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Castle in the Sky

Play trailer 0:30 Poster for Castle in the Sky PG In Theaters Aug 22 2h 4m Fantasy Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Young orphan Sheeta and her kidnapper, Col. Muska, are flying to a military prison when their plane is attacked by a gang of air pirates led by the matronly Dola. Escaping from a mid-air collision via a magic crystal around her neck, Sheeta meets fellow orphan Pazu and the pair join forces to discover the mystical floating city of Laputa while pursued by both Muska and the pirates, who lust for the city's myriad treasures.
Castle in the Sky

What to Know

Critics Consensus

With a storytelling palette as rich and brilliant as its animation, Castle in the Sky thrillingly encapsulates Studio Ghibli's unique strengths.

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Cast & Crew

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Hayao Miyazaki

Director

Anna Paquin

Sheeta

James Van Der Beek

Pazu

Cloris Leachman

Dola

Mark Hamill

Muska

Mandy Patinkin

Louis

Critics Reviews

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Caryn James New York Times 08/30/2004
Liable to strain the patience of adults and the attention spans of children. Go to Full Review Richard Harrington Washington Post 03/07/2002
Frequently astounding. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 07/31/2023
3.5/4
Miyazaki’s characters feel tangible and human, his action scenes ripe with energy, and his film’s design, as always, abundantly imaginative. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 09/22/2021
3.5/4
A terrific adventure yarn. Go to Full Review James Berardinelli ReelViews 04/24/2020
3.5/4
Castle in the Sky is a good enough film to benefit from multiple viewings. And, for anyone unfamiliar with Miyazaki's canon, it provides a great introduction to a wonderfully rich animated catalog. Go to Full Review Chris Ludovici The Spool 01/18/2020
[S]ometimes a fun adventure in a unique, thrilling environment is all you need. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Beck H @RT92492572 6d All I have to say is that Castle in the Sky is a nice, well thought-out , well-executed, well -animated movie; but a word of warning: if you watch it to many times YOU WILL get tired of watching it, I promise. See more Allisandra G. @RT46255434 Mar 15 While the art style was phenomenal, as expected, the underlying themes felt less defined. The film could have benefited from a stronger emphasis on humanity’s relationship with nature and technology. See more Kalissa H. @kali_416 Mar 8 Really beautiful with likable main characters. See more Alejandro E @Alex970 Jan 10 One of Studio Ghibli's early works, this film was one of the first hints of what was to come in the future. The plot combines elements of action and mythology with sporadic comedy. See more Kevin P @RT55971421 Jan 7 A grand scale adventure with beautiful animation. I love all the creative sci-fi visuals, like the giant floating castle in the sky or these ancient-looking moss-covered robots I liked the cute friendship between the main 2 kids. Though admittedly, the main kid sounds so old for his young age and the girl's accent keeps changing. I like the fun space pirates. Mark Hamill does a great job voicing the villain. I just wish his backstory was expanded on. The movie has some great action scenes that are fast-paced and wonderfully animated. The movie has some great aesthetics, like the cliffside town and the retro future look that blends all these different time periods together. The castle in the sky garden is very dream-like with its pristine abandoned look, the animal hybrids, and the underwater cities. The climax is very exciting. The film ends with a beautiful final image of the hanging roots in the sky. It's a very solid sci-fi adventure movie with a lot of creative passion behind it. See more Waniya S @RT99557891 Aug 28 This has such a great message and it was so cute. See more Read all reviews
Castle in the Sky

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Castle in the Sky

Castle in the Sky - Studio Ghibli Fest 2018: Fathom Events Trailer Castle in the Sky - Studio Ghibli Fest 2018: Fathom Events Trailer 0:30 View more videos
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Castle in the Sky

Poster Art Castle in the Sky (1986) Castle in the Sky (1986) Castle in the Sky (1986) A scene from "Castle in the Sky." A scene from "Castle in the Sky." A scene from "Castle in the Sky." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Young orphan Sheeta and her kidnapper, Col. Muska, are flying to a military prison when their plane is attacked by a gang of air pirates led by the matronly Dola. Escaping from a mid-air collision via a magic crystal around her neck, Sheeta meets fellow orphan Pazu and the pair join forces to discover the mystical floating city of Laputa while pursued by both Muska and the pirates, who lust for the city's myriad treasures.
Director
Hayao Miyazaki
Producer
Isao Takahata
Screenwriter
Hayao Miyazaki, John Semper
Distributor
Streamline Pictures, Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Studio Ghibli
Rating
PG (Peril|Fantasy Action Violence)
Genre
Fantasy, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 1, 1989, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Aug 22, 2026
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 18, 2019
Runtime
2h 4m
Sound Mix
Dolby
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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