Air
AIR is a story which started as a visual novel/game and was later adapted into an anime TV series, anime movie, and manga. The anime version of Air has been the source of much discussion owing to its confusing ending.
Synopsis
A drifter named Yukito Kunisaki wanders into a small town while on his journey in search of a girl with wings, that he has been told of since his childhood. He encounters a young girl by the name of Misuzu, who quickly be friends him and invites him to stay with her and her mother. After settling down, Yukito is constantly told of Mizuzu's mysterious dreams, which gives him a strong belief that Misuzu could be the one he's looking for. But when he's not with Misuzu he's interacting with some of the strange locals, and encounters strange occurrences. But when Yukito later learns of Misuzu's condition, he must decide if he may be bearing a heavy burden on her.
Description
Air started as an 18-rated dating simulation game whose strong and tragic storyline proved to be a bigger selling point than the sexual angle. As a result it was re-released as an all-ages game with the sex scenes removed. It was then adapted into a 12 part anime series, followed by two summer special episodes.
The story spans 1000 years, and although most episodes are set in the present, two are set in the past when the last remnants of a species of powerful winged beings that were revered as gods of the Shinto religion were exterminated by militaristic Buddhist monks. Although the winged beings are mythical, the period of history when Buddhist monks tried to unite feudal Japan and eradicate Shinto is based on historical fact.
In Air, when the last of the winged beings, Kanna, is killed, she is condemned to endless failed reincarnations since there are no longer any new winged beings for her spirit to be incarnated into, and humans are not capable of containing her spirit. The Buddhist monks that kill Kanna also condemn her spirit to never find love. Those who failed to protect her, a samurai and Kanna's maid, resolve to try and break this curse, and pass this mission on to their descendents. Yukito is their heir in the 1000th year since the death of Kanna, and the quest has been passed on from his mother, who found the incarnation of the winged girl Kanna but was unable to save her from dying young as the spirit overwhelmed her inadequate human body.
The anime Air has been described by some as sadder even than Grave of the Fireflies but also as somewhat muddled, since it is not clear at the end of the series whether the curse has been lifted, as Misuzu dies. However in the game on which it is based, it is clear that the curse was indeed lifted.
Characters- Yukito Kunisaki
- Misuzu Kamio
- Kano Kirishima
- Minagi Toono
- Haruko Kamio
- Hijiri Kirishima
- Michiru
- Potato
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