Airplanes before and after war

I was very excited to write this blog because I've actually done a ton of research in how Ghibli movies reflect a different take to technology than we typically see. Ghibli's main director, Hayao Miyazaki, has spoken many times about how much he hates war. Miyazaki grew up at that time during and right after world war 2. He was alive during many horrific war events even the bombing of Hiroshima, though he was very young. Because of this he has seen how horrible war is and how horrible it has the capacity to become. He is a huge advocate for peace and solving conflict in the least violent way possible.

This moral of his is obvious in many of his films. I haven't seen The Wind Rises but have watched a few short documentaries about how the movie reflects this idea. At the movie park there were a few spots that showcased some of the art from that movie, though there wasn't anything huge. I remember learning that the film showed both a tribute to innovation but also a lament for how dreams of flight were co-opted by militarism. The portrayal of this in the movie is somewhat sober. In the movie Jiro Horikoshi’s elegant aircraft designs evolve into tools of war. Creating the idea that flight is beautiful but burdened with ethical weight, environmental cost, and emotional conflict.

When I saw this part of the park it reminded me of the opposite side of this that I saw at Meiji Mura. Though I didn't encounter a shocking number of airplanes, I did run into a few. 

At Meiji Mura, the replica of Japan’s first successful airplane—modeled after the Wright Flyer—represents the nation’s early embrace of modern technology. During the Meiji period, airplanes symbolized progress, power, and a determination to catch up with the West. The excitement around flight mirrored Japan’s broader goals of industrialization and modernization. Technology was seen as the key to national strength

These two narratives are very different, while similar in some ways. They both showcase the beauty of flight and how exciting innovation can be. However, Ghibli takes it a step further showcasing the scars that war has left of the country and flight in general.

The contrast between Meiji Mura’s pioneering aircraft and Ghibli Park’s introspective narratives shows how Japan’s relationship with technology matured in the 20th century. From admiration to introspection. Airplanes, once symbols of triumph, became mirrors reflecting the costs of unchecked progress. 

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