Castle in the Sky Retrospective- Ghibli’s Beautiful Debut
In August of 1986, the newly formed ‘Studio Ghibli’ would release their first film: Castle in the Sky. Helmed by the now revered Hayao Miyazaki, the movie attempted to tell a story of a young girl and her new friend as they seek to find the fabled ‘Castle in the Sky’ before destructive forces find it to use it for their own nefarious means. Please note that the following contains spoilers for the entire movie.
“A girl just fell from the sky boss!”
Story
Castle in the Sky tells the story of a mysterious girl named Sheeta with a necklace said to open the way to Laputa- the so-called ‘Castle in the Sky’. As such, the government forces under the control of Colonel Muska seek out to find the artifact and take control of the castle to use as a weapon against other nations. Throughout the film, Pazu (a young orphan boy) helps Sheeta through her journey. They are eventually joined by Captain Dola (a cranky old lady) and her pirate crew- who are hoping to get to Laputa for the fabled treasure lying within. In the end, it is revealed that Sheeta and Colonel Muska are both descendants of Laputa- and Colonel Muska betrays his army to take control of the flying city for himself with Sheeta’s amulet. Of course, he is stopped by Sheeta and in the end, the castle flies higher into the sky- with its power and secrets away from the hands of those who wish to use it for evil.
“Hold your tongue, commoner! You are in the presence of the king of Laputa.”
It is impressive how much ground the movie covers in its two-hour runtime without wasting any time. Plot points constantly move forward at a rapid pace, but there are also times to breathe between action setpieces. For example, after the destruction of a major city and the loss of Sheeta’s necklace, there is an extended series of scenes with characters simply interacting on board Dola’s flying pirate ship. By going back and forth between tense confrontations with action all around to calm, reflective moments that allow the watcher to take a breather along with the characters. The way that Castle in the Sky is a masterclass in keeping audiences engaged- and that was certainly the case with me. The story truly never faltered in keeping me hooked to see what would happen next until the very end.
Themes
‘Castle in the Sky’ has some of the most complex themes through storytelling that I’ve seen in any animated film. They are so in-depth that I know that I will do them an injustice by speaking about them so briefly- but I’ll try my best to explain them in a way that won’t leave this retrospective being pages long.
“The tree! We protected it, so it protects us!”
Above all, Castle in the Sky is about nature and technology- but it isn’t as simple as one is bad, the other is not. Instead, it seems to enforce the idea that perhaps the best way to deal with these completely different ideologies isn’t to pit them against each other- but instead to merge them. I think this is best exhibited in the robots seen throughout the film. The first time we see a robot, it causes explosions, fire, and destruction while chasing Sheeta, until it is revelated that it was protecting her. In the end, its destruction is mourned. This is not a piece of nature being destroyed or cut down (like in more obvious anti-technology movies)- it is a man-made robot. Later on in the film, we see a garden being tended to by one remaining robot, whilst the rest have died at the foot of a huge tree on Laputa. This symbolizes the merging of nature and technology, and how one can be used to actually aid the other.
“It’s your crystal. The force of the Sacred Light has brought the robot back to life. The way to Laputa has been opened.”
This, I believe, is the key message of the story. By working together, nature and technology can truly thrive. It is only with the outside interference of Colonel Muska that things (literally) fall apart. With the roots falling off of the castle, it ascends- no longer held down. In the end, as the castle drifts off into space, its connection to earth, and nature itself is lost. When Colonel Muska attempted to use the power held within the island for his own means, the symbiotic link between man made technology and nature was severed- leaving no place for the castle. This is what makes the ending so bittersweet. The villain may have been beaten and the world effectively saved, but there is no longer any proof of the garden which the robots tended to- no proof of the two working together. However, one of the best parts of this film is the message of hope.
“The earth speaks to all of us, and if we listen, we can understand”
More optimistically, the film is about love- which may be best represented with Pazu and Sheeta. It could be said that Sheeta represents nature- literally falling from the sky, while Pazu represents technology- working in a mine by using man made tools. However, this does not limit their relationship. In fact, their different experiences allow them both to grow and learn from each other. In the end, when they fly off into the sunset together, a certain hope emerges. As the robots fall into the ocean, these two characters are finally together- with nothing standing in their way. Perhaps this is a metaphor for man and nature- and how love can still flourish there, despite all the damage already done. If Pazu and Sheeta can fall in love, why can’t man and nature co-exist?
“Pazu loves Sheeta.”
Characters
When I watched Castle in the Sky with my girlfriend, it was dubbed in English. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, I’d rather look at the beautifully drawn landscapes of Ghibli rather than reading subtitles, and secondly, the dub is actually very good. The voices used for the main characters- Sheeta and Pazu especially- are especially well done. There was also one stand-out performance that I wasn’t expecting: the cranky old Captain Dola. In fact, there were no lacking parts in the entire film in this department.
“I’ve peeled my last potato! YEE-HAW!”
Each character is written superbly- with their desires and goals being evident through their dialogue and voices. Pazu and Sheeta are both captured as these innocent children who will do anything to prevent Laputa from falling into the hands of the nameless destructive state. Conversely, Colonel Muska is a brilliantly written villain. Being incredibly hateable all throughout the film (such as when he is responsible for the destruction of a robot helping Sheeta) whilst keeping a calm demeanor until the very end. Every motivation, every line of dialogue, and every discussion between characters has meaning. You really begin to root for Sheeta and Pazu- and even the sky pirates towards the end. The investment I had in these characters was huge in the final act especially. In terms of characters, Castle in the Sky certainly does not falter.
Presentation
Unsurprisingly, the presentation of this film is fantastic. In fact, it is beyond fantastic. It is as close to perfect animation as I have ever seen. I never had much of an interest in 1980/90s Disney animation, since I always thought it looked far too flat and boring to keep me invested- especially when I was younger. Studio Ghibli flips the sheet completely in this matter. Every frame is not only exciting to look at but I’m also convinced it can be used in an art museum. The carefully drawn characters and set pieces are simply beautiful. You could scroll to any part of the film and find a wallpaper- which is genuinely the biggest compliment an animated film can get.
Its not only the animation quality which is amazing; its music also goes above and beyond. With ‘The Girl Who Fell From the Sky’ and ‘Castle in the Sky’ being obvious standouts, each track perfectly fits the scene in which it is used. Whether it be high-octane chase scenes, or reflective moments of beauty, there can be nothing but praise for the score of this film.
Conclusion
‘Castle in the Sky’ nails its characters, music, and presentation in a way no other animated film I’ve ever seen pull off. However, these aren’t even the best parts- that honour lies within its themes. It is easy to dismiss this as a children’s film with little depth. The evil guy must be beaten, technology is bad- nature is good. However, there is so much more to it than that. Miyazaki crafted a deep, emotional story with more morally grey interpretations than can be said for any other ‘children’s film’ I’ve ever seen. One key theme always comes back, however. It is as Sheeta says in the closing act:
“No matter how many weapons you have, no matter how great your technology might be, the world cannot live without love.”
I am confident in saying that ‘Castle in the Sky’ into not only one of the best-animated films of all time but one of the best films of all time in general. Studio Ghibli’s debut film was a masterpiece when it was released over 35 years ago, and it remains a masterpiece to this day.
