Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 1 by Hayao Miyazaki

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'About this title' may belong to another edition of this title. With the grandeur of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and the grace of Miyazaki's Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind is a classic of fantasy literature and one of the finest works ever in the comics medium.

However, intrigue between the reigning Princess Kushana and her brothers suddenly place Nausicaä and her people at the center of a civil conflict that could extinguish the last people on earth. Now, the Imperial family has begun a massive campaign to extend its hold on the remaining pockets of civilization. The remaining humans huddle in the valleys and sheltered cities while holding on to the remnants of technologies long-since rendered mysterious. Environmental crises have made the forest-known as the Sea of Corruption-into a kingdom of spores and giant insects called Ohmu. Readers learn at the beginning of her tale that the Earth has become a hostile place. As a citizen of the Valley of Wind, she has mastered reading the shifting wind currents and air pockets as she navigates the skies in her glider. As a princess, she is testing the waters of leadership as her father languishes on his deathbed. Underscoring the book's deep ecological messages, Miyazaki's Nausicaä is a passionate defender of the natural world, and her ability to commune with the creatures of the forest appears almost magical.

Miyazaki took that character as the inspiration for his Princess Nausicaä, but their worlds could not be further apart. Readers of Homer's The Odyssey will recall that Nausicaä is the name of the Phoenician princess who healed Odysseus when he washed up on her shores. In Nausicaä, as in most of his work, Miyazaki centers his narrative on a strong young woman who struggles to create peace in a world torn by war. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia or J.R.R.

Indeed, the Comics Journal once described the first volume as 'the best graphic novel ever.' Many critics favorably compare the story to such fantasy classics as C.S. But among his many fans in Japan, his epic manga tale, Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind, which Miyazaki later made into a animated movie, is often cited as his greatest work. Hayao Miyazaki is probably best known in the West for his films My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service are celebrated for their lavish animation and sophisticated treatment of their young heroes.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 1 by Hayao Miyazaki