Miyazaki's Flaptter comes to life! Kazuhikio Kakuta has recreated the memorable machine from the acclaimed Hayao Miyazaki film. (via Kazuhikio)
Art and tech come together. Almost always, a work of love and fandom drives creating something like this. I find it inspirational, perhaps you will too.
Hayao Miyazaki has created some of the most iconic animated movies in history. Films like Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away are highly acclaimed for their story, visuals, and imagination. Each of the films show a weird, ambitious machine, but did you ever think one could actually exist? Inventor Kazuhikio Kakuta has been working on an RC model of the Flaptter from Castle in the Sky for the past four years and the results are stunning. There's even a mini Dola, a character from the film, in the pilot's seat.
Castle in the Sky screen shot (left) and the Flaptter project (right) (Via Studio Ghibli and Kazuhikio respectively)
The project grew out of his love for flying machines. Back in January he uploaded a video showing off a prototype, but has been tweaking it ever since. He provided an updated version in a new video posted a couple of weeks ago.
The clip shows the RC Flaptter in action as it flies around at a steady pace and loops around the camera several times. It's in the air for a full minute before it hits the ground. This updated version includes a stabilizer and other minor repairs.
It seems Kakuta's Flaptter is going well, so does that mean he'll be working on bringing other Studio Ghibli inventions to life? We sure hope so! Just imagine having an RC model of a moving castle; talk about being the ultimate Miyazaki fan!
C
See more news at: