"The Wind Rises" has to be my favorite Miyazaki film since "My Neighbor Totoro." While still whimsical, beautiful, and fantastic, "The Wind Rises" will be much more appreciated by adults than by children, which isn't always true for Miyazaki's work. The story follows the career, aspirations, struggles, and romantic life of Jiro Horikoshi - a Japanese airplane engineer who designed aircraft for the Japanese military during WW II. The film has themes of corrupt and flawed governments, life-threatening illness, and war, much of the dialogue about which might be a little bit lost on younger audiences. But just because "The Wind Rises" is animated doesn't mean it cannot entrance adults. It is a very artfully told story. The scenes in which Jiro is dreaming are especially beautiful and really showcase Miyazaki's unique style. My favorite parts about the film were the cast chosen for the voices of the main characters - John ...
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