Sweet Escape Joys


The Wind Rises (風立ちぬ Kaze Tachinu) is a 2013 Japanese animated historical drama film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli. It was released by Toho on July 20, 2013 in Japan, and by Touchstone Pictures in North America on February 21, 2014 and the UK on May 9, 2014. The Wind Rises is a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi (1903–1982), designer of the Mitsubishi A5M and its successor, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero; both aircraft were used by the Empire of Japan during World War II. The film is adapted from Miyazaki's manga of the same name, which was in turn loosely based on the 1937 short story The Wind Has Risen by Tatsuo Hori. It was the final film directed by Miyazaki before his retirement in September 2013..

In Japan 1918, Jiro Horikoshi, a young boy living in a provincial town, dreams of being a fighter pilot, but his poor eyesight forbids it. After he reads an aviation magazine, Jiro dreams he meets the famous Italian aircraft designer Giovanni Battista Caproni, who tells him that building planes is better than flying them. 

Five years later, Jiro is traveling to Tokyo by train to study engineering. He meets a young girl named Nahoko traveling with her maid; when the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 hits, Nahoko's maid breaks her leg, and Jiro carries her to Nahoko's family. He leaves without giving his name. 

Jiro graduates in 1927 and begins work at aircraft manufacturer Mitsubishi, assigned to a fighter design team. He is sent to Germany to carry out technical research and obtain a production license for a Junkers aircraft. He argues with German soldiers and witnesses a night raid by the Gestapo. He dreams again of Caproni, who tells him that the world is better for the beauty of planes, even if humankind might put them to ugly purposes.

In 1932, Jiro is promoted to chief designer for a fighter plane competition sponsored by the Navy, which ends in failure. Disappointed, Jiro visits a summer resort where he meets Nahoko again. They become engaged, but Nahoko has tuberculosis, and refuses to marry until she recovers. A German visitor privately critical of the Nazi regime, Hans Castorp, assists the romance before fleeing arrest by Japanese authorities. 

Nahoko suffers a lung hemorrhage, worrying Jiro. Wanted in connection with Castorp, Jiro hides at his supervisor's home while he works on a new navy project. Nahoko recuperates in an alpine sanatorium, but cannot bear being apart from Jiro, and returns to marry him; Jiro's hosts hold a traditional wedding. Jiro's sister, a doctor, warns Jiro that his marriage to Nahoko will end badly, as tuberculosis is incurable. Though Nahoko's health deteriorates, she and Jiro enjoy their time together. 

Jiro leaves for the test flight of his new prototype, the Mitsubishi A5M aircraft. Sensing that she will soon die, Nahoko secretly returns to the sanatorium and leaves letters for her husband, family, and friends. At the test site, Jiro is distracted from his success by a gust of wind, sensing Nahoko's death. During Japan's involvement in World War II, Jiro visits Caproni in another dream and tells him he regrets that his aircraft were used for war. Caproni comforts him, saying Jiro's dream of building beautiful aircraft was nonetheless realized. A group of Zeros fly past and their pilots salute Jiro. Nahoko appears, exhorting her husband to live his life to the fullest..- wikipedia.org


Watch The Wind Rises click here

MY SAY: Hayao Miyazaki is one of world-renowned animation director, screenwriter, manga artist, and producer. Most of his works are known not only in Japan but throughout the globe. He is known for his masterpiece like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro (how cute indeed!), Princess Mononoke among others. I like every movie he made because of the stories which mostly depicts his patriotism to his native land and beautifully crafted each to share lessons in life.

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