Review of Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise

Ouritsu Uchuugun: Honneamise no Tsubasa, also known Royal Space Force, is a slow-paced slice-of-life centered around the main character, Shiro, as he trains to become the first man in space. The plot is mostly simple and straight-forward, while there are some anti-war messaging and discussions about the value of human civilization, the movie never fully explores those themes beyond the surface level. The world-building is one of the highlights of this film, which shines through in its portrayal of how different factions within the country, as well as a neighboring enemy nation, perceive the importance of the space program in vastly different ways. Small details,such as the people from the other country wearing different clothes and speaking another language help add to the immersive world-building.

The biggest issue with this film is the bland and forgettable cast of characters, which makes it hard to be invested in their journey. Shiro has a very dull personality and doesn't change much throughout the film. He takes a very passive position throughout most of the film with the most memorable thing he does occurring in a completely unnecessary scene where he attempts to rape his girlfriend and faces no consequences for doing so.

The best part of Royal Space Force is undoubtedly the high quality 2D animation from Gainax's early years. A lot of attention was given to making the backgrounds feel alive and integrating the high-tech machinery seamlessly into the setting, all of which greatly enhances the film's immersion. However, the film lacked a solid soundtrack, as 90% of the film features no background music.

Royal Space Force is by no means a bad movie, but it's far from a good one. A more interesting, fleshed out and well-developed cast of characters paired with a deeper exploration of the themes the film attempts to present could result in a far better film. If you're looking for some great 80s anime aesthetic backgrounds and war machinery illustrations, I would wholeheartedly recommend this. However, anyone expecting to find the same level of innovation and experimentation found in Gainax’s later works won't find it here.

Final Scorings:
Animation: 8/10 (Very good)
Sound: 6/10 (Barely noticeable OST)
Story: 5/10 (Good setting, average plot)
Characters: 4/10 (Generic, boring)
Value: 3/10 (First Gainax movie, mostly forgotten)
Enjoyment: 4/10 (Started off strong but dragged)
Overall: 5/10 (Average)