The Wind Rises is a 2013 Japanese animated film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The movie is a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi, a legendary Japanese aircraft designer who created the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the fighter plane that Japan used in World War II.
The film traces Jiro's life from his childhood years to his early years of aviation, and then his career as an aircraft designer. It also captures the turbulence of Japan's transformation during the period leading up to World War II. The movie beautifully portrays the passion and creativity of Jiro, who is fascinated by the mechanics of flight and constantly striving to create the best airplane designs.
As Jiro's career progresses, he faces many challenges, including illness and setbacks in his work. The movie also explores Jiro's love life, including his relationship with a woman named Nahoko, who he meets during a trip on a train. The two of them fall in love but Nahoko is terminally ill, which only makes their love more precious.
Throughout the film, Miyazaki incorporates a number of fantastical elements that are a hallmark of his style. These include dream sequences and flights of fancy that reflect Jiro's imagination and his passion for aviation.
At its core, The Wind Rises is a remarkable character study of a man driven by his love of flight to create beautiful and innovative airplanes. The movie does not shy away from the fact that Jiro's designs were ultimately used in war, but it provides a complex and nuanced portrait of a talented and idealistic man living during a tumultuous time in history.