Royal Space Force - Wings of Honneamise

Starring:Hirotaka Suzuoki, Tom Fahn, Stanley Gurd Jr., Yoshito Yasuhara, Rob Matthews (II), Bin Shimada, Jane Alan, Steven Jay Blum, Anthony Santacrose, Masahiro Anzai, Steve Bulen, Wendee Lee, Thomas White, Tony Pope, Kazuyuki Sogabe
Director: Hiroyuki Yamaga
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Many anime fans acclaim writer-director Hiroyuki Yamaga's Wings of Honneamise as a masterpiece, but general audiences may react less enthusiastically. Honneamise is a small country in a parallel world very similar to Earth. Shiro Lhadatt, the least impressive cadet in the air force flight school, volunteers to become the first astronaut in a controversial space program. Training toughens his body, while the priggish evangelist Riqunni challenges him to discipline his spirit. In one distasteful sequence, Shiro attempts to rape her. The next morning he starts to apologize, only to have her apologize for braining him with a candlestick, a scene certain to infuriate feminists. Despite an invasion by a hostile country, Shiro gets into space and delivers a ponderous homily from his capsule.

Amazon.com

Many anime fans acclaim writer-director Hiroyuki Yamaga's Wings of Honneamise as a masterpiece, but general audiences may react less enthusiastically. Honneamise is a small country in a parallel world very similar to Earth. Shiro Lhadatt, the least impressive cadet in the air force flight school, volunteers to become the first astronaut in a controversial space program. Training toughens his body, while the priggish evangelist Riqunni challenges him to discipline his spirit. In one distasteful sequence, Shiro attempts to rape her. The next morning he starts to apologize, only to have her apologize for braining him with a candlestick, a scene certain to infuriate feminists. Despite an invasion by a hostile country, Shiro gets into space and delivers a ponderous homily from his capsule.

Wings was made by a group of young artists in 1987, and with a record- setting budget. Art director Hiromasa Ogura's lavish designs blend '80s high-tech with art nouveau, and Yamaga's leaden pacing gives viewers the time to study every detail. Fans of Honneamise acclaim it as a critical meditation on the illusions and follies of the human race, which suggests that profundity, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. (Ages 13 and older for violence, attempted rape, and occasional profanity) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant, intelligent, and dazzling for Anime fans, questionable for others........2007-04-08

At the time of its release, Gainax's debut feature WINGS OF HONNEAMISE was the most expensive animated feature from Japan, with a budget of eight million yen (today that might not seem like such a big deal, but this is 1987 we are talking about). Yet while the movie earned critical raves it was a stunning commercial disaster. It was not until approximately seven years later that WINGS OF HONNEAMISE finally turned a profit. Today it is hailed among Anime fans as one of the all-time masterpieces of the genre.

Scripted and directed by 24-year-old Hiroyuki Yamaga, WINGS OF HONNEAMISE, is set in a bizarre Japanese/American hybrid world with futuristic technology but where the concept of space travel seems laughable. The protagonist is Shirotsugh Lhadatt, an unmotivated cadet of the often-ridiculed (and constantly threatened) Royal Space Force. When he starts a relationship with a religious woman named Riquinni, Shiro becomes inspired, and, before long, volunteers to be the first man into space.

It's obvious that a lot of effort went into the animation of this movie, and the results show. For a 1987 production, WINGS OF HONNEAMISE showcases some intricately detailed backgrounds that fully realize the strange world of our protagonists. The animation itself, though not as smooth as, say, a traditional Disney cartoon or AKIRA, neither as beautiful as a Studio Ghibli film is still quite impressive. And even though the characters don't have the huge eyes or round faces of most Anime leads, they're visibly expressive. In addition to which, the camera work is amazing; watching this movie one has the feeling that they are witnessing a live-action drama rather than a cartoon.

That said, WINGS OF HONNEAMISE's entertainment value might not be for everyone. Fans weaned on fast-paced Anime productions may be put off by HONNEAMISE's languid pace. There are only two major action set pieces in the movie, and they happen about three-quarters of the way through and near the end, respectively. But mostly the movie concentrates on character development and tackles political issues. While this gives HONNEAMISE a depth of complexity in its plot, there are times when the structure of the story feels unfocused. A subplot involving a war with a rival country for the rocket, in particular, seems superfluous.

Then there's the confused relationship between Shiro and Riquinni. Mostly it develops well through the movie (with occasional chuckles coming from Shiro's lack of understanding of whether his interactions with Riquinni are platonic or romantic); but why did the script have to include a disturbing rape attempt scene? Not only does it provide discomfort to the audience, this sequence feels strangely out of place and inconsistent with both the plot and the characterizations of both Shiro and Riquinni. It makes even less sense in the following scene when Shiro, attempting to apologize, is instead told by Riquinni to forgive *her* for smashing a jar on his head! That this nasty sequence doesn't go anywhere afterwards is also abrupt in terms of development. Instead of providing an interesting turning point in the protagonists' relationship, this scene only comes across as pointless as well as violent.

One other scene that feels disjointed from the rest of the movie takes place toward the end, where, after Shiro is finally in space, we are suddenly treated to what appears to be a gradual progression of humanity. Taken on its own, this approximately four minute long sequence showcases some imaginative animation styles; this is the most artfully done scene in the movie, rendered in charcoal-like colors and set to a trippy yet surreal score (courtesy of Oscar-winner Ryuichi Sakamoto). On the flip side, this sequence interrupts (and delays) the denouement of the film, and is awkwardly transitioned into.

In fact the whole strangeness of WINGS OF HONNEAMISE might be too off-putting to non-Anime fans; for an exercise in creativity and imagination, this movie excels. But the confused plot twists in this otherwise ambitious and brilliant tale may be too problematic to recommend it to viewers expecting a well-structured story. It also clocks in at two hours, and some of that running time is wasted in sequences where nothing much happens.

It should be noted, too, that this is not a movie for young children. In addition to that aforementioned rape attempt scene, there is a bloody battle scene between our hero and an enemy spy, and a climax that involves an attack on ground and air (while the Royal Space Force struggles to launch Shiro into space). While these sequences have a lot more energy than the low-key tone of the picture, both are considerably violent. To be fair, though, they're also not as gruesome or sickening as in other Anime features.

The movie is still worth watching, however, because of the detailed animation and ambitious concept. Not many animated features in America have attempted such a story like this, and so for that, WINGS OF HONNEAMISE does stand out. Yet the movie probably plays better to Anime fans than it may to non-fans.

Royal space force.......2007-04-06

this is a great Animae movie of an alternative 'analogue' technology with clear links to aviation and computor developments that ceased at the end of world war 2. I found the depth of detail in the animation compelling and I was able to get involved in the characters and the plot very easily.

where is the japanese laguage version?.......2006-08-28

I bought this movie on VHS many years ago when Manga released it. It is still one of my favorite animes. I wanted to get it on DVD but sadly I was disappointed. Where is the original Japanese language (english subtitled) version? Everywhere I go online, the DVD version is all English dubbed. I guess I can always send my video tape out for someone to copy to copy to DVD for me. :(

THE BEST OF THE JAPANIMATION I'VE EVER SEEN!!.......2006-02-21

Some other reviews that rate this DVD low seem to be pointing out its video quality, not the film itself. This DVD, however, I bought at Hawaii had none of those problems to play on my DVD player at home in Japan. It's unfortunate for such reviews to be wrongly lowering its Average Customer Review.

I am Japanese living in Japan. I watched this film for the first time at the theater after reading Hayao Miyazaki's preview that had praised it to the skies.

"What a film," I thought myself. It successfully creates a RETRO PARALLEL WORLD of ours, having nothing to do with fantastic robots or supernatural forces in space operas.

As a Japanese, in order for the foreign audience not to misunderstand the culture of the WORLD shown in the film, I have to say it is none of Japanese, Chinese, or Korean one. The film crew seems to have invented it so that even the Japanese audience can find it quite ethnic. It looks like Mongolian or Bhutanese culture if I may say so.

Lastly I'd like to mention some differences between Japanese and English versions of the film. In the Japanese version, people belonging to the enemy country speak in an imaginary foreign language, which is not even Greek to me, so the picture has Japanese subtitles for it, successfully giving the Japanese audience the feeling that they are really foreigners to the heroes' country.

The enemy fighters often shout like, "An Zhad Rhy!" as a salute after briefing and just before attacking. It is translated into "God bless you," in the subtitles.

Cooooooooooool!!

One of the best animated films ever -- atrocious video quality.......2005-10-30

I bought the 12" laserdisc release of this movie some years ago, and the colors are vivid, the edges are sharp, and I could find little to complain about except they messed up the subtitles in several spots -- they were actually missing in certain scenes.

But laserdisc is a dead format. Now comes the DVD, and they've ruined the movie. The colors are washed out. Edge enhancement is very prominent and annoying. If you are watching on a progressive monitor -- the deinterlacing is bad. The picture looks fuzzy, in spite of the edge enhancement.

If you must have this film, please buy a used copy -- they're quite reasonable. You should not support a company who cares so little about this beautiful work of art and so little about their customers that they would release such a shoddy product and expect you to shell out $25 for it. I thought the Return of Sherlock Holmes DVD transfers were bad, but this is worse.

Shame, shame on all who had a hand in releasing this DVD edition.

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