One of the best and most successful early anime films.

Rating: 8/10 (20 August 2010)

Castle In The Sky produces more wonder and perhaps more excitement than any other film directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It's not his best film, but it's a wonderful early Studio Ghibli effort. Industrial Age Europe was obviously an inspiration on the world of the film. There are elements of the fantastic, like the sky castle itself. The castle was part of a utopia created by an advanced civilization through technology. Miyazaki's animation style presents this world vividly and wonderfully. There is some truly breathtaking scenery. Compared to today's anime, especially by Ghibli, the animation of Castle In The Sky looks crude. This is hardly a distraction though. Until Akira (1988) there were very few big budget anime films. There was also a lack of good talent. What raises Castle In The Sky above average is its design and creativity. It helped that Joe Hisaishi composed an effective score that sounds enchanting in the film. Sheeta, a girl, is the heroine of the story. She meets Pazu, a boy who quickly becomes her best friend. They're good, courageous children. For a Miyazaki film there is a surprisingly large amount of action, producing much excitement. The children are almost always on the move. Sheeta's levistone pendant represents advanced technology, something that saves her again and again. The story isn't very original, but there's still a lot to like here. I highly recommend seeing Castle In The Sky. It's a film that one can treasure.