A masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (12 April 2013)

Be prepared, I'm going to gush about this movie for a few minutes.
Alright. There are so many elements to this movie I enjoyed. The vignette structure makes it feel like an epic set in a larger universe, and yet we still have a narrative tied together by our five major characters. Fortunately, those characters all have both a gradual period of introduction that provides some depth, as well as their own arc. The classic Miyazaki style of animation (with a few touches of CG) sets the stage well and provides for some stunning visuals. The voice work for the English dub does everything I'd hope to keep up with the animation.
This movie isn't perfect as a film that uses visual elements to subtly tell a story in as rich a way as possible, but it is perfect as a film that engrosses the viewer in a fantastic universe by sending a hero on an epic quest through that universe.