Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 2

Book Description

Princess Nausicaä has left the Valley of the Wind to join Princess Kushana's forces. However, Nausicaä gets separated from the Torumekian fleet and finds herself face to face with the mysterious Ohmu, who open their hearts to her. But will Nausicaä be able to interpret their urgent warning about the southern forest? And what of the war which rages all around her?

Customer Reviews:

good follow up. .......2007-06-01

As I continue my reviews on this series I have come to Vol. 2. Nausicaa has left the Valley of the Wind to go to war with Princess Kushana of Tormekia, but on their way to the front their attack group is attacked by Asbel of Pejite. Asbel is shot down and Nausicaa goes to save him, only to be stuck under the Sea of Corruption. As the first book ends Nausicaa and Asbel are seen trying to fly out of the bottom of the Sea and get out.

This book, for those who've seen the movie, covers closely the events that take place in the second half of the movie. Here's the difference. One of the Doroke tribes, mentioned in the first book, has been driven from their lands by the Tormekia invasion and has been sent to conquer and settle the lands of the Periphery, where the Valley of the Wind lies. To do that they must first destroy Kushana's army by luring the insects out of the Sea to attack. Of course Nausicaa finds out about this and manages to not quite foil the plot, but she does save the baby Ohm larva. Much of the Tormekian army is destroyed but the Dorokes are forced to retreat. By the end of the story Kushana takes what is left of her army south to join up with the rest of her men already engaging in battle, and she takes Nausicaa with her to find the stone that controls the God Worrier.

halfway through this book it goes in a completely different direction than the movie, Nausicaa goes off to war, Asbel and Yupa foil a Doroke plan to conquer the Valley, and we are introduced to knew characters such as the Doroke Priest, who is known as the Holy One, and Ketcha, a Doroke girl who serves him. The part where the Ohm attack the Tormekian army is one of the highlights of the series, but the ending was a little odd and might feel rushed. Not the best in the series, but it is a good follow up to the first.

If you have seen the movie then there isn't anything new in the first half of this book for you. But don't just skip this book to save money, there are enough differences to make buying it worth wild.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Miyazaki is the Master
Much better than animated film.
a good opening.
One of the finest manga series ever
Manga with an Ecofeminist Twist: Do Not Miss!

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 1

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ASIN: 1591164087

Book Description

Nausicaä, a gentle but strong-willed, young princess, has an empathic bond with the giant insects that evolved as a result of the ecosystem's destruction. Growing up in the Valley of the Wind, she learned to read the soul of the wind and navigates the skies in her glider. Nausicaä and her allies struggle to create peace between kingdoms torn apart by war, battling over the last of the world's precious natural resources.

Customer Reviews:

Miyazaki is the Master.......2007-09-12

I am by no means a master of manga, but I know that this particular series is one of the best out there, because I am a reader. I know story, I know dialogue, and I know art--and Miyazaki is a master of all of them. This series was absolutely beautiful. The plot is incredibly well thought out, the dialogue is snappy, and the drawings are simply lovely. I'm not sure how Miyazaki can make such a strange world so romantic, but he manages to do so with ease.

Much better than animated film........2007-03-27

Miyazaki's graphic novels are MUCH better than the animation. More depth and better story resolution. Visually stunning with tremendous thought and meaning.

a good opening. .......2007-02-16

Nausicaa of the Valley of the wind is one of my favorite movies. After seeing for the first time I was amazed that I hadn't seen it sooner. It had everything I like in a movie, a good premise, deep and emotional characters, amazing art work, a deep meaning, and an awesome soundtrack to boot. So when I heard that there was more to the story I went out and bought this book to see if it was as good as the movie. After waiting about a month for it to come in, I bought it on Amazon, I finally got it. I was not disappointed. Let's break this book down into categories.

Art Work. The drawing pretty much, how do they look and how much detail is put into them. Miyazaki, I have to say, is a master in his field. All his drawings are extremely detailed and you can really get a sense of the surroundings. The characters emotions are brought out almost perfectly, especially the Nausicaa herself, who is shown as a powerful, yet fragile girl. Overall the drawings are almost perfect and I don't think anybody would disagree with that.

Characters. I was already familiar with all the characters in this book, having seen the movie already. They are pretty much the same here as they are in the movie so if you've seen it, which I'm taking for granted you have, and then isn't much knew. They mostly do the same things as they did in the movie and feel the same emotions with a few fun differences, but nothing really is too different.

Story. This book follows the movie almost exactly up to the point where Nausicaa and Asbel discover the underground system under the sea of corruption, or toxic jungle as it is called in the movie. There is one big difference that I must share, the Valley of the Wind is really an alley of Torumekia, and Nausicaa goes out to fight under Kushana agents the Doroke principalities, a nation not even mentioned in the movie. Other than that it follows the same story almost to the letter.

Overall a very good and strong opening to the series. This entry doesn't really add a whole lot to the overall story if you've already seen the movie, but there are some important differences which mean you can't simply skip over it if you want to read the series.

One of the finest manga series ever.......2007-02-12

There are two versions of this.

The first is a perfect bound edition. The second is the larger version here.

Both are excellent reads but the larger versions allows you to see the brilliance of Miyazaki's artwork (from a guy known more for animation). I have been told that the newer version is a more accurate translation but, not knowing Japanese, I can not confirm that. It is certainly an easier read because one does not have to squint.

In terms of story, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a masterpiece. It blows Lord of the Rings out of the water. And this is coming from a person who hates almost the entire post-apocalyptic genre. I did think the ending came a bit suddenly and it did not necessarily wrap up every question I had.

However, it is still one of the best graphic novels you can get.

Highly recommended.

Manga with an Ecofeminist Twist: Do Not Miss!.......2007-02-04

This graphic novel is as rich a world-creation as any I've seen. It contains surprising plot twists which often hinge on some character's psychological growth, and new and interesting life-forms which evolved from genetic engineering experiments.

"The Sea of Corruption was the new world .. an ecological system born in the polluted wastelands created by civilizations long past. Only the great insects could live amongst the giant fungi and the miasma they exhaled, and so the earth was slowly submerging beneath that decaying sea .. A thousand years had passed since the mammoth industrial civilizations of the past had diminished, and faded into the dark vastness of time. It was the closing of the Ceramic Era."

Set in the post-apocalyptic kingdom of Torumekia, it begins in the Valley of Wind, where our soon-to-be heroine Nausicaä is flying around in her mehve (a glider). She gets a telepathic message of pain and anger, and sets out to find its source. It took me awhile to get into the story, but when I did, I was hooked.

Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind is full of political intrigue, subtle psychological interactions, war strategy, and big explosions in the air. It also contains surprising episodes with the numinous, including encounters with an evil man both in ordinary physical reality and in non-ordinary reality, where he appears as dark energies; a surprising journey down the gullet of a giant bug leading to the Buddhist PureLand; and another trip to a trickster place where nothing is as it seems. Encounters with holy beings are here, as well as with political beings masquerading as holy. The best parts, though, are these:

1) Many of the strongest characters, including the protagonist heroine, are young women and girls. The male characters are seen first challenging them and then becoming respectful aides-de-camp. Furthermore, these women are allowed to be nurturing - in one scene, Nausicaa takes in orphaned children - but are not seeking wife-and-motherhood as the inevitable triumphant end to their adventures. They have important work to do, and their very femaleness leads them to do it differently than a male character would.

2) The author does not beat you over the head about good and evil - each being is portrayed as having both elements. Miyazaki has accomplished the rare feat of creating a piece of fiction which revolves around warring factions and is centered on the adventures of a small-village eco-heroine, in which nevertheless you as a reader are not allowed to purely hate any of the characters. The concept of satyagraha subtly emanates from the piece, as Nausicaa's encounters with the various characters reveal their complexity both as individuals and as beings in cultural context. Neither they nor the affairs they find themselves wrapped up in are simplistic, so you can't easily dismiss them as `the bad guys'.

3) The story promulgates a vitally needed animistic message, without being sickly sweet about it or overly proselytizing. The entire book is based on the idea that we're in a post-apocalyptic world due to unthinking actions, which continue on in some of the scenes. When one faction releases a biological weapon, all the characters are forced to deal with the consequences of that action. Manga is a wonderful medium for getting vital messages like that across without bashing people on the head. Further in the story, the concept of earth attempting to regenerate itself using its own intelligence appears. Animals, including those used as `warhorses,' become valued and life-saving friends. And in the ongoing war to breathe, it's not simply put as `good humans - bad bugs', or `bad humans - look what we did'. The Ohmu, a type of giant forest insect which look a lot like a mountain with multiple eyes and horns, or like some mutant armored potato bug thing found in a traditional Japanese B-horror movie ("Invasion of the Giant Insects!"), are portrayed here as being extremely deep-thinking and wise beings, who act altruistically more than once. They are, for my nickel, the most interesting new fictional species to come around in years.

4) The way Miyazaki deals with the Ohmu, as well as with many other elements in his story, is to let the reader unravel the puzzle herself. Many characters are afraid of the Ohmu, and it's only through Nausicaa's adventures that we learn to think differently. This subtlety is most refreshing in a genre which is more often full of overt tits leaning over a sinkful of machine guns.

Other interesting living inventions are the conscious weapon "God-Warrior," which shoots plutonium when angered, the weirdly created Heedra, the forests of fungi, and the loyal mounts known as "horseclaws." The book is also rich culturally, including such peoples as the Wormhandlers, who wrangle insects and are sort of the Untouchables of the times; the Forest People, who wear heavy gear and are the only ones that can survive deep in the miasma; the Vai Emperor and Torumekian overlords; the Dorok tribespeople; and the monk caste guarding the Holy City of Shuwa, where all the trouble began.

The only part which bounced me out of the necessary suspension of disbelief was the ubiquitousness of the heavy flying machines. In a land where industrial civilization has been gone for thousands of years, there's an amazing preponderance of heavy artillery. Besides the machine guns, the rival forces do a lot of zooming around in these clunky air transport machines - including the inventive "flying jars" - but nowhere is the matter of refueling addressed. In a work which pays a great deal of attention to everyday nitty-gritty details - people get dirty and hungry, clothes fall apart, the quality of air masks is questioned - this is a big one to overlook.

Miyazaki makes use of fantastic fiction's lauded ability to convey warnings of things to come if we continue with business-as-usual, such as genetic engineering; and he does it in a way that I find shocking through its very subtlety: "They say that once, man remolded the plants and animals to his pleasure, like clay. Most of the new species they created have vanished over the years, but some are still with us today. According to the legends, even horses used to be mammals."

Nausicaä herself becomes sort of a Christlike/St. Francis figure, speaking telepathically with the hated and feared giant insects, working to end the wars, and uniting the disparate factions in love for the planet's survival. She makes friends of everyone, from a feral squirrel-fox to the former Dorok Emperor. Mythology builds up around her, as she seems to fulfill prophesies of a "blue-clad one" who will come and heal the world. She also has a teacher, Master Yupa, who is a cross between Yoda and Aragorn, and whom she repeatedly impresses. But in good manga fashion, her prophesied blue outfit consists of boots and a miniskirt, and she does all of this mystical stuff while performing slick aerobatics in her personal glider and carrying an assault rifle.

Besides the American graphic novel editions, there are also two versions of Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind out on video: one which remains fairly consistent with the book series, and one which thins it out to Disneyesque proportions. Unfortunately, the former only appears in Japanese, with no subtitles. I'd suggest renting that one anyway - just read the books first.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 6

Average customer rating:

Much better than animated film.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 6

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ASIN: 1591163544

Customer Reviews:

Much better than animated film........2007-03-27

Miyazaki's graphic novels are MUCH better than the animation. More depth and better story resolution. Visually stunning with tremendous thought and meaning.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 3

Average customer rating:

Captivating
Much better than animated film.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 3

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ASIN: 1591164109

Book Description

Nausicaä finds herself on the edge of despair as she comes to realize the full extent of the ecological destruction that's ravaging Earth. Meanwhile, Queen Kushana of Torumekia plots to lead her troops back to the imperial capital and seize the crown. Nausicaä agrees to join Kushana and her people in the fight against the Doroks and her scheming brothers.

Customer Reviews:

Captivating.......2007-08-24

Nausicaa is clearly the best of Miyazaki's movies, and, surprise, surprise, the books are even better than the movie. The books add considerable depth to Nausicaa's character and present a more complex story line.

My only complain is that the English version does not have the colorful book jackets found on the otherwise identical Japanese edition, which makes the English version seem a bit cheap by comparison. But it's a minor quibble.

Much better than animated film........2007-03-27

Miyazaki's graphic novels are MUCH better than the animation. More depth and better story resolution. Visually stunning with tremendous thought and meaning.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 5

Average customer rating:

Unbeatable quality.
Compelling story AND art.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 5

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ASIN: 1591164125

Book Description

The Torumekian army is moving house, destroy all in its path, the remaining Doroks have set their sights on Torumekia and Emperor Namulith is plotting to form a joint Dorok-Torumekian kingdom. Meanwhile, four bodies of mold have spawned, expelling heavy miasma and eating everything in their path as they try and merge. Has the long period of purification begun?

Customer Reviews:

Unbeatable quality........2007-08-13

Miyazaki keeps up the incredible pace he has established in the previous books in this volume. The illustration is very wonderful and unique, a kind of free-hand hatching style, with a tan and white ink instead of just black and white, which adds a different feel to the storytelling. The story, while complex, stays very focused as we follow several different groups, which weave in and out of each others' experiences, as the overall plot continues to build toward an end-of-the-world type of climax. There is very much a sense of a complete, well-developed larger story here, and the author's love for the characters is obvious in the high quality and level of attention put into this work.

Compelling story AND art........2007-02-02

This is powerful work, deep in its meaning without being condescending. A product of brilliant storytelling and equally excellent art. Highly, highly recommended. It's a shame there isn't a hardcover compendium of all 7 books.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 4

Average customer rating:

Much better than animated film.
miyazaki doesn't just excel at movies

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 4

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ASIN: 1591163528

Book Description

A monk warns Nausicaä that omens of an apocalypse, Daikaisho, will appear soon and the forest will boil over to cover the land. His predictions appear to be coming true when she arrives in the Forest in the South and discovers Lord Miralupa has developed mutant mold spores for biological warfare, but the mold begins growing uncontrollably and there's no antidote.

Customer Reviews:

Much better than animated film........2007-03-27

Miyazaki's graphic novels are MUCH better than the animation. More depth and better story resolution. Visually stunning with tremendous thought and meaning.

miyazaki doesn't just excel at movies.......2007-02-28

I have just finished reading this series, and I must say that I am AMAZED. The books are much more philosophical than the movie (which corresponds to only the first two books), and contains many more characters that are more developed. Unlike the movie, where Nausicaa was practically perfect, and Kushana was purely evil, the book's characters are much more complex. Kushana reminds me of Lady Hiboshi from Princess Mononoke.

The tone of the series changes from beginning to end. This makes sense, as the series was written over about 10 years, with a number of hiatuses. The first two books are confusing and not terribly interesting, but the story blossoms from there.

On top of that, I don't even like manga or anime as genres. Miyazaki is truly exceptional.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 7

Average customer rating:

a dissaponting ending.
The Final Chapter

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 7

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Customer Reviews:

a dissaponting ending. .......2007-02-16

I have to say that I went into this series with the expectation that it was going to be better than the movie. I am a huge fan of Miyazaki, and his movie Nausicaa, so when I heard it was a graphic novel I went out and bought the first copy. you wouldn't believe the trouble I had getting a hold of some of these books, but somehow I did it and now I will tell you about the ending.

The series for the most part up to this point was really good, with the 3rd book being my favorite. But the story gets bogged down a lot halfway through this book. the main character, Nausicaa, is so believable in all the other books, but in this one she stops being the lover of all things living and unwilling savor, to destroyer of everything from the past. She completely changes, and not for the better. That's the main reason I didn't like this book.

But another very big reason was because there were simply too many characters to keep
Track of. Let me write them out.

1) Nausicaa
2) Asbel
3) Yupa
4) Kushana
5) Keratowa
6) Ketcha
7) Chikio
8) The Dorok priest
9) The holy emperor
10) The Tolmekian emperor
11) Mito
12) The Jester
13) The god worrier
14) The forest people (there are two of them)
15) The worm handlers (lots of them)
16) The two princes
17) The master of the crypt
18) The crypts Keeper
19) And of course Teto

Wow, I don't even think I got them all. Once Nausicaa starts her journey to the crypt in shuwa most of these characters are ignored and then sort of thrown together at the end. There are so many that Miyazaki HAD to kill a few off, even though I could tell he didn't really want to, and the way some of them die is comical at best.

And lets not forget the ending. Man was is a disappointment. The whole story seemed slapped together, like Miyazaki got board of writing this book and just decided to end it anyway he could. And there really wasn't any ending. The story could have gone on for another book or two, but it just ends so abruptly that I was left with a sense of disappointment.

Overall the series is worth reading, if you can get it for a decent price. The art work and premise are great in and of themselves, and most of the books in this series are great. If you are a Miyazaki fan, or just a fan of the movie, go for it. Otherwise I don't think you could justify the price of getting all seven volumes.

The Final Chapter.......2007-02-12

This book concludes the story of Nausicaa. The ending might surprise some people or even disappoint others. Nevertheless, Nausicaa remains a great book that is well worth your time. Go read it!

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Perfect Collection (Vol 3)

Average customer rating:

the first two books.
miyazaki doesn't just excel at movies
The Best Manga I've Read in YEARS!! Too good to pass up!
More Than A Children's Book
not comic, this is art.

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Perfect Collection (Vol 3)

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ASIN: 1569311110

Amazon.com

Hayao Miyazaki is probably best known in the West for his films; My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service are celebrated for their lavish animation and sophisticated treatment of their young heroes. But among his many fans in Japan, his epic manga tale, Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind, which Miyazaki later made into a animated movie, is often cited as his greatest work. Indeed, the Comics Journal once described the first volume as "the best graphic novel ever." Many critics favorably compare the story to such fantasy classics as C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia or J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

In Nausicaä, as in most of his work, Miyazaki centers his narrative on a strong young woman who struggles to create peace in a world torn by war. Readers of Homer's The Odyssey will recall that Nausicaä is the name of the Phoenician princess who healed Odysseus when he washed up on her shores. Miyazaki took that character as the inspiration for his Princess Nausicaä, but their worlds could not be further apart. Underscoring the book's deep ecological messages, Miyazaki's Nausicaä is a passionate defender of the natural world, and her ability to commune with the creatures of the forest appears almost magical. As a princess, she is testing the waters of leadership as her father languishes on his deathbed. As a citizen of the Valley of Wind, she has mastered reading the shifting wind currents and air pockets as she navigates the skies in her glider.

Readers learn at the beginning of her tale that the Earth has become a hostile place. Environmental crises have made the forest--known as the Sea of Corruption--into a kingdom of spores and giant insects called Ohmu. The remaining humans huddle in the valleys and sheltered cities while holding on to the remnants of technologies long-since rendered mysterious. Now, the Imperial family has begun a massive campaign to extend its hold on the remaining pockets of civilization. However, intrigue between the reigning Princess Kushana and her brothers suddenly place Nausicaä and her people at the center of a civil conflict that could extinguish the last people on earth. With the grandeur of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and the grace of Miyazaki's Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind is a classic of fantasy literature and one of the finest works ever in the comics medium. --Patrick O'Kelley

Customer Reviews:

the first two books. .......2007-06-01

these are two reviews for the two different volumes combined here.

Volume One.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the wind is one of my favorite movies. After seeing for the first time I was amazed that I hadn't seen it sooner. It had everything I like in a movie, a good premise, deep and emotional characters, amazing art work, a deep meaning, and an awesome soundtrack to boot. So when I heard that there was more to the story I went out and bought this book to see if it was as good as the movie. After waiting about a month for it to come in, I bought it on Amazon, I finally got it. I was not disappointed. Let's break this book down into categories.

Art Work. The drawing pretty much, how do they look and how much detail is put into them. Miyazaki, I have to say, is a master in his field. All his drawings are extremely detailed and you can really get a sense of the surroundings. The characters emotions are brought out almost perfectly, especially the Nausicaa herself, who is shown as a powerful, yet fragile girl. Overall the drawings are almost perfect and I don't think anybody would disagree with that.

Characters. I was already familiar with all the characters in this book, having seen the movie already. They are pretty much the same here as they are in the movie so if you've seen it, which I'm taking for granted you have, and then isn't much knew. They mostly do the same things as they did in the movie and feel the same emotions with a few fun differences, but nothing really is too different.

Story. This book follows the movie almost exactly up to the point where Nausicaa and Asbel discover the underground system under the sea of corruption, or toxic jungle as it is called in the movie. There is one big difference that I must share, the Valley of the Wind is really an alley of Torumekia, and Nausicaa goes out to fight under Kushana agents the Doroke principalities, a nation not even mentioned in the movie. Other than that it follows the same story almost to the letter.

Overall a very good and strong opening to the series. This entry doesn't really add a whole lot to the overall story if you've already seen the movie, but there are some important differences which mean you can't simply skip over it if you want to read the series.

Volume Two.
As I continue my reviews on this series I have come to Vol. 2. Nausicaa has left the Valley of the Wind to go to war with Princess Kushana of Tormekia, but on their way to the front their attack group is attacked by Asbel of Pejite. Asbel is shot down and Nausicaa goes to save him, only to be stuck under the Sea of Corruption. As the first book ends Nausicaa and Asbel are seen trying to fly out of the bottom of the Sea and get out.

This book, for those who've seen the movie, covers closely the events that take place in the second half of the movie. Here's the difference. One of the Doroke tribes, mentioned in the first book, has been driven from their lands by the Tormekia invasion and has been sent to conquer and settle the lands of the Periphery, where the Valley of the Wind lies. To do that they must first destroy Kushana's army by luring the insects out of the Sea to attack. Of course Nausicaa finds out about this and manages to not quite foil the plot, but she does save the baby Ohm larva. Much of the Tormekian army is destroyed but the Dorokes are forced to retreat. By the end of the story Kushana takes what is left of her army south to join up with the rest of her men already engaging in battle, and she takes Nausicaa with her to find the stone that controls the God Worrier.

halfway through this book it goes in a completely different direction than the movie, Nausicaa goes off to war, Asbel and Yupa foil a Doroke plan to conquer the Valley, and we are introduced to knew characters such as the Doroke Priest, who is known as the Holy One, and Ketcha, a Doroke girl who serves him. The part where the Ohm attack the Tormekian army is one of the highlights of the series, but the ending was a little odd and might feel rushed. Not the best in the series, but it is a good follow up to the first.

If you have seen the movie then there isn't anything new in the first half of this book for you. But don't just skip this book to save money, there are enough differences to make buying it worth wild.

miyazaki doesn't just excel at movies.......2007-02-28

The Best Manga I've Read in YEARS!! Too good to pass up!.......2005-02-28

I've been a Miyaki fan for years! Of all of his movies and books, Nausicaa is definitely the best one! Miyaki creates a beautifully vivid world and characters that will you will most certainly NEVER forget! This is one manga series (and the movie as well) that I've never gotten tired of. Every anime fan should have Nausicaa in their collection! You won't regret it!!!

More Than A Children's Book.......2004-12-31

Just like LOTR, children love it, but until they grow well into their adulthood, they will not be able to fully comprehend the essence of the story.
Children, both boys and girls, will love the major characters in "Nausicaa", because children can find all they wish to be in these characters, but most of them would be puzzled (or troubled!) by the development of the story. An exceptionally smart kid may be able to guess some of Miyazaki's plan of the story before he/she reaches Vol. 7, but I dare to bet, he/she will not accept that plan until he/she reaches 30.
This is a great gift to children. They will thank you many, many years later.

not comic, this is art........2004-03-14

I am surprised that USA people watch this comic series in addition to the same title movie.

As you know, Naushika's story don't finish to the movie. The truth story start from reading this comic. Even if Japanase read them, the story is a little difficult, but there are more wondeful things than the minus point.
For instance, the drawing ways. Generally comic(Japanese MANGA) is simple drawing. But the comic is very detailed drawing. They is like art rather than comic.

And in addition to the wonderful drawing,the expression of the character's face is very excellent, for instance joy, sarrow, longing, anger... Mr. Miyazaki can write their expressions very well. There are writers that can write comics very well in the world, but there will not are writers that can write their expressions of face very well.

If there are people that was moved when watched the movie, absolutely we recommend this comis..art series.

You will not waste your money by buying this arts series.

Customer Reviews:

The best of the best. .......2007-02-19

This is it guys, the best book in the 7 part series, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

The story begins with Nausicaa, with Kushana, and Kurotowa, heading south across the Sea of Corruption to ringdove with Kushana's 4th army. Nausicaa has tagged along even though the rest of the Periphery tribes were allowed to stay home because Kushana wants Nausicaa to lead her to the control stone for the God Worrier. On the way to the front Nausicaa adopts two orphan Doroke babies, feeding them by chewing up old nuts and putting them into their mouths, discovers the Sea is being used as a weapon by the Dorokes, finds an entire building full of people who have been killed by smoke, and gets eaten by an insect. Don't worry, she lives. And that's just on the way to the front, she hasn't even gone into battle yet. Needles to say this is a very eventful little book. In the meantime Yupa, Asbel, and Ketcha (the Doroke girl from book 2) are fleeing from the Holy Empire, who is pissed about then killing his baby Ohme larva.

At the end of the book we finally get to see what the gentle, peace loving princess Nausicaa can do in a battle, not just a small fight, but an ENORMIS BATTLE. The Dorokes have surrounded the Tormekian 4th army in the city of Sapata, and now Kushana has a plan to break the siege and get her 4,000 men out of the fighting. The battle of Sapata is amazing, the way Miyazaki draws the fighting and how he has Nausicaa fighting along side Kushana is priceless.

If you have been reading this series but haven't really gotten into it, hang on, this book will make you want to finish the entire series. No other book in the series comes close to this one, kudos Miyazaki for writing this book.

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