The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
Ghibli Month — Chapter 2: Castle in the Sky
Director — Hayao Miyazaki
Year of Release — 1986
Language — English
How Many Times Watched — 3 times
Rating — ★★★★
This is a Definite Watch. Watch this, but don’t make it your first.
Favorite Quotes
“Make your shirt explode.”
“That bag of yours must be magic: it’s always got just what we need.”
“The earth speaks to all of us. And if we listen, we can understand.”
“You can’t be a sensitive woman like me without learning a few things.”
“No matter how many weapons you have, no matter how great your technology might be, the world cannot live without love.”
“Nothing worse than having your pigtails shot off.”
“All good pirates listen to their mom.”
The Rise of an Empire
Well, folks, we made it. After three posts, we’re finally watching an official Studio Ghibli film. I never thought we would make it.
Shortly after the success of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki decided to form their own production company: Studio Ghibli. With three creative minds and a fresh start, Castle in the Sky was born. While not quite a hit right away, Castle in the Sky (also known as Laputa: Castle in the Sky) cemented Studio Ghibli as an animation powerhouse. However, it wasn’t until 1989, with the release of Kiki’s Delivery Service, that they became a household name, but we’ll get to that later.
Castle in the Sky set the stage for Studio Ghibli. It laid the foundation for what was to come. Hayao Miyazaki and company crafted a fairly straight forward, adventure film. Castle in the Sky is where you really begin to see the whimsical feeling that Studio Ghibli is known for.
Castle in the Sky is simply a solid film. It hits every single note perfectly. The pacing is phenomenal and keeps you interested the whole way through. The animation is gorgeous and still holds up. But where Castle in the Sky truly shines is its characters.
First, we have our adorable lovebirds, Sheeta and Pazu. Look how adorable they are.
I mean, come on.
This might be the most compelling romance Miyazaki has ever created. Their chemistry is spot on and entirely believable. You can’t help but root for them. It is Sheeta and Pazu’s connection that makes Castle in the Sky special. Their romance grounds (ha) the whole film.
But this film goes one step further. The supporting cast is incredibly strong, one of Miyazaki’s strengths, but this is the first time we really see it in practice (prepare yourself for Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away).
Dola and her sons bring life to every scene they’re in. They have some fast quips and great one-liners. They are the comedic relief, and it always works. That fight between the sons and Pazu’s boss is really something special. This is Miyazaki at his best: mixing comedy in the middle of a serious (but fun) chase scene. In fact, over half of my favorite quotes are in relation to the Dola gang. I think this type of comedy can often come off disingenuous, but somehow Miyazaki is able to continually use it to perfection.
You can’t talk about great characters in Castle in the Sky without talking about Muska, the villain of the story. In the 1998 Disney dub, we get the privilege of hearing Mark Hamill as Muska. Yes, that Mark Hamill. He is one of the greatest living American voice actors, so you know you’re getting something special here. Mark has a field day playing the villain. He is menacing and manipulative yet somehow just as charming. There’s a quiet energy to him where he’s very clearly the villain while not really feeling evil.
And how could I forget the Laputian robots?! The metal guardians have become a pseudo-mascot for Studio Ghibli, presiding over the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo. Miyazaki is a master in character design because I feel equal parts scared and loved when looking at this machine. I know it can kill me, but I also want to give it a big hug. They even brought back the fox-squirrels from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. They are clear precursors to Miyazaki’s more fantastical films.
Miyazaki loves to flex his animating skills, and for good reason. The sheer spectacle of some of his shots is breathtaking. But what I find more compelling is his use of intimate portraits before showing off the grandiose wide shot of Laputa. Rather than begin with the establishing shot, he reveals the “castle in the sky” through smaller points of interest, building to the grand reveal (shown below). It is an impressive feat of world-building that takes a certain kind of director to pull off.
Castle in the Sky marks Joe Hisaishi’s second time working with Hayao Miyazaki, Nausicaä being the first. If you don’t know Joe Hisaishi, you definitely will by the end of Ghibli Month. He is the long-time composer of every Miyazaki film (except Castle of Cagliostro) as well as The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. Now, Nausicaä’s score was by no means bad. It fit the film well. But Castle in the Sky is where Joe Hisaishi becomes the Joe Hisaishi we know today. He (mostly) abandons the 80s synths and opts for a symphonic feel, which does wonders for the film as a whole. It makes the film feel much more cohesive.
Miyazaki movies are known for their powerful theme songs that stick with you well after the movie is over. The theme for Castle in the Sky is no different. ‘Carrying You’ (also known as ‘Innocent’) is Hisaishi’s first great theme and sets a precedent for every Miyazaki film that comes after. There is strength in music, and Joe Hisaishi knows how to perfectly wield it.
Castle in the Sky laid strong foundations for the future of Studio Ghibli. It really set the stage for what is to come. A lot of what you see in this film from the strong and diverse cast, fantastical set pieces, and beautiful scores are perfected in later films. Castle in the Sky is a really solid film that Studio Ghibli owes everything to. But the best is yet to come.
