Some time ago, it was mentioned that Hayao Miyazaki was going to retire from making films. For those of you who don’t know, he is one of the founders/head of Studio Ghibli, that is responsible for such imaginative (and ANNOYINGLY cute) films such as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. They have been dubbed as the Disney/Pixar of Japan, and although this studio does not have nearly as much titles under their belt, their quality of work rivals that of any of Disney’s classics. I would go as far as to say that they deal with more daring and mature subject matter, and that they pack more of an emotional umph.
So when Miyazaki said he was hanging his cap, fans from around the globe were both disappointed and happy. Sure, this meant that all future projects Ghibli will be making would not be directed by Miyazaki himself, but it also means that he has said everything that he wanted to say. It is evident that The Wind Rises is his last film in this trailer. It serves as a celebration for his successful and awe-inspiring career, as well as a heartfelt goodbye to this wonderful world he has created:
There isn’t much out on what the film is about, other than what The Hollywood Reporter said as “An imaginative, biographic collision of poet Tatsuo Hori and World War II aviator Jiro Horikoshi,” two important historical figures in Japan. The film has been on a festival run, and has been generating a lot of early Oscar Buzz and might be the forerunner in Best Animated Film.
Wow. When I saw this trailer, I could never have been more conflicted as to how I feel about this film. On one hand, I am super excited to lose myself in this world, but on the other hand, I’m heart broken that this will be the last time I will be exploring the mind of Miyazaki. It seems that this film is going to be a more serious and mature one, but not a depressing one like Grave of the Fireflies. The more fantastical elements of the trailer seem to be more of a poetic representation of the passion and emotion our protagonists are feeling, and serves as a metaphor rather than a literal translation of what is happening in the plot. It’s as if this is Miyazaki’s love letter to his many fans, as well as to his his passion for story telling and animation. In fact, it seems that the entirety of the body of his work can be seen as a kind of letter. This letter tells us about a fantastical life, detailing his fears, passions, hardships, and coming of age. After decades, The Wind Rises really feels like him signing off. This final film is essentially him saying, “Sincerely, Hayao Miyazaki.”
So fellow OOUies, what do you guys think? Are you excited to see this film? Whatever your thoughts, comment below and let One of Us know! Also, don’t save our audio drama for yo mamma! Check out Infinite Variations right now! (although you should make your mom listen to it as well)
