Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 7 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 7 by Hayao Miyazaki

The story ends as Nausicaa travels with the God Warrior, a weapon designed for destruction that also has some sentience, to the Crypt of Shuwa. The crypt is a sort of warehouse of technology developed long ago to restore the world to its previous status quo. But the world has changed, and though many changes have been deleterious, humans have adapted and struggle to survive in the new situation. The old paradigm is no longer relevant and will only cause more trouble. Nausicaa has always believed in a better future and in everyone working toward that future. She remains true to her nature, leading to a hopeful resolution of the story.

The final speeches in the book are a lot more pantheistic than I would like. Throughout the narrative, natural processes are perverted by technology, or at least held in check. Nausicaa's more innocent and humanist approach to reality, and especially to living creatures, is depicted as the heroic solution to the problems that her world is facing. While I agree that technology can be abusive, I was hoping for some more of an integration of technology and nature as a solution rather than the rejection of technology. Even though this story is considered a classic, I've come away with less admiration than I started with.

Mildly recommended.

Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 6 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 6 by Hayao Miyazaki

Unsurprisingly, the death of Nausicaa in the previous volume turns out not to be true. She comes back as everyone grows weary of war. Everyone except the Vai Emperor, who wants to rule the whole world, or what's left of it. He has a doomsday device that might prove to be Nausicaa's downfall. 

The environmental themes get a lot more nuanced in this volume as several different characters have different but similar reactions to the restoration of some lands to an idyllic state. Some want to leave it be, some want to live in harmony with the new, healthy environment, some want to exploit it. The story ends in a big battle that Nausicaa wins in her typical way. She's such a charming character, it's natural to root for her and be happy with her success.

Recommended.

Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 5 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 5 by Hayao Miyazaki

The emperor marshals a new army to help him take over, disregarding how the storms of mold are ravishing the countryside (including the people living there). His plan for unification leaves the question what will be left to unify. Meanwhile, Nausicaa continues her journey, discovering more about the relationship of the mold and the Ohmu creatures. 

The story gets a bit heavy-handed with the environmental message in this issue as it provides a surprising ending. Since it leaves the situation in a very unexpected state, I am more interested to see where the story will go.

Mildly recommended.

Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 4 by Hayao Mizazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 4 by Hayao Mizazaki

Nausicaa flees from the siege after releasing prisoners in a humanitarian gesture. The gesture is not without fruit as she has a run-in with her enemies in a great swarm of large insects. One of the enemy leaders gives her enough trust that they can focus together on the problems they share. Their world is falling into chaos slowly but surely. A deadly mold is spreading across the land, causing more death and destruction for everyone.

The story takes another interesting turn as the world faces even more apocalyptic problems. 

Recommended.

Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 3 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 3 by Hayao Miyazaki 

Nausicaa's travels across her world finally place her in the middle of the war. She sides with the Torumekian forces. They are trapped in a few fortifications as the enemy advances. She lands with Princess Kushana, who was the leader of the defenders. Kushana wants to be the ruler of Torumekia and has been in conflict with her three brothers who have been using her army to hold the line against impossible odds. Kushana has a bolder and more brutal plan to save her part of the Torumekian army. She wants to break the siege with a clever assault that could be costly. Nausicaa is opposed to excessive force and wants the safety of all living things. She fights in a style that limits killing to the bare minimum, making an interesting contrast to Kushana.

This volume has a lot more action and excitement. The humanist attitude of Nausicaa is less front and center but still anchors her character, even in the fight scenes. More is revealed about cryptic items like the seemingly insignificant stone Nausicaa was entrusted with. I am looking forward to the next volume!

Recommended.

Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 2 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 2 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa, princess from the Valley of the Wind, continues her adventures as the war becomes more complicated. Her forces, including her many allies under the emperor, are taking a beating. The enemy is using the Ohmu, the giant shelled worms, as weapons in the fight--forcing them to stampede using a wounded baby Ohmu as bait. Nausicaa is naturally horrified by this, since she has developed a link with the Ohmu. She also cares about other people, so she works hard to make the situation turn out well. A lot of new developments and expansions to this story's history are presented in the midst of all the action.

The story is still interesting enough for me to go on. Miyazaki's creativity and sensitivity make a great combination.

Recommended.

Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 1 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 1 by Hayao Miyazaki

Long after a war has left the Earth an environmental catastrophe, many small societies exist using technology from long ago. In the Valley of the Wind lives Princess Nausicaa, daughter of a dying king. Their people live a simple farming life but Nausicaa likes exploring the Sea of Corruption. The Sea is not an actual ocean, it is a toxic forest that is slowly spreading across the planet. Nausicaa is very sympathetic with the environment and other people and animals she comes upon. Her people are called to a fight against a larger threat. The king is too ill to lead their forces, so Nausicaa takes to the air to rendezvous with the forces of other small communities.

The story is interesting enough and Miyazaki is so creative in his art that the book is a joy to read. I will definitely try more.

Recommended.