History Anime / CastleInTheSky

* AnAesop: Any kind of AppliedPhlebotinum or magic like Aetherium has both benign and destructive uses, and you can't have one without the other. It will inevitably be coveted by evil people who want to abuse it, and can only be protected and used wisely by someone like Sheeta whose heart is pure.

* CoolGuns: Miyazaki reveals an interest in UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne type weapons. The pistols are all British Webley revolvers, the rifles are British Lee-Enfield bolt-actions, and the machine-guns in the fortress are Maxim guns in the Russian-military model (with a shield and small wheels).

* SympatheticVillainDespicableVillain: Dola at first appears as the sole villain in the story, as she and her crew attempt to steal Sheeta's necklace and she and Pazu must escape from her. However, [[VillainRespect their success in this impresses Dola]], and she allows them onto her ship. She shows a kinder side and has a [[MirrorCharacter moment with Sheeta that shows they aren't so different.]] She is also shown to care deeply about her crew, who also doubles as her family. It is even pointed out by Pazu that she [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold isn't as mean as she pretends to be.]] Muska is later revealed to be the true BigBad, who wants to use Laputa's power as a weapon of war to [[TakeOverTheWorld conquer the world.]] His role as the despicable villain is further solidified when he murders the soldiers who accompanied him, as well as threatening to [[WouldHurtAChild shoot Sheeta and Pazu]]. He is one of the only [[Creator/HayaoMiyazaki Miyazaki]] villains who is a complete HateSink with no redeeming qualities.

* ''Anime/CastleInTheSky'': Dola at first appears as the sole villain in the story, as she and her crew attempt to steal Sheeta's necklace and she and Pazu must escape from her. However, [[VillainRespect their success in this impresses Dola]], and she allows them onto her ship. She shows a kinder side and has a [[MirrorCharacter moment with Sheeta that shows they aren't so different.]] She is also shown to care deeply about her crew, who also doubles as her family. It is even pointed out by Pazu that she [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold isn't as mean as she pretends to be.]] Muska is later revealed to be the true BigBad, who wants to use Laputa's power as a weapon of war to [[TakeOverTheWorld conquer the world.]] His role as the despicable villain is further solidified when he murders the soldiers who accompanied him, as well as threatening to [[WouldHurtAChild shoot Sheeta and Pazu]]. He is one of the only [[Creator/HayaoMiyazaki Miyazaki]] villains who is a complete HateSink with no redeeming qualities.

* DubPronunciationChange: In the English dub, the titular city of Laputa is pronounced "lap-uta" because the original pronounciation was "lah-poo-tah", which is Spanish for "the whore".
** The dub also gives Pazu's name a sharper "z" sound, pronouncing it more like "Pa-tzu".

* InMyLanguageThatSoundsLike: The chapter of Jonathan Swift's ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' dealing with a floating island by the name of "Laputa" was actually a scathing satire on scientists and the British royal family, both of whom Swift cordially despised. The name was intentionally derived from one of the worst Spanish epithets--"la puta," which loosely translates as "the whore"--partly as a further insult, and partly for the sake of an etymological joke. His idiot-savant scientists [[CanisLatinicus assumed the name derived from Greek or Latin]], when its true origin was obvious to the readers. However, given that this work was centuries old and in another language, Miyazaki was innocent of the name's true derivation when he decided to base his movie on the works of Swift and Jules Verne. Consequently, many international releases drop the "Laputa:" from the beginning of the title. It helps that, at least in the English dub, the name is pronounced differently than "la puta," going with LAP-u-TA instead.

** Subverted in the initial scene. There the guards are fending off the Dola Gang, and even then they leave Muska in charge of watching the girl. Muska later lays the blame for Sheeta's escape on the military.