DVD Review - The Wind Rises

The titles don't make this movie justice. The last movie by the most amazing anime director that ever was.

Hya folks,

So, after I saw the documentary about Hayao Miyazaki work "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness" I just had to have a look at his last work as a film director "The Wind Rises" and decide if it's a worthy last animation by the great master! Well... Yes and no!

To put it in perspective Miyazaki is best know for his children fantasy movies. Totoro, Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away are all very well known for their magical and young appeals but this follows a whole new approach. Here Miyazaki introduces us to the life and work of Jiro Horikoshi. Jiro (if you don't know) is the creator of the WWII Japanese fighter the infamous Mitsubishi Zero and the movie portraits a man divided by his dream to create beautiful planes, his absolute reluctance for war and the love for his sick dying wife.

Some would say that this is a parallel story to Hayao himself. His love for animation but his reluctancy to let the corporate or industry take over his vision as an artist. All I can say is that this is a great animation movie, great but not the homage to the young magical colorful creator we see in him. Maybe not his most inspirational in therms of his fantasy but still a landmark in animation for his director and for the movie industry as well.

It's a great biography of a mans fight between his dreams and the reality of times and I guess that was the purpose of Miyazaki after all. A sad goodbye to the great career one of the most astonishing anime directors that deserves (just for that) a look!

A wonderful 4 out of 5.