Kaze Tachinu - Hikoukigumo -

Matsutoya wrote the lyrics after the death of a childhood friend who suffered from muscular dystrophy.

Decades later, Miyazaki heard the song and felt its "ethereal" quality was the perfect match for Jiro’s story of creating beautiful machines that were ultimately destined for destruction. Thematic Resonance in The Wind Rises Kaze Tachinu - Hikoukigumo

The lyrics about a "child who looked at the sky before death" resonate deeply with the character of Naoko, Jiro’s wife, who battles tuberculosis while supporting his dreams. Matsutoya wrote the lyrics after the death of