Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ) is a 1984 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic fantasy adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on his 1982–94 manga series of the same name. It was produced by Topcraft and distributed by Toei Company. Joe Hisaishi, in his first collaboration with Miyazaki, composed the score. The film stars the voices of Sumi Shimamoto, and others. Set in a post-nuclear futuristic world, it tells the story of Nausicaä, the pacifist teenage princess of the Valley of the Wind who becomes embroiled in a struggle with Tolmekia, an empire that attempts to use an ancient weapon to eradicate a jungle populated by oversized, mutant insects. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was released in Japan on March 11, 1984. The film received critical acclaim, with praise being directed at the story, themes, characters, and animation. It is commonly regarded as one of the greatest animated films, and is the second-highest ranked Japanese anime in a survey published by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2007. Though it was made before Studio Ghibli was founded, it is often considered a Ghibli work, and is usually released as part of DVD and Blu-ray collections of Ghibli work.