With Seth Zarate!

It’s hard to overstate the importance of NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND to the Japanese animation medium, not least of which because it led to the launch of Studio Ghibli, one of its most influential producers. But it’s maybe more interesting to consider as an ur text for its creator and his proclivities: In a time of conflict between human civilization and the natural world, a strong heroine risks her life to bridge the two and bring balance. If that sounds familiar in the context of Studio Ghibli’s work, it should!

On this episode, we discuss seeing the film on an original 1984 print, comparisons to other Studio Ghibli films and Miyazaki’s sprawling Nausicaä manga, the optimism that defines NAUSICAÄ, Seth’s ranking of Ghibli movies, and our favorite little Miyazaki-isms. Then we play a trivia game based on looking at pictures of American actress Halle Berry. Podcasting is immensely difficult work.

Find Seth…

• On Bluesky at snzarate.bsky.social

• On Letterboxd at @snzarate

• On Trylove episodes about THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997), 12 MONKEYS (1995), TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985), A GOOFY MOVIE (1995) Table Read, TIME BANDITS (1981), THE FACULTY (1998), THE SACRIFICE (1986), RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (1995), Horrorthon V: Son of Horrorthon (2021), BATMAN RETURNS (1992), TOKYO GODFATHERS (2003), THE CONVERSATION (1974), IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934), LOOPER (2012), ASTEROID CITY/DIAL OF DESTINY/DEAD RECKONING/BARBIE/OPPENHEIMER (2023), THE CARS THAT ATE PARIS (1974), RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983)

Give to these causes in need during ICE’s occupation of Minnesota:

• @sanctuarysupplydepot: Mutual aid group in Mpls getting basic necessities to our houseless neighbors https://linktr.ee/sanctuarysupplydepot

• Support Minnesotans defending their communities from ICE: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/

• @mplsmutualaid: Clearinghouse of mutual aid for our neighbors: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid

• ISAIAH, an interfaith group fighting for racial and economic justice in MN: https://secure.everyaction.com/G8TCnxFlE0qd9zlUEYjjeg2

• Show love to North Minneapolis families in crisis: https://www.gofundme.com/f/show-love-to-north-minneapolis-families-in-crisis

References:

• Trylove Episode 133: KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989) (feat. Charlie Mackin)

• “Gone with the Wind Rider: Shintoism in Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” by Lars Johnson for Perisphere, the Trylon blog

• ”Don’t Stomp On Bugs” by Noah Frazier for Perisphere, the Trylon blog

• Give to the Trylon’s Film Forever Fund so they never have to increase ticket prices!

• Check the calendar, preview upcoming series, and buy tickets

• Contribute to Perisphere, the Trylon blog

#TheArtofInsurgence80sAnimatedSciFantasy #35mm

Follow us on Twitter at @trylovepodcast, Bluesky at @trylovepodca.st, and email us at trylovepodcast@gmail.com to get in touch!

Show art by Emily Csuy. Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. Outro: “Nausicaä's Requiem” by Joe Hisaishi featuring Mai Fujisawa from the NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND soundtrack.

Timestamps

0:00 - Episode 368: NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (1984) with Seth Zarate

2:10 - An update on Lucchese-Soto, et al. v. The Criterion Collection, LLC

6:03 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary

7:21 - Seth’s thoughts

10:10 - The Hayao Miyazaki ur text

19:06 - Our experiences with NAUSICAÄ

24:00 - Building Nausicaä through the reactions of others

34:41 -  Is the NAUSICAÄ manga Miyazaki’s best work?

40:43 - Seth’s Ghibli ranking

46:32 - Optimism and relationships between worlds in NAUSICAÄ vs. MONONOKE

58:23 - A few of our favorite of Miyazaki’s favorite things

1:09:40 - The Junk Drawer

1:18:04 - To All the Loves We’ve Tried Before: 1984

1:24:01 - Cody’s Noteys: Plausibly, This is Halle When She Grinned (trivia about Halle Berry photographs)