Subdued, resigned and mature, pacing slow and deliberately, contrasted with all but the most somber of Ghibli material. Miyazaki himself admitted the autobiographical slant in this work, that he saw himself as the last of a dying breed in the ominous shadow of industry, that he accepted his unique spirit of natural wonder might die with him, but at least he would enjoy it whilst he had it. This theme runs as a poignant undercurrent throughout, weaving around the life of an aeronautics engineer as he quietly follows his calling through the second world war. It's delicate, painful, and patient in a way in which only the old or very wise can perceive, inspiring those betrothed to the wings of dreams to soar, even in a world more suited for a fatalist. A thoughtful and beautiful ending to a rich legacy.
A great start and an even better finish, but sadly the film lags a little in the second act. Thankfully the animation is stunning throughout, to the point where you could freeze any single frame and hang it on your wall and it would be guaranteed to look fantastic, which seems to be the norm for Miyazaki's work but is nevertheless exceptional and worthy of praise. Still though I personally rather missed the usual Ghibli fantastical elements and lush worldbuilding, which only make fleeting appearances in dream sequences. The trademark Miyazaki child-like sense of wonder and awe has been replaced with, ironically, a much more grounded realism, but this only serves to demonstrate that he really is capable of pulling off pretty much anything, even if he is at his best when it comes to whimsical fantasy. Despite some flaws this is still a beautiful film in every way possible, and is a fitting way for the Japanese master to bow out, especially given his fascination with flight.
Miyazaki once unveiled that he was working on a film about the A6M Zero fighter plane's designer, Jiro Horikoshi. A difficult challenge, due to it being a sensitive topic in many respects. This very plane introduced the world to the word "kamikaze" and was built in thousands through forced labor, in a war where Japan was ultimately defeated. Those who have done great things, but on the losing side of a war, are usually not honored or acknowledged for it.
So how would Miyazaki pull this off? In short: through his signature astounding animations and eye for detail, in which he absolutely took some concepts we know from earlier Ghibli movies (Laputa, Kiki) to another level. Though all the private drama (like his wife having tuberculosis) was entirely fictional, it set just the right tone and emotion to highlight the engineering skills of Horikoshi, while still touching on sensitive topics like associations with the Nazi regime, or the kamikaze actions performed with the A6M Zero with Jiro regretting how "none of them came back".
Several characters in this film came across as emotionally distant. Aside from the snappy boss, Jiro's little sister spent most of the time complaining, and little affection was shown between Jiro and his wife. In my opinion, this could have been done differently. But enough with the nitpicking; another marvel from the Ghibli drawing boards – and possibly the last from the legendary Miyazaki – left me in awe again and longing to watch it a second time!
A masterpiece. Probably the last of the Miyazaki's work. Worth seeing again and again.
Its a shame it was over looked at Academy Award to some disney stuff.
This is without doubt the best animation of 2013
The Wind Rises may be Miyazaki's ultimate expression of his fascination with human flight, a biopic about the engineer who created the Zero fighter plane used in World War II. Though he's obviously created more imaginative worlds, this one may yet be his most outstanding achievement in terms of animation. Just beautiful. There is so much detail in every shot, it's hard to imagine how many man-hours were poured into the film, and even something as simple as a man sitting at a drafting table feels like an improbable amount of thought went into it. As presented, it's a leisurely, lyrical romance about a boy who dreams of airplanes and seeks a sort of perfection akin to art. It feels very pure. Which is why I have misgivings about the film and where Miyazaki puts his focus. The truth of the story is that Jirô is building engines of war. Not that that's his fault. The film contains bombing imagery, unsympathetic Germans, etc., but refuses comment about war. The pursuit of a dream, whether it be creating the perfect plane, or the perfect anime, is clearly the theme, but in the quest for aesthetics, no ethical questions are asked, and I find that troubling.
Y'all are giving this way too much praise lol, this movie sucked. Yeah it's pretty, but the protagonist is working with the nazi's... We're supposed to sympathize with him because he mumbles a few vague sentences of regret and not agreeing with the war but uhm... you're designing kamikaze planes bro. The romance is also just BS, they fall in love instantly while he's a college student and she's literal CHILD. They spend a few days together and then decide to get married outta nowhere. The plot is also a hot mess, the middle of the movie is just a bunch of weird dream sequences and confusing nothing. Idk. It's beautiful animation but that's really all. I liked Miyazaki's earlier work a lot more.
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Scratch47
Subdued, resigned and mature, pacing slow and deliberately, contrasted with all but the most somber of Ghibli material. Miyazaki himself admitted the autobiographical slant in this work, that he saw himself as the last of a dying breed in the ominous shadow of industry, that he accepted his unique spirit of natural wonder might die with him, but at least he would enjoy it whilst he had it. This theme runs as a poignant undercurrent throughout, weaving around the life of an aeronautics engineer as he quietly follows his calling through the second world war. It's delicate, painful, and patient in a way in which only the old or very wise can perceive, inspiring those betrothed to the wings of dreams to soar, even in a world more suited for a fatalist. A thoughtful and beautiful ending to a rich legacy.thefilmstage
Absolutely gorgeous and Miyazaki's most emotionally resonant work. A perfect note to go out on.lachyas
A great start and an even better finish, but sadly the film lags a little in the second act. Thankfully the animation is stunning throughout, to the point where you could freeze any single frame and hang it on your wall and it would be guaranteed to look fantastic, which seems to be the norm for Miyazaki's work but is nevertheless exceptional and worthy of praise. Still though I personally rather missed the usual Ghibli fantastical elements and lush worldbuilding, which only make fleeting appearances in dream sequences. The trademark Miyazaki child-like sense of wonder and awe has been replaced with, ironically, a much more grounded realism, but this only serves to demonstrate that he really is capable of pulling off pretty much anything, even if he is at his best when it comes to whimsical fantasy. Despite some flaws this is still a beautiful film in every way possible, and is a fitting way for the Japanese master to bow out, especially given his fascination with flight.Eddyspeeder
Miyazaki once unveiled that he was working on a film about the A6M Zero fighter plane's designer, Jiro Horikoshi. A difficult challenge, due to it being a sensitive topic in many respects. This very plane introduced the world to the word "kamikaze" and was built in thousands through forced labor, in a war where Japan was ultimately defeated. Those who have done great things, but on the losing side of a war, are usually not honored or acknowledged for it.So how would Miyazaki pull this off? In short: through his signature astounding animations and eye for detail, in which he absolutely took some concepts we know from earlier Ghibli movies (Laputa, Kiki) to another level. Though all the private drama (like his wife having tuberculosis) was entirely fictional, it set just the right tone and emotion to highlight the engineering skills of Horikoshi, while still touching on sensitive topics like associations with the Nazi regime, or the kamikaze actions performed with the A6M Zero with Jiro regretting how "none of them came back".
Several characters in this film came across as emotionally distant. Aside from the snappy boss, Jiro's little sister spent most of the time complaining, and little affection was shown between Jiro and his wife. In my opinion, this could have been done differently. But enough with the nitpicking; another marvel from the Ghibli drawing boards – and possibly the last from the legendary Miyazaki – left me in awe again and longing to watch it a second time!
nafees
A masterpiece. Probably the last of the Miyazaki's work. Worth seeing again and again.Its a shame it was over looked at Academy Award to some disney stuff.
This is without doubt the best animation of 2013
Siskoid
The Wind Rises may be Miyazaki's ultimate expression of his fascination with human flight, a biopic about the engineer who created the Zero fighter plane used in World War II. Though he's obviously created more imaginative worlds, this one may yet be his most outstanding achievement in terms of animation. Just beautiful. There is so much detail in every shot, it's hard to imagine how many man-hours were poured into the film, and even something as simple as a man sitting at a drafting table feels like an improbable amount of thought went into it. As presented, it's a leisurely, lyrical romance about a boy who dreams of airplanes and seeks a sort of perfection akin to art. It feels very pure. Which is why I have misgivings about the film and where Miyazaki puts his focus. The truth of the story is that Jirô is building engines of war. Not that that's his fault. The film contains bombing imagery, unsympathetic Germans, etc., but refuses comment about war. The pursuit of a dream, whether it be creating the perfect plane, or the perfect anime, is clearly the theme, but in the quest for aesthetics, no ethical questions are asked, and I find that troubling.kurvduam
(removed by mod: please post in English)MoutardedShroom
mesmerizingthe_queen_n00b
Y'all are giving this way too much praise lol, this movie sucked. Yeah it's pretty, but the protagonist is working with the nazi's... We're supposed to sympathize with him because he mumbles a few vague sentences of regret and not agreeing with the war but uhm... you're designing kamikaze planes bro. The romance is also just BS, they fall in love instantly while he's a college student and she's literal CHILD. They spend a few days together and then decide to get married outta nowhere. The plot is also a hot mess, the middle of the movie is just a bunch of weird dream sequences and confusing nothing. Idk. It's beautiful animation but that's really all. I liked Miyazaki's earlier work a lot more.Chieftac
Not much of a plot, but still very nice animation.jamesmarcus
Not his best, but a good note to go out on. http://jmarcus42.wordpress.com/2014/09/25/the-wind-rises-dreams-of-the-graveyard-by-the-sea/OneTrueSentence14
What's the etiquette on linking reviews on your own blog?http://kevinwarzala.blogspot.kr/2015/03/i-saw-whiplash-and-wind-rises-in-same.html