Edgar Cochran ✝️’s review published on Letterboxd:
For a farewell, it feels extremely heartfelt, especially when the way to communicate complex emotions of love, patriotism, personal loss and suffering during war times is so shockingly palpable. I was aware of Miyazaki’s way to handle serious drama since Porco Rosso (1992), a film that ironically shares similar plot elements to this epic animated drama. However, I wasn’t aware of his ability to compete with the too soon deceased Satoshi Kon of reaching extremely tangible levels of humanity, as Millennium Actress (2001) represents the closest distance that anime has ever gotten to Ozu. This film is certainly the second closest I’ve ever gotten to the dramatic structure of Japanese classic cinema. It is easy to picture this story magnificently directed by a Naruse in top form during the 50s.
There are two sequences that shall always stay in my mind for different reasons. One is the earthquake sequence. Seldom had I seen so much animation quality dedicated in every frame, depicting a tragedy with splashes of beauty. When the sound design hit the frames, the streets became waves, and I was deeply affected. It was a very effective way to compensate the horror seen with the beauty of animated cinema.
The second moment is when we see Jirô lying down with the sick Naoko, and it is Jirô who ends up falling asleep. Naoko removes his glasses and covers him with his blanket. Maybe it sounds dumb, but I was struck down by the overwhelming tenderness of it all, especially given their present circumstances. My tears fell so effortlessly that smelling the spirit of Naruse through the blankets was the easiest thing to do, while I also missed the feeling of being embraced by a woman that loves me.
What an honorable farewell Miyazaki gave us, no matter how overused the subject matter of the movie has been since the 50s, including Japanese cinema. The Wind Rises places anime in the serious tone that Barefoot Gen (1985) and Grave of the Fireflies (1988) placed it. It feels like the story Miyazaki always wanted to do but never found the time or the inspiration for it. It rests on the influence of past classic masters and influences future filmmakers to be able to fill Miyazaki’s shoes.
85/100
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