Kushana

Kushana's History

She lost one of her arms as a child during an Ohmu attack and is driven by a desire for revenge against the giant insects. She intends to destroy the Toxic Jungle by any means necessary. While she is not presented as completely evil, she is definitely an antagonist. The reason for her motive is that when she was a child she was attacked by an Omhu and her left arm and two legs had to be amputated and replaced with bionic brass-plated limbs. Although at times she appears to be mean and cruel, she is actually very afraid. She puts up a strong front in order to hide her fears and actually has a very caring heart. As the story unfolds she changes into a gentle and more caring person. When Mito returns to the Valley, she orders her troops to stop firing at him because she was worried about Nausicaä's safety. So even though she led the invasion of the Valley, Kushana is not a hateful character. Her plight generates sympathy, and her goals and ideals are understandable. She could not have predicted the results of her actions and did not do anything out of cruelty.