Hayao Miyazakis final animated feature The Wind Rises is out on disc this month.

Ryan says farewell to a peerless filmmaking talent… Those childhood years instilled in Miyazaki both the romance of aeroplanes and knowledge of their destructive power.

Nowhere is this more clearly expressed than in his final film,The Wind Rises.

Although primarily a drama a first for the animator The Wind Risesstill showcases Miyazakis talent for creating fantastical imagery.

The young Jiro finds inspiration in his dreams.

We see Jiro thrill at the rush of air as he flies through the clouds on a make-believe glider.

Then, above him, a swarm of evil-looking flying machines swoop down like locusts.

Its an unforgettably sinister portent of the war to come.

The parallels between Jiro and Miyazaki are obvious.

Both are dreamers as well as technicians, sitting at their workstations, pencil in hand.

Both have a seemingly tireless work ethic.

Both draw on their memories, the natural world and their imaginations for inspiration in their designs.

Even when compared to Miyazakis other work,The Wind Risesis surely the animators most intimate and personal.

The Wind Riseswas also a risky film for Studio Ghibli.

We were starting to create something that was the opposite of what we had been creating.

Its poetic and, ultimately, tinged with sorrow.

The soaring movement of Jiros planes are matched by the stillness of the designer himself.

The films title, taken from a poem by French poet Paul Valery (The wind rises!

We must take a stab at live!

), provides a strong indicator of Miyazakis thinking.

Jiro and Nahoko meet twice by chance.

Miyazakis characters are so softly-spoken and gentle that you might imagine them flying away on the breeze.

At the films understated conclusion, Caproni and Jiro once again meet in a dream.

That announcement marked the end of an era for both traditional animation and Studio Ghibli.

The Wind Risesstands as a heartfelt and daring testament to Miyazakis humanity, skill and soaring imagination.

The Wind Risesis out on Blu-ray and DVD on the 29th September.