The central theme of the film is the paradox of the "cursed dream". Jiro Horikoshi, a fictionalized version of the real-life engineer who designed the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, is driven by a pure, aesthetic passion for creating "beautiful airplanes". However, this pursuit is inextricably linked to the , as his masterpieces are ultimately used as tools of mass destruction.

: Miyazaki mirrored Jiro’s life with his own. His father ran a company that manufactured components for the Zero fighter, and his mother, like Jiro's wife Naoko, suffered from tuberculosis. Symbolism of the Wind

: The film explores how intense ambition can lead to personal and moral isolation, with Jiro often retreating into his own mind even during catastrophes like the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Historical and Personal Anchors