the first of the official ghibli film and laputa be most similar to it predecessor nausicaa and but whereas nausicaa be a sf epic and this be more of an action comedy adventure with a fairly weak sf premise . for the first half hour of the movie i think i be go to love it . once again you find yourself in awe of miyazaki attention to detail and and his ability to conjure up an imaginary world in meticulous and beautiful perfection . the animation and though still not in the league of the late ghibli film and be a little good than in nausicaa . i mention in my review of nausicaa that one character be draw in a more lupinesque anime style . here there be a whole bunch of them represent the pirate . they provide the comic element in the film and though quite why it need a comic element i be not sure . there be nothing funny about nausicaa and and i think it be good off for it . still . have say that and dola and the pirate leader and be easily the most memorable character in the film ( even if she basically a female long john silver . don not be surprise if youre remind of treasure planet at time ) and be well voice by cloris leachman in the american dub . the english voice cast acquit themselves well for the most part and actually . however something start go pear shape for me about this movie by about the halfway mark . i think the best way that i could describe it be that the character get swallow up by the vast scope of the story . i will come back to that later . there be so much to admire about laputa and and so many people obviously love it and that i almost feel mean for only give it positive and but for me the operative word here be admire . it be more impressive than personally affect and and at over two hour it just start to drag . the crucial thing for me be this represent i really find that i do not care much about any of the character . disney would have take the care to develop the character and make you really fall for them and rather than leave them a relatively two dimensional piece to be move around while you gawk at the amazing vista in the movie . even that would have be tolerable if there be some hard sf in the story to make up for it and but it be basically a lot of gobledegook about princess and magic crystal . that where laputa fall down as far a i be concern and and that what hold it back from be a potential positive movie . have say that and it must be admit that miyazaki be leagues ahead of disney in general in 1986 and when you consider that their movie of the same year be the pretty dire great mouse detective . laputa be a good film in some way an amazing film and and you should definitely see it and but i do feel it over rat . i definitely prefer the early nausicaa of the valley of the wind . btw and if you manage to watch them in chronological order and watch for the fox squirrel from nausicaa pop up briefly in laputa .