 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Castle in the Sky
- Review Date: March 8, 2009
- NR
- Genre: Fantasy
- 1986
Common Sense Media says
Exciting, all-ages anime airborne fantasy epic.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that "cartoon violence" and peril is fairly regular and sometimes intense in this spectacle, with abundant street brawling, gunfire (often aimed at children), artillery, death rays, even what looks like an H-bomb. Despite all that, no dead bodies are shown. This represents an English-dubbed, re-edited version of the three-hour original. If your household is filled with "anime" purists, you might want to try and obtain the uncut version. Try to get a widescreen edition in any case -- even the Disney VHS preserves the splendor in "letterbox" format.
What's the story?
CASTLE IN THE SKY was a smash in its native Japan in 1986, known mainly to fantasy and animation fans in the West via imported versions until more than a decade later, when mighty Disney Studios recognized its popularity by releasing an English-dubbed edition in the USA. The setting is a vaguely European early-20th century. In this world there exists a legend of a fabulous flying fortress called Laputa, laden with treasure, robots, and powerful weapons. Sheeta, a farm girl with an heirloom amulet crystal that points the way to Laputa, is chased by both government forces and a family of sky pirates. Briefly escaping into a mining community, Sheeta finds an unselfish ally and protector in a fellow adolescent, a brave boy named Pazu, and together they try to outwit their enemies while on a journey leading inevitably to Laputa.
Is it any good?
Hayao Miyazaki's sumptuous design, artwork, cliffhanger pacing, and innocent "sense of wonder" so important to science fiction bring Castle in the Sky to glorious life as a family-suitable action-fantasy, even if the main characters lack depth. Pazu is a bold and brave orphan boy, Sheeta is a bold and brave orphan girl, etc. (our heroine also tends to be amnesiac in some scenes, while in others she can remember whole magic spells and the not-unimportant detail that she's a long-lost Laputian princess).
Possibly some of the deficiencies in the storyline can be explained by big chunks of the movie, which originally ran three hours, excised in the adaptation by Disney. Here a nature-oriented twist that saves the heroes from doom in the end seems to come out of nowhere (thin air, you might say). At least the American edit kept Ma Dola, a colorful, crusty old pirate matriarch (voiced by Cloris Leachman) who vigorously commands a flying criminal gang made up of her own husband and many sons. Some anime fans consider this one of the best of the best in the all-ages category.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about how the idea of a floating fortress-city -- actually inspired by imagery (though not themes) in the storybook Gulliver's Travels -- turned into this Japanimation classic. You can research the career of exalted anime director/designer Hayo Miyazaki, who often introduces ideas of nature in conflict with human technology. Laputa was also published in comic book form before getting the animation treatment. Ask kids what they prefer, reading manga (Japanese comics) or seeing the cinematic spin-offs and adaptations.
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Kid, 12 years old
October 27, 2010
AGE
I could pump my fist in the air for how much i love this film.
this is my favorite movie of all time. i'm talking about the original japanese version, not the awful english dub (points thumb down.).
honestly, disney? you messed up the whole thing. anyways, the story is great, the music is great, the role models are great, it's all great. i think this is for ages 9+, just because there's a lot of gunfighting, and people do get shot, but never killed. thre's a lot of parts of this film that just make you feel all lovely inside. if your'e a big fan of anime, or even if your'e not, go see this film. trust me, it's for your own good.
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Kid, 12 years old
March 13, 2010
AGE
a beatifully made movie.
When i first watched this movie when i was about 8 i really liked and i still really do. But both me and my parent's where very surprised about how vilont it was. I'm also surprised common sense thinks this movie is iffy for 6! are u joking?! A 6 year old would be scared and have nightmares! All the vilonce includes: Killing, gun shooting and much more. Also kids fall from very high heights and almost are killed several time by gun, exploseves, and pirates. There is also a very intense scene where the main characters uncle holds up a gun and shoots of her pigtails and almost her ears. The up side to all of this is it has good messages and rolemodels. Such as Sheta and Potsu. Sheta is a very courages girl who is about 10 or 11 years old. Who will stop at nothing to follow her dreams, be free, and help a person or thing in need. Also Potsu risks his life many times to save his friend sheta's. The positive messages of this movie is: Be carful wherever you go, and sometimes you must put your friends before yourself so everything can work out in the end. I recomend this to all kids 9 and up!
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Kid, 11 years old
May 9, 2010
AGE
You'l enjoy this movie!
This Movie Is Awesome!!!!!!! I own this movie on DVD and I've watched it a million times. I love the beautiful animation. I recommend you watch this movie. Trust me you'll love it!
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Parent of 9 and 11 year old
January 3, 2010
AGE
very violent--beware!
miyazaki's movies for younger children (totoro, ponyo, kiki's delivery service) have been huge favorites and my kids enjoyed this film as well. BUT it was startlingly violent--swarming armies, explosions, gunfire, people falling and almost falling to certain death...my kids both spent large parts of the movie biting their nails and cringing. the beautiful animation and lovely musical score were just not worth all the violence for our family.
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Teen, 13 years old
May 31, 2010
AGE
LOVE IT!!!!
This is a GREAT movie I got it at Chinatown, so it was all in Japanese, but we managed to get the sub on and loved it. NOT VIOLENT AT ALL!!! Best Miyazaki film I've seen!
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Parent of 3 and 6 year old
May 18, 2010
AGE
fun and interesting
This is a movie we all enjoy, and it is my 6-yr-old's favorite. There is some violence, and some shananigans, but I like the message that you have to get to know a person to really know them. Fun and interesting.
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Kid, 10 years old
May 13, 2010
AGE
8
Besides the shooting and the girl breaking the glass on her dads head its ok for kids 8 and up
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Parent of 11 and 14 year old
May 14, 2010
AGE
Fun adventure for older kids
Some violence and cold blooded villain... but underlying there is a story of courageousness and love.
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Kid, 10 years old
July 27, 2010
AGE
Why?
Why is this rated 9 and up? It has shooting and some scary scenes and mild themes as if Muska showed that emblem to Sheeta and she started crying and at the end where there's spoilers. But the romance isn't bad I don't think.
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Kid, 11 years old
October 16, 2010
AGE
It's good for younger children, they would definietly love it but for older kids, it might be kinda boring. Still overall good movie, not exactly violent but still OK.
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| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Director: | Hayao Miyazaki |
| Cast: | Anna Paquin, Cloris Leachman, James Van Der Beek, Mandy Patinkin, Mark Hamill |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Run time: | 125 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 2, 1986 |
| DVD release date: | April 15, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
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