Rating: 
Summary: Wondrous piece of work. Miyazaki at his best
Review: This excellent graphic novel took Hayao Miyazaki 13 years to complete, and all the hard work he put into it shows. This masterpiece of literature and art surpasses the Nausicaa movie he made, and everyone, no matter what age they are, can enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fantastic Metaphor of Our Own Era with a Good Message!
Review: Not only is Nausicaa one of the best manga titles out there, it also managed to capture the essence of a fantasy that resonates our own era.
The story easily mimics the environmental problems of our days, where human civilization gets its comeuppance from mother nature. The girl Nausicaa represents the very few of us who still care for the crying world ecosystems.
Rating:
Summary: Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind : Perfect Collection (Vol 4)
Review: Miyazaki is a GOD!!! he is brillant. This is the only true graphic novel ive ever read. Praise to miyazaki-- this is a must have for any anime or comic fan ^_^
Rating:
Summary: Modern-age Tolkien at work
Review: I like this refelective tale of a world decayed by the very deeds of its inhabitants, which somehow finds its own relevance to our environment nature these days. The pacing and complexities rival those issues that today's world is facing.
Certainly too story-heavy for kids but satisfying for adults.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of literature
Review: I have never been a fan of anime or manga. In fact, I often find myself debating against the format and tend to look upon it with disgust. All that changed when I received these books as a present from a friend of mine. Casually glancing on the cover and the back, nothing seemed to captivate my interest. But when I first opened the books on a slow day at home, I was entranced. The art and the characters are extraordinary. I lost track of time as I went through the wonderous (but troubled) world of Nausicaa. I laughed, gasped, smiled, and frowned while reading; something that I do not do even for other famous books that I consider amazing. And this was just during the first book as well.I won't bother giving a plot summary; you will greatly enjoy the books if you let it unfold without having prior knowledge. But I will say that the story is definitly not a simple tale; it has great numbers of themes, conflicts, and changing characters. The author's method of switching from group to group of characters creates a constant flow of excitement and intrigue. I can honestly say that I have never had the opportunity to gaze upon such a series of works as this. If you somehow find yourself unhappy with the first novel, do not give up hope yet. I will admit that it does not come close to the later books. In fact, the entire course of the story turns as you read through the series; never predictably either. Unlike other literature (note: literature, not just manga, anime, or comics) which often forces the reader to feel sympathy for one side or character, it is certainly possible to associate with any of the characters or factions. The time when I first read this series is forever imprinted on my memory as some of the most happy times I have experienced with the arts. In fact, I have now read the series at least six or seven times through and I still discover new details and ideas every time. After finishing the last book, I am always lost in deep thought. I will conclude my review by saying this; this is not simply a story, but an epic. Perhaps even greater than that. Cast away all conceptions you have about the author, the medium, or the genre. If there is one purchase you could make over the next year, please, make this series it.
Rating:
Summary: great memories
Review: When I was 14 a japanese girl, a freind of mine in kyoto, read the first 3 editions of the comic to me in a train staion on the way to Tokyo. It was almost 20 years ago. I bought the series for my 6 year old daughter....she has made me read them almost a dozen times to her as a bedtime story. She sits spellbound as I read to her. I have read "the Lord of the Rings" and "Cinderella" to her with the same effect. There are just some stories in creation that have a profound everlasting effect on a child. I'm so glad I could find this for her.
I wish my freind could see this now.
It is a true work of art.
Rating:
Summary: One word... Wow
Review: This is one series that really will keep you enthralled. Such a rich and detailed world and species are brought about that connects so much to present day reality. The frist book is more of a background character intorductions book, trust me without mit the story would be too confusing. WHile it may not seem to be engaging or gripping it is quite interesting, and the artwork is a little subpar. Take my word though, once you hit book two it will be a challenge to stop reading it. I read the first book at my leaisure, it took me about a month and a half before I finally got thorugh it, yet it took me three days to finish the other three. The great diversity of characters, religeon, empires, animal life, and such really keep you compeled to dive further in. If I have only one complaint it's really that sometimes the panels are too small. This is what makes the first book kind of a turn off is that a lot of the panels are broken up into about 8 or 9 segements, and unfortunatley its hard to differient charcters or ships esspicially when theres smoke or action happening. However the panels to become larger, and soon it will beocme an easy read. If you enjoy indepth, provocative forms of story telling that will leave you spellbound, trust me you can't miss with this series. Man, i really wish I could get the anime.
Rating:
Summary: Journey into the mind of a prominent storyteller
Review: The audience is led by two characters, Princess Nausicaa and Princess Kushana, into a bitter war fought between the Dorok Empire and the Torumekia Kingdom - the remaining human population which survived the global holocaust which left the world so polluted, the human race is on a brink of extinction. While Miyazaki's many brilliant works alludes to his idea of egalitarian society based on agriculture (which he deems to be the harmony between man and nature), Nausicaa series remains to far surpass the rest, both in depth and scope (This could not have been achieved by a 90 minute film). The world in the story is thoroughly thought out, especially the many distinct cultures (Dorok religion, Torumekian capitalism, Wormhandler tribes, etc.). The battle scenes are meticulously choreographed (the Third Army's cavalry attack on Dorok seige guns is the most notable). The characters are likable (yes, they are Miyazaki's archetype characters - but they are used well) and intelligent in their own ways. One thing to note is that, contrary to some previous posts, Miyazaki does give a thorough presentation on the discussion of the roles of humanity in the facets of technology, environment, morality, and religion. He questions his own views and relentlessly tests his characters - a reader who only reads the first volume will not understand Nausicaa's feelings of anger, isolation and guilt (and finally, a resolution) presented throughout the story. Perception of what is "nature" is also radically challenged in the story. It does not matter that you agree or disagree with his ideas - in fact, the fact that you can disagree with his ideas (I don't subscribe to his ideals, for one) only means that there is actually something of substance to argue about! (unlike some hollow entertainment) While the book is quite old, it is far from dated in terms of science fiction, especially with constant progress in biotechnology foreshadowing many of the technologies presented in the book (such as human genetic engineering, bioremediation, biological warfare, genome preservation, and neural network computers). I do recommend purchasing the entire set (4 books in English) to see what I mean. As for the translation (I have read both in Japanese and English), it is surprisingly decent, given the amateurish nature of most of manga translation. Also, the quality of translation seems to be a little inconsistent between volumes, and some portion simply lacks the intensity and rhythm of the dialogues in the original. The smaller print does save money, but the images had diminished impact compared to the original big print. My major complaint (and I say this to almost all the translation) is that the book is printed BACKWARDS - why go through such labor when the original format will do just fine?? This silly practice is annoying, where everyone is left handed - and at most is a little insulting to mutilate someone's work just for the sake of Western convention.
Rating:
Summary: A truly unique masterpiece of graphic novel literature!
Review: These days, there are only a few graphic novels out there that can really be called graphic novels. This small, elite group include "Maus", "Ghost in the Shell", and "Akira". And one of the greatest and most unique of these graphic masterpieces is Hayao Miyazaki's "Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind". When reading this four book series, anyone familiar with the movie "Warriors of the Wind", a horribly-butchered version of the Japanese version, will immediately recognize how superior the graphic novel is to the movie; anyone who hasn't even heard of Miyazaki, let alone the movie, will discover why Miyazaki is considered a legend in Japan and a god to US animators. While the Japanese movie is excellent, the true essence of the movie is found within the graphic novels. The plot is built around Nausicaa, the princess of the Valley of Wind, but the story encompasses many other figures that are equally important. The sheer scope of the story reads like an epic, and it isn't filled with the usual good-and-evil, black-and-white ideals found in children films. No one is good, no one is evil. Every person in the story is a human being: realistic, fleshed-out, and flawed. To try and explain the plot of "Nausicaa" would degrade how beautiful it really is. A reader can only truly appreciate its by actually reading it. Accompanying the excellent plot is Miyazaki's truly unique artistic style. Most Japanese manga artists use tones (pre-rendered shades and styles) to "color" their work, but "Nausicaa" is different. Instead of tones, he uses pencil strokes that give different shades depending upon the strokes' size and distance from each other. This creates a magnificent sight not found anywhere else in graphic novel literature. Of course, since VIZ released all four novels in "perfect collection" volumes, the artwork can sometimes appear a little blurred and blended. Luckily, the overall artwork isn't ruined and does justice to Miyazaki's masterpiece. But a great story and beautiful artwork can be ruined by a terrible translation. Thankfully, the translators of "Nausicaa" didn't allow such a thing to happen. They obviously put their hearts and souls into this story, and it only increases the reader's enjoyment. There is a reason why it was on a list of the best manga translated into English! All in all, "Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind" is a superb graphic novel of epic proportions. While some might think of "Nausicaa" as a comic book meant only for children, "Nausicaa" is far more than that. It is a beautiful work that is considered by many as Miyazaki's greatest accomplishment. Several scenes of violence and death might make this suitable only for older readers. But other than that, anyone who loves a good story will enjoy "Nausicaa".
Rating:
Summary: Impressed
Review: As a rule of thumb, I never consider comics or mangas as serious or deep literature material even though I read them every now and then for pure laugh. But this manga series is the exception to my rule, and the only one as far as I know. The quality of the artwork is quite good when compared to other mangas on the market. I'm impressed by how Mr. Miyazaki capture the 'big picture' of an incident such as a battle (check the battle scene in book 2) with his sketches. Most other artists neglect that, instead focusing on the hero/ine. Yet I must admit that several other artists, such as Tsukasa Hojo of 'City Hunter', drew better pictures in terms of realism, details, light contrast, etc. However, considering Mr. Miyazaki drew all the panels ALONE (almost every other manga artists have several assistants to draw the background and such) and the fact that he has worked on several movies over the 13 years it took to complete the series, I must say he did a damn super job. I doubt more than a hand-full other artists could produce such good artwork given equivalent workload. I must note here that the English version is laterally inverted from the Japanese version, because in the Far East, people read from right to left. As a result all the drawings are laterally inverted too. Not that it's a big deal ... But the series really shines with its character developments and storyline. The main characters display complex personalities; you just can't describe them with one word. And their characters develop after each incident in which they learn more about the world and/or themselves. I particularly like how Kushana the 'ice queen' gradually rediscover her gentle inner-self through Nausicaa and her own troops. despite growing up in the 'viper's nest'. The series also possess rich themes. Although the central theme is on the conflict between Man and Nature (as between humans and insects/rotwood), several other themes are implied, namely the suffering from war (check the refugees dying and fleeing from warzone), 'racial' discrimination (check the treatments toward worm-handlers), loyalty and betrayal (check Kushana's troops and her royal family), etc. And more interestingly, even the themes develop with the story as the author's view of the world changes over the 13 years. These themes are carried out in a very good storyline. Now I understand there are some scenes that appear to defy the laws of physics and reality such as telepathy, impossible 'stunts', etc. But that I can overlook considering it is a fantasy. On the macroscopic scale, you can really relate the world depicted in the series to our world through history. To those of you who wish to 'test the water' by buying just book 1, I must warn you that in my opinion, the main purpose of book 1 is to introduce the main characters and create the setting for the rest of the story. Although there are plenty of actions and some themes are introduced, they are not as fully developed in book 1, and potential readers may find that disappointing. However, it only gets deeper and more thought-provoking later on, until book 4 when the author threw in some unexpected twists to the storyline. One of these twists would (I imagine) cast serious doubts on one of Nausicaa's fundamental beliefs. The ending is somewhat controversial as in you may not agree with Nausicaa in what she believes to be the right thing to do. Overall, I'm very impressed by the fact that a manga can challenge my mind to this extent. It is not the best book I've read (though still very good overall), but it's definitely the best manga.
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