A clever engineer has reproduced the look of Nausicaä's glider with a functional aircraft that completed its first test-flight on July 31, 2016, at the Takikawa Sky Park in Nakajimacho, Takikawa City, Hokkaido, Japan.

Based on the Möwe (German for "seagull") glider piloted by the heroine of Hayao Miyazaki's classic manga and theatrical film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the jet-powered aircraft is the work of Kazuhiko Hachiya (age 50), a media artist from Tokyo. Hachiya also piloted the Möwe during its inital test-flight while a crowd of hundreds looked on.

From its initial conception until its first test flight, it took Hachiya a total of 13 years to develop the Möwe. When asked about his accomplishment, Hachiya stated: "It felt very good to become like a bird in flight. I feel like humanity has finally fulfilled one of its long-cherished dreams."

Hachiya also noted that for the sake of safety, further test-flights will be conducted in the future.

Sources:

Hachima Kikō

Mainichi Shimbun

Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.