Between its gorgeous visuals and the emotional depth given to its biographical tale, The Wind Rises is a Studio Ghibli film that succeeds on all fronts. It's one of Hayao Miyazaki's strongest films to date, and while he later changed his mind on it, it would have been the perfect film for him to retire on.

The Wind Rises is Hayao Miyazaki at his peak. It's a reflective, often critical look at the role his father played in the war while also asking the question, is it okay to dream if those dreams can be used by someone else for evil. Probably the strongest romance in any Ghibli's films save for Porco Rosso. The hand holding scene is sublime.