Parents' Guide to

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Beautiful anime with eco message and an amazing female hero.

Movie PG 1985 117 minutes
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Movie Poster: A girl stands in profile, looking to the left

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 14 parent reviews

VickiEdwards
VickiEdwards Parent of 15-year-old
August 25, 2022
age 10+

"He will come clad in blue - and he will guide his people to a land of purity"

Dear Reader,(again) I absolutely LOVE Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind! And I would probably recommend this for ages10+. There is some blood (nothing gory at all ). I was a little bit frightened at first at the part where Nausicaa is running up the stairs(you hear gunshots but don't see her father (he dies) P.S. There is some language like; "old hag" "Good Lord" and "What the heck was that?" But anyway I still love this movie! (Maddison Edwards age15) P.S.S (I personally did not like the part where Nausicaa opens her shirt and puts Teto inside and you see a brief image of her uncovered chest that's all).

This title has:

Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
Francis S
Francis S Parent of 12, 14 and 16-year-old
October 30, 2022
age 10+

amazing, watch this movie

beautiful. one of my favorite studio ghibli movies.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 14 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, it's been 1,000 years since industrialized civilization ended in the "Seven Days of Fire." A toxic jungle has taken over, where giant bugs rule, especially the fierce, beetle-like ohmu. Humans live in smaller settlements now and travel via airship and glider over the jungles. Princess Nausicaa's village is in a valley along the ocean with a steady breeze to keep out the noxious gasses of the jungle. It's almost idyllic, until airships from Tolmekia invade, insisting that "uniting" all peoples and then destroying the toxic jungle is the only way for humans to survive. Nausicaa (voiced by Sumi Shimamoto in the original version and Alison Lohman in the English dub), who has come to understand the ways of the insects and discovers a secret beneath the jungle, tries to make the Tolmekians understand their folly before it's too late for her village -- and all of humanity.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (14):
Kids say (19):

Beautifully done, the story features a great message and a very admirable hero. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind comes from director Hayao Miyazaki of Spirited Away, Ponyo, and many other striking Japanese animated films. The level of creativity displayed, from each giant insect and toxic plant to the battered airship, is captivating. The dubbing in this version is pretty good, too. It's guaranteed that many anime fans are thrilled that the original full-length version is now available. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind does feel a bit long at times, but if kids' minds wander during a discussion of why one village is fighting another, they can just stare at the cool animation until they get back into it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about great female heroes. What makes Nausicaa such a worthy role model in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind? What other strong female heroes can you think of?

  • There's quite a bit of violence in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. How did it impact you? How does it compare to what you might see in a live-action movie?

  • How do the characters demonstrate courage and compassion? Why are these important character strengths?

  • Talk about the movie's eco message. How is the Earth repairing itself? Why is destroying the toxic jungle aggressively the wrong way to save humanity? Is there a right way? How are the movies' themes relevant to current issues?

  • Why do you think this movie is considered an anime classic? How is it different from the majority of Hollywood animated movies?

Movie Details

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