Laputa: Castle in the Sky is a near perfect Ghibli debut from the master of anime himself.

Rating: 9/10 (24 February 2018)

You know what, they just don't make adventure films like these anymore. I never get that sense of wonderment, awe or anything that stimulates my cerebral cortex that holds my imagination. There's only one person I can rely on, Hayao Miyazaki. A young boy encounters a mysterious girl who has fallen from the sky. He is then entangled in a fantastical adventure to which they must travel to the mythical floating castle of Laputa in order to prevent its true power falling into the wrong hands. Straight off the bat, the animation is stunning. Yet again, every frame just looks like a piece of art. Elegant, ethereal and energetic. The attention to detail never fails to astound me. It evokes pure imagination and creativity that appeals to both mature and younger audiences. Sky pirates, floating islands, sentient ancient guardians and a small dosage of magic. That is the beauty of animation, and Japanese studios know this best. There are no limits to one's creativity and artistic integrity. Miyazaki co-founding Studio Ghibli allowed him to explore his range of concepts and give him freedom to his work. The script contained both heartfelt emotion and sporadic comedic moments that will bring both smiles and character investment. Our main protagonists were adorable, I ship them! Plenty of action and perilous tasks that heightened the tension. Laputa itself was just beautiful, it's clear that many fantasy films and video games took elements from the design of Laputa. The pacing was practically perfect, it's just a shame the ending was incredibly rushed! I literally shouted "Noooo! You were so close to getting a 10/10!". But alas, Laputa is Miyazaki's adventure animation that showcases his best talents. Oh, and the musical score...damn, t'was good.