Anime Showcase: Future Boy Conan

Future Boy Conan is a 1978 TV series from none other than Hayao Miyazaki. It was his solo directoral debut and produced as an offshoot of the World Masterpiece Theater series which were adaptations of famous western literature adapted to anime from the 1970s through the early 1990s.

This particular work is a loose adaptation of Alexander Key's 1970 Sci Fi novel The Incredible Tide, and many ideas were used in this from an aborted adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea which morphed into the Gainax series Nadia over a decade later.

The story begins in an alternate July 2008, during a time when mankind is faced with the threat of extinction. A devastating war fought with ultra-magnetic weapons far greater than anything seen earlier brings about a post-apocalyptic world, resulting in several earthquakes and tsunamis. The Earth is thrown off its axis, its crust rocked by massive movements, and the continents are torn completely apart and sink deep below the sea.
An attempt by a group of people to flee to outer space failed, with their spaceships being forced back on Earth and crashing on a small desert and dry island. Although initially desperate, the survivors discover that the crash landing has opened a freshwater well, and gradually life returns to the island. The crew members of the spaceship gradually settle on what they call 'Remnant Island' and they lead a simple and happy life as an extended family. A new baby, Conan, is eventually born within the community in October 2016.

So lets take a look at this classic from Hayao Miyazaki which has similar vibes to 2026s "Goodbye Lara" and represents a milestone in the start of his illustrious career.