The imagery used in the films of Wolf Children, Grave of the Fireflies, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind to visually engage the themes of life and death within the constructs of their respective stories. The creators of these worlds of art, whether it be the; writer, director, animator, or another member of the team, shape the final product through their skill and their personal experiences. The artists’ personal experiences that help motivate the creation and that builds the worlds that are universally relatable across cultural and generational boundaries. These animated films showcase stunning visuals that draw the viewer into the message of the film without having the utter shock of the reality …show more content…
Began with Hooda’s life events of facing difficulties with having the traditional family of his own and the possible death to that dream (Yegulalp 1) The family that Hana creates with her children by moving away from the city that she had known to take a barren patch of land to regrow on multiple levels. Nature images such as; the rain mystified the physical reality throughout the film or more spefically the plants dying then at last succeeding to grow through the community’s support created a theme of life after death. The rain that herald awful events gave way to beautiful new life, after the father’s death the children in countryside and Ame taking his place in the wild the beautiful rainbow that reflected Hana’s acceptance of her son’s choice. This emphasis on the natural cycle of life and death has similarities to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind where humanity’s deep conflict with natural surroundings propel them to find a balance between life from death. This theme of natural life after death in Wolf Children differs from Grave of the Fireflies’ typical motif of the beauty of an instant before the light …show more content…
Nausicaä firmly believes in finding another way in her post-apocalyptic environment where the natural environment becomes toxic and the human race must find new ways of adapting. Hayao Miyazaki created the Sea of Corruption with was the primary threat, from a real place that represented desolation on earth (Miyazaki 149). Beginning with the Nausicaä foraging through this and finding amu’s shell and her excitement for it use for her community back home provides an example of cohabitation The scene of her gliding through the air like a bird set in this alien environment that represents death and life demonstrated through the light pouring into to the scene and bouncing of the strange plant and wild life present in the cave. This new toxic environment provides humanity’s single hope for survival. At the beginning of the story this translated into scouting out useful resources to repurpose and developed later in the story as the time dwindled down for a longer lasting solution had to be found. The white sand underneath the forest holds the key for humanity and waits for a dye of intention to determine its course in the future. The entire underground sanctuary is an unwritten slate waiting to be composed on by humanity with its neutral backgrounds and smoother lines. This idea of options above ground are constricted by the air and ground the becoming increasingly inhabitable there