FILM / Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and the Power of Ecofiction / Brendan Brewster
Image © Studio Ghibli
Introduction
It is hard to ignore the human-induced environmental crises that are currently taking place around the world, and with the recent wildfires in Canada, the topic is more relevant now than ever. In times of crisis, we turn to art. This has always been the way for humanity and remains true today. Ecofiction is nothing new, and has persisted through all mediums of artistic expression for generations and across all cultures, from the pictograms and creation myths of the First People, to the recent release of Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), there has always been a desire to explore our intrinsic connection to nature and our destruction of it.
There are many contemporary examples of ecofiction in writing, with the late Cormac MacCarthy leaving an indelible mark on the genre with his seminal novel The Road, as well as many other authors exploring the topic through writing. Video games have also tackled the topic, with varying degrees of success. Horizon: Zero Dawn and its sequel, released in 2022, immediately come to mind as strong examples of the genre in video games.
I would argue that one of the most powerful and successful mediums for exploring ecofiction has been film. Given the qualities of filmmaking, and the wide-breadth of creativity and expression that it allows, film has been a highly successful medium for portraying and exploring our connection to nature and the impact of human meddling on the planet. One of the most important and central elements of ecofiction, that human accountability is intrinsically part of an artwork’s ethical positioning, is a topic central to the works of famed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. Throughout this article, I will discuss ecofiction and environmental fantasy through one of his most seminal works, the 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
To provide a brief summary of the film, the story is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, and follows a young princess named Nausicaä, who lives in the Valley of the Wind. Her kingdom, along with the rest of the planet, is plagued by a massive, polluted forest known as the Sea of Decay. Her kingdom is located on the edge of this forest, and is largely protected from the poisonous spores within by the wind that blows through the valley.
Conservation, Restoration, and the Interconnectedness of Species
Image © Studio Ghibli
Two of the most crucial and powerful elements of ecofiction centre around the overarching focus on environmental protection through conservation and restoration. The titular character of the movie, Nausicaä, embodies both of these elements, as does her home in the Valley of the Wind. Throughout the film, we witness her studying the toxic jungle so as to understand its complexities, as well as working towards achieving a balance between the natural and human world. Nausicaä’s kingdom is powered entirely by wind, a clear representation of their achievement of clean energy, as well as a means to protect themselves from the poisonous spores that surround them. What sets Nausicaä apart from the rest of her people, and what makes her such a significant protagonist in ecofiction, is her desire to integrate the natural and human worlds. This is most overtly represented in the scene in which we see Nausicaä in a secret room within her home, where she has cultivated plants from the toxic jungle. The plants, as she has discovered, can be purified by unpolluted soil and clean water from deep beneath the ground, which is a strong example of her desire for environmental restoration.
Nausicaä is also a staunch advocate for conservation throughout the movie, with multiple scenes in which she fights on behalf of nature. She puts herself in harm's way to protect the forest, recognizing that there is a delicate balance within nature and that human interference can lead to destructive outcomes. Nausicaä is empathetic towards animals and insects and we see her innate connection to living beings in multiple instances.
This leads to another crucial aspect of the film, and something that definitively tethers it to the larger canon of ecofiction, the interconnectedness of species. The film does a fantastic job capturing the symbiotic relationship between all life and the balance that is required for a healthy ecosystem. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, Nausicaä’s empathy towards various creatures throughout the film, especially the Ohmu, which are massive insect beings that evolved to protect the forest, is one way that this symbiotic relationship is represented. It is no accident that Miyazaki chooses to highlight insects as creatures that deserve empathy, as the film explores the need to show compassion to all living creatures. This interconnectedness is also exemplified on a community level, with the people of the Valley of the Wind having an understanding of the limits of fire and forest burning, too much leads to destruction, and too little allows the poison from the toxic jungle to penetrate their kingdom. Through this exploration of the interconnectedness between humans and nature, and our innate place within the ecosystem, the movie promotes a deeper connection with the environment.
The Environmental Consequences of Human Actions and Critique of Industrialization
Image © Studio Ghibli
What Nausicaä and her people, along with the rest of the planet, are struggling against are the repercussions of human meddling and industrialization of the environment. We see brief glimpses of the past, and hear stories about the end of human industrial civilization, while the humans that remain struggle to survive within a world that has been wracked by pollution. Through these textual elements, the film serves as a cautionary tale and a reminder of the devastation that can be caused by human greed, ignorance, lust for power, and disregard for the natural world.
On top of these cautionary elements that explore the consequences of human actions, we also see a stark repudiation and criticism of colonisation, human expansion, and industrialism. Throughout the film, Nausicaä and her kingdom are forced to confront the Tolmekian Empire, who seek the destruction of the Sea of Decay. In the Tolmekian’s drive to destroy the toxic jungle, Nausicaä’s people witness acts of brutality and subjugation as the Tolmekian invade The Valley of the Wind and murder its leader, Nausicaä’s father. At first, this is to retrieve a weapon of mass-destruction from the Old World, but it soon becomes clear that the Tolmekian are more interested in expanding their Empire than protecting people.
The traits of the Tolmekian Empire, as well as their attire, machinery, and modes of transportation, which are all militaristic and built with shoddy craftsmanship, as is demonstrated in a scene where their massive warships are easily destroyed, is in direct contrast to the way in which the people of the Valley live and function. Where the Tolmekian value militarism and dominance through force and machinery, the people of The Valley of the Wind operate much differently. Their Valley is powered by clean energy, they live and work with animals, and their people are farmers. With all of these elements, it is not hard to see how the film highlights the detrimental impact of industrial development and colonialism on the environment and the need for sustainable development.
Environmental Activism and Responsibility
Image © Studio Ghibli
One element of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind that is particularly poignant and evident throughout many works of ecofiction, is the focus on hope, optimism, and positive change. While the setting might be bleak, as with many post-apocalyptic works of ecofiction, such as The Road, the film conveys the message of hope and the possibility for positive change. Throughout the movie, Nausicaä’s actions inspire those around her to reconsider their relationship with nature and to work towards a more sustainable future.
This is true for her allies, some of whom are initially afraid of the toxic jungle and the insect guardians within, but who ultimately come to share in Nausicaä’s compassion and drive for sustainability. It is also true for the “villains” of the film, who in true Miyazaki fashion, never fall firmly into that distinction. They come to respect Nausicaä and in the ending sequence, we see a reconciliation between Nausicaä and the Tolmekian leader Kushana, who throughout the film loses her militaristic garb, metaphorically removing her ties to authoritarianism and industrialization. These are effective, and generally subtle implementations of hope and optimism that serve as an invitation for audiences to reflect on their relationship with nature, and the potential impact that they have on it.
These ideas are expanded further through the themes of environmental activism and responsibility throughout the film. As with her link to other eco-protagonists in her conservationist characteristics, Nausicaä is also an environmental activist and has dedicated her life, often putting herself in mortal danger, to protecting nature. This is where one of the film's greatest themes comes into play and where the film becomes a true call to action, the need for individual responsibility towards the environment. Through Nausicaä’s personal responsibility and self-motivation, she inspires others to join her cause and encourages viewers to do the same. Nausicaä rescues endangered creatures, performs scientific studies to better understand her environment, and promotes harmony between humans and nature, all of which help to motivate those around her to engage in similar behaviour.
Conclusion
Image © Studio Ghibli
In the 38 years since its release, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, has lost none of its potency and in many ways has only become more relevant. With its defence of sustainability and powerful themes around conservation, activism, and anti-industrialism, it serves as a call to action, prompting audiences to reevaluate their relationship with nature and consider the implications of their individual choices. In these ways, it is a powerful work of ecofiction and, through the medium of animation, presents its themes and ideas in a gorgeous, wonderfully realised fashion that remains accessible and impactful today. While there have been many works of ecofiction in film since its release, many of which have been directly inspired by it, there are few that have so succinctly captured the mores of the genre.
Brendan Brewster is a writer and teacher from the East Coast of Canada. He studied English Literature and Canadian Studies at Mount Allison University. His work includes poetry, short fiction, and film analysis.