Leaving behind the spectacle of The Wind Rises, it is important to acknowledge the story being told. Set in the pre-WW2 years of Japan, the film focuses upon the life of a young aircraft designer. Jiro Horikoshi has dreams of flying, but his poor eyesight brings him back to earth. After meeting famed Italian designer Caproni in regular dreams, Jiro is inspired to produce more daring creations. Despite numerous setbacks, Jiro eventually sets on the path to developing Japan's most successful aircraft, the Mitsubishi Zero. Running parallel to Jiro's aviation dreams is a fraught and tragic love story, in which two young lovers paths meet and diverge, though their aspirations are the same. Whilst Jiro aims to succeed in aircraft design, his partner Naoko is intent on studying medicine and becoming a doctor. Suffering from Tuberculosis, Naoko's story is inevitable and touching, as she strives to support the one she loves. Ultimately, Jiro overcomes his troubles, whilst Naoko accepts her fate. The narrative is intertwined around real events, including the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the rise of Nazism in Germany, and the years preceding the Second World War. Throughout the film it appears as if a dark foreshadowing is rumbling beneath the story, as it is increasingly apparent that war is approaching. Despite this theme, the film is fairly upbeat, and the dream sequences offer an idealised and more positive outlook on an otherwise gloomy prospect. The likeable dream-character of Caproni seems to provide an almost retrospective comic-relief, as if he is laughing in the face of adversity.
