‘The Wind Rises’: The Beauty And Controversy Of Miyazaki’s Final Film

 

 

 

 

 

 

” Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises is a lot of things. It’s the final feature-length film from one of the all-time greats of Japanese animation. It’s a gorgeous, Oscar-nominated work that brings prewar Japan to life in ways that have never been seen before. It’s Miyazaki’s most pointedly adult movie, with a slow-burning tragedy replacing the magical realism and cute characters that have made Studio Ghibli’s films appeal across generations. And it’s the most controversial animated movie in recent memory.

  That’s because The Wind Rises is a sympathetic biography of a man whose work contributed to Japan’s brutal campaign of imperialist aggression during World War II. Jiro Horikoshi designed the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane that Japan used in Pearl Harbor and countless other assaults; the Zero was feared for the unparalleled range and maneuverability bestowed by Horikoshi’s considerable engineering skills. Although its subject matter is linked to a violent past, The Wind Rises follows in the tradition of Japanese works that eulogize artisanal passion and dedication to one’s craft — it could almost have been called Jiro Dreams of Fighter Planes. “

 

 

    Whatever you think of the controversy surrounding the subject matter of Miyazaki’s latest film , if you are a fan of his work as we are you are sure to want to see the Master’s “final” film . Everyone who is familiar with his work must have a favorite and goodness knows that all of his films are visually stunning regardless of the storytelling .
    For the uninitiated we offer a primer video below containing the trailers for the following Miyazaki screen gems: Spirited Away, Ponyo , Howl’s Moving Castle , My Neighbour Totoro , Laputa Castle In The Sky , Nausicaä of The Valley of The Wind , Kiki’s Delivery Service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Left out of the collection above is our favorite Miyazaki creation of all … Porco Rosso , so we present you with a trailer (in Japanese) about Porco and his adventures .

 

 

      If you are under the impression that animated films are just for the young then you’ve never experienced the wonder and awe provoked with the artist’s brush and brought to the screen by Hayao Miyazaki and you owe it to yourself to give him a viewing . You will not be disappointed . Learn more about Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli here .

 

 

 

 

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