April 19, 2014
This segment of Animia will mostly be on Studio Ghibli films. If we're talking about anime, we simply cannot go past Studio Ghibli. They are an animation studio which has produced some of the most famous animated films in both Japan and the world, including: Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Ponyo.
Today's film of choice will be the first one produced and released after the official founding of the studio: Castle in the Sky (known as Laputa, Castle in the Sky in the UK and Australian releases).
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Story: 9/10
Not your everyday film, Castle in the Sky contains undertones of the fall of human civilisation, as well as the dangers of relying on machinery as humanity is wont to do. However, while in most films we see today with this premise, we see accomplished men and women shoulder the burden. In Castle of the Sky, the hero and heroine are children barely into their teens. The comedic dialogue provided by the pirates and exciting action sequences with the robots ensure audiences stay interested, while the heartwarming moments between Pazu and Sheeta and the dramatic scenes involving Muska and the robots of Laputa round out a deep and well-written script. The weaving of our world's lore into theirs also adds something for the audience to think about.Animation: 9/10
Castle in the Sky was produced and released in 1986, long before we had the sophisticated animation technology and techniques we have now. For it's time, it was both detailed and smooth, and definitely took a lot more time and effort than the same film would take to produce today.
Music/Soundtrack: 10/10
In my opinion, Studio Ghibli has some of the best orchestral soundtracks ever made for animations, Japanese or otherwise. The soundtrack for Castle in the Sky is no exception. With almost each scene demanding different background music, upbeat music is woven into suspenseful pauses effortlessly and smoothly, while tragic scenes invoke beautiful soaring symphonies that abruptly end upon the beginning of action sequences where the orchestra itself seems to add a few extra sound effects on top of the sounds of guns and cannons. The ending song during the credits sung by Azumi Inoue is sung to the instrumentals of the movie's main theme song, evoking a sense of the familiar even as the movie ends. Created by Joe Hisaishi and his team, the soundtrack is very well-rounded, and is a definite must listen.Overall: 9.5/10
Overall, I've loved Castle in the Sky since my first viewing when I was a child. While the movie does tend to stretch a bit long in some sections, the comedy and action scenes are inserted at the right times to ensure the audience is never bored. And really, why would you be? It's a story about finding an ancient city in the sky, with advanced technology and robots to boot! This would appeal to both children and adults everywhere!
Why not have a listen to Castle in the Sky's iconic theme song?
Why not have a listen to Castle in the Sky's iconic theme song?
