Monthly Archives: April 2015

Next Thursday, the Donald Keene Center of Japanese Culture at Columbia University will host a talk about Hayao Miyazaki‘s final film, The Wind Rises (2013). Susan Napier, Professor of Japanese Studies at Tufts University, will conduct the lecture.

Hayao Miyazaki, arguably the world’s greatest living animator, announced his retirement the same year that he released his final film, The Wind Rises in 2013. The film, while carrying on many Miyazaki traditions such as a compelling narrative, well-rounded characters, and stunning imagery, also departs from these traditions in important ways. The Wind Rises is a realistic historical narrative, rather than a fantasy; the film is set in 1930’s Japan, and traces the development of Japan’s greatest war plane, the Mitsubishi Zero. With its themes of war, technology and evanescence, The Wind Rises was controversial at its release, and left many critics uncertain of Miyazaki’s final filmic message. This lecture will explore the complex legacy Myazaki has left us in The Wind Rises and the controversies that still persist.

Time: Thursday 9 April, 6:00 PM
Location: 403 Kent Hall, Columbia University
No registration required
Details