Anime ClassicsNausicaa (Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa), 118m, 1984.
Literally, "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind". Considered by some to be Miyazaki's best, and one of the finest animated movies ever. Princess Nausicaa lives in a world of the future, devastated by war and pollution, and slowly regenerating itself into a rather alien place, infested with giant insects. Meanwhile the surviving humans continue attempts to destroy each other. Nausicaa has to help her people when they are invaded, and overcome hatred and violence, not least within herself. The sound-track music is very fine too.
The English dubbed version, "Warriors of the Wind" while cheap and easier to obtain, has lost half an hour of the more subtle and ecological material and isn't in widescreen. You owe it to yourself to view the original.
Laputa (Tenku no Shiro Laputa), 124m ,1986. Image (11K)
Literally "Laputa, Castle of the Sky". Info. Another masterpiece, again featuring Miyazaki's fascination with flight. Sheeta falls to earth from an airship attacked by air pirates, and is found by an orphan boy, Pozu. There follows an action-packed chase as Sheeta is pursued by both the pirates and the secret police, who want the "levitation stone" she wears around her neck, a key to the mysterious flying island,Laputa. Muska, the leader of the secret police, is, like Sheeta, a descendant of the rulers of Laputa. Will cute Sheeta melt the pirates' grasping hearts?
Everything is perfectly realised, from the mining village (inspired by a visit to Britain), to the airships, to the vegetation.
Incredibly, this has never been released in the West, asides from two showings on British TV in 1989 & 1992. The dub version I've seen plainly derives from this screening.
My Neighbour Totoro (Tonari no Tototo), 75m, 1988. Image (46K)
Somewhat in contrast to the previous two movies, this is an idyllic vision of country childhood. Mei and Satsuki move to an old house in the country to be nearer their mother, who is in a sanatorium. Their father catches the bus every day to go lecture. The girls encounter some woodland spirits - the Totoros.
Voted by some fans as their favourite movie, of any kind, ever. And yes, there is a bit of flying in it... (Available in a low-priced, dubbed US edition.)
Kiki's Delivery Service (Majo no Takkyubin), 105m, 1989.
(literally "Witch's Delivery Service"). Kiki, a 13-year old witch, lives in a world not too different from our own. At 13, she has to leave home and find a city where she will earn her own living, using her magical talents. In this delightful movie, she faces difficult problems of self-reliance, finding things do not always turn out as she hoped, suffers the agonies of wondering if a boy really likes her, and makes friends. Some critics have complained that not a whole lot happens, but this is a mistake, as most of the conflicts are internal. Typically pleasing is the scene where Kiki and the young artist talk in the artist's house. A wonderful and wise piece of entertainment.
No Western release yet.
Ponpoko, (Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko), 119m, 1994. Image (37K)
Japanese raccoons - tanuki - are real animals, imbued with magical powers in Japanese folklore. A community of tanuki decide to fight back against the encroachments of modern Japanese real estate development, using the shapeshifting and other powers at their command. This is a delightful and often very funny movie, making a commentary on what has been lost in the drive towards prosperity in modern Japan.
No Western release yet.
Whisper of the Heart (Mimi o Sumaseba), 120m approx, 1995. Image (36K)
Literally "Prick up your Ears", a.k.a "If you Listen Carefully". From Studio Ghibli, dir. by Yoshifumi Kondo, script by Hayao Miyazaki (who also directed a short computer-generated section of the movie).
Young Shizuku, who lives in a modern Japanese city, finds her attention drawn to a boy, Seiji, who she initially dismissed as uninteresting, but who has been reading the same books. She follows a cat to a small shop full of wonderful objects, and, inspired by Seiji's passion for violin-making, asks if she can write a story about a cat sculpture, the "Baron".
The movie contains fascinating vignettes of Japanese family life, and school life, and the backgrounds are so realistic they gave me an acute attack of nosalgia. It also, refreshingly, celebrates the intellect, as well as being a love story. The fantasy interludes (which form a very small part of the movie) are also good. I thought it was all totally wonderful, and rate it as one of the best anime and best Japanese movies ever. I'm sure you will also recognise the theme song!
No Western release yet.
Princess Mononoke (Mononoke Hime), 120 min approx, 1997. Image (20K)
A.k.a "Princess Ghost".
Set in medieval Japan, this has as major characters a young man, Ashitaka of the Emishi clan, descenant of a defeated royal house, and a woman, Eboshi Gozen, leader of a group of ironworkers, whose fortified community is under attack by giant white wolves led by Princess Mononoke. Mononoke represents, obviously, the embattled forces of nature under threat from man's activities.
Although the movie has to date been released theatrically in Japan only, with no video release yet, I have seen it in a Cantonese dub version (don't ask) and can confirm that the medieval setting is so detailed that the movie looks rather like a Kurasawa epic, and the fight scenes, in which Mononoke bounds about as though on springs, are a bit reminiscent of a Hong Kong action movie. It's all rather bloody, and the ending, which I shan't reveal, is quite weird. Definitely an epic.
Note Despite their quality, most of the Miyazaki movies remain unreleased in the West. However, world copyright has been acquired by the Disney Corporation, thus making distribution of "fan copies" illegal. If this deters you, you can either wait till Disney release them, or acquire (expensively) the original Japanese laser-disc editions.Info.
Iczer-1 Special Edition, 90m. Image (13K)
A classic alien invasion/horror anime that powerfully pitches the naive viewer headfirst into an alien universe. It's stylishly made, with rather sympathetic aliens, convincing looking sets, strange symbolisms, and tentacled horrors that make the first-time viewer jump. The Earth is defended by the android Iczer-1 (of female appearance) aided, rather unwillingly, by a terrified Earth girl, Nagisa. This is the only anime in which a giant robot gets to stomp on a little girl.
Don't bother with the Iczer follow-ups which are nothing like it. There's a US dub edition which I haven't seen, and which should be approached with caution as alien-ness is the strength of the original.
Urusei Yatsura Image (56K)
Not a single video, more of a Rumiko Takahashi industry. Stupid Japanese schoolboy Ataru gets mixed up with a bikini-wearing alien girl (Lum) and a lot of other annoying aliens, to the disgust of his nice girlfriend, Shinobu. I suggest you check out the first TV anime volume (or the manga) to learn who everyone is, then sample 1 or more of the 6 movies.
US & UK subtitled releases.
Ranma 1/2
This is not a single video, but a mini-industry, again based on a Rumiko Takahashi manga. Ranma goes on a martial arts training trip with his dad, but they fall into a magical pond, with the result that every time Ranma gets wet he turns into a girl. And Dad turns into a panda. Dad tries to marry Ranma off to a girl (Akane) whose father runs a martial arts dojo. It's a great comedy, with moments of thoughtfulness. I've watched the first episode any number of times.
You get the essence of Ranma 1/2 if you watch the first 7 TV episodes. If you want to carry on and watch scores more episodes, the two hour-long OVAs or the later short OVAs, that's up to you but you might find it palls.
US sub & dub releases.
Escaflowne 1996
A recent TV series (26 episodes), Escaflowne is one of the all-round best anime TV series made to date, with a strong series-long story and plenty happening in each episode. With a brave schoolgirl heroine, an alternate world, and bits of school story, fantasy, SF, romance, giant robots and so forth it covers all the bases. Hitomi Kanzaki, a 15 year old girl interested in athletics and fortune-telling, is whisked into an alternate world by the agency of a pendant she got from her grandmother. Once in Gaia, she finds herself called "The Girl from the Illusory Moon". All the characters appear as individuals integrated naturally into the story. The quirky designs look a bit shoujo -ish.
The series does take a bit of getting into. I advise you view the first 4-episode volume, preferrably with subtitles & hifi sound, before being put off.
Jap. LDs (with surround sound).
Dear Brother.
One of the most vivid and archetypal shoujo anime TV series, in which a naive 15 year old girl, Nanako, is admitted to an exclusive girl's school which proves to be a hotbed of rivalry and ill-repressed emotions. On her first day the beautiful Shinobu befriends Nanako with an enthusiasm that seems rather excessive... Meanwhile the tall and artistic "Saint-Juste" wilts hopelessly, while the lovely "Miya-Sama" rules her exclusive sorority with an iron will. Many snobbish girls are enraged when homely Nanako is voted into the Sorority. This series features adult themes and situations; definitely not for juveniles.
The character designs are often ravishingly beautiful and the atmosphere generated by the story is intense.
Translation essential, but only 5+ volumes available with fan-subs. It is adapted from a short Image (60K) Image(60K) manga series.
Ghost in the Shell, 1995
High-budget SF anime about cyborgs. Despite being co-produced by Manga Video, quite thought-provoking between the shoot-em-up bits. Lots of computer animation, realistic backgrounds, good music.
Char's Counterattack (Kido Senshu Nu Gundam),120m, 1986
Part of the sprawling Gundam saga, this shows Neo-Jion leader Char Aznable and the climax of his rivalry with Amuro Rey. In this movie, Char plots to destroy the control of Earth over the space colonies. The neo-realism of Gundam is very different from earlier giant robot stories, and the political plotting, confusing battles, and unstable loyalties all contrive to make this a convincing story. It also features the cute, impulsive girl, Quess Paraya, who switches sides and develops a crush on Char, not that it does her much good.
Patlabor 2, 90m, 1993
Yet another sprawling series. "Patlabors" are giant robots used as tools for police work. This second movie, rather sober and politically wise, and excellently designed, is about an attempted coup in Japan. An gripping thriller, with hardly a robot to be seen. US, UK.
Robot Carnival100m, 1987
Collection of short anime. A showcase for various directors' animation and storytelling talents. US, dub.
Crusher Joe,125m, 1983
A.k.a. "Crushers". Joe heads a team of space mercenaries, the "Crushers". Features a disappearing heiress, pirates and a doomsday weapon. One of the best, rip-roaring space operas ever made. Also famous for the first, fifteen-second appearance of the "Dirty Pair".
US, UK, 1988, poss. now unavailable.
Porco Rosso Image (15K), Image (13K)
About an Italian aviator.
A Miyazaki movie that didn't quite make the first list. Contains a lot of elements that look more than a little familiar to those who saw the previous Miyazaki movies.
Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka),90m, 1988
AKA "Tombstone of the Fireflies".
Very moving film about a boy and his little sister, caught up in the destruction, family break-up and famine that marked the end of the Second World War for Japanese citizens. US sub.
Dagger of Kamui (Kamui no Ken), 132m, 1985
a.k.a. "Revenge of the Ninja Warrior", "The Blade of Kamui". A historical fantasy set in Meiji-era Japan. Hounded by the sinister Bishop Tenkai, Jiro wanders northern Japan and America, trying to uncover his past and the secret of the dagger he carries with him. US dub & sub.
Windaria,101m, 1986
a.k.a. "Once Upon a Time". A beautiful story about love, greed, betrayal and death, that deserves to be better known. A young man living in a rural community is offered rewards to spy for one of two powers engaged in a bitter struggle over water supplies. The prince of one country and the princess of the other are in love, yet are forced to serve their warring countries, with tragic results. The spy is largely responsible for the destruction of the low-lying country, and his own love does not escape.
Note that the US dub (by Streamline,95m) deviates significantly from the Japanese text, as does the UK dub ("Once upon a Time",95m) which reputedly was edited for 7-year olds.
Macross: Do You Remember Love (Chojiku Yosai Ai Oboete Imasu Ka), 115m, 1984
.
a.k.a. Clash of the Bionoids, etc, etc. A variant of events in the first Macross TV series, it has some fine battle scenes and gloomy romantic moments. And seen on a projection screen, the art is pretty good.
US & UK dub & sub, several variant versions.
UrotsukiDoji (Chojin Densetsu Urotsukidoji), 45m, 1987
a.k.a. "Legend of the Overfiend", "Wandering Kid". Probably the most notorious anime of all in most Western countries! The Chojin and the age of demons is about to return, uniting the realms of demon, half-demon and man into one (an unnervingly convincing notion, it strikes one while watching). Amanojoju and his sister Megumi (half-demons) seek the Chojin. A superbly made visionary and unrestrained horror-fest, with hallucinogenic demons, tentacle rape, gore, etc, etc, totally unsuitable for under-18's or those of a sensitive disposition. Many Westerners will find it grossly offensive. Nicknamed "Urotsuki Dodgy" by some fans (In fact, it's less obscene than the news from Algeria or Bosnia.)
Caution: just possessing an uncut copy of this can get you into trouble in some countries. UK: movie version (cut), US: various versions including uncut. Don't show it to your lowlife friends 'cos they'll drool over it and demand a repeat showing. How else do you think Manga Video made so much money? Far too many sequels, increasingly rubbishy and unnecessary.
Gigi and the Fountain of Youth (Maho no Princess Minky Momo),80m, 1985
a.k.a. "Magical Princess Gigi". As the Japanese title indicates, this is in fact Minky Momo, one of the popular Magical Girl type of anime, intended for little Japanese girls. It's been sold in the West as a children's video. The heroine, Princess of a magical land sent to Earth, can turn into a grown-up female to solve people's problems. Don't be put off, in fact almost anything short of nuclear war can happen in this movie. And mostly it does; it's a real riot! And beautifully designed. Rarely is so much fun had for so little expenditure.
US, UK dubs, 76m.
