Forced to abandon his childhood dream to become a pilot, young Jiro Horikoshi pursues a career as an aeronautical engineer instead. And just like his idol, the Italian aircraft designer Giovanni Battista Caproni, the visionary youth goes to engineering school after saving a young girl during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. As Jiro finds new purpose and meaning in life, his untamed creativity and love for aviation pave the way for his magnum opus, the legendary Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft. But with WWII and the involvement of the Imperial Japanese Army looming, is the highly accomplished aeroplane designer prepared to confront life's tragedies and sacrifice everything for the glory of Japan?—Nick Riganas