Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta (1986)

Country of Origin: Japan
Year of Production: 1986
Running Times: 124 mins
Format: colour     35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound:

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production: Toru Hara, Studio Ghibli
Executive Producer: Yasuyashi Tokuma
Associate Executive Producers: Tatsumi Yamashita, Hideo Ogata
Producer: Isao Takahata

SCRIPT
Original Story / Screenplay Written by: Hayao Miyazaki

DIRECTION
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

ANIMATION
Supervising Animator: Taukasa Tannai
Chief Animator: Yoshinori Kanada
Color Design: Michiyo Yasuda

PHOTOGRAPHY
Camera Supervisor: Hirokata Takahashi

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editing: Takeshi Seyama

MUSIC
Music: Joe Hisaishi (real name: Jô Hisaishi)
Songs: Kim wo nosete
Songs Performed By: Azumi Inoue

SOUND
Audio Director: Shigeharu Shiba
Recording and Sound Mixing: Syuji Inoue
Sound Effects: Kazutoshi Sato

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Direction: Toshiro Nozaki, Nizo Yamamoto

VOICES
Mayumi Tanaka (Pazu)
Keiko Yokozawa (Sheeta)
Minori Terada (Mooska)
Ichirô Nagai (General Mouro)
Sukekiyo Kameyama (Anli)
Yoshito Yasuhara (Lui)
Hiroshi Ito (Mr Daffi)
Takumi Kamiyama (Charles)
Eken Mine, Masashi Sugahara (underlings)
Tarako (Madge, Daffy's daughter)
Fujio Tokita (Uncle Pom)
Machiko Washio (Okami, Mrs Daffy)
Megumi Hayashibara

ORIGINAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION VOICES
Bertha Greene (Pazu)
Louise Chambell (Sheeta)
Rachel Vanowen (Dola)
Jack Witte (Muska)
Charles Wilson (Boss)
Mark Richards (General)
Ernest Fessler (Anli)
Daniel Morris (Lui)
Bob Stuart (Shalulu)

1999 ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION VOICES
Anna Paquin (Sheeta)
James Van Der Beek (Pazu)
Cloris Leachman (Dola)
Mark Hamill (Muska)

SUMMARY

Pazu, a young apprentice, dreams of finding the legendary flying island of Laputa to clear his father's name - the man once saw and even photographed Laputa but no-one believed him. One day, Pazu finds a young girl, Sheeta, floating out of the sky and helps her flee the family of pirates who are after her powerful levitation stone pendant. Hunted by both the pirates and government agents, Pazu and Sheeta go on the run. But Sheeta has a secret past that ties her to Laputa in ways that no-one imagined.

CAPSULE REVIEW

Another stunningly beautiful masterpiece from Hayao Miyazaki. Borrowing ideas from Jules Verne and Jonatha Swift, Miyazaki spins a fabulous tale and in so doing creates an early example of Steampunk. The art is jaw-dropping, the action ssequences flawlessly timed and the story unfolds with an epoic grandeur that Western animators could only dream off. Animation at its very best.

AVAILABILITY

Hong Kong
Theatrical Distributor: EDKO Film Ltd

Japan
Theatrical Distributor: Toei

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Hong Kong
Rating: I

TIMELINE

1989
April
1: USA - theatrical release

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Laputa the Flying Island - UK title
Castle in the Sky - US title

LINKS

SEE ALSO
Gulliver's Travels
Nadia (1989)

REFERENCES

screen
credits

animation; anime; flying; castles; pirates; government-agents; steampunk; trains; airships; children; mines

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008