Controversial new Hayao Miyazaki Kaze Tachinu film

I read an article from Tokyotimes.com that Hayao Miyazaki is releasing a new animated film titled "“Kaze Tachinu” (“The Wind Has Risen”) about the lives of Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of Japan’s World War II-era Zero fighter plane, and mid-20th century writer Tatsuo Hori. Though I am not big on historical films, I LOVEEEEE his animated ones.

Most people know him from his movie "Spirited Away". It's about a girl, Chihiro, who gets separated from her parents, and is lost in a fantasy world filled with ghosts, frog-like people, and a dragon-boy, who she cares deeply for. It's one of those movies that help you reclaim your childhood innocence. This movie is no bubble gum crap, and it certainly has some dark sides to it. The storyline and images that flow out of Miyazaki's mind is otherworldly. So much so that I even had a dream filled with one of his soap-shaped bugs with 8 legs crawling around.

Spirited Away has lessons in friendship, greed, and conquering your fears. After watching it the first time, you will probably hit replay, and enjoy it all over again as I did. Go buy or rent it!

UPDATE: Seems like people in Japan are pretty pissed at the anti-war stance of Miyazaki's new film "Kaze Tachinu". Even though people want animated films to be PC, I think Miyazaki has a right to express his opinion. War is a human abomination, and needless lives are lost due to ideologies.

(imdb.com)

(Studio Ghibli)

(Studio Ghibli)