Castle in the Sky
Released in Japan on April 2, 1986 (US - 1989)
Released on HBO Max on May 27, 2020
Runtime: 2 Hours 4 Minutes
Rated PG
An orphan girl, Sheeta, is being chased by the military and pirates because of a special amulet she wears and her mysterious history. She ends up being helped by a boy named Pazu, whose Dad died while searching for the mythological flying city of Laputa. Little do they know, Laputa is a thread that connects them and ignites their journey to find the fabled city. Teaming up they face high speed chases, military capture, and air pirates! From my understanding, this was the second film Studio Ghibli produced.
Themes:
Fantasy, trust, government control, weapons of mass destruction, air pirates, airships, strangers, government cover ups, conspiracies, legends/myths vs. truth, world powers, courage, teamwork, pulling your weight, robots, technological advances, finding good in people, corruption, advanced societies, ancient cultures being forgotten about, fisticuffs, fighting, greed, and love.
Language:
There is no cursing, but one character does say, “darn it” and “what the heck.” These two phrases are in one string of dialogue, but only are said once that I caught. There is some name calling, like “stupid.”
Stuff to be aware of:
There are several fight scenes that include people getting grazed by bullets, explosions, and people seen falling from great heights to their deaths. There is also a scene where people examine a broken robot. He is in pieces, but eventually the robot comes back to life. The military shoot him multiple times and eventually blow the robot up. This is meant to be a sad scene in the movie. Two men get into a biceps flexing contest in which they flex so hard they pop their shirts open. This evolves into a big street brawl. There is a scene which Captain Dolo mentions something being “men’s work.” Another female character reminds her that she is the Captain, so women can do anything. This is a sweet scene in which the Captain realizes she is living proof that women can do anything and it further solidifies Dolo and Sheeta’s relationship.
There is one short, awkward scene in which Dolo’s sons (I am guessing they are in their 20s/30s) try to help Sheeta (who is a teen or preteen, I am guessing) in the kitchen. The men are all trying to impress her, and show signs of attraction toward her. One expresses his love for her. This scene is weird, but it doesn’t last long before the guys are set straight. This is a Japanese movie so some things may be lost in translation. I think this is meant to be a light hearted scene of the pirates being infatuated with the presence of Sheeta, who it pretty and gentle, opposite of what they experience on their ship. There are also comparisons made between Sheeta and their mother (Dola) and the pirates start to notice Sheeta after she wears Dolo’s clothes. After doing some research, the original dialogue seems to suggest the pirates see her as more a mother figure than a romance, but it’s still weird.
Overall:
This is one of my favorite Studio Ghibli movies, if not my favorite. Hayao Miyazaki, the director, is the Walt Disney of the anime world. He creates such a rich fantasy setting in the movie with air pirates, flying ships, robots, train systems, exotic animals, and the story told in this world is creative and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The American voice work by Mark Hamill, Jim Cummings, James Van Der Beek, and even Anna Paquin all bring life and emotion to the characters. This one is just an all around great adventure story that teaches us heroism is inside everyone and it’s one you can watch with your children.
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