The Wind Rises (Kaze Tachino) (Hayao Miyazaki, 2013): Japan

Reviewed by Simon Rosen. Viewed at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2014

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Somebody told when I went to see this movie that this would be Hayap Miyazaki’s last, but that rumor doesn’t seem to be true. As long as Hayao Miyazaki continues to make movies I will continue to watch them. This one was no exception, as soon as I saw that Hayao Miyazaki has released a new movie I knew that I just had to go and see it.

The Wind Rises (Kaze Tachino) is a Japaneses animated film from the 2013. Written and directed by the famous director Hayao Miyazaki who has also done Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle and others. The Wind Rises is about Jiro Horikoshi that dreams about flying planes but due to his bad eyesight he diverts his will to fly to the will to design planes. He gets this revelation through a dream that he shares with Caproni an airplane designer. Caproni shows Jiro that there is other ways to fulfill your dreams. Years later we see Jiro on his way back to the university, on his way he meets a girl, Nahoko Satomi. These two share a moment together on the train, creating a bond between these two.

As a fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s work you instantly know that this is a Hayao Miyazaki film, with the hand painted background that looks amazing. I’m impressed that he has never changed that and we all know by now that the hand painted backgrounds are Hayao Miyazaki’s trademark.  This is probably one of his most realistic made film, in the other movies he has made they are not afraid to be unreal, to be about ghost, magic, unknown creatures and whatever there might be. The Wind Rises only goes to that area in Jiro’s dreams only. Otherwise the rest of the film is pretty realistic, really unusual compare to his previous work.

I’d be lying if I said that I loved this movie, the reason why I love Hayao Miyazaki is the stories he comes up with the bizarre and unreal things that happens in his movies and I got to say that I was a bit disappointed when I saw this movie but I did still like it. I’d still recommend to anyone but I would always say Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo before I say The Wind Rises by Hayao Miyazaki.

 

 

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Published:
02.17.14 / 11pm
Category:
Animation, Films, Santa Barbara Film Festival 2014