Despite Jirou Horikoshi's myopia from never becoming a pilot, he departs his hometown to pursue aeronautical engineering at Tokyo Imperial University with a single aim: craft aircraft modeled after his idol, the Italian aviation pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni. His arrival in Tokyo aligns with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, during which he rescues a maid belonging to the household of a young girl called Naoko Satomi; this calamity signals the start of more than twenty years of societal turmoil that culminates in Japan's surrender during World War II.
For Jirou, the period before his renowned Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter emerges will challenge every aspect of him. His extensive travels and personal encounters drive him forward, even as he becomes aware of both the wartime influence of his designs and the grim truths of his own life. As years advance, he faces an unanswerable dilemma: how much is he willing to sacrifice for his dazzling ambition? His relentless pursuit is both a source of pride and a heavy burden.
Studio Ghibli Japan