The Wind Rises

Synopsis

In "The Wind Rises," Jiro Horikoshi's aspiration to become a pilot is crushed by his severe nearsightedness. He instead goes to Tokyo Imperial University to study aeronautical engineering, inspired by the Italian aviation pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni. Upon arriving in Tokyo, Jiro experiences the devastating 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, during which he rescues a maid from the family of a young girl named Naoko Satomi. This disaster marks the beginning of a period of intense social turmoil and conflict in Japan, leading to its involvement in World War II. Over the years leading to the creation of the famous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft, Jiro faces numerous challenges that test his limits. Each journey and experience drives him closer to his goal, even as he struggles with the harsh realities of his inventions' roles in the war and the difficulties in his personal life. As time passes, Jiro must confront a deep dilemma: how much is his cherished dream costing him?

Background

Before its release, director Miyazaki Hayao declared that Kaze Tachinu would be his final film. Like most of Miyazaki's films, it was the top-grossing movie of its release year, earning $113 million in the domestic box office in 2013. The film was controversial on both sides of the political spectrum because of its sympathetic portrayal of Horikoshi and its perceived anti-war stance. The film was nominated for an Academy Award, Miyazaki's third nomination. The film has won several awards. In 2013 it won the Best Animated Feature during the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, during the New York Film Critics Online, during the Online Film Critics Society, during the San Francisco Film Critics Circle and during the Toronto Film Critics Association. Also in 2013 it won the Best Animated Film during the Boston Online Film Critics Association (which tied with Frozen), during the Boston Society of Film Critics, during the Chicago Film Critics Association, during the New York Film Critics Circle and during the San Diego Film Critics Society. During the same year it won the Audience Favorite – Animation during the Mill Valley Film Festival and the Best Family Film during the Women Film Critics Circle. In 2014 it won the Animation of the Year during the Japan Academy Prize, the Best Animated Film during the National Board of Review and the Best Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media during the Satellite Awards.