Studio Ghibliis a widely acclaimed studio that has been behind many inspirational films that have touched the lives of thousands of people, from children to adults, from the East to the West. This company isn’t just a studio; it has created a subsection of anime culture in its own right.
Due to its notoriety,Studio Ghibli is well-known throughout the industryand has worked on many collaborations with equally reputable names and popular figures. However, one of the most niche facts derived from a peculiar choice in voice actors for the main protagonist ofThe Wind Rises: Hideaki Anno, creator behindNeon Genesis Evangelion.
Hideaki Anno Voiced Jiro Horikoshi From Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises
Evangelion Creator’s First and Only Main Role in Voice Acting for Anime
Hayao Miyazaki and Hideaki Anno have always had an interesting relationship, to say the least, as directors with their own respective viewpoints on how to express their creativity through film. But there was almost a mischievous nature in casting Anno as the role of Jiro inThe Wind Rises, with even the director catching on to Miyazaki’s intent:
“It was my first time voicing a main character, so I figured it wasn’t going to be easy. When I took the audition, Miya-san said to me that there are few lines because [Jiro] is a taciturn man. I believed it and took the role. But after seeing the storyboard, I was really surprised. There were tons of lines, a song, and he speaks in French and German. I felt like I was completely tricked!”
-Interview Transcript
Anno is undoubtedly a well-respected director, though when it came to voice acting, his only prior experience was in a minor role as a character inFLCL, so at the time, there was no telling what sort of workload he had saddled himself with. Miyazaki was certainly amused, however, from the beginning when he proposed the idea to the end, no matter how the film turned out.
A Spontaneous Creative Decision Led to a Special Evangelion Easter Egg
One of Studio Ghibli’s Most Interesting Incidental Collaborations Between Directors
Anno’s appearance in a voice acting role would go on to be quite the easter egg hidden withinThe Wind Rises. Fans would speculate on the reason for his appearance in the story, theorizing that it was either Anno or Miyazaki who was meant to be reflected in Jiro’s conflicts with creating planes during wartime.
But while this sole Studio Ghibli project would be a rare moment in which Anno and Miyazaki got to work together, these theories are mostly unfounded.The Wind Risesis a work of fiction depicting the historical figure behind the aircrafts that would go on to be used during World War II.
While this would fan a few controversies as to the message behindThe Wind Rises, it still stands as a well-received film that preserves today as a somber but hopeful story of love, longing, and grief. As ahallmark in the Studio Ghibli collection, it serves as both a bittersweet entry and homage for fans of the creator behindNeon Genesis Evangelion.
