Saturday, November 22, 2014

Blu-ray Review - The Wind Rises


The Wind Rises
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Voice Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Martin Short, Stanley Tucci, Mandy Patinkin, William B. Macy
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 18, 2014
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00MHT49KO
Running Time: 127 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Buy Link: Amazon


Review:

Now available to own on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time in the United States is the award-winning Japanese anime The Wind Rises. It is the final film from director Hayao Miyazaki before his retirement. Based on the manga Kaze Tachinu by Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises is a fictional fictionalized biopic of Jiro Horikoshi. Special Features include The Wind Rises: Behind The Microphone, Storyboards, Original Japanese Trailers and TV Spots and the Announcement Of The Completion Of The Film.


The Winds Rises tells the story of Jiro Horikoshi (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who as a young boy dreamed of being a pilot, but his poor eyesight kept from it. Despite this setback, he still loves all aviation. He is determined to become an aircraft designer and follows the footsteps of his mentor,  Giovanni Battista Caproni (voiced by Stanley Tucci). He goes on to attend Tokyo Imperial University to study engineering, where he befriends future designer, Kiro Honjo (voiced by John Krasinski)

Jiro goes on to design aircrafts for the Navy, though his creations occasionally crash and burn, he is determined to overcome any challenge. His life isn't all about airplanes, as he does fall in love with  Miori Takimoto (voiced by Emily Blunt), though their relationship ends in tragedy.



Similar to other films by Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises isn't an animation film for younger viewers, as it has adult themes and a heavy plot. I thought the film was wonderfully crafted and it is one of director's best films (though I have only seen three them). Yes, there are a few boring parts here and there, but overall The Wind Rises is a wonderful film and it looks great on Blu-ray.


*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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