Castle in the Sky contains a strong theme of environmentalism, questioning humanity's relationship with nature and the role of technology. McCarthy interprets the giant tree of Laputa as a "metaphor for the reviving an… See more

Miyazaki's affinity for flight is repeatedly displayed in Castle in the Sky, a motif that continues throughout the feature films of his career. A variety of fictional flying machines appear across the film, including the island of Laputa, t… See more

The film was released in Japan on August 2, 1986, by the Toei Company. At the Japanese box office, the film sold about 775,000 tickets, somewhat lower than the performance of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. … See more