Once Upon A Time

Two pairs of young lovers find themselves caught in the conflict between two rival kingdoms: Isa, which is primitive yet dazzling, and Paro, a militaristic force plagued by indiscipline. Izu and his young wife, Marin, are humble farmers residing in the unassuming village of Saki, positioned directly between the two warring states. Though Saki lacks Isa's splendor and Paro's engines of war, it is home to a majestic tree called Windaria, to which the villagers offer prayers in exchange for “good memories.” When war breaks out, Izu is seduced by a fantastic motorbike offered as a bribe and decides to join Paro's army. Before his departure, they exchange a solemn vow: he will come back to her, and she will wait for him until he does. The second pair consists of Jill, prince of Paro, and Ahanas, princess of Isa. Initially, they wish to remain apart from the swiftly escalating hostilities. However, when Jill's father—Paro's king—dies by his son's hand during a quarrel over the war, Jill is left with little recourse but to carry out his father's final command: the conquest of Isa. The sole complication is that he had promised his beloved Ahanas that he would stay out of the conflict. Windaria is a wartime allegory set in a fantasy realm of unicorns and phantom ships.