Review of Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise

"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a navy pilot. For me, there could be nothing better than flying." Royal Space Force is the debut film of the legendary studio Gainax. Probably best known for their later success (and massively overrated mess) Evangelion. Originally a box office flop it later went on to become regarded as a cult classic due to the success and reappraisal it had on home video. Taking place on an alternate world where a disengaged young man, Shirotsugh, inspired by an idealistic woman named Riquinni, volunteers to become the first astronaut, which becomes a decision that draws them into bothpublic and personal conflict.

Royal Space Force's collective approach to filmmaking, its deliberate rejection of established anime motifs, its visual complexity, and the general lack of professional experience among its staff were all factors in its chaotic production while increasing uncertainty about the project led to what has been described as an attempt by its investors and producers to "fix" the film before release, imposing a late name change to The Wings of Honnêamise, and a lavish but deceptive publicity campaign that included misleading advertising and a staged Hollywood premiere. Although receiving a generally good reception among domestic anime fans and the industry upon its original 1987 Japanese release, including praise from Hayao Miyazaki.

The retrospective failure of this film means that Gainax would later thrive in other projects but looking back on this film is a treat to see, just how different they started out, and it has thankfully stood the test of time. Brought to life by a team of relative unknowns at the time, including a pre-depressed Hideki Anno, Royal Space Force is a slow burn but a treat from start to finish.

Originally starting out in life as a 10 minute OVA, the film developed from the original pilot into what we see today, it remains a gorgeously animated piece with the major highlights being in the hyper-detailed background work, with almost every frame a painting. However, what truly sold this film for me was the amazingly crafted musical score by Ryuichi Sakamoto and crew. The development of the music throughout the film showcase a changing society from it's use of woodwind and orchestral elements at the beginning to the re-composed Main Theme with the use of synthesizers.

There is one major drawback which they thankfully cut from the original home media release but later reinstated on Blu-ray to present the film uncut. The almost 30-second long scene of attempted rape which is so massively disjointed that it baffles me as to why they turned a much more family-friendly film into an edgy teenage one with that single moment. But in the end, it's done in a better light than a lot of films nowadays.

Overall, Royal Space Force is a gorgeous slow burn with beautiful animation and music, well worth your time.

"Dear God, please give us your mercy. Mercy for we are lost. Forgive the irresponsible, the trivial men who beg you from the dark for the forgiveness of your light."