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|  "Wings of Honneamise...No respect???"
, posted Fri 13 Dec 22:59
I just watched this again tonight, third time total in life, and i must say, for such a powerful and timely movie, it really doesn't get much press. In my top three, it is just ahead of fanboy-favorite samurai-shodown-reliving Ninja Scroll, and just below the gut-wrenching, sob-inducing, Dawn of the Fireflies. Note: I'm a fully westernized white anime casual viewer, so forgive me if my top 3 seems a little limited.
But yeah, back to wings of honneamise. DAMN, if this isn't an awe-inspiring movie! So many weird emotions, objects, and philosophies: a slightly off-kilter version of our own environment. An entire civilization, in just over 2 hours! After watching this movie, I feel like i've just received a history lesson on some foreign land, which only exists in a movie. Pretty powerful stuff. Even though only the one society is explored fully, you definately feel that the rest of the world is very different, as well.
Also, this movie really made me think: i could learn japanese completely fluently, and never fully understand the language. Because I believe that the only language that you truly understand is the one that you speak in your head. It's weird, though, watching subtitled movies, and thinking "I fully understand the word on the screen, but that's not the word being said, or even really meant." Odd stuff, being home high by yourself...:p
Anyways, back to Wings of Honneamise. While watching it, i got to thinking: if a Japanese movie company took the money that was spent making say Pearl Harbor, and made a Wings of Honneamise live-action in stunning quality? The technology and ideas expressed in this move wouldn't be too hard to model in real life, but they would look SO AMAZING on film! They could even use clips from the cartoon, like the rocket going off, or the title/ending credits.
I feel that this movie could really be embraced by a large western audience, given the chance. Look at Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away: these movies have begun a real trend of Anime's getting real media respect. I think that an anime really needs to be released in North American theaters; not all this Disney whanime crap. Today's youth, while obviously immature, have more of a grasp of the social issues brought up in this movie. Also, obviously, there is a niche in the teen-to-30 crowd that simply loves cartoons, and animes are just smart enough to entice them.
I think that this movie could promote some VERY weird feelings, in America especially. After it came out in america, i wouldn't be surprised to see someone remake the movie as an American Civil War drama, with a Civil-War-era rocket ship (ie: more cloth, gunpower, coal and such). Kind of like seven samurai to the magnificent seven: average movie, with a good stolen plot. Another idea could be an alternate cold war america, fighting cuba and with an odd new rocket. It'd be sweet if they got NASA behind a real Japanese remake however, completely loyal to the anime. This would be the true way to see a live-action Wings...
In the end, what all this boils down to is me wanting a.)Wings of Honneamise getting more respect as one of the most powerful animated movies ever made, b.)that REAL anime, with content to warrant the same ratings as some of the more violent action movie, begin showing in real cinemas in North america, and c.)some of the best animes be turned into live action movies, however, they should be of fantastic quality, with a stick to the cartoon storyline. They could really gain support, and then we might get a broader industry as a while.
Um...didn't mean for this to get so long...but yeah! Post your thoughts! Why is Wings of Honneamise so...underappreciated? It can't simply be the sexual assault scene, that's too easy an answer...Would it make for a damn good live action movie? Or would it get left on the cutting room floor to make room for Independance Day 2?
C'MON SUCKA!
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