Films like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) reads as Warm, steady, measured animation / adventure, inventive in texture. Redemptive, mid-stakes, tender. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

Castle in the Sky (1986) poster
1. Castle in the Sky1986

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the unmistakable directorial hand — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) poster
2. Howl's Moving Castle2004

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the unmistakable directorial hand — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Secret of NIMH (1982) (1982) poster
3. The Secret of NIMH1982

Keeps the unmistakable directorial hand and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

The Brothers Lionheart (1977) poster
4. The Brothers Lionheart1977

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the stubborn streak of hope; trades toward a unmistakable directorial hand.

Enemy Mine (1985) poster
5. Enemy Mine1985

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a unmistakable directorial hand.

Porco Rosso (1992) poster
6. Porco Rosso1992

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the unmistakable directorial hand; trades toward a running vein of humour.

Starman (1984) (1984) poster
7. Starman1984

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the stubborn streak of hope; trades toward a unmistakable directorial hand.

The Little Mermaid (1989) (1989) poster
8. The Little Mermaid1989

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the stubborn streak of hope; trades toward a warm emotional register.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) poster
9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban2004

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the stubborn streak of hope; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

Ronja the Robber's Daughter (1984) poster
10. Ronja the Robber's Daughter1984

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the stubborn streak of hope; trades toward a unmistakable directorial hand.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) poster
11. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets2002

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the stubborn streak of hope; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

The King and the Mockingbird (1980) poster
12. The King and the Mockingbird1980

Keeps the unmistakable directorial hand and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a running vein of humour.

These are Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

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