Castle In The Sky follows the journey of a young girl, Sheeta, who meets a fellow orphan boy Pazu, as she escapes her military captors. Together, they run from military forces and a clan of pirates, the Dola clan, who both seek the magic crystal in Sheeta’s possession -- the former for its secrets, the latter for its value. Key to the legend of Laputa, a mysterious floating castle, the crystal in the wrong hands heralds great danger, leaving Sheeta and Pazu no choice but to join hands with unexpected forces and take to the skies, racing towards Laputa.
Visually, Castle In The Sky is a treat -- beautiful, cool toned colour palettes complemented by soft, rounded linework create an incredibly soothing viewing experience. Not only does it underscore the whimsical, wistful quality of a steampunk fantasy world a few steps to the left of the world we know, but it also makes for a sharp juxtaposition against the scenes of destruction, bright explosions of red heat and orange flame. The film is a wonder, simultaneously weaving a story of exciting adventure and the comfort of found family, while drawing implication to the hypocrisy and endless greed of power, the careless disregard for life in the pursuit of superiority.
Its young protagonists, Sheeta and Pazu, carry with them both their childhood innocence and a grounded understanding of life and humanity as being tied to the Earth and its natural phenomena. Seeing them mobilize compassion, kindness, and community is so beautifully moving. The film’s use of non-diegetic sound (i.e soundtracks) is also really well done, not only for the visual-audio magic of its fairytale-esque scores in conjunction with sweeping pans of expansive natural landscapes, but also in its use of particular scores to foreshadow the true nature of different characters. The early attack and chase of Sheeta and Pazu by the Dola pirates, for example, are backed by a gleeful, lively upbeat that conveys exhilaration rather than stark danger. The film’s pointed, submergent use of silence also accompanies the slow, hushed realization of Laputa as belonging to an era long since passed, now tranquil as the flora and fauna intertwine over the empty infrastructure. The natural forces persevere, long after lofty human ambition runs itself to the ground, and it is this fragility and beauty of nature that the children protect -- for the power and accomplishments of Laputa are nothing without a people to serve. Better destroyed, than fallen to the wrong hands.
Castle In The Sky more subtly explores the gray areas of morality, while making a solemn point about the balance between value and humanity. Sometimes a family is the well-oiled pirate clan running an airship seeking treasure, who take in a pair of young children and assist them in their wild journey through the skies -- and to whom the children return to, after all is said and done. Sometimes, you weigh the historic value of scientific advancement far beyond the current frontiers of development against its own propensity to be seized and wielded for careless, unseeing violence -- and choose to decimate it all, leaving no trace and no way to re-discover its legacy. The film ends with what remains
of Laputa, empty buildings reinhabited by serene nature and wildlife, rising into the sky once it is freed of its worldly attachments. Castle In The Sky is the tale of a return to humanity’s roots, a reminder that our lives are intrinsically bound to life and nature no matter how many degrees of separation we may perceive through technological advancement, unfolded through the adventures of two young children who never stop fighting for what they believe to be right.
