Audrey Aguirre
Upland High School, Upland, CA, USA.
Email: audrey.a.aguirre (at) gmail (dot) com
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Past studies on Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ; Topcraft, 1984) have primarily focused on its ecological themes and anti-war messages through analysis of the narrative as a whole or Nausicaä’s character. These studies address the ethical and environmental consequences of war shown through the dystopian nature of the film’s setting and its religious symbolism. However, I have seen almost no research on how visual storytelling contributes to these messages.
This paper addresses how the visual representation of the environmental consequences of war in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind can impact our views of those issues in our world. The paper will show that the visuals in the film are not simply aesthetic decisions, but a crucial narrative device to convey the effects of war on both people and nature.
Therefore, this paper explores how Miyazaki uses elements of mise-en-scène such as color, lighting, body language and other visual storytelling elements to communicate and add emphasis to the anti-war messaging of the film; especially those that display both the ecological and human consequences of war. I argue that the film’s use of visuals not only supports the anti-war themes of the film as a whole but also adds a stronger emotional and moral weight to the story by reflecting real-life war technologies in its visuals. This allowed audiences to reflect on real-life issues regarding the environmental and human consequences of warfare. In this way, the film created a bridge between fantasy and reality, urging its viewers to strive for a more peaceful and environmentally conscious world.
Background
Animated films, like many other art forms, can convey so much emotion and be filled to the brim with meaningful messages and ideas. Especially with animation, the director is able to display a myriad of stunning visuals that can be impossible to recreate in live action film. Throughout history we as humans have used storytelling and art to reflect on and understand the world and the current issues we face. With the state of our world being as it is, with conflict at every corner, with global warming and other environmental issues being more pressing matters than ever before, it is clear that the environmental messages in Nausicaä are of the utmost importance to our society today. This is why it is important to ask, how can the depiction of the environmental impact of war in this film help us change our view of and approach to these issues in real life?
Hayao Miyazaki’s 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind follows the pacifistic and kindhearted princess of the Valley of the Wind as she navigates the apocalyptic landscape of the film, searching for a way to undo the damage caused by the wars of the past and prevent further damage in the present. Miyazaki’s filmography as a whole contains many important messages regarding the way in which humans interact with and affect the natural world. His films, including Nausicaä, focus on the relationships between humans and animals, exploring the imbalance between the human and natural worlds. With Nausicaä being the only film directed by Miyazaki that depicts a more modern style of warfare, this film could help to open people’s eyes to the damage war puts not just on the humans involved but on the environment which we all share.
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