For decades,Studio Ghibli has been synonymous with hand-drawn magic. FromMy Neighbor TotorotoSpirited Away, the studio’s works are celebrated for their environmental themes, warm nostalgia, and dreamlike storytelling. Hayao Miyazaki’s signature style draws admiration from children and adults alike, with films that often avoid traditional villains in favor of empathy and personal growth.
But in 2013, Ghibli surprised many with a film unlike any before.The Wind Riseswas a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi, the engineer behind Japan’s WWII Zero fighter plane. Instead of fantasy, the story explored war, ethics, and regret. The film was beautiful, meditative, and divisive. Miyazaki’s choice to confront Japan’s wartime legacy stirred controversy at home and abroad.
The Story of Dreams and Consequences
A Cast Built on Industry Icons
The Wind Risesfollows Jiro from boyhood to adulthood as he pursues his dream of designing aircraft. Set during the rise of militarist Japan, the film shows Jiro’s admiration for Western aviation and his growing discomfort with how his designs are used. The story is romantic and tragic, woven with natural disasters, economic hardship, and the looming shadow of war.
In a bold move, Jiro was voiced byHideaki Anno,Neon Genesis Evangelion’sdirector. His subdued performance divided fans. Miyazaki defended the casting, stating, “Jiro was not an expressive man. I wanted someone who knew how to speak with silence.” Supporting characters included Nahoko, his ill-fated love, and Caproni, the Italian engineer who served as Jiro’s dream mentor.
Miyazaki’s Longstanding Fascination With Flight
Inspired by History, Not Blind to It
Hayao Miyazaki has long been obsessed with flight. From the gliders ofNausicaätothe aircraft inPorco Rosso, aviation has symbolized both freedom and violence. He once said,“Airplanes are not just tools of war. They are the embodiment of dreams and fears.”InThe Wind Rises, this duality is central. Beauty and destruction become inseparable in the wake of progress.
The film’s main character is based on a real person, butThe Wind Risesis not a historical documentary. It mixes fact with fiction, including elements from Tatsuo Hori’s 1937 novelThe Wind Has Risen. Miyazaki admitted, “I knew I was romanticizing a man who helped build weapons. But I wanted to show that creators do not always control how their work is used.”
Criticism From Both Sides of the Spectrum
Ghibli Staff Defended the Film’s Message
In Japan, some right-wing commentators condemned the film for its perceived antiwar tone. Others accused it of glorifying a wartime engineer. One editorial stated, “Miyazaki portrays a weapon designer with too much sympathy.” In response, the director said, “I am not criticizing the man. I am questioning the system.” The film became a Rorschach test for Japan’s unresolved wartime memory.
Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki explained, “We knew this would not be a film everyone could embrace. But Miyazaki had to tell this story before he retired.” The film was made during Japan’s debate over constitutional pacifism, giving its themes a political edge. “It was not about the Zero fighter,” Suzuki added, “It was about what Japan chooses to remember and forget.”
Artistry That Mirrors Moral Conflict
International Critics Were Divided but Respectful
Visually,The Wind Risesis breathtaking. Pastel landscapes, smoke curling into the sky, and mechanical sketches evoke a Japan caught between eras. Miyazaki’s animation subtly blends dream and reality. Critics praised the haunting earthquake sequence and the surreal dream encounters with Caproni. “He is not escaping,” one Ghibli animator said, “He is confronting truth through imagination.” The artistry carries the burden of its theme.
Hayao Miyazaki admitted, “I knew I was romanticizing a man who helped build weapons. But I wanted to show that creators do not always control how their work is used.”
Outside Japan,The Wind Risesreceived a mixed but thoughtful reception. The New York Times called it “an exquisite elegy for dreams and destruction,” while others questioned its humanization of a military engineer. Miyazaki was nominated for an Academy Award (his second afterSpirited Away), but some viewers felt discomfort. The film provoked reflection, not easy answers, making it one of Miyazaki’s most challenging works.
A Reflection of Miyazaki’s Own Struggles
Audience Reactions Reveal National Divides
Miyazaki has said he viewedThe Wind Risesas his final film at the time. “I wanted to leave something honest,” he noted. His father worked in aircraft manufacturing during the war, a fact that influenced the story. “I cannot condemn him. But I cannot ignore what happened.” The film became a personal reconciliation, balancing admiration with accountability.
Upon release, Japanese moviegoers debated the film’s intentions. Some praised its subtle critique of nationalism, while others walked out in frustration. Social media posts included comments like, “I cried for Jiro, even if I hated what he built.” Others asked, “Should children be watching this?” The film’s complexity invited emotional and generational divides. Its reception reflected Japan’s uneasy wartime memory.
A Legacy of Courageous Storytelling
Miyazaki’s Return Does Not Diminish Its Power
Even a decade later,The Wind Risesremains one of the most-discussed Ghibli films. It challenged what people expected from the studio. “We always knew it would stir debate,” one staff member shared. “But if it did not, it would not be Ghibli.” The film is now screened in university courses and peace museums, often paired with discussions on ethics and art.
“Miyazaki portrays a weapon designer with too much sympathy.”
- Japanese film review of The Wind Rises
Although Miyazaki returned in 2023 withThe Boy and the Heron, many still seeThe Wind Risesas his most personal work. It represents a creative risk that no other studio of its kind dared to take. “He could have made another fantasy,” one critic said, “but instead he chose to wrestle with the past.” That choice gave the film its lasting weight.
As Japan marks the end of World War II this August,The Wind Risesinvites reflection more than ever. It is not a film of clear answers, but of difficult questions. In portraying the conflict between dreams and consequences, Miyazaki created something bold and necessary. As he once said, “We must not forget. Even if we wish we could.”
