[SPOILERS ALERT]  If you like anime and haven’t seen this move yet go watch it.  It was good.  I recommend it.

Naussica, a young kindhearted princess of the valley of the winds gets caught up in a conflict between two large empires fighting over resources in a post apocalyptic world.  The story is set in a semi – steampunk like world where medieval and modenish, technology are combined in a unique hybrid.  Meanwhile a large toxic forest slowly grows taking over the land year by year.  Actually, the forest was set in motion to purify the earth from the pollution of mankind, but it also happens to be toxic to us and filled with massive insects that drive the process.  In any case, when a giant warrior from olden days is discovered with the power to inflict nuclear destruction upon the earth, one of the empires wants to use it to obliterate the other empire and the forest.  However, plans go wrong when the vessel carrying it crashes in the Valley of the Winds due to the insects which defend the forest.  The empire then invades the valley and drags Naussica and her people into the conflict.  She then through great acts of heroism and some prophetic fulfillment has to accomplish the challenge of stopping both the empires and the insects of the forest from completely overrunning and destroying her valley, in the process sacrificing herself to stop the swarming insects and in doing so demonstrates her love and goodness.  She is then reanimated by the giant insects and the world is more or less saved.

Overall the story is an excellent one of heroism, self sacrifice, love (but only a hint of romantic), and epic determination.  Naussica is an excellent representation of a classic heroine who embodies all of the best qualities of humanity and fulfills a prophetic mission.  She demonstrates through her act of self sacrifice and kindness towards all what love really means and shows how to live it out.

I enjoy a good anime, and as as far as they go I’ll give this one a 7 / 10.

One last side note, the film is based off of a manga series, so if you like manga graphic novels you can read this one as well.  I haven’t read it but I hear it’s decent although somewhat different from the film.