Which The Wind Rises Character Are You Based on Your Zodiac Sign?

Hayao Miyazaki’s last movie before his temporary retirement was The Wind Rises, a fictionalized tale of Jiro Horikoshi’s illustrious life as an aeronautical engineer and his ill-fated love story with the very ill Nahoko. Rife with gorgeous sceneries as Studio Ghibli movies tend to be, the movie was also full of intriguing characters with complex personalities that matched up nicely with the astrological charts.

Jiro’s life from he was a young schoolboy until he grew up and got married was littered with encounters with all sorts of people, including bosses who gave tough love, Germans with refined taste, and the woman he was destined to wed. Here’s how they aligned with the stars that Jiro wanted to touch so desperately with his planes.

Aries: Kurokawa

Jiro’s boss at Mitsubishi was somebody who liked to be ahead of everyone and everything, and the bold and audacious little man was very much like the very first sign of the zodiac, Aries.

He was a confident leader who liked to test out the abilities of his team, and he did so with Jiro on his first day at work. His no-nonsense attitude was very much like the celestial rams, and their independence can often be mistaken for selfishness, which also happened with Kurokawa, even though he was a selfless man in reality.

Taurus: Kino

Audiences may have seen Kino only for a short time in this underrated Studio Ghibli movie, but her character left its mark on them. As Nahoko’s maid, she cared about the girl immensely, and her loyalty and reliability made her incredibly like a Taurean.

This sign is known for how steadfast and dependable they can be, which Kino epitomized. She was a sweet and gentle soul, much like the oxen of the zodiac.

Gemini: Kiro Honjo

Hugely intelligent yet sociable, Jiro’s best friend since college, Honjo resembled the social butterfly of the zodiac the most. He was heavily involved in reading and designing planes, but that didn’t stop him from desiring a cup of coffee or some time to relax with his buddies too.

Honjo was somebody who loved ideating, which is why his professions suited him so well, and he was also a motivating friend at the same time who encouraged and supported his friend from the very start, much like Geminis do.

Cancer: Nahoko Satomi

Gentle and patient, Nahoko was a sweet young woman who toed the line between the real world and the dream world, thanks to her illness. Despite being unwell, she was intuitive and cared for the emotions of those around her, especially her family and Jiro.

She most resembled the cosmic crustacean because of these qualities, and her love for comforting spaces that kept her safe was also a Cancerian trait. The young woman knew when her time was coming, so she prevented her loved ones from feeling pain and selflessly retired to the sanatorium.

Leo: Kayo Horikoshi

Jiro’s vivacious sister was every bit a Leo, with the queenly way she treated herself, her passion for medicine, and how she made herself her first priority and expected others to do the same, especially her brother. She was a memorable Studio Ghibli character.

Ruled by the sun, Kayo was a shining star who managed to balance her own challenging career alongside the time her family needed from her. Inside her hard shell was a soft side that loved fiercely and turned up when she needed to support her loved ones.

Virgo: Mr. Junkers

The German mastermind Mr. Junkers may have limited appearances in the movie, but the aeronautical genius played a large role behind the scenes. With his flawless plane design and innovation, he was a perfectionist like Virgo and was logical, practical, and systematic in his life.

Like the zodiac sign, Mr. Junkers was highly intellectual and wanted to fix broken systems, like the Nazism that was the biggest menace during the Second World War. His kindness didn’t allow him to support the regime.

Libra: Castorp

The German gentleman who became friends with Jiro and Satomi in Karuizawa was an aesthete. He loved his little luxuries in life, be it fine German tobacco, delicately flavored watercress, or the soothing environment of the lovely hotel where he put up.

Like the scales of the astrological signs, Castorp appreciated the finer things in life and spoke gently and with confidence. Like Libra, he was also full of mysteries which made him flee town, and Jiro never got to see him ever again.

Scorpio: Satomi

Like Scorpio, Nahoko’s father was a planner. He had lost his wife to tuberculosis already and had to plan several steps ahead of the typical father to keep his family safe and fulfilled, which he did, but it turned out to be fruitless because his darling Nahoko contracted the disease too.

He formed a deep and soulful connection with his daughter and with Jiro, foreseeing that Nahoko’s happiness lay in marrying her love, even if for a short time. His commitment to his dearest ones was his most Scorpio-like trait.

Sagittarius: Giovanni Battista Caproni

The flamboyant genius from Jiro’s dreams was most certainly a Sagittarius, with his endless quest for discovering and crossing new frontiers in aeronautics and engineering.

His singular aim to build beautiful planes as means for enjoyment and travel, rather than weapons for war, was very characteristic of the astrological archer. He tried and failed and tried again till he got it right, and his humanity, despite his pride and knowledge, made him instantly likable.

Capricorn: Jiro Horikoshi

Few signs work as hard as Capricorn, and Jiro, easily one of the greatest protagonists of Studio Ghibli movies, was the hardest worker in the entire movie. Despite his terrible eyesight, a wife who was terminally ill, and the Japanese police chasing him, the young man crossed hurdle after hurdle to transform his dream into reality.

Capricorns have a secret dream world that they escape to when they aren’t busy earning, and Jiro slunk away to his whenever he got the time, imagining his inventions and talking to Caproni for inspiration and direction whenever he could.

Aquarius: Hattori

One of the design superiors at Mitsubishi, Hattori looked like a stern man, but he was a bit of a rebel at heart and not afraid to try new things, even when it came from the freshest addition to the company.

Just like the revolutionary Aquarius, Hattori encouraged and supported Jiro’s radical airplane wing ideas since his first day, and his humanity showed when he helped protect his most talented designer from the police by escorting him to Kurokawa’s house at the risk of his own safety.

Pisces: Mrs. Kurokawa

Apart from managing the household and cooking mouthwatering meals in the Studio Ghibli movie, Mrs. Kurkawa played a huge role in convincing her husband in marrying Jiro and Nahoko at short notice. Like Pisces, she was extremely empathetic and compassionate to not only Jiro, but to the couple who had taken residence at her home.

She adapted effortlessly to her changed surroundings like the celestial fish, and her creativity showed when she dressed Nahoko beautifully for her wedding to Jiro.

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