Love Under a Leaky Parasol - Part 3
The next morning, Jiro takes his daily stroll through the countryside and finds the girl’s painting canvas and parasol in the tree shade, abandoned. He follows a water creek to find the girl near a spring. They bow respectfully to each other, but when he comes closer, she quickly turns away.
As he prepares to leave, Nahoko begs Jiro not to go, revealing that she asked the spring to bring him to her. Nahoko’s ‘prayer’ is a way of seeking a connection with Jiro, as well as acknowledging the role of Nature and Fate in their reunion.
In some cultures, springs are seen as sacred places with healing powers. People often visit springs to pray for blessings or to ask for help with their problems. Nahoko’s request to the spring is a way of asking for help to reunite with Jiro, because her feelings for him have transcended time and space. And why wouldn’t she ask for Divine intervention?
She has experienced the horror of losing a parent to a horrible disease, and then was given a death sentence. To a young woman, whose life will be cut too short, this reunion with the man that helped her in a helpless situation, must feel like a great gift — a second lease on life. Mother Nature (in the guise of the wind) seems to want these two together.
Out of nowhere, ferocious downpour drowns the countryside, and the young couple hides under the parasol. Jiro regrets that it can’t protect her, but Nahoko is too elated to worry about the fact that the rain is leaving her soaked to the bone. She calls Jiro her “knight in shining armor”, though I’m not sure he feels that way.
Symbolically, the leaky parasol foreshadows Jiro’s inability to rescue Nahoko from her impending death. It also foreshadows Nahoko’s appreciation for every moment even if it’s imperfect and limited. Jiro has brought happiness into her life during its most challenging time – he’s a source of strength, joy and love.
With a wistful smile, Jiro remarks that the rain ruined her painting. Nahoko replies she’ll keep it “in honor of that day”. It’s a poignant reflection of the film’s themes of embracing life, love, and creativity in the face of challenges and limitations, by emphasizing the beauty in transience, the fleeting nature of life, and the significance of small moments that can hold profound meaning in one’s personal journey.
The rain storm ends as quickly as it began. Nahoko enthusiastically marks the spot where the road becomes dry again and points at a beautiful rainbow. It’s ironic that Jiro (a man deeply engrossed in the world of aeronautical engineering and innovation) has almost forgotten the simple beauty of a rainbow. Then, she remarks “Life is wonderful, isn’t it?”
Yes, yes it is; despite the adversities and the impermanence of life, there are moments of profound beauty and happiness to be found. Jiro’s passion for designing airplanes and deep Nahoko’s appreciation for the natural world align at this moment. The colorful bow is as beautiful and inspirational as the natural curvature of a mackerel bone.
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I finally found my favorite song from The Wind Rises because this song romantically plays in my favorite scene.
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THE WOMEN OF STUDIO GHIBLI FILMS
“Many of my movies have strong female leads – brave, self-sufficient girls that don’t think twice about fighting for what they believe in with all their heart. They’ll need a friend, or a supporter, but never a savior. Any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man.” –Hayao Miyazaki
Kiki and Ursula (Kiki's Delivery Service)
Shizuku Tsukishima (Whisper of the Heart)
San and Lady Eboshi (Princess Mononoke)
Chihiro (Spirited Away)
Sophie Hatter (Howl's Moving Castle)
Arrietty (The Secret World of Arrietty)
Nahoko Satomi (The Wind Rises)
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(from this post)
FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE (tho I agree w/ you)- that’s the only Ghibli film that’s made you cry?! Have you seen ‘Grave of the Fireflies’?? With your eyes?? 😭 I was sad for weeks afterwards 😳 Unless you haven’t, I’m sad at my own easy emotions lol
… love your art btw <3
I watched Grave of the Fireflies at 1AM a few years ago and didn't cry. I think it's because I already spoiled myself on all the sad bits.
The Wind Rises knocked me on my ass during my first watch. It's the build-up of Nahoko running away from the sanatorium despite her sickness and reuniting with Jiro. The hug at the train station and the way they melt into each other. Then the wedding. Then the hand-holding by lamplight, the softness of their words, them falling asleep next to each other, their last kiss. Then Nahoko... leaves. She leaves because her time is up, because she will die, because they must face the consequences of their shortsighted passion. Jiro's little sister runs out into the street and sobs for her to come back. And Jiro, unaware, forgets about his plane and looks out across the vast countryside. The world is silent and he is alone.
I cried like crazy, man.
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A picoCAD Model of the scene depicted in the cover of "The Wind Rises", one of my favourite Ghibli movies!
There are two versions: one with Nahoko painting alone and one with Nahoko und Jiro kissing.
Made for picoCAD Jam 89: Anime.
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Love Under a Leaky Parasol - Part 1
The first meeting between Jiro and Nahoko is very curious due to the reference to Paul Valéry’s poem “Le Cimetière Marin”. After young Nahoko rescues Jiro’s hat, she says “Le vent se lève”, and he replies with “Il faut tenter de vivre”. Just what are the odds that two characters would ever quote this poem to one another as some kind of commentary on life?!
It’s difficult to imagine a more striking first meeting. Jiro and Nahoko share an extraordinary, mystical understanding due to their knowledge of that poem. “Le Cimetière marin” is a meditation on life, mortality, and the impermanence of existence. The characters’ recitation of the poem suggests a shared sensitivity and a recognition of the beauty in the midst of life’s transience.
The characters are brought together by the wind: that whimsical and incomprehensible force. Jiro is taken aback by her recitation of the poem, and their secret understanding causes a huge stir in the heart of the young aeronautical enthusiast, and has a profound impact on his life. The line “The wind is rising! We must try to live!” is a call to action, a reminder to cherish the time we have, and to live life to the fullest. Jiro and Nahoko are both dreamers; Jiro yearns to design beautiful airplanes, and Nahoko wants to live a full and meaningful life. They’re both drawn to the beauty of the world around them, and they both have a deep appreciation for life.
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