The girls in these films weren't just falling in love; they were saving the world. They were discovering themselves, and changing the lives around them. Unlike the Disney heroines, who I mostly wanted to look like, Miyazaki's heroines are the kind I wanted to be like.

For me, the epitome of all heroines is Princess Nausicaa from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. The film is a wonderful introduction to her tale, but the manga, that’s also by Miyazaki, is a full on account of her goodness, her struggles, the fears and flaws of all humankind, and her will to bring lightness to the darkest of places. This manga is essentially a graphic novel,and compares to reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy in its epic scope. Reading this book renewed my faith in humanity.