Castle in the Sky (Storyteller Version)

The Story of CASTLE IN THE SKY

Based on the animated Studio Ghibli movie written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

Disclaimer: Castle in the Sky is the property of Studio Ghibli. I am simply responsible for this adaptation.

NOTE:  A word of note: In case you're wondering what this is, this is an audiobook/audio drama version of one of my favorite Studio Ghibli films: Hayao Miyazaki's wonderful "Castle in the Sky." I had always envisioned this story as the perfect material for a Disney Storyteller style treatment, where actual lines of dialogue are interspersed with narration, and this was my attempt at it. The lines, as you can see, are sourced from the Disney dub version. The story is mostly faithful to the original, with some scenes being omitted and/or shortened for length purposes. Otherwise I am quite proud of this one.

One starry moonlit night, miles above the surface of the Earth, a magnificent airship passed silently through the clouds. From one of its cabins, a frightened little girl sat staring out out the window. The girl's name was Sheeta, and she had been taken prisoner. Nearby stood her captor: a tall man wearing dark glasses. On the trail of a long-forgotten secret, this man, known as Colonel Muska, suspected that a crystal pendant Sheeta possessed would lead him to it. The stillness of the night travel was broken when four strange-looking shapes approached from the distance. It was a gang of pirates, astride mechanical, dragonfly-shaped scooters called flapters. Their captain, a fearless, pigtailed crone named Dola, aimed her grenade launcher at the control cabin, blasting its window.

CREW MEMBER #1: We're under attack!

CREW MEMBER #2: Mayday! Mayday! (Coughing)

As the crew recoiled from the smoke and tear gas, the Dola gang landed their crafts on the airship. The pirates stormed through the vessel, knocking aside guards and crew members alike. They, too, were after the captive girl's crystal.

LOUIE: Ladies and gentlemen, don't move.

DOLA: GANGWAY!!!

(Indistinct Shouting Throughout)

As grenade shots and gunfire echoed through the airship's corridors, Muska telegraphed an urgent S.O.S. with his transmitter. Seizing a perfect opportunity, Sheeta grabbed a nearby wine bottle and smashed it over Muska's head, knocking him cold and senseless. Retrieving her crystal pendant from his coat pocket, Sheeta threw open the window and slipped outside. But as she clung to the ship's exterior, Dola and her three sons suddenly burst into the room... and spotted her!

SHEETA: No!

LOUIE: Hey, I found her! She's hiding out here!

DOLA: Ah, she's wearing the wearin' the crystal! Now, go get her!

SHALULU: Right!

One of Dola's boys reached for Sheeta. She tried to dodge, but in so doing, lost her balance and went toppling through the dense clouds!

SHEETA: (Screaming)

DOLA: Oh, no! There goes my crystal!!! Oh, no!

As Sheeta fell, unconscious, the crystal around her neck flashed with a pale blue light. All of a once, she was no longer falling, but floating, as if something was gently lowering her.

On the surface of the Earth, a young miner named Pazu was just returning to work from an errand. He spotted a faint glimmer of light descending from the skies, lowering into the quarry ahead of him.

PAZU: What is that? Looks like a body! Whoa!

Racing toward the mining shaft to get a better look, Pazu was surprised to discover that the falling light was a girl wearing a glowing crystal pendant! Stopping on the edge of a platform towering over the shaft, Pazu held out his arms. She drifted gently into his hands. But when the light from the crystal faded, she stopped floating — and her weight dragged Pazu down! Straining with great effort, Pazu carefully lay Sheeta on the platform when he heard his boss, Mr. Duffi, yelling for him.