History Anime / CastleInTheSky

The film did not reach the United States for over a decade; Creator/StreamlinePictures distributed an English dub with several regulars as an in-flight movie for Japan Airlines, but this version was only distributed on a now out-of-print DVD in Japan. Disney eventually brought the film to America in 2003 with a voice cast including Creator/AnnaPaquin, James Van Der Beek, Creator/ClorisLeachman, Creator/MandyPatinkin, Creator/MarkHamill, and Andy Dick as well as a new score provided by Music/JoeHisaishi (who wrote the original soundtrack). This latter decision caused controversy with fans and critics more familiar with the more silent Japanese version, [[ApprovalOfGod but Joe Hisaishi mentioned in his blog that he and Miyazaki were pleased with the soundtrack]].

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Musca dropping all the soldiers who came with him to the floating city thousands of feet to their deaths is a ruthless betrayal, but it's hard to feel sorry for all those assholes]].

* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: Muska claims he wants to find Laputa because it's a threat to his country and world peace, but [[spoiler:in truth he wants to tale control of it to become the new ruler of the world]].

** Sheeta does show some concern for the soldiers when she tells them to flee while attempting to stop Muska, but by then their fates are already sealed.

* PunchClockVillain: The General and his army. They're all too willing to plunder Laputa's treasures, [[spoiler:but they turn on Muska once his plan is revealed]].

[[JustForFun/IThoughtThatWas Not to be confused with either the]] ChineseSeries ''Series/NovolandTheCastleInTheSky'' or ''Literature/CastleInTheAir'', the literary sequel to ''Howl's Moving Castle'', the latter of which was also adapted into a film by Studio Ghibli.

Inspired by one chapter of ''Literature/GulliversTravels'', ''Laputa: Castle In The Sky'' is a 1986 fantasy action-adventure tale and the first by now-legendary anime studio Creator/StudioGhibli, which was created to independently produce the film. This was Creator/HayaoMiyazaki's third film; much of the staff consists of alums from Miyazaki's previous work, ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind''.

Inspired by one chapter of ''Literature/GulliversTravels'', ''Laputa: Castle in the Sky'' is a 1986 fantasy action-adventure tale and the first by now-legendary anime studio Creator/StudioGhibli, which was created to independently produce the film. This was Creator/HayaoMiyazaki's third film; much of the staff consists of alums from Miyazaki's previous work, ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind''.

Dodging another attempt by Dola's gang to capture Sheeta's crystal, the kids manage to escape... right into the hands of the military. Taking the children prisoner in a castle, Muska convinces Sheeta to cooperate in his search for Laputa by threatening harm to Pazu. Sent back to his village, Pazu is immediately captured by Dola's gang who immediately set off on yet another attempt to seize the crystal. Reluctantly making common cause with Dola in order to rescue Sheeta, Pazu joins the pirates. Meanwhile a despondent Sheeta recites a "magic spell" her grandmother taught her to recite in times of trouble. The spell activates her pendant, triggering a beam which points the way to Laputa ''and'' a dormant Laputian robot hidden in the dungeons below. Responding to Sheeta's request for aid the robot causes such destruction that Pazu and Dola manage to rescue Sheeta in the confusion but Muska ends up with the pendant. Muska and the local Army commander promptly set out for Laputa aboard the Goliath, an enormous [[ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld aerial battlecruiser]].

The film did not reach the United States for over a decade; Creator/StreamlinePictures distributed an English dub with several regulars as an in-flight movie for Japan Airines, but this version was only distributed on a now out-of-print DVD in Japan. Disney eventually brought the film to America in 2003 with a voice cast including Creator/AnnaPaquin, James Van Der Beek, Creator/ClorisLeachman, Creator/MandyPatinkin, Creator/MarkHamill, and Andy Dick as well as a new score provided by Music/JoeHisaishi (who wrote the original soundtrack). This latter decision caused controversy with fans and critics more familiar with the more silent Japanese version, [[ApprovalOfGod but Joe Hisaishi mentioned in his blog that he and Miyazaki were pleased with the soundtrack]].

The Disney dub, originally recorded in 1998, was initially scheduled for a 1999 video release, but continually delayed before finally debuting on VHS and DVD in April 2003, alongside ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' and ''Anime/KikisDeliveryService''. This dub is one of only two Ghibli films (the other being ''Kiki's Delivery Service'') which Disney "Americanized"; future Ghibli releases only featured new voicework instead of the extensive musical reworking that ''Laputa'' and ''Kiki's Delivery Service'' underwent. A 2010 re-release of the film replaced the re-scored soundtrack with the original for the subs and also removed some of the additional chatter added to the dub, but the faithful subtitle track on the 2003 DVD release was replaced with a {{dubtitle}}. This has been rectified with a reissue on BD and DVD in 2017, providing fans with the choice to see the Disney dub with either score (minus extra dialogue and redone sound effects) -- as well as a subtitle track for fans of the Japanese version.

Not to be confused with either the ChineseSeries ''Series/NovolandTheCastleInTheSky'' or ''Literature/CastleInTheAir'', the literary sequel to ''Howl's Moving Castle'', the latter of which was also adapted into a film by Studio Ghibli.

* ReclaimedByNature:
** The people of Laputa abandoned their floating castles and continents a long time ago, so the magic technology the characters find upon visiting the titular castle in the sky is overrun with nature.

* GhibliHills: Naturally. Although it's worth noting that the landscape looks like it's slowly recovering from something terrible. Pazu's hometown is a mining village, surrounded by deep chasms riddled with tunnels and endless wooden scaffolding, and the green grass on the surface is punched full of craters. It is another Ghibli film that references an apocalyptic past -- particularly obvious when one considers the parallels between [[spoiler: the [[KillSat superweapon]] in the heart of the Castle and nuclear weaponry]].

** Even the civilization on land looks like it's recovering from something terrible, such as the grass around Pazu's hometown being riddled with craters.

* ChekhovsGun: A literal example: Dola's guns are first mere decoration on the galley wall in a scene background; zero indication of any plot relevance. Dola later hands Pazu such gun, letting him blast a hole though a wall so he can come to the rescue of the DamselInDistress.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: This is the only Ghibli film that Miyazaki made that would feature a full out BigBad with little in the way of redeeming qualities, a contrast to the morally grey or non-evil antagonists that would be prominent in his later works (at least, those that feature antagonists anyway).

* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:Dola and her crew are seemingly blown up by the ''Goliath'', but are later shown to still be alive on Laputa, albeit caputed by the military]].

** "Where are you MUSKA?!" the General shouts. You can tell Creator/JimCummings is having a blast doing that line, and the role in general.

''Laputa'' could be considered a fairy tale... one with SteamPunk[=/=]DieselPunk, flying castles, secret princesses, and magic. The film opens with a family of SkyPirates led by the matriarch Dola attacking an airship intent on stealing a [[OrphansPlotTrinket blue crystal amulet]] from a girl named Sheeta. Sheeta, who had already been kidnapped by the evil StateSec Colonel Muska, uses the opportunity to escape and falls to what appears to be certain death until her pendant ignites and starts gently floating her back to Earth. Her descent is spotted by a young miner named Pazu, who catches her and takes her home, eager to determine if this mysterious floating girl is somehow connected with the fabled [[FloatingContinent floating castle Laputa]], which his father once saw, though [[CassandraTruth no one believed him]] or his photograph.

Also known as ''Laputa: Castle in the Sky''.

Inspired by one chapter of ''Literature/GulliversTravels'', ''Castle in the Sky'' is a 1986 fantasy action-adventure tale and the first by now-legendary anime studio Creator/StudioGhibli, which was created to independently produce the film. This was Creator/HayaoMiyazaki's third film; much of the staff consists of alums from Miyazaki's previous work, ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind''.

''Castle in the Sky'' could be considered a fairy tale... one with SteamPunk[=/=]DieselPunk, flying castles, secret princesses, and magic. The film opens with a family of SkyPirates led by the matriarch Dola attacking an airship intent on stealing a [[OrphansPlotTrinket blue crystal amulet]] from a girl named Sheeta. Sheeta, who had already been kidnapped by the evil StateSec Colonel Muska, uses the opportunity to escape and falls to what appears to be certain death until her pendant ignites and starts gently floating her back to Earth. Her descent is spotted by a young miner named Pazu, who catches her and takes her home, eager to determine if this mysterious floating girl is somehow connected with the fabled [[FloatingContinent floating castle Laputa]], which his father once saw, though [[CassandraTruth no one believed him]] or his photograph.

The Disney dub, originally recorded in 1998, was initially scheduled for a 1999 video release, but continually delayed before finally debuting on VHS and DVD in April 2003, alongside ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' and ''Anime/KikisDeliveryService''. This dub is one of only two Ghibli films (the other being ''Kiki's Delivery Service'') which Disney "Americanized"; future Ghibli releases only featured new voicework instead of the extensive musical reworking that ''Castle in the Sky'' and ''Kiki's Delivery Service'' underwent. A 2010 re-release of the film replaced the re-scored soundtrack with the original for the subs and also removed some of the additional chatter added to the dub, but the faithful subtitle track on the 2003 DVD release was replaced with a {{dubtitle}}. This has been rectified with a reissue on BD and DVD in 2017, providing fans with the choice to see the Disney dub with either score (minus extra dialogue and redone sound effects) -- as well as a subtitle track for fans of the Japanese version.

* {{Cool Plane}}s: The army employs a scout plane that was used to track down Pazu and Sheeta.