Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises)

[Story]

Kaze Tachinu, known in English as The Wind Rises, opened on July 20 in Japan. It is the first Miyazaki film based on the life of a historical figure – Horikoshi Jiro, who designed the Zero planes shortly before the onset of World War II. Despite the film’s subject matter, however, Kaze Tachinu carries a quiet anti-war message.

“My wife and staff would ask me, ‘Why make a story about a man who made weapons of war?’” Miyazaki said in a 2011 interview with Japan’s Cut magazine. “And I thought they were right. But one day, I heard that Horikoshi had once murmured, ‘All I wanted to do was to make something beautiful.’ And then I knew I’d found my subject… Horikoshi was the most gifted man of his time in Japan. He wasn’t thinking about weapons… Really all he desired was to make exquisite planes.”

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1296325/miyazakis-newest-film-soars-despite-criticism

 

[Doc Smith]

I saw the subtitled version of this movie last Saturday. I understand that it's managed to infuriate people from all ends of the political spectrum. Nonetheless, I can believe that, like his aeronautical engineer protagonist, Mr. Miyazaki just wanted to make something beautiful.

I'm an aerospace engineer with a love of old-fashioned tools and aircraft, not a writer or artist. In my opinion, both Horikoshi and Miyazaki succeeded.

 

[DNO]

I've seen Miyazaki's My Neighbour Totoro as well as Spirited Away. Both excellent animated films. I'd love to see this one as well.

 

[Stearmen]

The Mitsubishi Zero-sen fighter has very strong emotions attached to it, in the west, mostly negative. I saw an interview with the pilot of the Commemorative Air Force Zero, the real one, not the tarted up Texans. He said, he had many veterans of the Kamikaze attacks come up to him and say very emotionally, that "it should be burned, all of the remaining Zeros should be burned!"

 

[scotrace]

I had honestly believed that there were no surviving Zeros.
This looks like a beautiful, well made film. I'm not familiar with his work, but it's obviously well done.

 

[DNO]

I had honestly believed that there were no surviving Zeros.
This looks like a beautiful, well made film. I'm not familiar with his work, but it's obviously well done.

There are Zeros still around but I believe only one is actually airworthy. It's an elegant, graceful looking aircraft.

My son saw the film, dubbed in English, last night. He quite enjoyed it.

 

[Stearmen]

There are four flyable Zeros, all in the United States. Three are reengined with Pratt & Whitney R1830 14 cylinder radial engines. The Planes Of Fame museum has the only flyable example with it's original Sakae 14 cylinder engine. It is a A6M5. [video=youtube;ZuoVlQOO4xc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuoVlQOO4xc[/video]