“Through all the Sadness and Pain Just Remember, Keep Smiling!”
Bonds of love and friendship that transcends the ages along with a desire to break a curse that has haunted generations is the focus of this beautiful story. Yukito Kunisaki is on a quest to fulfill his Mother’s dream of finding the Girl who lives in the sky. He travels throughout the country side and finds himself in a small oceanside village, out of money and worn out from hunger. Befriended by a girl, Misuzo, he spends a summer finding the real meaning to his quest. The small village has been touched by the Girl who lives in the shy and Yukito and the others who live there discover the sadness that has enveloped them. The trick is how to overcome this sadness and break the curse.
Air: The Complete Series is composed of 12 episodes and 2 specials on 3 DVD Discs. Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, Animation Production done by Kyoto Animation and Distributed in the U.S. by FUNimation. The DVD released date in April 21, 2009.
The series of 12 episodes contained on Disc 1 & 2 are a wonderfully complete story. The characters are well developed and allowed to show a full range of emotions. At first I was not sure what to think, but by the end of the first episode I was drawn in and wanted to discover the secrets that were about to unfold. True to the Japanese aesthetic, Air provides a real look into the simple Buddhist and Shinto ideals of spirit and re-en-carnation along with the Zen approach to understanding how we all intertwine in each others lives. Air is a heart warming story that will soften even the coldest of hearts.
The Animation was gorgeous and lent itself to the ease of the personality and softness of the story itself. The colors were rich and vibrant. The background was the most stunning aspect, which is typical for Japanese Animation. It reflected the love for nature these Artist tend to portray. The characters also followed the typical Anime stylings with the Women having large Eyes and the Men with log hair that sticks out any often gravity defying ways.
The 2 Special episodes were additional back story information regarding the historical episodes featured in the original series. They gave more insight into how a family can be comprised of more than just blood relatives. How three people can bond so deeply that that their souls are connected for generations to come.
The other extras that were included in the were textless songs and trailers of other titles. If you are a fan of the songs you will find them very enjoyable. I was not impressed and felt as though they did not need to be included.
I found Air: The Complete Series to be very heartwarming and a real tearjerker. If you are a fan of these types of story you will find it to be a worthy addition to your collection.
ComicsOnline gives Air: The Complete Series 5 out of 5 Plumes of Happiness
