So for you who don't know, The Wind Rises, is film following aeronautical engineer Jiro Horikoshi. Beginning when he supposedly shared dreams with Giovanni Battista Caproni over a fifteen year time span. He and his good friend Honjo who shares the dream of helping Japan uproot herself out of the dark age and into the industrial age. For Jiro this is mainly before World War Two, and he was the lead designer for the Zero Fighter. Which is a fact rather gleaned over and not the center of attention for this film. Instead, we focus on his trip to Germany to study there bomber planes and also meet Miss Nahoko Satomi. A girl who he saved during the earthquake several years before hand. They reconnect and fall in love, promising each other to wed once she is well again. Too Big of a spoiler?
Then lets move forward to the rockstar cast! I watched the english dub and plan on seeing the Japanese dub later this week. Maybe I'll do an update afterwards. Joseph Gordon-levitt is phenomenal as Jiro and so is everyone else in he cast. They each perfectly articulated there characters. Also points to Levitt for speaking German and French in this film. I love multi-language films! Plus the characters themselves were so sensitive and funny, each an individual who you really came to love.
What is truly the most astounding part about this piece of cinematic genius, is not the fluid animation, but the sound. Which was so mystical and daunting a feat of imagination, or rather dreams. The sound of the Earthquake early in the film, mimicked a human wale. With all sounds which resonated with destruction followed this pattern. This bothered one or two colleagues who I went to the movie with, saying that it broke the atmosphere. Though I say otherwise. Its difficult to describe it, but what these moans reminded me of very exaggerated, yet pure forms of emotion. From great sorrow with the rainy scenes, to the sighs of the snow and wrath of the rippling earthquake. If I also may butt in a nod off to Joe Hisaishi for another excellent symphony soundtrack!
This is not to say that the animation was nothing special, believe me it was very awe-inspiring. Perfectly capturing movement if one was walking of the wing of the plane. Also the shadows of glasses on characters faces was something I have never really seen before and looked gorgeous. Plus the way everything was rose-tinted and hazy during Jiro's dream sequences reminded me very closely of the meadow from Howl's Moving Castle. Very intimate. It should also be noted that there was a very stark contrast between the backgrounds and live animation creating a more emphasized look, really drawing the focus towards the background and making the characters less important and more so narration pieces. And, as always, the food of Studio Ghibli is very appetizing.
Aside from what I believe, The Wind Rises deserves around of applause and an academy award! Truly a work of art and one hell of a film to go out on!
Its funny and a spectacle, really reaching new hights from previous films like Porco Rosso, Kiki's Delivery Service and On Your Mark. The characters a genius and beautifully brought to life and a love story you'll be in tears over.
So go see this movie right now!
The Official movie trailer and main theme!
