THE WIND RISES /KAZE TACHINU

Japan, 2013, 126 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

The Wind Rises received award nominations, including for the Golden Globe for Best foreign Language film. It is the final film of celebrated animator, Hauao Miyazaki, noted to such films as Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponette by the Sea. He also received an Academy Award for his animation film, Spirited Away.

This film is quite different from his previous films which led the audience into worlds of fantasy and magic, human beings but also strange animals, immersed in the Japanese countryside and the seaside, but accessible to Western audiences (and mostly dubbed by American actors of some note for the international release).

This time the focus is on the human, especially a young boy, Jiro, who is fascinated by planes. It is the 1920s, the era of development of aircraft, the beginnings of commercial aviation, and the design of planes which could be used in warfare.

It is somewhat disconcerting for a Western audience to watch this film, the story of a young man who contributed to Mitsubishi’s development of planes that were used in World War II, confronting the allies, contributing to the kamikaze ethos of the Japanese pilots, and contributing to many deaths. However, it is a film which takes the Japanese audience back into its past, an audience sometimes reluctant to consider the aspects of World War II, like this, and highlights the ambiguity of attitudes of the period and later.

Jiro goes to the University, but in a very dramatic sequence, he experiences the great fire of 1923. It must be said that the animation for the sequences is most impressive, far from the world of fantasies, rather grim pictures of the extent of the fire, the population and their terror, Jiro and his rescue of two young women from the fire. They search for him but do not find him – yet, after a long search, he is found in the latter part of the film, which forms the basis of a romantic story, complicated by the fact that the young woman that Jiro loves is suffering from tuberculosis and has to stay in a sanatorium.

In the meantime, a great deal of the film is devoted to Jiro and his research, working with a friend, collaborating with the Mitsubishi boss. During the 1930s, the two are sent to Germany where they examine the planes, under the auspices of the designer, Junker, and experience some hostility from the Germans who see themselves as superior to the Japanese.

The film also introduces the Russians and has subplots indicating the espionage network of the 1930s.

Jiro is an engaging hero, something of a nerd of his time, lost in his books, in his imagination and world of design, bespectacled. His love for the young woman changes his life – and gives something of a moral to the film where people design planes that can be used as weapons and instruments of war whereas their motivation is for peaceful and profitable use, and the realisation that love is the most important experience.

There is an interesting fantasy in Jiro’s imagination – the presence of an Italian designer who encourages Jiro, develops all kinds of fascinating planes which, eventually, fail. However, he is an inspiration Jiro.

And interesting that late in a significant career, contributing to Japanese animation for over a quarter of a century, and introducing it to international audiences, that Miyazaki has chosen to tell this Japanese story.

1. The impact of the film? Awards? For Japanese audiences? For audiences outside Japan?


2. The career of Miyazaki? His animation studio? His films? There themes? Fairytales? The bright colours, the beauty, characters? Musical score?

3. The blend of fantasy and realism? The option for some realism here? The history of Japan in the 20th century? The earthquake and fire of 1923? Preparations for World War II? The collaboration with Germany? Disasters, the planes, factories, flight and the attention to detail? World War II, the destruction of the planes and the pilots?

4. Japanese look at Japanese history? The perspectives on the 1920s and 30s after the bombing of Pearl Harbour? Japanese waging war? Japanese looking back? Acknowledging the realities? The critique? The focus on the development of planes? The travel? Not for war? Their use in war and the destruction and consequences? The option for love and humanity? Some audiences critical of the film as being too pro-Japanese?

5. Jiro and his place in Japanese history? Aviation? Skills and talent? This story based on his life but not following it accurately? A blend of realistic recounting and fantasy of what might have been? As a young boy, his family, his friends, at school? Awkward in his manner and appearance, his glasses? Studious? His dreams? Planes? The gift of the magazine about aviation? The continued appearances of the Italian inventor, his mentor? The flight?

6. Jiro as an adult, his studies, his friends, his work in design, a blend of work and study? At home, his mother, his sister and her cantankerous attitudes towards her brother?

7. Jiro returning to school, the earthquake of 1923, the consequent fire, the detail in which it was visualised? The crowds, fears, the flames and destruction? The woman collapsing, the girl? Jiro coming to the rescue? Carrying the girl, finding their home, his disappearance? Their searching for him?

8. As a character, look, a boffin, glasses, continually smoking, quietly in his room, his relationship with his friends?

9. Mitsubishi, the boss, his manner, his wife, plans and contracts, board meetings, discussions, Jiro and his presentations? His gradual promotion? The long relationship with the boss?

10. He and his friend being sent to Germany, the experience of the Germans, their skills in making planes, their treatment of the Japanese, looking down on them? Admiration for Junker, his help, their experience of the planes,

11. The meeting of the anti-German man? The Soviet spy? His comments and criticism?

12. Finding Naoko, sharing memories with her, her father, the hotel, the meals, love, explaining that she had tuberculosis, decisions about their marriage?

13. Changes in Japan, the development of the planes, the test flights, his friend and his developments, the progress? Jiro and his theories?

14. His sister coming to find him, still being cantankerous? Her friendship with Naoko, Naoko going to the sanatorium? Jiro and his trips to see her, her return trips? Her father? The hospital?

15. Love, marriage, Naoko and her illness, Jiro and his love and support?

16. The scenes with the Italian inventor, his planes, his ambitions, their styles, their failures and crashes? His appearing to Jiro at the end? Supported him? His death?

17. The portrait of Jiro, via animation instead of real-life performance? The different impact through animation? And of Japan, and of the 1920s and 30s and the preparation for war? Scenes of flight? The film as a tribute to Jiro – and his values and ideals?