Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise
Encyclopedia
is a 1987 Japanese animated
science fiction film and the first film produced by Gainax
and Bandai Visual
. It was directed and written by Hiroyuki Yamaga
with assistant director Takami Akai
. The film would eventually be a critically acclaimed Gainax classic, but it was poorly received and sold only modestly domestically and overseas. A sequel was intended to be released set 50 years later, but due to lack of funds, Gainax abandoned it part way through production; Toshio Okada cited a fundamental dissatisfaction with the script and plot.
Shirotsugh Lhadatt is an unmotivated young man who has drifted into his nation's lackadaisical space program. After the death
of a fellow astronaut
, he nurtures a close acquaintance with a young religious
woman named Riquinni Nonderaiko, whose faith
has seen her through some personal hardships. (A working title for the film was Wings of Riquinni – Royal Space Force.) Seeing Lhadatt as a prime example of what mankind is capable of, along with the godliness and ground-breaking nature of his work, she inspires him to become the first man in space.
His training as an astronaut parallels his coming of age
, and he and the rest of the members of the space project overcome technological difficulties, spiritual doubt, the machinations of their political masters, and a botched assassination attempt by the enemy nation. Amidst the debacle, Lhadatt soon becomes worn out by the overbearing publicity surrounding his space mission, prompting him to stay with Riquinni for a while; he then comes close to raping her one night while catching her undressing, causing a temporary rift between them that is later mended thanks to Riquinni's kindness.
These events culminate in the eventual space launch, which is taking place in what is essentially a demilitarized zone
, with the government's hope that the launch of the rocket will be viewed by the enemy nation as an act of war
and attack, giving Lhadatt's country a pretext to go to war. As planned, the enemy nation launches a vast combined arms
invasion, resulting in a visually stunning finale as fighter planes
duel high above an armored advance towards a defensive trench network. Despite calls to pull out, Lhadatt, already in the space capsule and determined to finish what he started, convinces the frightened and vulnerable ground crew to complete the launch. The spectacular launch stuns both sides into inaction as Lhadatt goes into orbit. With no more reference to the world below (beyond a slight suggestion that both nation's plans for war have been foiled by the successful launch), Lhadatt prays for humanity's forgiveness.
In a symbolic moment, Lhadatt's capsule is suddenly bathed in sunlight, and a montage of his own life and his world's history and achievements flash (presumably) through his mind. Meanwhile on the planet's surface, Riquinni witnesses the first snow fall and gazes into the sky, thinking of Lhadatt.
of the Chicago Sun-Times called it "a visually sensational two-hour extravaganza". DVD Times said that the animation "gives the storyteller complete control over what you see and ultimately how the viewer interprets the directors dream...the astounding animation, the attention to detail seen in every frame is quite daunting, but allows the viewer to discover new subtleties on repeated viewing." DVD Vision Japan praised the Japanese voice actor's performances for their range and emotion, as well as the "very distinctive" characters. In a discussion of original versus adapted anime, Brian Hanson of Anime News Network
goes on to say:
Okada felt in retrospect that it needed a stronger screenplay, that it was too niche and like an "art" film to be really mainstream and successful - the film did not recoup its budget at the box office.
on DVD
, which features commentary by Hiroyuki Yamaga and Takami Akai, was severely criticized for its poor quality. Bandai Visual
released a Blu-ray/HD DVD
version during its 20th anniversary, 11 September 2007, drawing on the remastered 1997 DVD release in Japan. It is now out of print.
With the failure of the project, Hideaki Anno
, who had been slated from the beginning to direct Aoki Uru, was freed up. Legendarily, he would soon agree to a collaboration between King Records and Gainax while drinking with Toshimichi Ōtsuki, a representative at King; with King Records guaranteeing a time slot, Anno set about making the anime. Unsurprisingly, elements of Aoki Uru were incorporated into the nascent Neon Genesis Evangelion:
Gainax has periodically attempted to restart Aoki Uru, such as releasing a 1998 CD with storyboards, a script, and several hundred pieces of art, and a 2000 release of a mod to Microsoft Flight Simulator
.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
science fiction film and the first film produced by Gainax
Gainax
is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as Gunbuster, The Wings of Honneamise, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which have gone on to critical acclaim and commercial success, as well as for their association with...
and Bandai Visual
Bandai Visual
, is a Japanese anime, film production and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai Co., Ltd. and a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings, Inc., which is based in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Since the reorganisation of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2006, Bandai Visual now heads the group's Visual and...
. It was directed and written by Hiroyuki Yamaga
Hiroyuki Yamaga
is a founding member of the Japanese animation studio Gainax, and a anime director. He wrote the screenplay for Gundam 0080 . He is best known for directing the film "Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise" at age 24, directing Mahoromatic & Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi , and an episode...
with assistant director Takami Akai
Takami Akai
is an illustrator, game creator, character designer and animator born on November 21, 1961 in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was a board member of Gainax, and runs his own company titled NineLives. His wife is Kimiko Higuchi...
. The film would eventually be a critically acclaimed Gainax classic, but it was poorly received and sold only modestly domestically and overseas. A sequel was intended to be released set 50 years later, but due to lack of funds, Gainax abandoned it part way through production; Toshio Okada cited a fundamental dissatisfaction with the script and plot.
Plot
The story is set in a parallel version of Earth, where an industrial civilization is flourishing amidst the backdrop of an impending war between two bordering nations, the kingdom of Honneamise and the "Republic".Shirotsugh Lhadatt is an unmotivated young man who has drifted into his nation's lackadaisical space program. After the death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
of a fellow astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
, he nurtures a close acquaintance with a young religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
woman named Riquinni Nonderaiko, whose faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
has seen her through some personal hardships. (A working title for the film was Wings of Riquinni – Royal Space Force.) Seeing Lhadatt as a prime example of what mankind is capable of, along with the godliness and ground-breaking nature of his work, she inspires him to become the first man in space.
His training as an astronaut parallels his coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
, and he and the rest of the members of the space project overcome technological difficulties, spiritual doubt, the machinations of their political masters, and a botched assassination attempt by the enemy nation. Amidst the debacle, Lhadatt soon becomes worn out by the overbearing publicity surrounding his space mission, prompting him to stay with Riquinni for a while; he then comes close to raping her one night while catching her undressing, causing a temporary rift between them that is later mended thanks to Riquinni's kindness.
These events culminate in the eventual space launch, which is taking place in what is essentially a demilitarized zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
, with the government's hope that the launch of the rocket will be viewed by the enemy nation as an act of war
Casus belli
is a Latin expression meaning the justification for acts of war. means "incident", "rupture" or indeed "case", while means bellic...
and attack, giving Lhadatt's country a pretext to go to war. As planned, the enemy nation launches a vast combined arms
Combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
invasion, resulting in a visually stunning finale as fighter planes
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
duel high above an armored advance towards a defensive trench network. Despite calls to pull out, Lhadatt, already in the space capsule and determined to finish what he started, convinces the frightened and vulnerable ground crew to complete the launch. The spectacular launch stuns both sides into inaction as Lhadatt goes into orbit. With no more reference to the world below (beyond a slight suggestion that both nation's plans for war have been foiled by the successful launch), Lhadatt prays for humanity's forgiveness.
In a symbolic moment, Lhadatt's capsule is suddenly bathed in sunlight, and a montage of his own life and his world's history and achievements flash (presumably) through his mind. Meanwhile on the planet's surface, Riquinni witnesses the first snow fall and gazes into the sky, thinking of Lhadatt.
Japanese and English cast
- Shitotsugh Lhadatt - Leo Morimoto / Robert Matthews
- Riquinni Nonderaiko - Mitsuki Yayoi / Melody Lee
- Manna Nonderaiko - Aya Murata
- Marty / Matti Tohn - Kazuyuki SogabeKazuyuki SogabeKazuyuki Sogabe was a Japanese voice actor born in Chiba Prefecture. Sogabe retired from voice acting on December 31, 2000 when he felt a weakness in his own voice. After his retirement, many of his current roles went to voice actors Tetsu Inada and Ryotaro Okiayu. Kazuyuki, however, was active in...
/ Bryan CranstonBryan CranstonBryan Lee Cranston is an American actor, voice actor, writer and director. He is best known for his roles as Hal the father in the Fox situation comedy Malcolm in the Middle, and Walter White in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad, for which he won three consecutive Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama... - Dr. Gnomm - Chikao OhtsukaChikao Ohtsukais a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo currently represented by Aoni Production. He is the father of Akio Ōtsuka, another voice actor, and they occasionally perform together...
/ Alfred Thor - Kharock / Karrock - Masato Hirano / Arnie Hanks
Reception
Wings has received universal acclaim from film critics since its release in 1987. Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of the Chicago Sun-Times called it "a visually sensational two-hour extravaganza". DVD Times said that the animation "gives the storyteller complete control over what you see and ultimately how the viewer interprets the directors dream...the astounding animation, the attention to detail seen in every frame is quite daunting, but allows the viewer to discover new subtleties on repeated viewing." DVD Vision Japan praised the Japanese voice actor's performances for their range and emotion, as well as the "very distinctive" characters. In a discussion of original versus adapted anime, Brian Hanson of Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
goes on to say:
"It's set on a quasi-alternate-reality version of Earth, but without reams of bogus sci-fi hokum, and the screen is littered with wonderful art direction of a world that's sort of familiar, but wonderfully alien. Just look at, for example, the guns the characters use - they're not laser pistols or handguns, but these strange little things that still look like guns, but cleverly modified to fit within the rest of this wonderful universe that Gainax created.
And the story! Oh, man! It's not some spunky kid out to save the universe. It's not a band of merry adventurers battling an onslaught of demons. None of that. It's a tender story of a bored and broken man seeking redemption, pouring himself into a cause that he finds important that everyone else thinks is a laughable joke, and finding spiritual enlightenment in spite of his entire endeavor being twisted by corrupt politicians as an excuse to wage war. It's about one man coming to terms with himself. It's a story that's mature, resonant, and authentic. Every single thing in that movie is wholly idiosyncratic. It's wonderful. And not only is it unique, it is exceptionally well done. Every frame is teeming with detail."
Okada felt in retrospect that it needed a stronger screenplay, that it was too niche and like an "art" film to be really mainstream and successful - the film did not recoup its budget at the box office.
Release
The initial advertising campaign was structured to make the film seem like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Wings has been released in several versions in the United States. The 2000 release by Manga EntertainmentManga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, which features commentary by Hiroyuki Yamaga and Takami Akai, was severely criticized for its poor quality. Bandai Visual
Bandai Visual
, is a Japanese anime, film production and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai Co., Ltd. and a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings, Inc., which is based in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Since the reorganisation of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2006, Bandai Visual now heads the group's Visual and...
released a Blu-ray/HD DVD
HD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
version during its 20th anniversary, 11 September 2007, drawing on the remastered 1997 DVD release in Japan. It is now out of print.
Sequel
In March 1992, Gainax had begun planning and production of an anime movie called Aoki Uru ("Blue Uru"), which was to be a sequel to Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise set 50 years later (so as to be easier to pitch to investors) which, like Oritsu, would follow a group of fighter pilots. Production would eventually cease in July 1993: a full-length anime movie was just beyond Gainax's financial ability – many of its core businesses were shutting down or producing minimal amounts of money:"General Products had closed shop. We'd pulled out of Wonder Festival[a "flea market for garage kits"] and garage kitGarage kitA garage kit or resin kit is an assembly scale model kit most commonly cast in polyurethane resin. They are often figures portraying humans or other living creatures. In Japan, kits often depict anime characters, and in the United States depictions of movie monsters are common...
making altogether. We weren't taking on any subcontracting work for anime production. We did continue to make PC games – AkaiTakami Akaiis an illustrator, game creator, character designer and animator born on November 21, 1961 in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was a board member of Gainax, and runs his own company titled NineLives. His wife is Kimiko Higuchi...
had seen to that – but there wasn't a lot of work tossed our way. With mere pennies coming in, we were having a hard enough time just paying everyone's salaries. Finally the order came down for us to halt production on Aoki Uru. We were simply incapable of taking the project any further."
With the failure of the project, Hideaki Anno
Hideaki Anno
is a Japanese animation and film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. His style has come to be defined by the touches of postmodernism that he injects into his work, as well as the thorough portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions,...
, who had been slated from the beginning to direct Aoki Uru, was freed up. Legendarily, he would soon agree to a collaboration between King Records and Gainax while drinking with Toshimichi Ōtsuki, a representative at King; with King Records guaranteeing a time slot, Anno set about making the anime. Unsurprisingly, elements of Aoki Uru were incorporated into the nascent Neon Genesis Evangelion:
"One of the key themes in Aoki Uru had been "not running away." In the story, the main character is faced with the daunting task of saving the heroine … He ran away from something in the past, so he decides that this time he will stand his ground. The same theme was carried over into Evangelion, but I think it was something more than just transposing one show's theme onto another …"
Gainax has periodically attempted to restart Aoki Uru, such as releasing a 1998 CD with storyboards, a script, and several hundred pieces of art, and a 2000 release of a mod to Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a series of flight simulator programs for the Microsoft Windows operating system, although it was marketed as a video game. It is one of the longest-running, best-known and most comprehensive home flight simulator series...
.
Further reading
External links
(archived English homepage)- http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20010220212913/http://www.gainax.co.jp/special/rsf/comment-e.html
- http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20010220212937/http://www.gainax.co.jp/special/rsf/report-e.html
- http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20010222005346/http://www.gainax.co.jp/special/rsf/report2-e.html
- http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20010222004532/http://www.gainax.co.jp/special/rsf/report3-e.html
- "Conscience of the Otaking" -(4-part 1995/1996 Animerica interview with former Gainax president Toshio Okada)