Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuta

Also Known As: Castle in the Sky, Laputa

Genre: Action

Format: 1 Movie

Allegiance: Studio Ghibli

Director: Miyazaki Hayao

Vintage: 1986

Intelligence Agency Report by: Kuzu Ryu Sen

Life has never been easy for Pazu, a young boy living in a small coal mining community. There’s not a lot of money to go around, and the mining industry, the lifeline of the town, is starting to look bleaker and bleaker. Still, surrounded by good fun-loving people, and blessed with natural energy, Pazu lives every day to the fullest, and is always upbeat and full of determination. However, one day, he encounters a mysterious girl descending from the sky while on his way to work. Her name is Sheeta, and she is apparently being pursued by various factions for reasons unknown. Pazu is soon caught up in a real mess involving not only pirates, but the army and secret police as well.

Field Agent Report by: Kuzu Ryu Sen

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

8.75
9.25
10.00
8.50
9.75

Overall

9.75

(not an average)

Following the overwhelming success of Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, the leading minds behind it decided to form their own studio, and thus the world saw the formation of Studio Ghibli. To cement their place in the anime world, this new studio needed to debut with something at least close to Nausicaa’s level. In 1986, the world saw the unveiling of the first Studio Ghibli feature length film: Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Needless to say, it was no disappointment. Studio Ghibli’s first film is arguably its finest, combining outstanding storytelling with powerful audio and smooth visuals to create an amazing and engrossing adventure for all ages.

Surprisingly, Laputa is not Miyazaki’s finest work in terms of plot or characterization. The plot, while far above average, isn’t as complicated or as deep as say that of Nausicaa or Mononoke. The characters are all filled with wonderful personalities and do change through the course of the movie, but once again, the level of development is nowhere near the depth of Whisper of the Heart or Only Yesterday. So what makes this the finest movie that Studio Ghibli has ever released? One word: atmosphere.

From the get-go, this movie just throws mood and atmosphere at the viewer, and does it so brilliantly that one cannot help but feel as if he/she was with the characters. In terms of emotional impact, Laputa is certainly tops among Ghibli films (aside from Grave of the Fireflies, but that’s a special case, because it relies on actual historical events). Part of this ability to evoke a wide plethora of emotions is due to Hisaishi Jo’s amazing (but not over used) score, and more outstanding (albeit dated) animation and renowned flight scenes from Director Miyazaki. Every other aspect of this movie is brought together and amplified by superbly executed pacing; creating a movie that straddles the fine line between breathless and suffocating with deft precision.

Since its debut film, Studio Ghibli has become one of the top animation studios in the world. However, nothing to date has captured the same sense of magic and adventure that Ghibli instilled in Laputa: Castle in the Sky. A true classic for all ages and all generations, Laputa should not be missed by anyone with a sense of adventure.

Field Agent Report by: Lady Sage

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

9.50
9.00
9.75
8.50
9.25

Overall

9.25

(not an average)

As the first film produced by Studio Ghibli, Laputa is a piece anime of history: it set the standards for all of Ghibli’s future films. With such auspicious origins, it’s not a wonder that Ghibli has become possibly the most universally respected animation studio worldwide.

Technically, Laputa shows its age. The usual quality of design work is there: the floating island itself is nothing short of breathtaking, and all the locales are drawn beautifully as well. Miyazaki’s beloved flight scenes are present as well, with all the flying machines drawn and animated with painstaking precision. The character animation, however, is limited, and the designs are mainly rather plain.

Similar to their designs, Pazu and Sheeta are bland for Miyazaki protagonists. They’re quite likable, of course, and they do grow over the course of the film; they just never break out of the shounen adventure mold. Fortunately, they’re surrounded by a colorful supporting cast: the Dola Gang pirates are pure fun, and Muska is deliciously evil.

Laputa’s strongest asset is, without a doubt, its plot and pacing. The plot moves as smoothly as silk, with plenty of plot twists that aren’t completely predictable, but never seem completely out of left field. Instead, the story moves at a steady crescendo, building up to a marvelous conclusion. The whole film is instilled with an irrepressible sense of energy and adventurousness.

When all of its history is taken into account, Laputa is a truly impressive film. But even as a standalone piece, Laputa remains one of the best films from one of the world’s best movie studios. It is a true masterwork, one to be seen by everyone.

Field Agent Report by: Drake

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

8.50
8.75
8.50
8.75
9.50

Overall

9.00

(not an average)

Being the first project undertaken by Studio Ghibli, I wasn’t sure what to initially expect from Laputa: Castle in the Sky. As I think back on this initial fear, I feel like smacking myself. There was no need to worry. It’s Miyazaki. And he’s yet to fail me in the films he’s created that I’ve seen.

First thing that I noticed was the animation, while a little outdated, still looked great for its time. The characters are a little typical of others that fit these molds, but all the scenery is well done, especially the floating island. Everything else was above average, and very pleasing to the eye. Along with brilliant animation comes a spectacular score from Hisaishi Jo. The imaginative environments and lighthearted, yet deliberate music fit really well with the pacing of the plot and the development of the characters.

From the moment the movie begins, the viewer is wrapped into the world of the movie with the action scenes and millions of questions about this mysterious floating island, why Sheeta is being chased, and who the people are that are chasing her. This pace does not stop for even a single moment, as each second of the film is used skillfully to give make the best entertainment experience possible.

The characters themselves are very simple, and therein lays the beauty. The simplicity of Sheeta and Pazu does not mean a lack of development of the characters, but more of the fact that these characters are easily related to by the audience of the film. They are able to give a very simple but powerful message of love being more important than all the riches of the world, including Laputa.

With that being said it’s not surprise that for the last 25 years, this movie has captured the hearts of millions, and gave the studio a terrific beginning by establishing a reputation for high quality movies. Aside from being a work of Ghibli, this movie on its own is simply spectacular, and to skip the opportunity to see this movie would be a crime.