Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
A manga taking place on a post-apocalyptic Earth where giant mutated insects live in a poisonous forest that threatens to engulf the remnants of humanity. The princess Nausicaä must fight to defend her home and bring peace between the warring kingdoms.
Hayao Miyazaki’s manga opus. It’s crazy to think that when he started this series he was told it would not be adapted into a film, only for it to become the critically acclaimed movie that helped cement his career as an animator.
The manga is far more richer in content than it’s film counterpart. Nausicaä ends up seeing the destruction of war first-hand as she makes her way through the vastly different kingdoms. In the end she learns the truth behind the world and helps shape the future of humanity. It’s an epic story with strong environmental themes that Miyazaki is known for.
This series is a must for any Studio Ghibli fan.
We did a Retrospective on this.
~dakazu