T.A.O's: The Classics:

Review:

There's a moment in "Hiroyuki Yamaga's" film when you know you're watching something special. The "astronaut hero", having returned from his experiences of grandeur and glory, asks the child of his close friend a question. Much like his standing from the rest of society, "Shirotsugu Lhadatt" appears high & sizable in front of the young girl. "What should I give to her?", Shiro asks. Almost insouciantly the young girl replies, "Some stars". He calmly answers back: "Where I'm going, I could never get close enough."

Afterwards, the two look at one another for a moment & laugh, it's nearly amazing to see the child's face light up. Almost as if she's just found her mother after being lost. Much like our young hero who has yet to find himself, to our surprise he already has...

"The Wings Of Honneamise" is an incredible triumph of the human spirit, told through a painstaking effort of vision & emotion. One who has seen the film many times, will recall an almost mitigating quality about the movie's concepts regarding history and religion. This is customary to many "Gainax" productions; often displayed with a sense of regression. Here, it's widened to the point of a dream. Yet, it's still a dream which creates the amazing journey of "Shirotsugu Lhadatt", a young cadet who has been told he cannot dream.

The heart and poignancy of a film like Honneamise, is first found in discovering the one truth of all good science fiction. 1) It involves the drudgery to either overcome or achieve, and 2); a movie is even greater if it contains both. Having said all of this, you may be surprised to find that my first recollection of this film was not positive. Yes, I admit; the first time I saw the film I didn't enjoy it. However, this didn't mean that I failed to either acknowledge or appreciate the meticulous effort at hand.

Once I could get past the seemingly factitious qualities, I began to witness the true heart of a director whom I believe realizes one thing; that the true heart of a film can only be accepted through learning. So yes, I would be right in saying I mostly view Honneamise as a learning experience. Both in storytelling & visual emotion. Easily said; not achieved.

Like most jumbo anime productions of it's time, "The Royal Space Force" (Or so it's often been called) was a movie which could have easily made or destroyed it's parent production studio. Not to mention the plethora of talents & visionaries behind the work itself. To put it rather bluntly, the film was a huge flop in Japan (This is for reasons unbeknownst to myself). Under this datum of "animé" film, TWOH is legendary for it's grand budget and immense level of concept. It remains among my most favorite films.

Yet, this is still a movie which never fails to raise two definitive concepts upon repeated viewings. One, it encompasses the very essense of what is to be human: the beauty of exploration; not to ignore it's consequences. Also, it's an epic story of man's own space journey and the futility of war's effect on progress. Everything of deep meaning comes into play for the story's protagonist "Shiro", a calmly insipid yet steadfast soldier who doesn't practice the art of killing. What I have always found to be impeccable about this film, is it's wonderful ability to view such things as orthogonal to mankind's own fateful will.

It is this will alone, which serves as the 'driving force' for the characters of Honneamise. They are youthful wights capable of victory but not defeat. In an almost negative light, it's the most sinister kind of ethical spirit; born with youth and decaying with old cynical governments or corrupt societies. Fortunately, this kind of stuff usually only thrives in old history books.

But in such a day n' age when the spiritism of humanity lives in question, and such notions remain unanswered, it is these kind of movies which lift the spirits and challenge the mind. Enabling us to live within a dream, perhaps accepting the reality of the human will to explore. The Wings Of Honneamise is a breathtaking experience, if you just happen to look hard enough. As a feature film, it somehow manages to explore these ideas & more; without confusing or contradicting itself. As an anime it enthralls, excites and leaves us in 'awe'.

On one end, the movie is an engaging and peculiar love story; on the other an awe inspiring ride full of imagination & spectacular effects. All are one in the same, but both parallels are very unique. It is Yamaga's ability alone, to juggle and express elements which keeps us attentive. He achieves this in two fashions, with a sense of both timing and character. Often crucial to such meticulous films. It is the impeccable timing and editing which is masterful to Honneamise's backdrop; of sensational backgrounds and provoking images.

The film's opening is perhaps one that would make "Miyazaki" proud, it involves a huge (almost antique) aircraft carrier; not to mention tons of airplanes. Stumbling upon the glorious sight, during a walk on a snow covered hilltop, "Shiro" proceeds to explain to us his amazing story. It foremost involves his ambition & his dreams to become a Navy pilot, though it's not the Navy most of us are thinking of. Shiro's world exists on a alternate plain, one so closely related to Earth and yet so far off in scope.

Yamaga's imagination takes us on a journey full of abundant buildings, skyscrappers; restaurants, airports & motels. Perhaps more layed-back but as equally detailed as Otomo's "Akira" or even Oshii's universe (Which seems to be a source of influence even for the young director at the time).

Such things are customary in our world, but their designs date farther back than when man ever thought of space as a possibility for travel. As much as the characters and backdrops of Honneamise are tiresome & painstaking, they are first & always glorious to look at and ponder about. How would so many influences drive a society to create such a diverse "archetype" of civilization?

This question however, doesn't seem very important if you take the time to admire Yamaga's attention to detail. Which he insists always be full of crevasses & vibrant streets & alleys. There is a minor detail which plagues our young hero, he lacks the grades to fulfill his dream; instead he enters the wing of "The Royal Space Force". A once visionary but recently forgotten program, who's dream is to enter space.

In the beginning, Shiro appears nonchalant about the whole ordeal; much like his close accomplices & friends (Who seem unreliable in more ways than one). One of the first truly beautiful scenes in the movie occurs when Shiro first stumbles upon the voluble & humble "Reiquinni"; she is passing out moralistic fliers, which have more in common with religion than a more stylized 'Evangelion'.

Shiro's life isn't exactly top-notch up to this point. For the moment, he has failed to do what he dreams; fly. His friends are there, but seem distant; they regard him as a mechanism for ridicule. Shiro would have you see otherwise, he seems to take great pride in his work; but the whole thing is but an ancient memory in the public's eye.

In one opening scene taking place in a bar/hangout, Shiro's friends talk of the government utilizing them as a tool to move a lost cause. This is evident as a couple passes by Shiro in contemptment, his own friends are not far behind. For an instance, Shiro indulges the offer of Reiquinni's devout road of God; which up until now didn't seem like a welcome change of pace.

The heart of the film is the masterful pacing, in which Yamaga balances the relationship of Shiro & Reiquinni with the political space race. Both plots seem intermingled in structure, but they exist clearly within alternate plains of spirit. It is the spirit of Reiquinni which opens up the eyes of Shiro to the world he has created. Fueled by corruption and naive dominations.

The ingenuity of the Royal Space Force is perhaps as antediluvian as the people running it. Broken down old men trotting about, fulfill aged datums about gravity, motion & physics; constantly challenged by their youthful counterparts. Shrio being one of those.

On a technical measure, TWOH looks cunningly accurate; and the space equipment & launch sites are spectacular. However, this pales in comparison to the wonderful human drama. There are profound scenes which simply involve the complexity of the human face, it's expression & compatibility to create feeling.

In that respect, this movie is one of the best I've seen. In the midst of "Patlabor 2" and Miyazaki's films. There are lengthy dialouge scenes unheard of in most animes. The characters in Honneamise constantly question their fate, their ambition or existence. Some of the most beautiful scenes are simple yet profound.

One moment involves Shiro & one of his comrads standing on the completed rocket. They ponder history & ancient bones discovered below. Is man "doomed to repeat his errors?", one character might have you believe. In an engaged conversation Shiro assures him that humans can never really accept this form of cogitation.

There is a moment in Honneamise, which perhaps serves as the rejuvenation of both characters. It's an awkward scene involving Shiro & Reiquinni, which ends in apology & forgiveness; most fans know what I'm referring to. A profound scene like this, always seems to raise questions about the ethical code of the characters. As an audience, we understand they are not perfect people, nor are they big heros; but simply real human beings capable of ambition, motive & weakness. A movie like this doesn't attempt to define itself through commentary or reasoning, the only reasoning we need are the images & characters.

There are other beautiful moments when Shiro gazes at the sky in awe, Reiquinni does this as well during the passing of a plane (Probably Shiro's). We understand the love of these two characters, it is engraved but doomed to be stemed by different paths. The greatest achievement of Honneamise is it's ability to make us understand something without explaining it.

In another scene, Shiro leaves Reiquinni on a train bound for the completed rocket; they need not words but expressions to fulfill their thoughts. We understood from the beginning of the moment as Shiro said goodbye to her young daughter, described before as a special moment by this reviewer.

There are still more abundant dialouge moments in the film, some are diplomatic, others involve briefing the scientists & astronauts (Shiro is deemed the only 'real' one, but his friends are as well). They work together instead of dispersing like friends gone to war, in turn the rocket eventually serves as the antithesis for war. Characters like Shiro are willing to give their own lives for dreams on the borderline of the moment, stiff and anticipatory scenes rich in dialouge. True for the whole film.

The Wings Of Honneamise, is foremost a film about how people can change. About how the ambition and will of mankind is far better than it's potential to destroy itself (But the notion doesn't go without saying, the movie ponders man's inability to accept peace w/out knowledge of mistake).

It's one of the most symbolic and pondering love stories, about two people who learn to be beautiful inside; for better or worse, perhaps they cannot be together for what they wish to achieve. The movie is stellar in leaving this open for thought. I love many scenes in the movie, and I can't list them all. The climatic battle is exhilarating and meaningful, Shiro's first flying lesson is a lesson for all of us; if everyone took the time to really look at the sky they might see something greater than before.

A film like this challenges our minds to view this light of notion. Yamaga doesn't need intuitive meaning, only images and profound orotunds. Shiro leaves us with commentary, and a lasting image with the sun over the horizon. It is as close and real as the one he first gazed upon on a snowy hill. But this time, someone will read about Shiro in history books; instead of him reading about the things he didn't achieve.

-- "When I was young, I knew what I wanted. Only the Navy had jets, fast jets; they flew very high, & very fast. I needed to feel those wings. I'd have been a pilot, & I'd touch the wind" -- "My school graduated me, but my grades told a different story." "I wanted to achieve the greater heights." "But I blew it, and landed back in the middle." "Into the middle, of the Space Force...." --

Sweet dreams Shrio and pray. "The humblest of all things the most noble.", I think you know the rest. Just watch a beautiful thing called "The Wings Of Honneamise", & maybe someday you'll understand. Hopefully faster than me or Shiro....

~This Has Been Yet Another One Of "T.A.O.'s" New Reviews Of Classic Anime Titles.~