Nausica� of the Valley of the Wind: Watercolor Impressions

by Hayao Miyazaki

Overview

An epic fantasy written and illustrated by the legendary director Hayao Miyazaki!

From the vaults of Academy Award-winning director, Hayao Miyazaki! Original watercolor illustrations used as concept sketches for both the manga and film versions of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Take a peek behind the curtain to see the creative process of the most acclaimed anime director in the world today. This full-color, over-sized, hardcover book also includes Miyazaki's earliest sketches that eventually became the basis for some of the most beloved anime movies of the past 20 years.

From the vaults of Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki! Original watercolor illustrations used as concept sketches for both the manga and film versions of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Take a peek behind the curtain to see the creative process of the most acclaimed anime director in the world today. This full-color, oversized hardcover book also includes Miyazaki's earliest sketches that eventually became the basis for some of the most beloved anime movies of the past 20 years.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421514994
Publisher:	VIZ Media LLC
Publication date:	11/06/2007
Series:	Nausica� of the Valley of the Wind: Watercolor Impressions , #1
Edition description:	1st Edition
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	265,078
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.88(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	15 - 18 Years

About the Author

Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan’s most beloved animation directors. In 2005 he was awarded the Venice International Film Festival’s Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement, and his Studio Ghibli received the festival’s Osella Award for overall achievement in 2004. Miyazaki’s films include Spirited Away, winner of the 2002 Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo, all of which have received great acclaim in the U.S. Miyazaki’s other achievements include the highly regarded manga series Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Starting Point: 1979-1996, a collection of essays, interviews, and memoirs that chronicle his early career and the development of his theories of animation. Both are published in English by VIZ Media.

Editorial Reviews

Viz has previously published five high-quality, full-color English translated editions of art books based on films by Miyazaki-Japan's premier animation director-including Spirited Awayand Howl's Moving Castle. This latest addition to the series has a slightly different focus: it collects remarkable watercolor artwork by Miyazaki relating to both the manga and the anime versions of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, the story of a brave princess in a dying, far-future Earth. The opening section focuses on the manga, including pieces created for magazine covers, posters, and calendars. Miyazaki's commentary relates the humorous circumstances behind some of the work and reveals his dislike of drawing covers and Nausicaa pin-up illustrations, with some of the most beautiful images among his least favorite. A second section contains preproduction artwork for the 1984 Nausicaamovie, featuring the film's characters, cities, flying machines, and the Sea of Corruption, a monstrous forest spreading over Earth. The final section begins with an interview with Miyazaki on the origins of Nausicaaand includes pre-Nausicaaconceptual artwork. Both the manga and the anime are revered by fans; this lavish hardcover is recommended for all collections.

—Steve Raiteri

Library Journal