Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise (1987) Review

[@moscowjade]

Since this is my favorite movie, I would like to suggest a different take on the near-rape scene. The scene begins with a disillusioned Shiro going to where he feels like he can get something real and true in this world: Riquinni's house. When he gets there, it is raining, and they run inside where Riquinni takes off her boot, and out pop a bunch of coins. This is the PIVOTAL moment of the entire affair, because if you read Shiro's reaction to this, you can understand why he nearly did what he did and why he was shocked at the fear on her face. He assumed, the moment the coins fell out, that Riquinni was a prostitute all along. However, we as the audience know she works the fields. He found her handing out pamphlets in the red light district. She is a single mother. The pieces all added up. That is why he lies on the floor looking morose the entire time, and why he won't accept her food. He now believes that there is NOTHING good in this world. The one thing that was pure and true and worth risking his life for turns out to be a LIE and her good-girl act was all a game which he simply wasn't getting. Obviously, she wanted from him what all prostitutes want, and when she went behind the screen, he assumed it was an invitation. BUT, when he sees the look of terror on her face, THAT is when he realizes, holy shit, that he was wrong, wrong, WRONG. And then she clocks him. LOL. The sad thing about this scene is that is an absolutely PIVOTAL SCENE in the entire movie - the place where Shiro finds out that he is not some noble hero on a quest, and it is the world that has failed him. He finds out that he is just as stupid and wayward as everyone else. He had to fall from that high place before he could move forward as the hero of the story. Anyway. I loved your analysis, and your comments, because yes, most people balk at that scene because what happens is so subtly implied rather than overtly stated. Cheers!

[@LeoSkyro]

imo there is zero indication that Shiro might have thought she was a prostitute. - Nothing in his demeanor suggests it (there's no way it could even be conveyed to begin with), he was just embarassed because since she's dirt poor she stores what is likely all her monetary possessions in her boot, and they're probably pocket change to him. - she has been shown to him to be a complete prude and religious fanatic, strongly rejecting all his advances, both sexual and philosophical, when he tried challenging her beliefs - she was handing out flyers in the entertainment district, (yeah sure there are brothels, but this reads more as a debauched wonderland with all the vices being fulfilled and she's doing it precisely because this is a place that represents everything that she thinks is wrong with the world, which she confirms directly to him - the kid is not her daughter, she's specifically presented by her as an orphan, who she's raising - he wasn't depressed because of this alleged realisation, he was depressed because he was disillusioned with all this space thing, which is why he went to her place. - so he was laying there being all bummed, when suddenly he sees her legs, and gets horned up.... AND probably (as in I think) he thought he was never coming back from this mission alive, so might as well shoot his shot. too bad she wanted nothing to do with it and he acted in the worst way possible. - she didnt "invite" him, and there is no indication that he thought she did, otherwise he wouldnt have so violently assaulted her, or taken so long to snap out of it

[@moscowjade]

@@LeoSkyro I agree to disagree.

[@KronnangDunn]

I also thought she was selling herself. She had a pink ribbon when he returned to her. She did not wear one. Matty's prostitute girlfriend had one and the Chic's in the brothels had pink ribbons too....

[@---mh7dk]

I love this movie but the idea that Shiro thought she was a prostitute is a stretch & it's the weakest part of the film.

[@KronnangDunn]

I relieve that the scene shows how flawed he and his society are. In the end all humans have the same basic impulses. Riquinni has surpassed all that and is full of love and forgiveness. She is a saint. Shirotsugh is just a man.

[@radkonpsygami7634]

Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise was one of the first Japanese anime films I ever saw - back in the 80's when anime still wasn't popular yet. Back then a few anime clubs existed and they had pen pals in Japan who would exchange cross-taped VHS tapes of anime for VHS tapes of TV shows in USA like Star Trek New Generation. Back then it was magical to see something like this - something that 99.99% of US audience was absolutely unaware of (a few anime clubs being the only exception). It still is one of my favorite movies of all time. Siskel and Ebert did see this and gave it 5 stars out of 5.

[@MisterTwit]

It's sad to me that 1988's Akira is the film that gets all the attention and this one from a year prior gets largely forgotten. Of the two, I found it much more optimistic, imaginative and thought-provoking.

[@GreenLegendRan]

Agreed.

[@gammaphonic]

I first saw this film back in the late 90s when they used to show Japanese animation on TV late on a Saturday night in the UK. It stuck with me much more than the likes of Ghost in the Shell and Akria and it remains one of my all time favourites to this day. I even imported the vinyl soundtrack from Japan, oh man that closing theme sounds amazing when you play it on a good hi-if and turn it way up :D

[@menandwomenarefromearth]

They showed this on UK's Channel 4 one morning in the early 90s and it stuck in my head forever.

[@acerock013]

this is one of the best films that no-one talks about.

[@allloren7277]

I just watched it the ending brought me to tears

[@FinlayFosterReviews]

This is quite possibly my favourite sci-fi film of all time everything from the pacing to the excellent characterisation of shiro and wonderful world building all culminated together to make one of the most touching, visually stimulating and downright beautiful films I have ever seen. That ending scene remains my favourite ending of any film ever also, so damn good

[@heavenknight18]

I just had a clip of a scene where what looks like a Soyuz rocket takes off while fighters fight to hold enemies back pop up in my feed randomly just now, and I was instantly blown away. "This is 80s style anime? How have I never seen or heard of this before?! It looks amazing!" I thought. Now I have to see this.

[@heavenknight18]

Oh my God, Anno worked on this too??!

[@Demolitiondude]

I've seen the full battle scene. And it's impressive that in spite of war, something much more grand is unfolding. Human progress literally stopped war.

[@devonstart2758]

it also starts the war. check out the whole movie!

[@BinaryDood]

The most impressive animated sequence in this movie is the disintegrating debris in space. Anno animated it to beyond perfection. 1 second

[@trevorsproston9452]

thank you, finally someone brought attention to this anime.

[@ValkGame]

This is actually the movie that really got me into anime in the first place. Sure I had seen Robotech, Voltron, and other assorted TV adaptions. But one time in highschool in a Jumbo Video I picked this up for rent on VHS (Yikes, dating myself three times there) But I sure don't regret watching it, and I wish more modern anime would take the approach of a...shall we say more textured reality? Than the trend of unerring main characters and realities that reinforce there far too narrow of 'I believe, therefore I am right'.

[@coalhalo]

It’s such a great looking movie right from the start and Gainax came out with both barrels blazing and the attention to detail never ever lets up. It’s a shame that this film is often overlooked because to me it’s a classic. It’s got some great characters that aren’t all one dimensional stereotypes, from the Space Force to the old rocket enthusiasts. The kid does get on my nerves, but that could just be me. As time goes on Royal Space Force, and many films like it are being forgotten or never discovered by the younger generations.

[@quadrono5714]

I got into anime in the late 80s when we were lucky to have a 3rd generation copy of a copy on VHS. Royal Space Force was one of the first films i encountered and remains in my top 5 today. Thanks for this very thoughtful look at a truely remarkable film.

[@watchdogs7546]

the near rape scene was in there to show one of the different culture shocks of royal space force's universe. its setting is on a foreign planet similar to earth. their infrastructure, vehicles, and tools are all depicted similar yet slightly different than ours. even their attitude towards dead comrade was very different - main character taking nap on a coffin of his comrade and etc. so in this universe the concept of rape, harrassment might also be very different.

[@Leptospirosi]

American public does not want to see "real world in anime, even when it's in a total fictional and distopic universe. It is perfectly fine to show people being massacred, but God forbid a pair of boobs, or sexist violence or whatever, even when it's part of human history since day one. Domestic violence is every day tale everywhere in the world, but completely taboo, something to be kept hidden. The world has to be depicted in Good and Bad, Good guys and bad Guys: if you do something that des not make you a good guy, then you are a bad guy, because shades of grey and less then crystalline coherence is "unacceptable", even if it's part of all of us. This puritan flaw on part of the public destroyed any chance of this masterwork to become truly appreciated in the States and it also marks how different coutures relates with the themes the OAV develops.

[@Cardinalbins]

+The Cinemologists Im very impressed by this video. I just watched this movie 10 min. ago and was just now googling as many informations i can possibly get, and i found youre Video. Im very pleasantly surprised how well you are analyzing the film, you are putting everything into words i was still thinking about just now, you are really catching the tail! The best thing is you're using this movie as a perfect oppurtunity to talk about the development of animation over the past decade, which are exactly my thougts over the recent years, or months. You really took a lucky hit on me, with this video, im really glad you made it,😁 Thank you! I subscribed, obviously 😤

[@Cardinalbins]

Maybe im wrong with my opinion riggt now, but i think the animation industry is not completely lost. I think there are aspects and attempts of this movie being re used in a similar manner in other animes, movies and mangas of more recent times. The first example that would come to my mind( even if it could be a rather shallow pick in your eyes) would be Planetes, and yes this pick came from the similar setting too... But what really impressed me was the end message of wings if honnemaise. Which is, in my eyes, the question, what does humanity desire, and why we end up carrying so many horrofiying wars with us.. This may not be the total complete message, but it is surely one aspect of that. What strikes me here, similar thoughts to that can be found in other animes e.g. "Planetes" too. In this case with a more focused look on borders, globalisation and political corruption, but nonetheless the recemblace is there. Oh, and yes, i was as well irritated by that rape attempt scene. It kind of put me out of my comfort zone, it affirmed my fear that in this kind of movies always something radical wants to throw me out if my pace. And i had to stop the movie, had to release my tention for a few minutes by soliloquizing😅. So i checked off this scene for myself, as a macabre way to wake me up. And yes i missed the point.. But i guess that happens, and it kinda prooves your point, isnt it? Finally i want to soothe you, there is still hope for animation, and yes in America as well. I ensure you there are better times to come, there will eventually be great mastepieces of animation in the future, and not only in Japan, but worldwide, movies for all ages. And i say this not to soothe just you, but to do myself as well! Who knows, maybe you will meet a japanese animator sometime, so you can talk to him about exactly that? Ah well either way, i wish us two luck for a soon masterpiece will encountering our ways. If there isnt already one in the making mm 😉

[@matsudamatsumoto7742]

I think the attempted rape scene is more indicative of a lack of cultural understanding between Japanese people and American people, particularly on the apology. What I mean to say is, many times in Japanese (as well as other Eastern cultures) society, despite sexual assault being illegal, women apologized for it occurring in the first place. Why? Because of their perceived lesser standing compared to men. For them, it has always been this way, for thousands of years. The men dominate, and the women obey. A terrible way to live, but nevertheless the status quo. For Westerners, this is baffling. Rape of women has been seen as intolerable for centuries now, and women have continued to improve their standing. For most people, women are rightly seen as men's equals, and working diligently together without stupid things like sexual assault getting in the way is seen as morally right. It has at least been decent for decades now. When Westerners see this scene, they're baffled that the woman would apologize for the man's wrongdoing, but when many Japanese see it, the scene does not stand out as much. Even asking the Japanese women about the morality of the scene prompts responses that confuse most in the West. Another example is one from my own life. Two Japanese women were at my college, and we were all friends. I discussed the safety of Japan and how great that is, except for the Chikan on their trains. One of the girls told me that they had been assaulted by a Chikan. I asked if he was arrested afterwords, to which she said no, and that she hadn't done anything in regards to the sexual assault. Befuddled, I asked why she hadn't reported him or tried to punch him or kick his groin to defend herself. She gave me a strange look, as if I was the crazy one for wondering why she would endure the assault rather than try to end it. As if I was insane for thinking women should defend against these attacks. Japanese society is often about apathy, lying down and taking what ever the "dominant" party does to you, and not doing much about it. To do so would possibly cause "social disharmony", the most feared concept among many Easterners and some Westerners too. That's why this scene raises objection in the West, and not as much in the East. Westerners have mostly learned about standing up for themselves, but in the East, most people, especially women, are still afraid that it will cause them to be outcast.

[@Nitram4392]

Huh ... I didn't know that. Thx.

[@AnointedFlow]

Well put. Thanks for that insight.

[@saturn5mtw567]

really late reply: but I made a similar connection to some more extreme sects of certain uhhh... 'western religions' *cough,* but the point remains the same, it seems intended to upset the audience, to make the question why she is apologizing, and maybe that she shouldn't be

[@matsudamatsumoto7742]

@@saturn5mtw567 I think so. Though I did begin to wonder if my interpretation has a possible hole. The Gainax team at the time may have had somewhat dubious morals. I mean, this is the same team that secretly put the "un-dress" in Princess Maker 2, where the girl you raise is from ages 10 to 17, and bothered to draw the anatomy for each age under the clothing. I don't know. Gainax has always been pretty odd.

[@blast_processing6577]

"That scene" happens almost immediately after Shirotsugh criticizes the power company for bulldozing Riquinni's home, saying they 'can't push her around like that'. The two scenes are meant to be taken together to make a point about Shirotsugh's character and place in the greater world -- specifically, he isn't a righteous man and he isn't really in control of the events he finds himself at the center of, the latter of which is arguably one-half to the theme of the entire movie (the other half being a response, _prayer)._

[@dickymoe4]

Thank you! Thank you so much for articulating exactly what I was thinking about this magnificent treasure of anime and cinema. I am surprised you did not make connections of this film with The Right Stuff the American film about the US space program that came out in 1983.

[@madrugaiden2317]

Rikinni's remorse was not because she had hit him, it's because she was prostituting herself, hinted in the scene where she hides money in her boot.

[@triplehate6759]

It also could be her religious tendencies; her forgiving him his offense is the definition of "turn the other cheek", the point of which being to have the assailant confronted by their own sin, and feel shame themselves, rather than merely BE shamed.

[@moscowjade]

She isn't though. The movie shows that she is a field worker. That's where the entire misunderstanding happened.

[@madrugaiden2317]

​@@moscowjade yeah i remember that now.....but wasnt that shown after the whole thing happened? It's been a while last i seen the movie.The main protagonist is still a major piece of shit either way, i cant think of a more unlikable main character in an anime lol

[@madrugaiden2317]

Whats up with Hideaki Anno and asshole protagonists anyway? They made Evangelion and Nadia's main heroes deliberately annoying and unlikeable lol Maybe it's more realistic this way idk

[@triplehate6759]

@@madrugaiden2317 Character Development; the joy of watching someone who doesn't get it and makes poor decisions (which the viewer may or may not be able to identify with) come around and finally get it.

[@KoreytheFunkyRayda]

I'm so glad that someone else agrees that camera shakes are getting out of hand. That nonsense makes me dizzy! Very good review. I'll check RSF out. Thank you.

[@bleutz]

I discovered Anime while living in Japan from 1985-1990. Even though I saw this neither subbed nor dubbed it was one of my favorites then.

[@TheSwartz]

For me, the scene that nearly ruins it all is: Manna and the pet bug at the dinner table. I just watched this again, I'd forgotten how creepy that damn bug is!! Wonderful review. Thanks!

[@Shadowrulzalways]

Most anime (especially today) are geard more towards teens and adults. For example: Shonen manga and anime are mainly geard towards teenage boys (12-18). Seinen manga and anime are mainly geard towards adult men (18-45) Now I haven’t forgotten Shojo and Josei.

[@BigEpinstriping]

I love this film, Ever since I bought a VHS copy back in the day I have considered it one of the best films I've ever seen. Visually stunning and thought provoking. When I read the Neal Stephenson novel, "Anathem" I visualized the story taking place in this world, as it's a similar concept in that it takes place on an alien, but strangely familiar world.

[@Krassfoor]

Great video First I thought this was going to be a good but shallow review of the movie but it didn't take me long to realise that this went much deeper than a typical review

[@isaacsamuel7517]

You are right almost all animation and film have camera shakes nowadays without proper necessity

[@animeodysseus4794]

Great review. the anime is like nothing else, before or since. The world building, the animation, religious symbolism, politics, personal journey, mechanical design, romance, and action are all amazing. I also screened this film and met similar reactions to the "rape" scene mainly for Riquinni's response. people dont see that you're supposed to feel sorry for her for blaming herself. Don't see why people dislike this.

[@triplehate6759]

Modern viewers probably don't get that Riqinni's response was the definition of "turn the other cheek"; the whole point of it is for the assailant to be confronted by their own sin, and feel shame accordingly - which is EXACTLY what happens, and is the pivotal motivator for Shirotsuguh to better himself as a person, and, since she already forgives him (itself confirmation of how unwavering her faith is), to seek redemption by his own hand.

[@UnknownUnknown-qq8ch]

Absolutely I agree 100% frozen was an agonizing hour of my life I will never get back I was stupid enough to buy it and then I gave it away shortly after

[@kevinclark8356]

I watched the wind rises last night and it's an incredible film. it is so much better then any animated movie done by hollywood, whitch puts animation into two categories kid stuff and stoner stuff. it is crying shame that hollywood has no real interests in the full potential of animated films.

[@jjkrayenhagen]

It's really sad that Miyazaki and Disney are compared as equals. While Disney far surpassed Miyazaki as a businessman, Miyazaki's films surpass Disney by every artistic measure so badly it should be considered a war crime.

[@additiveartificer9365]

Finally I found where that cool AF airplane design come from

[@BPJJohn]

You know the Rape scene was edited out of the UK VHS version to get a PG unbelievable, at the time I knew there was more to this scene that meets the eye because it was cut so abruptly, my instinct proved correct when a few years ago when I saw the full film, Bastards. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Space_Force:_The_Wings_of_Honn%C3%AAamise#English-language_release

[@sunilanand1007]

This movie was what First Man shouldve been aspiring to imo

[@s0nnyburnett]

This guy gets it.

[@aherowon003]

Incredible review! Thanks for breaking it down and bringing more attention to this film.

[@525Lines]

The pusher aircrafts reminds me of the Kyūshū J7W1 Shinden. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyushu_J7W

[@lucasvalencia626]

Well said. I've always looked to articulate the merits of this film and you hit the nail on the head.

[@COTTERO]

From a technical point of view this movie is as good as AKIRA, the last fifteen minutes are breathtaking.👍

[@michaelgautreaux3168]

Still to this day, this movie is great. Just as great as when I first saw it. +/- what ever the points, plots, & or purpose, GR8 Art & Entertainment. Phenomenal work.

[@zeroswings2]

funny... I read the attempted rape scene very differently... I don't think Shiro would've amounted to much without meeting Riquinni... I think he happened upon his purpose to be the 1st into space as he was trying to impress her due to his attraction for her... throughout the course of the movie Shiro does the equivalent of 'white knighting' for Riquinni maybe in the hopes of being with her... I think she apologizes later because she realizes she's led him on. I think that with everything else happening; the struggles of the RSF to accomplish such a grand goal or mission, the effects of which attracting the unwanted negative attention of the foreign government (& would be assassin), the ensuing economic woes - causes Shiro to retreat & seek respite with the very person he embarked on the journey 'for'... to maybe salvage something out of the ordeal but her rejection of him [not just the actual scene but in general]... well I think she finally realizes what he'd gone through & maybe her role in it. true enough it may not have been all her fault, but if you really paid attention then you could view her as the catalyst for these events... I also view it as Shiro's last 'growing pain'... he returns to carry out the mission and goal with a renewed and truer sense of his purpose... he found a better reason for everything than just a girl he liked... I think of it as one of the finer if more subtle points of the movie...

[@richkarn9356]

Alex, man. First off THANK YOU for you’re honest to god reasonable take on this movie. I heard so many bad arguments about why Royal Space Force sucks, mostly about THAT scene, and this is a f ing breath of fresh air let me tell you. Also do you have an address where viewers can send you stuff? I have a buddy learning Japanese and he translated the Macross Gold Book. Not perfect by no means but he did a pretty good job and printed out some black and white copies with the English text replacing the Japanese. I have two of them in binders and I want to send you one of them as a thank you for your awesome work

[@Cinemology101]

Wow, thanks, Rich! That's incredibly generous. Please hit us up at our email address (thecinemologists at gmail), and we can discuss further.

[@user-ny5vp9be8v]

Well, in regards to the "SCENE". I think it also has to deal with her being a prostitute (check when she dumps out her shoe, there's money that falls out), and it has to deal with her understanding that no one is free from sin with how her religious beliefs are.

[@KayoMichiels]

An amazing movie and i can't wait for it's sequel 'Uru in blue'!

[@derBene]

Great review and I didn't believe my ears: There is an anniversary magazine of RSF?! This will be ordered as soon as my next pay check arrives. Thanks for your work, you got my subscription.

[@Thekhajjah]

loved your review. great movie, was such that my daughter had to watch it for its great depiction of this world and the social reality of it as it parallels ours in so many ways.

[@Muhammed552]

I wish there was a Part 2 but sadly i think we may never

[@omarhaggag1422]

Anyone got the name of the song from about 2:30 ? It slappppps

[@andyshepard2780]

Even if the rape scene "makes sense" in context, nobody wants to root for a rapist. I checked out out pretty hard after that scene, I simply didn't care for the protagonist anymore. There would have been way more ways to do this whole theme differently and with more tasteful. This is not a hyperviolent shlock OVA, this is a full on cinematic movie, where this is unexpected and crass, so I don't think one can compare this to Wicked City, Ninja Scroll or other works that also feature fanservice/rape. It comes out of nowhere within the story and the whole framework. And then it moves on to "victim blaming", the terrible irl concept of "it's the victim's fault for getting assulted", and he doesn't stop her in that, or properly apologises. SHE apologises for nearly getting raped. That is wrong on so many levels. And while this could have lead to something interesting, like religious blindness, or a sexist mindset that she has adopted through society - it's NEVER addressed again. They remain friends and they are still framed as love interests. And THAT is, to me, the main problem: It is heavy, but bears no weight on the plot. It only weighs on the viewer's mind. And that is why is ruins the film for many people.

[@SkyKingAzure]

I'm thinking that most people who don't like the scene do it because it makes them feel uncomfortable - particularly Riquinni's response to the attempted rape. Her knocking him unconscious is perfectly 'acceptable' and even 'applauded' as something a 'woman' SHOULD do when faced with that scenario. Her apologizing for hitting him and 'victim blaming' herself because of her religious beliefs is something that deeply offends people of Western thought because of preconcieved notions on how a woman is supposed to act in that scenario. THERE ARE OTHER CULTURES - OTHER SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT that run contradictory to what we as Westerners perceive and feel is both 'good' and 'just'. I'm not saying that you shouldn't feel uncomfortable, or even disgusted because that is an honest reaction to this scenario. Again, I feel that most of the outrage is directed at Riquinni because she didn't take the reaction nearly as far as the AUDIENCE would have liked her to - superimposing their value system over hers. Her reaction wasn't enough for the AUDIENCE to FEEL justified so it left a bad impression on them. So they looked to Shiro to 'do more'. When he didn't, they FELT again that the reactions were not JUSTIFIED enough. To Riquinni, her striking him was wrong - period. Even if it was a natural and in the eyes of many people, completely and utterly justified. She said it herself, "What we see as being 'good' may not be 'good' as God sees it". And if you belittle that statement as it being some poor excuse of religious dogma that she's fallen under, then that is more indicative of how YOU feel about God and religion and the like and not considering her viewpoint on this. Remember, this was done in a time and place that does not share the same amount of importance on this act as we do - this is an alternate universe for goodness sake. Of course these people won't share the same values or even place them in the same order that you and I do.

[@devonstart2758]

i remember being in new york city and seeing photocopied posters for this on the lamp posts.

[@AnointedFlow]

Just finished this today. It was a good movie. Nice animation and critique on mankind.

[@Shadowrulzalways]

This OVA was mainly targeted at an adult audience. Especially with the growing popularity of teen/adult marketed anime being made in the 70’s and 80’s.

[@kri249]

I just watched this after digging up my old VHS collection. As would be expected some of the Japanese dialogue is slightly different to the dubbed version. But it's still a brilliantly animated film all the same. I don't know why the Japanese had such a hard time trying to market it. Half my VHS animes from Manga entertainment has trailers for this film and they did a pretty adequate job of it.

[@FallouFitness_NattyEdition]

I actually paused your review and watched Ernest and Celestine because the cover art immediately caught my attention. I have to say thank you because Ernest and Celestine was an absolute masterpiece and infinitely better than Frozen. Haven't watched The Wind Rises yet, but I'll take your word that it's superior to Frozen in every way.

[@blast_processing6577]

"That scene" happens almost immediately after Shirotsugh criticizes the power company for bulldozing Riquinni's home, saying they 'can't push her around like that'. The two scenes are meant to be taken together to make a point about Shirotsugh's character and place in the greater world -- specifically, he isn't a righteous man and he isn't really in control of the events he finds himself at the center of, the latter of which is arguably one-half to the theme of the entire movie (the other half being a response, _prayer)._

[@mickeyrube6623]

I clicked on this just to know how to pronounce "Honnêmise". This Guy "Royal Space Force".

[@zeroswings2]

I'm glad ppl are finally realizing what a beautiful masterpiece it is... it's probably my favorite OVA of all time.

[@Kenshindegozaru]

I completely agree with your ideas. Great video. I think the problem with the rape scene is that is placed in a very weird way. Is very odd, confusing and completely from nowhere. I think it could work better if more attempts from him to have intimacy was shown before this scene. This way, we can have a better idea of his frustration in terms of sex. At the entire movie, we see his frustration, but in a VERY soft manner. It's like if you give Heidi's grandfather a big machine gun all the sudden. Maybe it will work, but it's too damn weird and a big change of character and tone of the story. Thanks for all this information.

[@stellercorpse]

I saw this at Anime Expo in '97 and thought it was amazing

[@Lifesizemortal]

id argue even the anime industry is dead in some sense. Just observe how the recent Junji Ito anime was recently handled. They've completely lost their footing in the art of animation in the pursuit of trite, unimaginative tropes

[@albertomorales7579]

Great video about a classic movie and an awesome soundtrack...definitely a hidden gem but one of my top five easily.Thank you

[@1981_Reacts]

amazing review, more like art. Very insightful review, subbed. Also love the movie have it on VHS (many years old)

[@CrackShot554]

God, I guess you could say Alex needs to....let it go

[@davidwilson5061]

Very insightful essay about what must ne one of the top anime of it's genre.

[@hereigoagain5050]

Many murders were portrayed yet nobody blinked.

[@BradM73]

Very good review! I still have this on VHS! lol. And that 80's-style porn music at the end of the review really brings back memories of this movie, and the mid 90's when I was heavily into this kind of anime, before anime started sucking ass.

[@lilchinesekidchen]

so the problem with this sexual assault scene in this film is that it kinda just does the same thing that many other sexual assault scenes do in film: it takes a horrifically traumatic event and use it as a plot device purely for character exposition of the assailant, instead of examining or questioning the topic of sexual violence, or focusing on the survivor. like for sure blade runner was much more egregious and vile in that it actually framed deckard’s rape of rachel as a start to a romance. this one at least didn’t try to sugar coat the topic. but regardless, the rape and sexual violence scene here was a primarily a vehicle for shirotsugh’s character development. like after this encounter and the following quick exchange in the morning, we neither see nor hear anything about riquinni’s personal perspective or the effects of the lingering trauma from the incident. we only get an exploration into shirotsugh’s feelings of disillusionment and aimlessness. riquinni almost disappears completely from the movie after this. and in fact, shirosugh never faces any real consequences of his actions nor is held accountable. literally the entire purpose of this scene was to function as plot exposition for shirotsugh’s (the assailant’s) insecurity .... honestly, there are plenty of better ways to examine insecurity that doesn’t have to resort to using sexual violence as a visual “climatic moment” to display a character’s emotional state. this is where that scene fails. not because it portrays “complexity” in a films character, but because it doesn’t break away from the norm of using sexual violence as visual “shock factor” for character development. if you’re film isn’t trying to talk about sexual violence and the complexities that come with it, you really shouldn’t use it as a plot vehicle, especially if your using it to show the perspective of the assailant instead of the survivor.

[@GIJeff1944]

For an animated film with no CGI whatsoever this film is Hella impressive.

[@Justanotherconsumer]

The rape scene ruins the movie in general, and it easily could have been edited out - it doesn’t fit. She could have just bluntly rejected his advances and kicked him out for the same grow-up-and-get-a-grip effect. The overall tone of the movie is somewhat surreal (the assassination attempts are almost comical at times, for example) so the gritty edgelord realism of the act seems out of place tonally, especially with the animation style. If they’d made more of a point of him being haunted by the decision instead of focusing on the politics for the last act of the movie it also might have worked, but they got so caught up in the plot that the character development doesn’t come out.

[@markradermacher926]

The rape scene is in the movie because the filmmakers wanted to add some gratuitous nudity to the film to attract male viewers. See also Ninja Scroll. Vampire Hunter D, Berserk or Akira. Better yet, watch Perfect Blue, in which Satoshi Kon deconstructs the use of said rape scenes to implicate the viewer in normalizing sexual assault for entertainment purposes. Also, sexual assault tends to inflict trauma on the victim. This can result in anxiety, depression, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, and a sense of violation that can do long lasting damage to a person's ability to form intimate relationships. People who have experienced sexual assault (and the people who love them) therefore often have a visceral, negative reaction to witnessing recreations of one of the most traumatic experiences of their lives for entertainment purposes. Surprisingly, the assailants often don't apologize the next morning for having committed a felony. Often times, their friends and family will threaten the victim with harm and attack their reputation in an effort to dissuade the victim from filing charges for sexual assault. Some viewers might therefore conclude that this film's depiction of sexual assault and it's aftermath are just a tad unrealistic. Lhadatt's view of Riquinni meets the classic definition of a Madonna-Whore Complex. Coincidentally, such assumptions tend to be prevalent in traditional religious societies. Sort of like the one that Riquinni belongs to. Here in modern times, many people tend to prefer a more secular ethical standard that values sexual intimacy as normal human behavior, and that treats women like complex human beings who have inherent dignity and agency. For all of those reasons, I find the sexual politics of this film exploitative and retrograde. I also find your dismissal of critics of the scene in question as "shallow" to be dismissive and condescending. It's a pity, because, as you point out, the films animation is indeed stunning, and its world building was very impressive. Cheers.

[@VideoNinjaJim]

I really miss this style

[@HorseyWorsey]

SHAKE!!! SHAKE THE CAMERA!!! ... WHY AREN'T YOU SHAKING THE CAMERA!!!!

[@KazuyaMithra]

I think the biggest issue with the attempted rape scene was that is was hard to take seriously with the overly expressive way the characters are drawn. I also think it was too subtle and ended up coming off as jarring for most people, seeing how generally light hearted the movie's tone was up to that point. Great review, I have no clue where all those dislikes came from.

[@3pleblow]

I just DL it few mins ago before I watch this vid got me exited to watch it tonight.

[@RetroFrito]

People can watch all sorts of other evils in cinema. Murder, theft, betrayal, deceit.. and they're fine with those. It's all part of the story. But rape? Nope, that can't be allowed. No thanks. Gimme more of that "murder" stuff, tho... /s

[@fer04i81]

so... what is the main plot of this movie again?

[@Jaytecx]

This film is something kinda special.

[@johndzwon1966]

The reason Frozen won is because these days you are not allowed to express enjoyment of any entertainment that does not further the politically correct feminist agenda.

[@thecinemawarehouse9613]

Didn't even take a full minute for your channel to win me over. You're using a music track from a Lupin album. 100 points to you, sir. EDIT: I'm hearing even more Yuji Ohno. Another 100 points. =D

[@joshusdog7677]

I wouldn't say its one of the greatest of all time, but i do agree with you on the attempted rape scene and how it fits into the narrative. It is a challenging scene to get through, but i did try to understand why the scene was there and how the audience should perceive the characters afterwards. Also I'm sure the main "Hero" actually dies at the end. That spaceship did not look like it was ever designed to come back down to earth safely. No retro boosters, no heat shielding and no drogue chutes. Pretty sure, Shiro is as dead as Laika. o.o;;

[@xieliming]

During credits you see sketch depictions of him coming back to the planet

[@jamesclukey7488]

As usual this was another animated feature from Japan that was overlooked by the American audience. I bought a copy and found the concepts in it confusing until I watched it more than once. I wouldn't call it the greatest sci-fi film of all time. That's a bit over the top, but it is a very fine film. I just don't think it was necessary to bludgeon BLADE RUNNER to carry your point about the rape scene. The scene was awkward and made me lose interest in the main character as the protagonist. He was the butt of jokes by others , and now he was proving that he had no social graces where women were concerned. He just seemed to keep falling into being in the pivotol role rather than working towards it. The pacing of the action scenes was very cinematic and did remind me of the flying scenes in NAUSICAA. A real ballet of machines. Too bad it didn't find more of an audience, but that happens to many films due to sloppy marketing. JOHN CARTER comes to mind. I'm a huge fan of AKIRA and saw it on the big screen before it came to video release. The promotion behind that film was successful for two reasons. The story was familiar to the public due to the comic book, and media spread the word of it being translated to film. The fan base couldn't wait to see it.

[@BladedBishop]

This animation looks amazing

[@Synaps4]

I fundamentally disagree with your strawman that to hate the rape scene is to ask your main character to be perfect. There is a wide moral range for imperfect characters between perfection and attempted rape. However I think making the main character a rapist undermines any attempt to sympathize with him as fundamentally human, and this destroys any interest in the rest of his story. The scene does not resonate with anyone as the actions of a normal human, and THAT is why you hear so much anger about it. Furthermore the act is not particularly important to the plot or frankly the character development, neither of which are very strong in this show to begin with. Filming and animating something shocking must be done with a purpose, and the level of shock must fit with the level of importance to the purpose. It's a side-plot here. Its a shame they went so far into making the animated world believable and couldn't make their character's actions within that world equally believable. The litmus test for such a scene must be whether the film's plot could stand if the scene were cut. In the case of Honneamise the answer is absolutely yes. The plot would chug on happily without it. So why force fans to watch a rape? There is no good reason. Your counterpoint about Blade Runner seems wrong to me, since many people do object to it. [Spoiler Alert: Macross Plus] If you want to see an example of a rape scene in anime done right, look at 1994's Macross Plus OVA, which takes on many of the same themes as Honneamise does, but actually succeeds. The rape scene is the core plot point rather then a sideshow, and the impact is fundamental to the central plot of the entire film, rather than just an attempt to illustrate the weakness of a main character.

[@madrugaiden2317]

Isn't the whole point of the movie that throughout history humans would sacrifice their morality in favor of their progress? This is adressed in the very next scene and in the finale. It's pretty clear that the main character is not a good guy.

[@kayu7845]

This anime is strongly influenced by Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. So if you try to understand the rape scene, do not compare to this anime to Blade runner. Try compare Riquinni to Sonya in Crime and Punishment. Otherwise you don't understand the rape scene.

[@ash9280]

This is interesting, I'm a great fan of this film and I'm currently reading Crime and Punsihment for college. I like that book as well. Could you give me more information about that connection?

[@kayu7845]

After the release of the film, there was argument about if Riquinni was going on the street as a prostitute while promulgating at the same time just like Sonya. The assistant director, Takami Akai denied this, But many audiences in Japan felt the strong connection between this film and Crime and Punishment. And not just this film, it seems that many of anime creators in 80's including Hayao Miyazaki or Yoshiyuki Tomino of the first Gundum were strongly influenced by Russian literature.

[@js5183]

A beautiful film.

[@classified5554]

Frozen is "intelligent"..... that's a good joke right there

[@ECHOFOXTROT289]

Fkn. Great. Totally agree. BRAVO!

[@heyheythrowaway]

You have excellent taste.

[@justind4448]

I need to watch this.

[@hobog]

Review starts at 4:10. Skip the rant. the dislikes are for the rant taking up the first 4min.

[@nny2055]

ありがとう！ thanks your nice review!!

[@Alex-km7so]

Holy balls I love your videos. Keep it up!

[@Booer]

this is great stuff can't wait to watch this movie!

[@raymondkisner9240]

Incredible amazing bold brave fantastic animie!

[@lupeg8406]

randomly got recommended this so ima watch it lol

[@TheBlasterOfMachine]

The wind rises ❤️

[@antoniorizzatti2101]

Great review, thanks!

[@bensadikin9513]

If you appreciate Akira..... you'd appreciate RSF. Screw mainstream consumers..... look at mainstream music nowadays. Now im not saying we're some kind of elites or something cuz of our taste.... but again each one of us subjective towards each of our own interest.

[@alexinanalogue2645]

Awesome review.

[@shinku5463]

So what yer saying is. The real Kino fans are weebs? n i c e .

[@andreasng]

whole heartedly agree.