausicaä trains young fliers.

And in the under-forest of the Fukai, a single chiko plant sprouts in the clean sand beside Nausicaä's discarded helmet.

Source:
http://www.nausicaa.net/

Index of Movies Links

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:23:00 +0000

Nausica of the Valley of the Wind
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Grave of the Fireflies
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Only Yesterday
Porco Rosso
Ocean Waves
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Ritual
Spirited Away
Ghiblies Episode 2
The Cat Returns
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Howl's Moving Castle
Tales from Earthsea
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Index of Movies Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:21:00 +0000

Nausica of the Valley of the Wind
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Grave of the Fireflies
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Only Yesterday
Porco Rosso
Ocean Waves
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Ritual
Spirited Away
Ghiblies Episode 2
The Cat Returns
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Howl's Moving Castle
Tales from Earthsea
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Index of Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Nausica of the Valley of the Wind
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Grave of the Fireflies
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Only Yesterday
Porco Rosso
Ocean Waves
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Ritual
Spirited Away
Ghiblies Episode 2
The Cat Returns
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Howl's Moving Castle
Tales from Earthsea
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Index of OST

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:19:00 +0000

Nausica of the Valley of the Wind

Original Sound Tracks

Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Grave of the Fireflies

My Neighbor Totoro

Kiki's Delivery Service

Only Yesterday

Porco Rosso

Ocean Waves

Pom Poko

Whisper of the Heart

Princess Mononoke

My Neighbors the Yamadas

Ritual

Spirited Away

Ghiblies Episode 2

The Cat Returns

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Howl's Moving Castle

Tales from Earthsea

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Index of Studio Ghibli Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:09:00 +0000

Nausica of the Valley of the Wind

Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Grave of the Fireflies

My Neighbor Totoro

Kiki's Delivery Service

Only Yesterday

Porco Rosso

Ocean Waves

Pom Poko

Whisper of the Heart

Princess Mononoke

My Neighbors the Yamadas

Ritual

Spirited Away

Ghiblies Episode 2

The Cat Returns

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Howl's Moving Castle

Tales from Earthsea

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Ghibli Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Ghibli Museum (Mitaka no Mori Jiburi Bijutsukan, Mitaka Forest Ghibli Museum) is a commercial museum featuring the Japanese anime work of Studio Ghibli. Located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western suburb of Tokyo, Japan, it opened in 2001.The museum is a fine arts museum, but does not take the concept of a usual fine arts museum. With many features that are child-oriented and a sprawling and occasionally mazelike interior, the museum is a playfully created place. Centered around the motto appearing on the museum's website "Let's become lost children together" (Maigo ni narō yo, isshoni?), or 'let's lose our way together' as it is translated in the English leaflet. It has no set path or order of viewing. It seems to be primarily a Japanese tourist location, as though the museum brochure contains a variety of languages, the signs within the museum are in Japanese only.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghibli_Museum

A Guide to Buying Tickets and Getting There

Get on the Nekobasu!

Buying Tickets

Since the Ghibli Museum is extremely popular with Japan residents and foreigners alike, a reservation voucher must be purchased in advance. The admission fees are listed here. You can actually buy your voucher from outside Japan, see this page for info. Within Japan, you can buy it using one of the following ways as listed on this page: (1) via the Japan Travel Bureau (JTB); (2) via Lawson convenience store's Loppi stations; and (3) via LawsonTicket.com telephone and online service.

Buying Tickets Outside Japan

Getting There

From Tokyo, Kanda or Shinjuku stations, take the JR Chuo Line to Mitaka, it's approximately 20 minutes away if you take the train from Shinjuku in Tokyo. Take the South Exit and walk along the Tamagawa Josui "Waterworks" to the museum (see map here) or make like a Totoro and take the Cat Bus (or the "Nekobasu"). The fare is 200 yen for a one-way trip and 300 yen for round-trip; half-price for children under 12 years old. Please take note that the museum does not have a parking lot.

The Museum: Outside

The first thing you'll notice when you get to the museum is that it doesn't look like any museum (or building, for that matter) that you've ever been to. There's also a sculpture garden on the rooftop featuring one of the major attractions, a gigantic cast-iron Laputa Robot Soldier.

The unusual structure was designed by Hayao Miyazaki himself and, as we saw in the official commemorative Ghibli Museum DVD (subtitled in English) we bought, the building's design was inspired by the quaint cliff-top village of Calcata, Italy where walkways are narrow and maze-like and houses don't have definite form but instead follow the natural structure of the cliff they're perched upon.

Before you enter, you have to exchange your voucher with the actual ticket - a film strip featuring three frames from a Studio Ghibli film. Cool, huh? The ticket will give you one-time access to the Saturn Theatre where you can view a museum-exclusive short film. (They have three 15-minute screenings per schedule, only one of which you can watch during the two-hour tour. My husband Arnold and I got to see a My Neighbor Totoro sequel called "Mei and the Kitten Bus" that's just as adorable and whimsical as the original.)

The Museum: Inside

The interior of the museum is as playful and unusual as the outside and once you step in, you'll want to begin identifying scenes from Ghibli films in the intricate stained glass windows and wall and ceiling murals. It's designed in such a way that there is no definite path to follow and the thrill is in losing your way around it. In fact, it's like entering Totoro's world.

The building features two floors connected through staircases as well as a metallic spiral staircase and an old-fashioned elevator. Images and tiny details from our favorite Studio Ghibli movies are scattered everywhere - on the walls, floors and ceiling, on banisters, even on the faucet knobs in the bathroom - so be careful not to miss them.

On the first floor are interactive exhibits detailing the animation process. One amazing display, the "Bouncing Totoro Zoetrope", shows how images are animated using strobe lights. This video presentation by renowned interactive media artist Toshio Iwai shows a bit of it (from minutes 1:10 to 1:30). Other stations consist of layered cell diorama studies and 3D prototypes of characters in sequential motion. The Saturn Theatre is also on this floor.

On the second floor are rooms patterned after what their art and design studios must be like: shelves upon shelves with photo albums of reference materials and art books, walls tacked with actual storyboards and real background art, bottles and bottles of paint of every Pantone color imaginable, couches, desks with ashtrays brimming with cigarette butts, etc etc etc.

The third floor houses the featured exhibit for the year, and for 2006, they're showcasing the works of Aardman Animations, particularly their work on Wallace and Gromit. Storyboards, sketches, animation studies and actual clay models and plaster molds for "A Grand Day Out", "A Close Shave", "The Wrong Trousers", and "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" were on display. There's also a "Cat Bus Room" where kids ages 5 and below can play, and a children's reading room. "Mamma Aiuto", the museum gift shop, is also on this level.

Photography inside the museum is not allowed so here's a link to a photoessay of the museum's opening party in 2001. It has a few shots of the interiors.

Ghibli Museum Special

After The Tour

You're allotted two hours to tour the museum afterwhich the next batch of tourists will be let in. You can stay and take photos outside or on the rooftop or relax at the bright-yellow-and-red Straw Hat Cafe - a reference to "My Neighbor Totoro"'s lead character Mei-chan's headgear of choice - where they serve home-style cold and hot meals, snacks and desserts.Touring this museum is a fantastic opportunity any Studio Ghibli fan won't want to miss. For my husband Arnold and me, it's probably the closest we'll ever get to meeting the genius Hayao Miyazaki so it's an experience we'll definitely cherish forever.

Source:
http://www.squidoo.com/ghiblimuseum

Pictures:

http://www.tautoz.com/ghiblimuseum/

Topcraft : 2002-2006

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:43:00 +0000

2002-2006

In 2002 Studio Ghibli released NEKO NO OGANESHI, a smaller considered film as visual impact, since it has been made with a limited budget and subcontracted in a large part to the Korean DR-Movie. The direction was submitted to Hiroyuki Morita. And also for Toshio Suzuki's studio was the moment to bring on the screen a novel of the western literature. In fact HOWL NO UGOKU SHIRO is a free adaptation of the well-known book of Diana W. Jones. This was one of the best efforts made by Ghibli's staff. A masterpiece, a landmark of the animation history. A perfect screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki, a wonderful background styling by Yoji Takeshige, and a great and fluid animation by Kitaro Kosaka, Takeshi Inamura, and Akihiko Yamashita (storyboard artist and key frame supervisor on the amazing GIANT ROBOT OVA series). And we don't have to forget that a slice of the success also goes to the music performed by New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and to composer Joe Hisaishi, who is one of the many irreplaceable collaborators of Miyazaki. It almost immediately became Japan's highest box-office ever. The main staff includes great names such as Shinji Otsuka, Makiko Futaki, Masako Shinohara and Kenichi Yamada (inbetween animator until 1996). Several studios supported the production, Madhouse, Oh! Production and Doga Kobo among others. Despite the trend of subcontracting, the animation process was fully made in Japan, with no support of Korean facilities.

As for the preceding film Toshio Suzuki got the rights of a book of a non-Japanese author, since the Japanese appreciate for a long time the animate transpositions of works coming from the western literature (remember the Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theatre?). With great surprise the direction of GEDO SENKI (TALES OF EARTHSEA) is submitted, and not certain to want of Miyazaki, to his son Goro to its debut in the animation. In despite of negative critics from rewievers this long-length feature was in the top ten for many days. The staff of key animators including veteran such as Megumi Kagawa, Yoshiyuki Momose and Hideaki Yoshio (Ghibli's member since 1995). For the first time even korean animators such as Kim Dong Jun and Jang Gil Yong, did some key frames. A staff of some 40 artists took care of background painting, also including personal of DR-Movie (today one of the most rated studios in Seoul). Toshiharu Mizutani, Hiromasa Ogura, Kazuo Oga, Park Jong Im, Ko Hyo Soon, are among the most famous. Main production facilities were Oh! Production, Gonzo and Gainax.

In these years, Ghibli is become effigy of quality, an undisputed institution amongst worldwide animation companies. It brought to success disparate genres. Today, its partnership with USA, started with the foundation of Topcraft Studio, is real reinforced. The sole interrogative remains: who will be the successors of Miyazaki and Takahata?

Source:

http://xoomer.alice.it/fedgrame/part8_a.htm

Topcraft : 1972-1976

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:01:00 +0000

From Original to 1976

Topcraft was established in February 1972 in Koenji (Tokyo) by several ex-members of Toei. Their President, Toru Hara, had already worked on the planning of Toei's TAIYO NO OJI HOLS NO DAIBOKEN directed by colleague and friend Isao Takahata: this film, thanks to innovative layout of a young Hayao Miyazaki, has now considered as the true beginning of Japanese animation (which collected only pale attempts by western schools).

After a few episodes of MAZINGER Z (sole collaboration with Toei Doga), Topcraft was called by Rankin/Bass Production (an American company well-known for stop-motion technique charged by ABC to produce a TV cell-animated-series) in order to made a pilot film named KID POWER. The definitive series counted 15 episodes, which were mainly designed by Akio Hosotani, Minoru Kibata and Katsumi Onishi. Each episode were supervised by Tsuguyuki Kubo, known to the American audience since he did opening sequence on Tatsunoko's SPEED RACER. A few some episodes were directed by rookie Katsuhisa Yamada. Despite of his young age, he was highly regarded as a strong creative force. In 1972, Topcraft made another three TV-special for Rankin/Bass: 20.000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, TOM SAWYER and WILLIE MAYS AND HEY-SAY KID. Later, along with failure of Tezuka's Mushi Prouctions and Toei's momentary standstill in overseas works, Topcraft became the only production source of Rankin/Bass. Unfortunately, during 1973 and 1974, no screenplay arrived from U.S. Topcraft, which couldn't be inactive, worked on several Eiken's TV-series (check database for details). Topcraft was also very helpful in realizing some episodes of KAGAKU NINJATAI GACHTAMAN under Tatsunoko's commission. There was also a pilot film for an unaired sequel of 20.000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.

Finally, in december 1974 was produced a TV special entitled TWAS' THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Jerome Coopersmith did screenplay (even if it was accredited to Romeo Muller by Japanese fonts, I prefer to use official info by Rich Goldschmidt). During 1975 Topcraft made a short-lenght tv-special written by Julian P.Gardner entitled THE FIRST EASTER RABBIT. It was premiered by NBC. In 1975 was also assumed an ex-employee of bankrupted Zuiyo named Kiyoshi Sakai, who started as production assistant and then became studio's manager. Frosty, a nice snowman originally created by cartoonist Paul Coker Jr and redesigned for animation by Tsuguyuki kubo, was the main character of next TV special, titled WINTER WONDERLAND. It was animated by Hidemi Kubo, Yoshiko Sasaki and Tadakatsu Yoshida. Frosty appeared for the first time in a tv-special dated 1969, which was made in Japan (precisely by Mushi). Hidemi Kubo also did the continuity design and layouts for two of the most popular Tatsunoko's TV series, such as TIME BOKAN and PAUL NO MIRACLE DAISAKUSEN. A young man named Kazuyuki Kobayashi, took care of the continuity design on these three TV specials. He become animation supervisor after only two years (usually it need at least five years in order to fullfill such a practice).

Source:

http://xoomer.alice.it/fedgrame/part1_a.htm

Related Works : Contributive Works

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:13:00 +0000

Studio Ghibli has made contributions to the following anime series and movies.

Contributive Works

Memories (1995) (cooperation in photography on Cannon Fodder sequence)
IGPX (2005) (inbetween animation)
Le Chevalier D'Eon (2006) (digital paint, inbetween animation)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) (animation)
The Prince of Tennis (2001) (inbetween animation on the movie, Two Samurais, The First Game)
Cardcaptor Sakura (1997) (special effects for both movies)

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Related Works : Distributive Works

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:08:00 +0000

These Western animated films have been distributed by Studio Ghibli, and now through their label, Ghibli Museum Library.

Distributive Works

Snezhnaya koroleva (1957) (a Russian film by Lev Amatanov)
Le Roi et l'oiseau (1980) (a French film by Paul Grimault)
Kirikou et la sorcire (1998) (a French/Belgian film by Michel Ocelot)
Princes et princesses (1999) (a French film by Michel Ocelot)
Les Triplettes de Belleville (2002) (a French film by Sylvain Chomet)
Azur et Asmar (2006) (Michel Ocelot)
Moya Iyubov (2006) (a Russian film by Aleksandr Petrov)
Panda kopanda (1972-1973) (two short films directed by Isao Takahata and written by Hayao Miyazaki)

In addition, Takahata, working with staff from the studio, contributed a segment to the 2004 experimental animation anthology Winter Days (Fuyu no Hi).

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Related Works : Cooperative Works

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:03:00 +0000

These works were not created by Studio Ghibli, but were produced by members of Topcraft that went on to create Studio Ghibli in 1985; produced by Toei Animation, Nippon Animation or other studios and featuring involvement by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, or other Ghibli staffers; or created in cooperation with Studio Ghibli.

Cooperative Works

The Story of Yanagawa's Canals (1987) (a documentary by Isao Takahata)
Ozanari Dungeon (1991) (an OVA series for which Studio Ghibli did some animation work)
Kirikou et la sorcire (1998) (a Michel Ocelot film adapted into Japanese by Isao Takahata and distributed by Studio Ghibli)
Shiki-Jitsu (2000) (directed by Hideaki Anno and produced by Studio Kajino)
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004) (a film by Production I.G, co-produced by Studio Ghibli)
The Overcoat (2008) (a film by Yuri Norstein, still in production, possibly being funded by Studio Ghibli president Toshio Suzuki)

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Related Works : Pre-Ghibli

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:51:00 +0000

Sally, the Witch ( Mahtsukai Sar) (1966) (by Toei Animation; Hayao Miyazaki was a key animator on this series, based on a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.)
Hols: Prince of the Sun ( Taiy no ji: Horusu no Daibken) (1968) (Takahata's directorial debut; Hayao Miyazaki was chief animator, concept artist, and scene designer)
The Secrets of Akko-chan ( Himitsu no Akko-chan) (1969) (by Toei Animation, directed by Hiroshi Ikeda; Miyazaki was a key animator)
Puss'n Boots ( Nagagutsu wo Haita Neko) (1969) (Directed by Kimio Yabuki for Toei, written by Hisashi Inoue with gag supervision by Nakahara Yumihiko, key animators include Yasuo Otsuka, Yoichi Kotabe, Reiko Okuyama, Takuo Kikuchi, Akemi Ota, Hayao Miyazaki, and Akira Daikubara)
Animal Treasure Island (1971) (Directed by Hiroshi Ikeda for Toei with idea construction by Hayao Miyazaki; Hayao Miyazaki was also scene designer and chief animator)
Panda! Go Panda! ( Panda Kopanda) (1972) (Directed by Isao Takahata and written by Hayao Miyazaki)
20,000 Leagues under the Sea (1972) (by Topcraft for Rankin-Bass)
Kid Power (1972-1973) (by Topcraft for Rankin-Bass) shown on American Broadcasting Company Saturday mornings with 17 episodes.
Heidi, Girl of the Alps ( Arupusu no Shoujo Haiji) (1974, by Zuiyo Eizo, which later became Nippon Animation; directed by Isao Takahata)
From the Apennines to the Andes (Haha wo Tazunete Sanzenri, From the Apennines to the Andes) (1976, by Nippon Animation; directed by Isao Takahata; Scene setting, Layout: Hayao Miyazaki)
The Hobbit (1977) (by Topcraft for Rankin-Bass; won the Peabody Award; artists include: Hidetoshi Kaneko, Kazuko Ito and Minoru Nishida;)
Future Boy Conan ( Mirai Shnen Konan) (1978) (by Nippon Animation; directed by Hayao Miyazaki, with one episode directed by Isao Takahata, and featured animation work by many future Ghibli staffers)
Anne of Green Gables ( Akage no An) (1979) (by Nippon Animation; directed by Isao Takahata)
Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro ( Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro) (1979)
The Return of the King (1980) (by Topcraft for Rankin-Bass; done by basically the same team that did The Hobbit, with the addition of Tadakatsu Yoshida)
The Last Unicorn (1982) (by Topcraft for Rankin-Bass)
The Flight of Dragons (1982) (by Topcraft for Rankin-Bass)
Gorsch the Cellist ( Sero Hiki no Goushu) (1982, by OH Production, directed by Isao Takahata)
Adventures of the Little Koala (, Koala Boy Kokki) (1984, by Topcraft for Tohoku Shinsha)
Nausica of the Valley of the Wind ( Kaze no tani no Naushika) (1984, Topcraft)
ThunderCats (1985) (an animated series created by Topcraft for Rankin-Bass)

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/

Other Works

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:01:00 +0000

Other Works

The works listed here consist works that don't fall into any categories. Many of these films have been released on DVD in Japan.

Sekai Waga Kokoro no Tabi (1998) (documentary following Isao Takahata to Canada to meet Frédéric Back)
Sekai Waga Kokoro no Tabi (1999) (documentary travelling with Hayao Miyazaki as he follows the footsteps of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
Thank You, Mr. Lasseter (Lasseter-san, Arigatou, Thank You, Mr. Lasseter?) (2003) (thank you video created for John Lasseter)
Miyazaki Hayao Produce no Ichimai no CD ha Koushite Umareta (2003) (A film about Tsunehiko Kamijo's Okaasa no Shashin CD)
Otsuka Yasuo no Ugokasu Yorokobi (2004) (A documentary about animator Yasuo Otsuka)
Miyazaki Hayao to Ghibli Bijyutsukan (2005) (A film featuring Goro Miyazaki and Isao Takahata touring the Ghibli Museum)

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Commercials

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:49:00 +0000

Commercials

"Sora Iro no Tane" (The Sky-Colored Seed) (1992) (TV spot for Nippon TV))
"Nandarou" (1992) (TV commercial for NHK)
"Hotaru No Haku" (1996) (Kinyou Roadshow houeikokuchi spot)
"Kinyou Roadshow" (1996) (Announcement spot for Kinyou Roadshow opening)
"Umacha" (2001) (TV commercials)
"Shop-One" (Online Shopping Mall Announcement Spot)
"House Shokuhin" (House Shokuhin Campaign Commercial)
"O-uchi de Tabeyou" (House Shokuhin Series Commercial, Summer Version)
"O-uchi de Tabeyou" (House Shokuhin Series Commercial, Winter Version)
"Hajimaru yo, Erai Koccha-hen" (KNB YumeDigi PR Spot)
"Kawaraban-hen" (Corporate commercial for Yomiuri Shinbubsha)
"Dore Dore Hikkoushi-hen" (Corporate commercial for Yomiuri Shinbubsha)
"Risona Ginkou" (Corporate commercial)

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Music Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:45:00 +0000

Music videos (Theatrical and TV)

On Your Mark (1995) (a music video created for Chage & Aska)
Portable Airport (2004) (a music video created by Studio Kajino for Capsule directed by Yoshiyuki Momose)
Space Station No. 9 (2004) (a music video created by Studio Kajino for Capsule directed by Yoshiyuki Momose)
A Flying City Plan (, Soratobu Toshikeikaku?) (2005) (a music video created by Studio Kajino for Capsule directed by Yoshiyuki Momose)
Doredore no Uta (a promotional music clip for Meiko Haigou)

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Short Films

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:37:00 +0000

Short films
(TV, Ghibli Museum, and OVA)

Ghiblies (2000) (TV short film)
Imaginary Flying Machines (Kuso no Sora Tobu Kikaitachi) (2002) (Shown at the Ghibli Museum)
The Invention of Destruction in the Imaginary Machines (Kuso no Kikaitachi no Naka no Hakai no Hatsumei) (2002) (Shown at the Ghibli Museum)
Koro's Big Day Out (Koro no Daisanpo) (2003) (Shown at the Ghibli Museum)
The Whale Hunt (Kujiratori) (2003)
Mei and the Kittenbus (Mei to Konekobasu) (2003)
Looking for a Home (Yadosagashi) (2005) (Shown at the Ghibli Museum)
The Day I Harvested a Planet (Hoshi wo Katta Hi) (2005) (Shown at the Ghibli Museum)
Water Spider Monmon (Mizugumo Monmon) (2005) (Shown at the Ghibli Museum)
The Night of Taneyamagahara (Taneyamagahara no Yoru) (2006)
Iblard Jikan (Ibarado Time) (2007)

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Films

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:02:00 +0000

Films
(Theatrical & TV, excluding Ghibli Museum releases)

Film	Original release date	Director
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (released before the formation of Studio Ghibli)	March 4, 1984	Hayao Miyazaki
Laputa: Castle in the Sky	August 2, 1986	Hayao Miyazaki
Grave of the Fireflies (shown alongside My Neighbor Totoro)	April 16, 1988	Isao Takahata
My Neighbor Totoro (shown alongside Grave of the Fireflies)	April 16, 1988	Hayao Miyazaki
Kiki's Delivery Service	July 29, 1989	Hayao Miyazaki
Only Yesterday	July 20, 1991	Isao Takahata
Porco Rosso	July 18, 1992	Hayao Miyazaki
Ocean Waves	May 5, 1993	Tomomi Mochizuki
Pom Poko	July 16, 1994	Isao Takahata
Whisper of the Heart	July 15, 1995	Yoshifumi Kondo
Princess Mononoke	July 12, 1997	Hayao Miyazaki
My Neighbors the Yamadas	July 17, 1999	Isao Takahata
Ritual (live-action film produced by Studio Ghibli's live-action offshoot, Studio Kajino)	December 7, 2000	Hideaki Anno
Spirited Away	July 27, 2001	Hayao Miyazaki
Ghiblies Episode 2 (shown alongside The Cat Returns)	July 20, 2002	Yoshiyuki Momose
The Cat Returns (shown alongside Ghiblies Episode 2)	July 20, 2002	Hiroyuki Morita
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (co-production between Studio Ghibli and Production I.G)	March 6, 2004	Mamoru Oshii
Howl's Moving Castle	November 20, 2004	Hayao Miyazaki
Tales from Earthsea	July 29, 2006	Gorō Miyazaki
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea	July 19, 2008	Hayao Miyazaki
Unnamed Isao Takahata Film	2009 or 2010	Isao Takahata
Unnamed Gorō Miyazaki film	TBA	Gorō Miyazaki

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Isao Takahata Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Studio Ghibli Movies) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:08:00 +0000

A PERSONAL CONVERSATION* WITH STUDIO GHIBLI DIRECTOR ISAO TAKAHATA

Last February a special visit was made to the Anima 2006 in Brussels, Belgium. Of course this could have been to watch the beautiful animation movies they were showing of for example Youri Norstein, the Russian animation director who Hayao Miyazaki greatly admires. Or perhaps to see the short animated features which took part at the Palmares International Competition. However, this time the visit had a better reason. The 25th edition of the Anima had a special guest this year: master animation director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli Isao Takahata. As guest of honour a retrospective of his movies took place, most of them never released in Belgium or even Europe, as well as a 2-hour conference by Takahata-san about Japanese animation. In addition I had the chance to meet the director in person himself and ask him my questions during a personal interview at the 5* Metropole Hotel.

One of the unique things about your movies is the fact that they are all completely different. Not only story wise, but most notably stylistically. You have once said that you originally planned Hotaru No Haka (Grave of the Fireflies) to look really different but had to go for a more regular look because of the time limit of the production. Can you tell me something about your original ideas for the film and how would it have looked like?

“Well, that is not completely true. I originally wanted to research it more thoroughly, but around that time it was to be released March next year so unfortunately there was little time. So yes, I did wanted to do more research to look for more ideas for the film, but style wise I wasn’t planning to make it look completely different. Even though I couldn’t explore my directions completely, I am still very glad with result and I thank Hayao Miyazaki for this! During the pre-production stage of the film he was the one who advised me to make it, because this would probably be my only chance and otherwise it would have never been made.”

(note: again Takahata shows his gratitude towards Miyazaki in relation to the making of Grave of the Fireflies, something he has done in other interviews as well)

Linking back to the first question, about your films all having different styles, is there a particular reason for this?

“Well, I do not fit in this logic of where I should change collaborators each time. I don’t know if this is normal in Japan, but animators do not let them be pushed into a corner of having only one clean animation style. They‘d rather have the capacity to adapt, like for example manga, which must have a graphic personality.

Except for the uniqueness of your films being all completely different style wise, they also one particular similarity. You could say that you have a preoccupation with realism with a oeuvre of films that all flirt with documentary.

“I am unaware of my films being perceived like that in Europe, but there is indeed a documentary part in them. For My Neighbors the Yamadas, which was inspired by a manga, the heart is described in such a manner that one can see a documentary aspect there. I want to avoid inserting something completely unreal in the middle of a scene. This is a process which I refuse.”

Sometimes this preoccupation with realism leads to propose harder scenes or images…

“It is my intention to build a film with the aim of causing some particular emotion”, corrects Takahata. “I absolutely do not want to manipulate the reaction of the viewer. But the choice of using hard images is necessary: like it was necessary for Grave of the Fireflies to tell the story about how life was in a bombarded city.”

Could you say that Grave of the Fireflies has an anti-war message?

“I can understand people think it has, but I did not deliberately put an anti-war message in it.”

Some current manga seem to portray the opposite and justify Japans part in World War II in terms of not having had a choice. What do you think about that?

“I am not aware of this as I don’t read many manga, but if there would be such a trend in current Japanese manga I am fiercely against this. Also I completely disagree with that Japanese people that claim that Japan had no other option than to go to war. It was no reaction to something that happened, but Japan’s own choice to attack the other Asian countries and also the war with America was a result of this wrong choice.”

With the exception of the short feature you made for Fuyu no hi we (Winter days) we haven't heared a lot from you after My Neighbors the Yamadas was released. A contact from the French Buta-Connection informed me about your visit in France of yesterday where you told them something about three future animation projects. What have you been doing lately and could you tell something about this possible next Takahata-features?

“This is true, I have been working on several projects. The first project is a traditional epic story about the large war between clan lords during the 12th century. I have also been busy with a project about the Ainu, a ethnic minority who live in the northern part of Japan (Hokkaido) from who it is said the Japanese people originated from. They have their own culture and left an oral literature. They also have remarkable lyric poetry and I would very much like to adapt one of these poetries. Then the final project I’ve been working on. Perhaps you know that Gauche the Cellist is an adaptation of one of the works by Kenji Miyazawa. Another project I’ve been working on is another adaptation on one of his works. I wrote many texts and I would very much like to adapt one of these projects, but they’re all still in their research stage. Unfortunately, they don’t advance much and I cannot tell you when they will be finished or even if they will actually be made.”

Pompoko is your only film which is not an adaptation of a novel or a manga. Why?

“I really do not regard it as a personal work. Anyway, not more than my other works. However, I had often wondered about the tanuki. They are part of the Japanese ecosystem, but one does not know them anymore in their true biological surroundings. Only the folklore remained. According to traditional Japanese tales tanuki are able to transform into humans. These stories stimulated my imagination. In Japan, a lot of tanuki get killed by cars when passing roads. It was difficult to explain that when they are able to take human form. The easy way was to justify it by a loss of their ability and their knowledge. Like us, they forgot their instincts. Another reason is that the tanuki always lived close to men near the forests, which made it possible for me to approach another topic as well: the relationship between men, nature and his environment. By destroying the forests, the tanuki disappeared, just like what happened with the extension of Tokyo.”

Some people link Pompoko with eco terrorism. What do you think about that?

Takahata-san laughs. “I did not know about this point of view. They consider the tanuki to be terrorists? But they are the victims. The film depicts a drama; it is the end of a world, the end of the tanuki world. I wanted the viewer to look from the point of view of the animals and try to make us perceive how our world appears to us seen from the outside. However, the terrorist label does not disturb me. Today, terrorists are public enemy number 1. But historically, terrorism was sometimes a mean of asking attention of the established society. This state of mind existed until in the seventies. Terrorism sometimes had the capacity to make the world or people reflect on their condition.”

Your works are often anchored in realism. When something imaginary does happen, it is never related to any of the often used anime subjects like fantasy or science-fiction. Why is this?

“I cannot speak for other countries, but in Japan there is indeed a domination of what I consider as "fanatasy", in cinema or in manga. For these types of art, there are of course often interesting works. However, it’s because of its monopoly that the young people tend to consume only these types of works and only live in these chimerical universes. All of the video games or the films water the young spectators of these universes. Another element which strikes me is that aesthetically speaking, these works tend towards ultra-realism, either using real photos which are manipulated using a computer or using 3D often blurring the border between the real world and the "fantasy" world. The problem with this is that when the young people find themselves in reality, they find it dull and depressing and only dream of living in a factitious universe. I think this is a shame and consider it as dangerous. This is why I do not appreciate "fantasy" in general.”

What is your opinion regarding people who say your work (Grave of the Fireflies and Pompoko) appear to have one constant: humans are not having it’s best day. They claim your films to be a little pessimistic.

“Indeed, I have been told sometimes that my films tend to be pessimistic, but I do not agree / understand how one can come to this conclusion, even if this manner of perceiving them interests me.” Takahata-san looks at his characters and their story differently: “The end of Pompoko is completely clear. In the end it’s not all good, but if one chooses to live, it is necessary to have hope. It is the only way of living. That is my message, and I hope that my films contribute to that message!”

*PERSONAL CONVERSATION of

Peter van der Lugt

Founder Editor-in-Chief

GhibliWorld.com