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Released : 1987 (Theatrical) 1995 (English Language
Version) Wings of Honnemise is an epic tale of a civilization’s first faltered steps into space, set in a world that is strangely similar to our own. Political and military actions are taken to ground the mission to enter the final frontier, while astronaut Shiro Ladot, the man responsible for giving the mission its aim towards the stars is in training for a mission that will change the course of history. But as Ladot continues on his journey, he not only is forced to face problems of national security and extreme training exercises, but also he struggles to find the purpose behind his continuing efforts towards space and someone with whom he can share his life-long desire to achieve something greater than himself. From its first screening in Japan over a decade ago, Wings of Honnemise was instantly classified as a classic. An epic tale of pure love as we enter the endless grace of gods domain amongst the stars. It was a beautiful example of animation’s ability to truly capture the true emotions and states of the heart and soul that usually lay out of reach of other conventional mediums. As it deals with such issues, the plot forms a medium between action adventure and a romance of unrequited love which results in a rather long and drawn-out showcase of brooding emotions amongst small amounts of action that all help build the character until his ultimate goal, the understanding of his heart and the reasons for his long journey. Assassination attempts, war from other nations to stop the launch and opposing forces within his own ranks soon open Ladot’s eyes and he starts thinking differently. He see's how this world has been ruined, and how war and conflict will one day end everything and if not, it will leave everyone hurt forever. This leaves most action loving anime fans unfulfilled and bored for the majority of the picture leaving for some very biased opinions of the movie. So if you do intend on screening this movie I don’t recommend it as an action movie, but rather as a romantic adventure. When screened during the Sydney Olympic Japanime Film Festival it was meet with mixed responses. Expressions of lax contempt filled the crowd as they filtered out of the Dendy Cinemas. Some satisfied and many left unfulfilled from the story line. Or maybe it just greatly paled in comparison to Hayoa Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke that was premiered the night before. The budget of the movie is obviously sparse in some areas and highly detailed in the more important sequences of the film. This is most obvious in the climax of the film which contains one of the most beautifully detailed shuttle launches ever put to film, definitely at the time of the films creation. The music that accompanies the film, is a beautifully composed track that highlights the feel of the film perfectly with very enjoyable beats. The amount of detail that went into creating the society in which the characters live very close to our own is unfathomable, leading to some exotically beautiful landscapes and mechanics of machinery and the society’s functions. The journey of Ladot is long and hard, this also parallel’s many of our own lives, and it truly is inspiring to see a character dealing with emotional problems many of us face in our own lives. Overall I recommend this movie a beautiful piece of thoughtful viewing that will hopefully put a smile on your face and a beat in your heart. LINKS |
