Les ailes d'Honnéamise

"Honneamise no tsubasa" is clearly the masterpiece of Japanese anime. I was lucky enough to see this film for the first time at the cinema, and I feel for those of you who have only been able to see it on video. What you miss is the immaculate artistry of the animation: the detail, the complexity, the invention and most of all the beauty. The opening credits are up there amongst my favourites (Vertigo, Delicatessen) not because of any originality - the use of pictures in credits have been done before (Days of Heaven) - but more because of the use of Japanese water painting of these images. It is also the blending of these images with the right music which makes the credits so exquisite. But also the great thing about this movie for all of us, is the wonderful story that is told. The use of a parallel earth in which the events occur is ingenius, it allows the story to remain in a sense inherently Japanese but also universal. See this film it is a gem

For all the flaws in this movie (actual or perceived), I have to admit that ending has stuck with me since I first saw the dubbed version five years ago. All that fighting, all that posturing--for what? No one end up caring, no one listens to their pleas for the end of violence. It is very easy to understand how these moviemakers were able to later make Neon Genesis Evangelion, which has many of the same issues (religion, an examination of the belief that some people have that "the way justifies the means," technology and the use and misuse of it by humans, etc.).

The biggest problem I have with the movie is the attempted rape scene and the victim's subsequent forgiveness of the perpetrator (the hero of the movie). I couldn't tell whether the filmmakers were being sarcastic of her religion or if they really felt it was a good thing for her to forgive him--or if they needed that scene at all. I bought the DVD, hoping that the director's commentary would shed more light on the subject--they spend more time discussing how the cels (of the girl naked) were stolen before they could give them to friends than they did explaining the purpose of the scene in the movie.

Another thing is that Wings doesn't completely break out of the anime mold to become a mainstream film--it occasionally slips into anime-style slapstick and there's a few too much insider talk (both in technological aspects and inside jokes).

Beyond that, it is a daring, engrossing but deliberately-paced animated film.

Honneamise no tsubasa is one of the most experimental animated features I have ever seen. It had some amazingly detailed and beautiful visual designs, deep concept and storyline, unique scenes that had never been done before, and so much more. Gainax had done a tremendous amount of research for this title, as a result they succeeded in virtually creating a new world, complete with its own culture, costumes, architecture, tradition, religion, rituals, etc. The character animation may lag at certain points and the film's pacing may feel a little bit too slow from time to time, but they are just minor gripes if you consider the overall greatness of the film. The Anime also contains some wonderful scenes that are practically some of animation's most glorious moments. It has the best ending I have ever seen in an animated feature, in fact, the last 20 minutes of the film are amazing beyond words. You have to see this film yourself , and definitely see it more than once. This is the anime not just for animation fans, but everyone who likes great and grandiose space opera in line of 2001: Space Odyssey

Do not listen to anybody bagging this movie, they do not have the experience with anime to appreciate it. Wings of Honeamise is a pinnacle in Japanese animation, it took anime to it's popularity. It made anime known.

The planet's first space explorers just happen to be from a land engaged in a border war. This naturally lends urgency to any mission of peaceful exploration, and this is the central message of the film: that we should strive to achieve the impossible, rather than wasting our efforts and squandering our lives bickering with our neighbors. Mankind's future is among the stars.

With its grand sweeping cityscapes and pastoral vistas to tempt the eye and its exciting race against time story of hard working rocket builders struggling to finish their creation before their construction facility is overrun by an invading army, this movie is great fun, marvelous to look at, just a joy to watch.