The Wind Rises 2013

I feel the need to contrast the existing reviews, in particular Carlos' 3/10 rating. I've wrapped the rest of this in spoiler tags for anyone who wants to go in completely blind, but I don't think anything written in my comment should ruin the film.

This film isn't meant to be a documentary, nor is it a faithful adaptation of The Wind Has Risen. Instead, it draws narrative elements from several places, and I think the end result is an excellent story. It's misguided, in my opinion, to critize the film for a lack of "accuracy" when this was never the film's intention.

I can understand that one would have misgivings about a piece of Japanese media portraying WWII or related topics, but in no way does this film endorse Japan's actions. Having watched The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, Miyazaki's views on this topic are (to the extent that I'm familiar with them) entirely respectable. He appears to me to be a pacifist, and isn't himself entirely comfortable with his own admiration of the Zero planes' design due to their usage in the war.

The "controversy" section of the movie's wikipedia article does a good job summing up why I find it hard to consider this movie "nationalist" or anything like that. Quoted as of 2019-01-13:

"In Japan, The Wind Rises received criticism from both the political right[27] and from the Japan Society for Tobacco Control.[48] Miyazaki added to the controversy by publishing an article in which he criticized the proposal by Japan's centre-right Liberal Democratic Party to change the Constitution of Japan, which irritated nationalists.[27][48] Some commentators were unhappy that a warplane engineer was the film's protagonist.[48]

In an interview with the Asahi Shimbun, Miyazaki said he had "very complex feelings" about World War II since, as a pacifist, he felt militarist Japan had acted out of "foolish arrogance". However, Miyazaki also said that the Zero plane "represented one of the few things we Japanese could be proud of – [Zeros] were a truly formidable presence, and so were the pilots who flew them".[48]"

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_Rises#Controversy)

Studio Ghibli gets serious in this romanticized take on avionic design at the dawn of the second world war. Engineering might seem a strange subject for animation, and at times it is, but in typical fashion the studio delights in writing their own rules and somehow coming out ahead.

In the same way that recent big-budget live action cinema has been trying to draw inspiration from animation's more fantastical elements, it seems that The Wind Rises borrows its mundane, grounding elements from reality. Detail has always been a calling card for Miyazaki's efforts, and here the old master has again outdone himself. The screen is flooded with life, with even the least remarkable background extra, almost-inanimate object, or stunning, towering cloudscape enjoying an unusual amount of motion and character - notes clearly taken from live action.

There's no shortage of the studio's usual breathtaking flights of fancy and wonder, either, but now they're tempered by that basis in reality. And, in a way, that makes them even more special. Dreams intertwine with lucidity so casually, it's tough to identify the moments of transition. The plot is less rigid than one might expect, too, strolling along at its own pace and lazily floating from one decade to the next. That makes it less gripping than the standard Ghibli effort, but we're invested in different ways.

Gorgeous, poetic, relaxing, inspiring, warm and funny and bittersweet; it's not at all what I expected, and no competition for Totoro or Mononoke or Spirited Away, but it's not trying to be.

Speaking as a person who enjoys engineering feats and especially those related to aviation, I was sure I was going to love The Wind Rises. After loving the planes in Porco Rosso, my first Studio Ghibli's movie and my favorite so far, I had confidence in Miyazaki ability to portray what goes in designing a plane. And he even exceeded my expectations! You can truly tell that the japanese director is an aviation nerd and lover.

The movie goes back and forth from reality and dreaming, almost seamlessly and with such graceful transitions that it really feels like the whole thing is a dream inside Jiro's head. In the best possible way.
The plot itself isn't particularly rigid and it flow very well from one thing to another, from reality to dream, from Jiro's work to his personal life. It's not a story that grips you because you want to know what happens next. It's more like cloud watching; you're just there, watching which shape will come next, with no expectations about it, without worrying how it ties with the previous shape.
Even though it's set during the years of World War Two, the movie doesn't endorse Japan's actions during it. Really the war is basically a footnote of the whole thing. It's more like a plot point to bring the viewer to what really matter: the design of the plane and what it means for the protagonist.

I don't have much to say about the visuals. They are very on brand for Studio Ghibli. Perfectly done, with their unique style. Much like in Porco Rosso, the planes and the engines that power them, feel alive. It's not a photorealistic style, but it's absolutely gorgeous, vivid and full of life.

I loved the sound design. A lot of them were made by a human mouth, I feel like. Especially in the dream sequences, it really added to the feeling of being in fantasyland.

Overall, a great movie, which I would recommend to anyone, but especially to those that like aviation and/or are fans of Studio Ghibli's style of animation. A wonderful mix of gorgeous visuals and poetry.

8/10

"The Wind Rises" is undeniably a visual and narrative triumph, bearing all the hallmarks of Hayao Miyazaki's imaginative storytelling and meticulous attention to detail. However, it's not without its potential areas for improvement.

Firstly, the film's pacing could have been more balanced. While the slow pace beautifully captures the tranquility and dreamlike quality of the narrative, at times it feels as though some scenes stretch on a bit too long, causing the story to drag. Tighter editing might have made the film's progression more engaging without sacrificing its meditative quality.

Secondly, the love story between Jiro and Nahoko, although sweet and heartfelt, could have been developed further. Their relationship seems to evolve very quickly, leaving little room for character development and making it a bit harder for audiences to fully invest in their love story. Dedicating more time to their interactions could have given more depth to their characters and their relationship.

Moreover, the film has been critiqued for romanticizing the creation of war machines without sufficiently addressing the implications of their use in war. The movie does touch on this ethical dilemma, but it could have explored this aspect in a more nuanced and in-depth way, adding another layer of complexity to Jiro's character and to the story as a whole.

Lastly, while the film's dialogues are poetic and evocative, at times they can be a bit too cryptic, making it difficult for some viewers to grasp the underlying themes and messages. A bit more clarity and explicitness in the dialogues could have helped to convey these themes more effectively.

In conclusion, while "The Wind Rises" is a gorgeous and poignant film with a lot to admire, minor tweaks in pacing, character development, thematic exploration, and dialogue could have elevated it even further. Nonetheless, it remains a testament to Miyazaki's extraordinary ability to tell deeply human stories with beautiful animation and profound themes.