Air (TV)
When watching kittens die just isn’t enough
So you probably know this, but there are these computer game folks called Key/Visual Art’s built some success on a series of Visual Novels starting in the late 90s. That they were so good at it they plied their success into television series based on those games, often commissioning technically brilliant up-and-comers Kyoto Animation to do the work.
The first of these collaborations between the two was Air. The connection between the show and the visual novel medium (single male lead, series of girls, interact with each one in a separate but loosely connected story arc, etc etc) is apparent, but maybe not as obvious as some of Key’s other TV series.
Story & Characters
The story centers on the typical personality-less male lead (the idea in the game is that he’s an empty shell to project the player onto, and remains unfortunately so in the series), Yukito, who wanders into a strange town populated mostly by girls. No explanation other than “this is based on an adult video game” is ever really given for that. Gradually, as he pimps them out one by one, he learns their stories. In Air’s case, he’s a crazy man with telekinetic powers — used mostly for puppet shows, of course — looking for a girl with wings who flies in the sky, is the reincarnation of a fox spirit, and has always been alive. I made up only one part of that paragraph. Actually, I didn’t even. I just took it from another Key visual novel.
The details of the plot are fairly unimportant. What’s important is that there’s something tragic in all of their lives — especially young Misuzu, who takes wandering Yukito in to the home she shares with her mother who’s really her aunt. Sigh.
Like pretty much all of the Kyoto dramas based on Key games, there are some shared factors. Firstly, only one of the three major story arcs is worth a shit because it’s the focus (Misuzu in this case), and in this case it doesn’t have anything to do with the big-brother protagonist at all. It’s Haruko, her aunt, who makes the story. And don’t get me wrong. It’s a good one, and a real weeper.
The second Key commonality is the lack of real romantic payoff — it seems that in their urge to tone down the adult image of their games (which are only sometimes all that adult in nature), the writers relegated all characters in their soaps to nearly-platonic brother-sister relationships. There’s always a reason, and in Air I’m going to go with the fact that Yukito is too goddam old to be fucking around with these girls. He’s not the high-school age protagonist of Kanon or Clannad, and Misuzu’s age goes in the opposite direction.
Plot-wise, like I said, only one arc is worth a shit but it’s a good one. Unfortunately, with the 13-episode run, it feels a little truncated. I do think 24 episodes would have padded this show with ridiculous amounts of filler though, so maybe it’s for the best.
Animation
Kyoto is known for quality, and they really do a great job here. Dramas are second only to comedy in the crap-animation department, with big budgets generally going to giant robots, but this is really gorgeous, even compared to the later Kanon or Clannad. The kawaii-overload, moe-heavy style is hard at first, but you’re either gonna go for it soon or hate it for the entire 13 episodes. Animation is smooth and the color palette is just sublime. Character designs are a little on the generic big-eyed side (these series’ stock in trade), but pleasant to look at, probably more so if you’re really into that moe thing.
Dub
Dubbing is good, led more than capably by Fullmetal Alchemist star Vic Mignogna. Deserving the most credit though, is Luci Christian (Full Metal Panic!, Mezzo DSA) as the aunt Haruko, who I’d say has one of the more difficult roles ever in any anime series. It’s heavy stuff, and she makes it real and believable, far better than her starring role in the FMP dub. Watching with subs you’ll find the original Japanese cast pretty appealing too.
Music & Credits
Eh? I dunno, there’s not a lot to it. The opening song was stuck in my head for a while, but you hear anything 13 times and it’ll do that to you. Incidental music is mostly there to gently (forcibly?) pull on your heart strings, like a child tugging on your shirt sleeve so that you’ll turn to watch him stomp your hamster to death.
Bottom Line
I really want to rant about Kanon when I talk about these Key shows, but that’s another day. I shouldn’t project my feelings about that use-and-toss slice of emotional pornography onto Air, which is a shorter, deeper, and somewhat more focused story. Like I said, you’re really only in it for one story arc, but that one makes it worth it, especially in the final two balls-out tragic episodes. I think Air works best because instead of demanding your pity for the bishoujo, you’re really alongside Haruko as she fulfills the tragic heroine role. Give it a try: if you’re going to watch one show from this genre, this is the one.
