Manga in the 80's Pt. 19

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Written and illustrated by Hayao Miyazaki . Viz Comics published in a monthly format broken down in to 5 parts with a total of 28 issues, from November 1988 to February 1996 . The manga was originally published between 1982 and 1994 by Tokuma Shoten. 

[Note: Toren Smith of Studio Proteus was credited as translator as a footnote for parts one and two, but not for parts three and four.]

Hear we see “the Valley of the Wind” a Kingdom of roughly 500 subjects untouched by the ever encroaching jungle forest of giant poisonous Fungi known as the “Sea of Corruption”. Its frailty only supported by the coastal sea breeze protecting the lush farmland and the people's way of life.

War rages between the Torumekla Empire and the Dorok Empire which threatens to spillover and remove the Valley of the Wind's autonomy, our virtuous and fearless Princess Nausicaä will discover that doing what is right thing evolves into, what is right for the 'Valley of the Wind', what is right for the Human race, what is right for the Ohmu (the giant insects that protect the earth's jungle forest), and what is right for the Planet. A warrior of great compassion, a warrior for peace!

Nausicaä is an epic story weaving Science Fiction with an ecological message set in a post apocalyptic world with ancient high technology, truly a masterpiece of literature that has a cinematic quality rarely seen.

This is an exceptional comic-book and one I always made a point of getting my hands on the next issue, even when it was that the months turned in to years of waiting!!

[Note: It was serialized sporadically and intermittently between Miyazaki's animated films from 1982 to 1994 in Japan.]

[Note: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Part One: #1-7 (Nov1988-May1989); Part Two: #1-4 (Sep 1989-Dec 1989); Part Three: #1-3 (Dec1992-Feb1992); Part Four: #1-5 (Jun1994- Oct 1994 ), Part 5: #1-8 (Jul 1995-Feb 1996.]

[Note: Viz Issue 1 had an exclusive fold-out Poster by French illustrator and comic-book writer Moebius, as well as a two page dialogue between Moebius and Miyazaki.]

[Note: Viz Issue 3 had a two page article written by Hayao Miyazaki on the character of Princess Nausicaä, translated from the Japanese magazine “Animage”.]

[Note: Viz Issue 7 had full two page article by Toren Smith entitled “ Nausicaä a labor of love” - To quote “The whole thing began when Yoshiko Saito of 'Starlog' magazine in Japan printed an article I'd written about the terrible English version of the animated Nausicaä movie. Miyazaki happened to read it and contacted the well-known Science Fiction translator Mikru Abo, asking him to bring me around for a talk”.]

[Note: by Viz Part two (issue 1) Jerry A. Novick had printed 2 fan letters under the title of “Out of the Miasma” such was the overwhelming positive correspondence for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.]

[Note: When the Japanese manga was printed in book form, it was done so in Sepia to give it a more dream-like tone – the cover that was for Part 1 #3 (Viz comics) was the water colour print used for the free poster in Japanese Book 1 release.] 

Nausicaa of the valley of the wind;

Nausicaa of the valley of the wind, 

Part ONE, issues 1 to 7

From November 1988 to May 1989.

Nausicaa of the valley of the wind, 

Part TWO, issues 1 to 4

From September 1989 to December 1989.

Nausicaa of the valley of the wind, 

Part THREE, issues 1 to 3

From December 1992 to February 1993.

Nausicaa of the valley of the wind, 

Part FOUR, issues 1 to 5

From June 1994 to October 1994.

Nausicaa of the valley of the wind, 

Part FIVE, issues 1 to 8

From July 1995 to February 1996.

English translation printed in a total 5 parts, and 28 issues from 1988 to 1996.

English translation printing of TPB's (graphic novels) is still in SIX Volumes in B&W.

Japanese printing of TPB's (graphic novels) is in FOUR Volumes in Sepia .