The Wind Rises

THE WIND RISES

Director : Hayao Miyazaki

Year : 2014

Genre : Anime

Rating : ****1/4

'The Wind Rises' is the final feature from the Japanese master of animation Hayao Miyazaki who over the course of his three decade career has bought mystical and sometimes terrifying joy to millions of people of all ages with movies such as 'Howl's Moving Castle', 'My Neighbour Totoro' and of course, the Academy Award winning masterpiece 'Spirited Away'. However, while these films were clearly aimed at a much younger audience with their bright colours and strong child protagonists, Miyazakis swansong is actually a very sombre and medidative tome that owes a great deal more to reality and history than it does to mythology and spirituality. 

Based on the life of the World War II aircraft engineer Jiro Horikoshi as well as the writings of the poet Tatsuo Hori, the movie follows the life of an ambitious man who dreams of leaving his conventional life behind to become a world famous airplane designer. His chance soon comes when World War II rears it's ugly head and he quickly makes a living creating the intricate and beautifully assembled planes that will bring death and destruction to the enemies of Japan. Intertwined within the narrative is a wonderfully told romance as our hero falls deeply in love with Nakomo, a young artist who is stricken with tuberculosis.

Exploring themes and ideas rarely touched upon in populist family fare, 'The Wind Rises' is a beautifully told and emotionally rich tale about love, sacrifice and determination set against the backdrop of a crumbling pre - war Japan ravaged by earthquakes, disease and depression; a setting that perfectly contrasts with the fable-like and ethereal nature of the title. While at times the story is whimsical and carefree as is expected with a Miyazaki film, 'The Wind Rises' is predominately a dramatic piece about hope, love and self belief, echoing the more melancholic tone of Isao Takahata's 'Grave Of The Fireflies' than the lighter ambiance of Miyazaki's own jovial fantasies such as 'The Castle Of Cagliostro' and 'Kiki's Delivery Service'.

Our central character Jori is an optimist; a man who dreams big and strives to bring hope and peace to his beloved nation. Unlike many of Hayao Miyazaki's previous protagonists, Jori is an adult and I think this decision not only reflects the more mature nature of the subject matter but also the sensibilities of the director himself. Like Jori, Miyazaki is a man who dreamed the impossible and strived to create images and scenarios far greater than anything you or I could comprehend.

As is the case with all of Miyazaki's movies, the animation is simply breathtaking to behold. While the character animation is predominantly cell drawn, the sumptuous backgrounds are computer generated and the two are seamlessly woven together, creating an image that looks more like a painting than a simple drawing. In a time when 3D computer generated cartoons have all but killed the art of traditional cell animation in Western cinema, it is a joy to see that there is one nation on Earth that still believes in the power and mystic sensibilities of a drawing made of pencil and crayon coming to live before our eyes in gorgeous technicolour.

Whereas 'Ponyo' and 'Up On Poppy Hill' where undeniably childrens films, 'The Wind Rises' is a return to the more adult mentalities of Miyazaki's most indelible works such as 'Porco Rosso' and 'Spirited Away' and I am glad that he has decided to end his career on such a peaceful and calm note. Telling a beautiful story with perfect line work, sumptuous colours and an attention to detail that is almost startling, 'The Wind Rises' is one of the best animated films I have seen in a very long and a fitting end to the career of the man dubbed the Walt Disney of Japanese animation.