Reviews

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Deluxe Edition 2 by Hayao Miyazaki

kattila's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

invaderlinz's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

elee2013's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This is enormously different from the movie, and that’s kind of awesome! So cool that Miyazaki can adapt his own work into a much shorter format and keep the same themes and meaning. Truly genius. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and War

beebeewin's review

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow this manga was so different than the Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind movie! Instead of the saccharine story, this manga was blisteringly realistic and intense. The characters were all wonderfully fleshed out, especially Nausicaa. Instead of a infallible savior she was just a girl trying to figure out how to save her loved ones and care for all the communities she met. Hayao Miyazaki's belief in the oneness of nature and humans bled through, along with his faith in humanity's ability to change. That didn't stop Miyazaki from expressing clearly the destructive nature of humans and how easily our desire for power and tribalism can lead to the destruction of us all. In this time of the climate crisis, this manga did remind me that collective change is important. Miyazaki emphasized the need to work together and how one person can make a difference. The ending left me hopeful, heart broken, sad, and intrigued. On top of this all the illustrations were gorgeous! I was pulled in by each panel. Miyazaki obviously put so much detail and thought in. 

I would recommend this read to anyone who loves Studio Ghibli or post apocalyptic fantasy. Be ready for a whole range of emotions and gorgeous art!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Death

neilrcoulter's review

4.0

The second half of Nausicaä improves in every way upon the first half. Here the story moves beyond the anime, as the manga was still going at the time of the film’s creation. In a way, it’s too bad the film came when it did, because the second volume of the manga features the most intriguing, original scenes. The sequences that take place in the hidden garden and in the crypt are wonderfully creepy and fascinating. I enjoyed watching Nausicaä navigate complex dialogues with opponents who seem almost wise, but in fact have left the path of wisdom in a number of ways. These scenes resemble many other stories, but they find their own distinctive tone.

My disappointment with the first volume of Nausicaä came primarily from the confusion of the visuals and the panel structure. Too often, I had no idea what was happening, and the characters looked too similar to be able to quickly identify them. Reading the second half of the story, I felt that I was seeing Miyazaki become Miyazaki. By the end of the series, the visuals have become almost entirely different from where they started. Characters are clear (and characterizations are also much clearer), panels are no longer so crowded with battles and explosions, and the progression from one scene to the next feels more logical. Overall, the storytelling is tighter and more focused, and I liked the conclusion a lot.

Though it starts slowly, the manga series gives an interesting glimpse into the development of ideas that Miyazaki has continued to play with through all his films. I’m glad to have read this story that he was creating during the pivotal years in which Studio Ghibli came into being.

nameduser's review

adventurous dark inspiring tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

lithicin's review

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

5.0

crono101's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

aakono's review

dark medium-paced

4.0

rissasreading's review

4.0

The artwork in this was absolutely breathtaking, and I enjoyed the last chapter the most for the illustrations. However, the manga is a lot different than the movie. I found this second half didn't have me as immersed as the first. Specifically I didn't enjoy the ending of this, it felt rather abrupt. Otherwise, the story was rather enjoyable, but just like the movie, it's not memorable to me.
I enjoyed this manga and to see how different it is from the movie, but it will remain as a non-favorite for me. Still recommend this as a collector edition for fans or those who want a new version of Nausicaa to enjoy again.