How is it that we first became conscious of the concept of gender? Was it through the clothes that we wear? Or the toys that we played with? Or maybe even the lengths of our hair? Perhaps it was through all of the above, that each factor is pre-determined by the longstanding gender norms ingrained within our society. As topics like gender identity and sex rise to the forefront of current conversation, one can’t help but begin to wonder where their own notion of gender comes from. Yet one often-forgotten source remains absent from discussion: childhood media. Hidden behind a nostalgic front, films and books targeted toward young children act as extensions of societal expectations, discreetly instilling gender roles into the very fabric of one’s character during their formative years. One such piece of media that enforces harmful expectations is the Studio Ghibli film Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) which follows a young girl named Sheeta who fights with the help of Pazu, a young boy, and a pirate crew against greedy army commanders for the inheritance to the mystical floating castle of Laputa. While the film is commonly remembered for its vibrant aesthetics and irrefutable impact on animation, its success is ultimately built on the underdeveloped depiction of its female characters and the undermining of feminist progress through continued adherence to traditional values.
Firstly, while Sheeta is granted certain privileges as the owner of the magical Laputa-unlocking necklace and symbol of royal birthright, the constant struggle of the girl to retain her status as heiress to Laputa depicts the ambivalent nature of the film’s depiction of women in positions of power. Most notably, Sheeta continually turns to her male peer, Pazu for help against the army officers and Muska who threaten to remove her from her status. This over-dependence on Pazu is best seen in the climax of the movie where Muska moves in for the kill, chasing Sheeta as she runs for her life through the maze of Laputa’s interior and yells repeatedly for the boy. Only when Pazu intervenes does Sheeta find the bravery to turn back around and face her attacker, illustrating the common ‘damsel in distress’ trope that diminishes the empowerment Sheeta is meant to embody. Germaine Greer, an Australian activist and pioneer of second-wave feminism, warns against this trait, asserting that “this sense of inferiority or natural dependence and placid, passive acceptance distorts the lives of women” (Walters 82). Thus, it becomes apparent that the film’s timid characterization of Sheeta not only deforms the expected strong, willful female protagonist into one of complacency but also unjustly transforms the heroine meant to save her ancestral land into a helpless girl in need of male salvation. Moreover, Sheeta’s special status is also not enough to shield her from society’s hypersexualization of women and the male gaze. For example, once the girl makes her way onboard the pirate ship, she is constantly bombarded with the attention of the male crew as they vie for her attention with gifts of flowers and company in the kitchen. One even expresses a desire to have a wife like her, a disturbing statement to make about a young child more than twenty years his junior, highlighting the movie’s reinforcement of dated gender stereotypes in which women only exist for men’s objectification. Consequently, the depiction of Sheeta in Laputa: Castle in the Sky fails to represent the independence of women in power, instead choosing to perpetuate conventions of female fragility and objectification through archaic archetypes to its young audience.
Similarly, Dola–another prominent female character in the film– may be considered a champion of women’s rights with her self-earned reign as the matriarch of a well-off pirate group, yet she still falls victim to the traditional expectations of femininity, demonstrating the pervasiveness of society’s oppression and the limitations of the film that compromise the status of women in influential positions. On the surface, Dola appears to be the spitting image of a strong woman, challenging gender norms with her strict leadership of the pirate crew. However, as the film progresses, the audience begins to notice that despite Captain Dola’s distinct prowess, she is continually reduced to an image that solely serves the needs of the men around her. Author Margaret Walters from the University of Oxford describes this societal phenomenon, stating that “the wife, the mother…is always an archetypally Other. She is seen for and by men, always the object and never the subject” (77). Surrounded by her sons as underlings within the crew, and as the only woman on board, Dola is always left to take on the responsibility of a caregiver and to shoulder the burden of what is known as Ajase Theory or “the behavioral norm of Japanese men to… remain bonded to his mother” and look toward her for every little decision (Johnson). As such, Dola continues to stay within the confines of her traditional female role in which she is seen as nothing more than just a mother; a woman who must fulfill her duty within the cult of domesticity. Beyond the diminishing of Dola’s authority, it is also interesting to note the role her physical characterization plays in her imposing, primary image. Namely, her physical features– characterized by a muscular build, weathered facial features, and rugged clothing– deviate from the “womanly” features animation typically assigns to women. Instead, this stylization implies that the source of her commanding aura lies in her masculinization, a similar idea to one presented in old-wave feminism: “[in order to be] active, a taker… a woman accepts masculine values…thinking, taking action, working, creating on the same terms as a man” (Walters 78). Since outward appearance may be molded freely, Dola’s decision to shed her physical femininity for the sake of power is disheartening in its implication that a woman can only be taken seriously when she adopts “masculine” traits. Therefore, from Captain Dola’s depiction within a simultaneous position of a perpetual caregiver and othered non-feminine woman, the audience can understand director Hayao Miyazaki’s failure to portray true feminine power: in which a woman can be seen for her own identity and treated with respect within her femininity.
Lastly, while some viewers may argue that Laputa: Castle in the Sky is progressive for its time and accurately embodies the values of Japanese feminism, this is not completely true. With their claims being built on traditional Japanese cultural values, such viewers fail to consider the reshaping of Japanese feminism after the Women’s Liberation Movement in the ‘60s and ‘70s and the influence of Western feminist movements in the subsequent Japanese demand for gender equality in the home and workplace. In particular, post-Liberation Movement Japanese society saw a shift from women being content with working at home to a great desire for equal division of labor between both the home and outside employment (Yumiko). With this understanding, Laputa: Castle in the Sky’s emphasis on Sheeta and Dola’s active participation in housework with little to no effort from the male characters becomes evidently outdated, shutting down dissenters’ declarations that such responsibilities were widely accepted for the time. Additionally, if we focus on the younger female protagonist, Sheeta’s half-formed control over the Laputian robots suggests that she has no true role or power outside the house and must remain constrained to positions beneath men in analogous roles (Johnson). As Sheeta and Muska both have claims to the Laputian throne, the film naturally leads its viewers to draw comparisons between the two. Acting as foils to one another, one can’t help but pity Sheeta and her feeble attempts to stop Muska’s displays of strength through his command over the army and tyrannical authority over Laputa’s guardian robots. After all, Sheeta’s original power lied in her ability to manipulate the robots with the help of the magical necklace, and when Muska steals it from her to weaponize the robots at a level she could never reach, we realize the true limitations of her strength. In other words, while Muska effectively reigns over both men and robots, Sheeta can only partially control the latter with supernatural assistance which may suggest that in the social hierarchy, women will only ever be above those less than men and will never be allowed to fully lead. This development directly contradicts Japanese new-wave feminism’s push for the entrance of women into significant positions, once again proving that the film fails to live up to the progressive female characterization it markets itself and fanatics champion it for.
Though Laputa: Castle in the Sky may be considered just a simple childhood film in passing, its power and influence linger far beyond entertainment and nostalgia. Instead, the film and other childhood media forms like it hold an appreciable potential to mold the moral codes and perspectives of its young viewers into adulthood. Laputa: Castle in the Sky and its limited spectrum of gender representation–for one– allows for stereotypes to take root in its audience and skewed understandings to blossom. Now, almost forty years after the initial release of Studio Ghibli’s first film, the animation studio has finally begun to lean further into progressive representations, opening its adolescent audience to a wider range of gender depictions through films like The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There where young female protagonists can freely seek to understand their own identities without the burden of confining expectations. By recognizing the profound impact childhood media can have on its audience, modern works ought to similarly advocate for more diverse portrayals. After all, it is only through these changes at the foundation that society may slowly dismantle the ubiquity of misogyny and its overarching systemic barriers, fostering a more equitable and inclusive future.
Annotated Bibliography
Johnson, Rebecca. “Kawaii and Kirei: Navigating the Identities of Women in Laputa: Castle in the Sky by Hayao Miyazaki and Ghost in the Shell by Mamoru Oshii.” Rhizomes, 2007, www.rhizomes.net/issue14/johnson/johnson.html.
This source examines Laputa: Castle in the Sky and another Studio Ghibli film, Ghost in the Shell, through a feminist lens. Regarding Laputa: Castle in the Sky, the author describes the film’s female characters and their relation to the term “kawaii” or cute. With “kawaii” often taking on an additional undertone of helplessness, the essay focuses on the differences between Sheeta and Dola’s representations and their relationships with power. It concludes that while Sheeta is portrayed as weaker and more old-fashioned in her willingness to help with domestic duties, she is still brave and finds the power to fight back for what she treasures. This is a sharp contrast to her counterpart in Dola: a bold and assertive grandma who has her own power over men yet still falls susceptible to traditional perceptions of a woman’s place.
The author provided a very detailed list of sources and their online links, which will make it easier for me to do more in-depth background research. Since this source also comes from a smaller journal that is not as famous, the author’s list of cited works will also allow me to corroborate or double-check her arguments. The essay also detailed the differences between Japanese and American ideas of feminism, which was completely new to me and is an understanding I can provide as context within my argument. This cultural frame of reference will be helpful to keep in mind while analyzing the other characters/ relationships in the film and building on the conclusions drawn in this essay.
Kosar, Sophia Anneliese, et al. “Millennials and Generation Z: Men’s Perspectives on Hashtag Feminism.” Journal of Men’s Studies, vol. 31, no. 3, Oct. 2023, pp. 478–99. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,sso&db=sph&AN=171848147&site=eds-live&scope=site.
This source from the Smith College Library describes the effect of social media on men’s perception of feminist efforts in the current day. By depicting how social media sets up the ability of users to engage with story-telling and personal anecdotes, the article argues that social media has the ability to make men more aware of gender inequality and the follies of the status quo. More specifically, the source brings up topics like rape culture, masculinity, sexuality, gender boundaries, and others like them that have been amplified through numerous hashtags that include but are not limited to #MeToo, #HeForShe, and #HowIWillChange. It is also useful to note that such online discourse has simultaneously generated a platform for contractions to voice their opinions.
While the application of this source may be more difficult due to a number of differences like the time period, type of media, etc, I think the overall argument of the article may be interesting to explore in my counterargument. For example, while Laputa: Castle in the Sky is a televised movie that was first broadcast in the ‘90s, its role as a piece of media likely had similar influences on its audience. Just as social media has been observed to generate awareness of efforts to change gender inequality, the underdeveloped feminist tones may create the impression that traditional expectations are still acceptable and favored.
Walters, Margaret. “Chapter Nine: Second-Wave Feminism: The Late 20th Century.” Feminism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press Inc., New York, NY, 2005, pp. 77–88.
This chapter of the book Feminism: A Very Short Introduction– obtained through the Smith College Library System– offers an overarching explanation of how feminism has been shaped by new demands and ideologies after the Second World War. Most notably, the source touches on the rising idea of women breaking free from men’s objectification and its controversies in the West. The chapter briefly addresses the lack of clear direction in the feminist movement, claiming that women are stuck between still enjoying the benefits of the male gaze and the uncertainty of shedding all current feminization. Its major focus, though, lies in the problematic, eurocentric nature of modern feminism which places an imbalanced focus on the values of the western white woman.
This source was published through a reputable university and the author is now a professor, making its information seem credible to me. However, some of its information may be slightly dated due to its earlier publishment and with a different historical context focusing on England. Though this source is centered on developments in the West, it will be helpful for me to understand the nuances of contemporary feminism. The chapter also analyzes pieces of literature, which although aren’t directly related to Laputa: Castle in the Sky as they aren’t film, are useful in my understanding of how to apply a feminist lens.
Yumiko, Ehara, et al. “Japanese Feminism in the 1970s and 1980s.” JSTOR, U.S.-Japan Women’s Journal, 1993, www.jstor.org/stable/42772052?searchText=Japanese+Feminism &searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DJapanese%2BFeminism&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3Add3b867983495e33ed5430a60d659c4d&seq=1.
This source provided a detailed summary of the development and changes within the Japanese Feminist movement throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Namely, it talked about influences from the global feminist movements and the relationships between the American and Japanese groups, motives, and aspirations.
I plan on using this source to build up my counterargument by disproving some viewers’ beliefs that Laputa: Castle in the Sky did a good enough representation of women in power for its cultural and time-related backgrounds.
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