Laputa: Castle in the Sky / 天空の城ラピュタ - H. Miyazaki
Laputa: Castle in the Sky - Anime - Hayao Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli
This animated fantasy-adventure film comes from 1986, and is Studio Ghibli's first release.
I've seen and enjoyed a lot of Studio Ghibli's work, such as Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Princess Mononoke (1997), and a few others. The earliest work I'd seen by Miyazaki was Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), and I've always been curious to see how the earlier works stand next to the bigger titles in the Ghibli catalogue.
Just like anything from the 80's, whether it be film of music, Castle in the Sky has that certain unmistakable 80's vibe and quality to it, and the style reminds me a little of 80's cartoons like Ulysses 31 and Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors. I think it's the art style but also the surroundings of the fantasy elements that make me drawn that comparison.
What I've always liked about Studio Ghibli was their work was sublime compared to Disney animation, and their stories were always more immersive and not broken up by annoying singalong songs, but concentrating on adventure and storytelling prowess orchestrated through superior animation. I'm not an anime or animation expert, but I've always enjoyed anime that is accessible to a wider audience and doesn't have the characters emoting in the typical trope that anime is now known for. That's why a lot of 80's stuff sits well with me.
Castle in the Sky isn't as glossy or as rich as the studio's later releases, but I really enjoyed the story complete with sky pirates, a floating sky castle, and a mining community town. Oh, and a magic crystal and a lost civilisation! The action scenes are superb, and there's some romanticism elements later on where some of the art direction comes across as really gorgeous.
This title really provides wonderful storytelling and adventure, something that both adults and children would be thrilled by, and as I grow older, it's the charm that these films offer that I find so endearing.
It's classic fantasy delivered in a sublime fashion by Miyazaki, and perhaps at this stage in Ghibli's catalogue is perhaps only missing the full musical score to go with it (although what is there is pretty decent, just not as prevalent as later releases). Ghibli's works later become a lot grander and richer in scope, but the substance and qualities of this film offer something uniquely nostalgic for fantasy fans of the 80's.
It's classic fantasy delivered in a sublime fashion by Miyazaki, and perhaps at this stage in Ghibli's catalogue is perhaps only missing the full musical score to go with it (although what is there is pretty decent, just not as prevalent as later releases). Ghibli's works later become a lot grander and richer in scope, but the substance and qualities of this film offer something uniquely nostalgic for fantasy fans of the 80's.
