Endless War and the Politics of the Miracle in Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2022

Abstract

This article examines the significance and possibility of the miracle as a political project. It looks at Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (directed by Hiroyuki Yamaga, 1987), an animated film in which warring nations stand on the brink of mutually-assured destruction. However, rather than presenting a denouement that resolves the Cold War style conflict in a familiar and predictable manner, the film instead concludes with a psychedelic sequence that evokes the entire history of humankind. This paper argues that the film’s surprising and poetic ending forces us to consider the role of the miracle as a political category; one which presents a rejoinder to the normal course of politics, whether it involves a diplomatic negotiation between enemies or the outbreak of hostilities between them. The miracle implied by this unorthodox conclusion opens the space for an illiberal politics predicated on the appearance of a totally unexpected arrival, and as such is closely aligned with the state of exception. This paper considers not only the appealing and hopeful aspects of the resolution of this significant and influential anime, but also sheds light on the destructive possibilities implied by the category of the miraculous in the realm of politics.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Situations

First Page

3

Last Page

37

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