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Nausicaa: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
===Prior or further reading=== | ===Prior or further reading=== | ||
Wikipedia has an article [[wp:Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga)|about the manga]] and [[wp:Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film)|about the movie]]. For more insight, read the (rather long) [[Nausicaa/Miyazaki interview|interview about the manga]]. Other interviews and facts can be found in the making-of books (a particularly remarkable one is "Watercolor Impressions"...). | |||
===A sorta summary=== | ===A sorta summary=== | ||
;HERE BE SPOILERS | ;HERE BE SPOILERS | ||
The graphic novel originated from a few diverse concepts Miyazaki had been experimenting with. They all had in common a somewhat improbable blend of technology (airplanes, guns, bombs) with a fantasy design (knight armors, beasts, medieval state regimes). This was reconciled within a | The graphic novel originated from a few diverse concepts Miyazaki had been experimenting with. They all had in common a somewhat improbable blend of technology (airplanes, guns, bombs) with a fantasy design (knight armors, beasts, medieval state regimes). This was reconciled within a post-apocalyptic theme. | ||
Nausicaä's world was nearly destroyed a thousands years ago by the Seven Days of Fire, and is plagued by polluted areas known as the Sea of Corruption. The human population in the scope of the story is fragmented into kingdoms that often engage in war. The sources of the conflict are the people's misunderstanding of the dynamics of the Sea of Corruption (it expands in reaction to attacks, but its role is to purify the world) and abuse of biotechnology granted to one leader or the other by the Guardian of the Crypt of Shuwa (in exchange for protection). The Guardian of the Crypt watches over Mankind through the dark centuries of pollution, but it periodically breaks the military balance by overpowering the leader it seeks protection from, and thus sends the world into cycles of war. | Nausicaä's world was nearly destroyed a thousands years ago by the Seven Days of Fire, and is plagued by polluted areas known as the Sea of Corruption. The human population in the scope of the story is fragmented into kingdoms that often engage in war. The sources of the conflict are the people's misunderstanding of the dynamics of the Sea of Corruption (it expands in reaction to attacks, but its role is to purify the world) and abuse of biotechnology granted to one leader or the other by the Guardian of the Crypt of Shuwa (in exchange for protection). The Guardian of the Crypt watches over Mankind through the dark centuries of pollution, but it periodically breaks the military balance by overpowering the leader it seeks protection from, and thus sends the world into cycles of war. | ||
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==In-depth analysis== | ==In-depth analysis== | ||
If you forget about the Seven Days of Fire, Miyazaki's story pretty much fits as a distant sequel to Oni, along the lines of [[Hasegawa]]'s plan as interpreted by [[Mai]]. It is also compelling to introduce some of the more elaborate aspects of Miyazaki's storytelling into Oni's universe, be it general literary wisdom or more specific concepts. | If you forget about the Seven Days of Fire, Miyazaki's story pretty much fits as a distant sequel to Oni, along the lines of [[Hasegawa]]'s plan as interpreted by [[Mai]]. It is also compelling to introduce some of the more elaborate aspects of Miyazaki's storytelling into Oni's universe, be it general literary wisdom or more specific concepts. | ||
==Lack of an | |||
Miyazaki's story is remarkable for its lifelike complexity and the absence of well-defined antagonists, which is not a common thing in war/fantasy stories. Even the most ruthless characters are redeemed by a credible set of beliefs and motivations, and character roles evolve a lot as the story progresses. Such a story might be confusing and even frustrating to readers, as it is at odds with popular storytelling canons: it's actually more characteristic of "belles lettres" literature, or sophisticated science-fiction such as [[ | ==Lack of an Enemy== | ||
Miyazaki's story is remarkable for its lifelike complexity and the absence of well-defined antagonists, which is not a common thing in war/fantasy stories. Even the most ruthless characters are redeemed by a credible set of beliefs and motivations, and character roles evolve a lot as the story progresses. Such a story might be confusing and even frustrating to readers, as it is at odds with popular storytelling canons: it's actually more characteristic of "belles lettres" literature, or sophisticated science-fiction such as [[wp:Stanisław Lem|Stanislaw Lem's]]. More than anything, Miyazaki's story is a reflection on the nature of man with its intrinsic imperfections and weaknesses, and an anthological one at that. The dialectical handling of technology and its role in the evolution of Mankind is a sort of "sound pessimism" akin to that which permeates Stanislaw Lem's stories (and more notably the essay [[wp:Summa Technologiae|Summa Technologiae]]). | |||
It is interesting to develop Oni in an enemy-less way. In what way is Muro evil? and his Strikers? | It is interesting to develop Oni in an enemy-less way. In what way is Muro evil? and his Strikers? | ||