Laputa: Castle in the Sky/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Alternate Character Interpretation: Is the General really having an Even Evil Has Standards moment when he tries to kill Muska after seeing him test fire Laputa's superlaser? Or did he just decide that Muska had outlived his usefulness?
  • Broken Base: This is not the only Disney-Ghibli dub to receive such an atmosphere (Kiki's Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro also qualify), but it seems as though viewers can't really seem to unanimously agree if the Disney dub is an entertaining experience in its own right, better than the Japanese in many ways, or even a watered down travesty of a great film. Purists strongly claim it is the latter (often stating that the Japanese version is the ONLY way you should watch the film, to a lesser extent the JAL English dub), but Disney's dub still has its share of devoted fans. In the end, you have to decide for yourself whether you like it or not. Or better yet, watch both versions.
    • In an even more ironic case, when the now extinct Streamline dub was released, it too received a similar split reaction. But when Disney's dub was released, the atmosphere quickly changed for some into a They Changed It, Now It Sucks attitude. All the more ironic because Carl Macek thought the original '80s dub didn't turn out so well. Can also count as Unpleasable Fanbase or Fan Dumb. Fandom Rivalry, too, because some fans will not even tolerate you liking one version over the other.
  • Complete Monster: Muska, especially notable as Miyazaki hardly ever features such completely evil and irredeemable characters.
    • Among other things, he shoots off Sheeta's pigtails, then tells her that her ears will be next. He's even voiced (in the English dub) by The Joker. Cue Nightmare Fuel.
  • Crowning Music of Awesome: The entire soundtrack, in both the original Japanese version and the longer, more extensive rescore for the Disney dub (Can also count as Woolseyism). Both composed by Joe Hisaishi. Special mention goes to the main theme.
    • That said, many purists attacked the new score, declaring that it somehow undermines the movie. (Ironically, though, when Disney removed the new score from the dub, fans of the rescore complained.) Could also count as Unpleasable Fanbase or Fandom Rivalry.
  • Dawson Casting: Pazu and Sheeta (both at approximately 13-14; it's never stated in the movie) are voiced in the Disney English version by James Van Der Beek (21) and Anna Paquin (17), and sound considerably more mature than their intended ages. Longtime fans of the original Japanese version have stated this as a point of contention, while others -- mostly new fans unfamiliar with the film -- don't find it so distracting.
    • Ironically enough, in the Japanese version, Mayumi Tanaka and Keiko Yokoyama, both who were in their thirties (as were Barbara Goodson and Lara Cody from the Streamline dub, at 38 and 30, respectively), portray Pazu and Sheeta as high-pitched-sounding kids. It remains debatable over who's performance of these two characters are preferable.
  • Fridge Horror: Muska's eventual fate. Imagine falling thousands and thousands of feet to your death-- while completely blind.
  • Large Ham: In Disney's dub, some of the pirates or incidental characters may qualify (not that it's a bad thing), but most definitely Cloris Leachman's performance as Dola in general (to good effect, as she arguably makes the character the most memorable in the whole movie); likewise, when Muska goes crazy at the end, Mark Hamill really gets to have fun, laughing maniacally and spouting a very memorable "Goodbye! Enjoy the ride!" prior to sending the soldiers to their deaths. There are even places where he sounds like The Joker.
    • The pirate trio of Louie, Charles/Shalulu, and Henri all sound like they are obviously enjoying themselves. They're voiced by Inigo Montoya, Tuck & Roll, and Nuka.
    • "Where are you MUSKA?!" the General shouts. You can tell Jim Cummings is having a blast doing that line, and the role in general.
  • Lull Destruction: To many purists, the extra lines of dialogue, particularly the Dola gang's banter, qualifies. However, other viewers see them as crowning moments of funny and/or fleshing out the characters' personalities.
  • Magnificent Bastard: Colonel Muska, at least before it's revealed how completely insane he is.
  • Memetic Mutation: Nico Nico Douga goers often use Muska walking around blinded, screaming "My eyes!" in their Stupid Statement Dance Mixes.
  • Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: In the dub, Anna Paquin's accent for Sheeta varies between shades of her native New Zealand and a more conventional American accent. YMMV on whether it adds to the character or distracts.
  • Squick: Although the clumsy overtures of the Sky Pirates towards Sheeta once she dresses like a pirate are Actually Pretty Funny, it doesn't quite distract from the fact that we have a group of men, the oldest looking like they're well in their thirties, trying to court a girl that hasn't hit puberty yet.
    • Granted, Sheeta is the only woman they've met apart from their mom, so it could be justified.
  • Toy Ship: Obviously Pazu and Sheeta; there are lots of moments where we see them holding hands and/or hugging each other.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Laputa:_Castle_in_the_Sky/YMMV?oldid=2010037"