Discussion Reading of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

[Brandish μ]

Welcome to the collective reading of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
by Hayao Miyazaki

Feel free to read ahead of the group. However, we do ask that you limit your comments up to the volume specified in the schedule and title of the thread.

Please enjoy your reading and discuss the story in this thread.​

 

[Brandish μ]

Just checked the scans, and it appears to be the flipped version, so if you're using those they read left to right.

Was excited to start this. I've not seen the movie either.

Spoiler: quick notes/first impressions

Nice start. World was partly presented with more to be explored, conflict(s) established, a heroine you can get behind which took me about 30 pages.

Humans and the Environment is the key theme so far - as the reason for the apocalypse and also the goal (I think). Rather detailed world to support that, with the soil/forest etc, and the insects which are like an immune response from the earth.

The art style is fine and there's a lot going on the panels. Took me a while to get through the volume because of that, and there's a lot of text.

 

[Jane Burgandy]

Just checked the scans, and it appears to be the flipped version, so if you're using those they read left to right.

Was excited to start this. I've not seen the movie either.

Spoiler: quick notes/first impressions

Nice start. World was partly presented with more to be explored, conflict(s) established, a heroine you can get behind which took me about 30 pages.

Humans and the Environment is the key theme so far - as the reason for the apocalypse and also the goal (I think). Rather detailed world to support that, with the soil/forest etc, and the insects which are like an immune response from the earth.

The art style is fine and there's a lot going on the panels. Took me a while to get through the volume because of that, and there's a lot of text.

That's interesting because nowadays, they would always enhance the drawing part rather than the writing part (I heard so many times that if you need to communicate too much in writing, that means the picture in itself is not strong enough to convey the message).
Well, I think sometimes explanations are inevitable. Nausicaä is the perfect example. : )

 

[Arjuna]

@Brandish sorry mate I can't go with reading a new manga now.My mom is admitted in hospital and my exam is also near.So please don't mind.I can't focus on any new manga until my mother is cured.

Continued with you in all previous readings but this time sorry.

 

[Brandish μ]

That's interesting because nowadays, they would always enhance the drawing part rather than the writing part (I heard so many times that if you need to communicate too much in writing, that means the picture in itself is not strong enough to convey the message).
Well, I think sometimes explanations are inevitable. Nausicaä is the perfect example. : )

Oh I don't think it's a blemish at all xD

We certainly needed exposition for the level of detail this author is going for. Like I said it took me a while to get through (2 hours or so) as there was a lot of world building/history, and also presenting us the inciting incident(s) for the story (the human problem/war, the state of the environment). It was packed efficiently for 1 vol I thought.

I shall expand a bit later on too, I was rather brief before lol.

 

[Jane Burgandy]

Oh I don't think it's a blemish at all xD

We certainly needed exposition for the level of detail this author is going for. Like I said it took me a while to get through (2 hours or so) as there was a lot of world building/history, and also presenting us the inciting incident(s) for the story (the human problem/war, the state of the environment). It was packed efficiently for 1 vol I thought.

I shall expand a bit later on too, I was rather brief before lol.

I so agree with you. I'm actually digging right into it when there're proper explanations. I actually put myself in a more comfortable position on my chair, and I'm all like 'Let's gooo! Explain to me! Feed me with knowledge!'

 

[Demonspeed]

I started volume 1 but haven't completed it. I will have more time to read 2 or 3 volumes this weekend.

 

[Brandish μ]

I updated the schedule, so anyone who wants to start you're not far behind : )

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 23, 2018, Original Post Date: Jun 12, 2018 ---

Enjoyed volume 2.

Nausicaa continues to be a compelling heroine. She does have her work cut out for her. The relationship she has with Kushana is intriguing too, who is another interesting character. Looking forward to their stories from here.

So the Dorok's, under the Emperor, are creating a Daikasho(?). That was a weird battle that went on there with the Emperor and the Holy One, with the Emperor and all... it reminded me of Star Wars. The Emperor seems to be from some group of people different to the others as well?? (the Dorok's are assembled tribes, but he was talking about his ancestry regarding the Daikasho, so I wonder if something is up with that).

There is a recurring fear element among the people. Whether it be a fear of what another people may do, or fear for the future of the environment, or the ohmu, etc. I guess this should be obvious in a war time, and after the lands had been ravaged in previous anthropogenic events (7 days of fire, the Eftal) there is a sense of dread for the future/lack of hope - which is natural.

 

[Demonspeed]

Finally completed the first volume.

I won't lie, it took me some time to read. The world itself is interesting but the way the exposition was delivered was rather boring to me. And I didn't really feel the thrill of the aerial battles. There were some cool moments here and there but still. The guy following Kushana, Kurotowa surprised me. I thought he would just be a useless goon but he is a capable pilot.

--- Double Post Merged, Sep 5, 2018, Original Post Date: Jul 3, 2018 ---

It's been a while. Finished the second volume. I will try to complete at least one volume per day.

I liked it a lot. The conflict with the Doroks, the prophecy etc but many scenes are a bit confusing and it's hard to differentiate the old men. During the last chapters I thought Yupa was in fact Mito .

 

[Brandish μ]

Really shouldn't have stopped this, I may need to re-read vol 1 and 2. Took me a little while to recall the plot earlier in the volume.

Now Nausicaa is right there in the heart of the war. You can feel how it takes a toll on her. And the Emperor is right there too. Wtf was that bath he took lol. Seriously there was a 'solution' he was submerged in, had me thinking it was responsible for his powers.

When Kushana was referred to the White Witch, I thought about how she might become Nausicaa's enemy by the end of it.

I do have trouble with the faces and find it hard to follow sometimes. This manga crams a lot of detail into panels compared to what I'm used to (there's like 8 panels per page in this). So I find myself slowing down to read it carefully.

I tried to do a vol a day, it's too much. Took me 3 days.