She likened her friend’s short life to a "vapor trail"—a white line in the sky that is brilliant for a moment before disappearing.
Matsutoya wrote the lyrics after the death of a childhood friend who suffered from muscular dystrophy. Kaze Tachinu - Hikoukigumo
"Hikoukigumo" (Vapor Trail) is the hauntingly beautiful theme song to Hayao Miyazaki’s 2013 film, The Wind Rises ( Kaze Tachinu ). While the film is a fictionalized biography of aircraft designer Jiro Horikoshi, the song itself has a deep, independent history that perfectly mirrors the movie’s themes of fleeting beauty and the pursuit of dreams amidst tragedy. The Origin: A Childhood Elegy She likened her friend’s short life to a
Just like a vapor trail, Jiro’s "ten years in the sun" (his creative prime) and his time with Naoko are intensely beautiful but painfully short-lived. While the film is a fictionalized biography of
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.