Given my fondness for Ringo, it’s kind of funny that I haven’t watched Air Gear until like now. I did read the first few volumes of the manga, back when I read manga, so it’s not like it was just love of the character design. But, yeah, sometimes when going to watch a show with characters I’ve liked for a while, I hope the anime doesn’t make the character less appealing to me *cough*Shana*cough*. Overall, I found Air Gear pretty easy to view and entertaining enough to reliably watch four, five, or six episodes at a time. Plus, after seeing it, I still like Ringo.
First of all, I totally love the whole Air Trek (AT) thing going on in the show, the teams, the outfits, and the skating. I’m predisposed to like the AT premise, since Jet Set Radio Future was one of my favorite games on the Xbox — on a side note, Smilebit, I miss thee. There’s clearly a lot of similar elements between Air Gear and JSRF, from funky air physics to the underground culture in the story that revolves around it.
The AT action leads to some very sweet moves in battles and lots of bent up camera angles. Sure it’s just a flavor-additive to what amounts to a tournament anime, but it’s yummy. The fanservice action wasn’t bad either, though this pesky crow shows up a lot to cover things up — though sometimes, that’s a good thing. Too bad the budget of the show wasn’t higher as some of the middle-late episodes had some very rough and off-model character animation. ATs are something that would really benefit from kick-ass animation.
Air Gear had some pretty good music within the show. Opening, ending, eye-catch, and within the episodes, most of it I got into, which does a lot to keep the enthusiasm going. This helps in a show that’s a lot about attitude instead of a deep storyline. It’s nice and shallow, which is good sometimes.
The downside of watching Air Gear is just when it starts to get interesting, the show ends. In retrospect that makes me wish some of these battles didn’t take three or four episodes to resolve so more story could have happened in the 26 episodes that we got. It definitely feels like Air Gear was scripted as a multi-season show that didn’t get another season or a wrap-up in case it never got renewed. Oh well, in watching anime after all these years, there’s always the manga to get the rest of the story. Too bad I don’t read manga anymore.
Release Note
Funimation’s release is on 4 dvds in double packed thinpaks and a cardboard sleeve. There aren’t really any extras in the release. Don’t know if this was on the original ADV release, but the first two episodes on disc 4 (Trick 21 and Special Trick) have a lower audio mix than the rest of the episodes (English). The price on the show is very nice.
Frankly, it was more of an all-right sort of show for me, wasn’t really a fan of it, thogh it is a good watch for gratuitous ecchi- err art style.
I love Air Gear. I wish they would do a 2nd season of Air Gear, after all the manga hasn’t ended. I started reading the manga after I finish the anime
@super rats: I only began to took notice of Air Gear after Animax aired it over here a few months back. The concept of using Air Treks as a means of sport really is a unique concept and an exciting one!
Alas, it ended at 26 episodes…and I thought that was that. I realised there was a manga release, so i got copies of it and thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing that bugged me was that the story in the manga gets quite complicated and incomprehensible at times; sometimes prompting me to turn back the pages and view what happened previously!
It’s a good release overall; but why stop the manga fever, super rats?
I’ve never really liked Ringo… until I read volumes 15 and 16. Absolutely amazing, I can guarantee that. Still a big supporter of Kururu though.
i got into air gear last year when i saw this lovely local simca and mikan cosplayer. was told by comrades to go for the manga and forget about the anime which i did, i currently into 100++ish chapters, still a long way to go. so much things to do so little time.
jusuchin85, I mostly read manga on the train, but now that I have to drive to work it’s better that I don’t read manga while driving.^^
Aside Kururu and Simca, my initial motivating factor in sticking with Air Gear was because of Ringo. Simca is quite the beauty and really crafty but it’s always been Ringo when it comes to the top girls of Air Gear. Then Kururu came along and I went head over heals for her, she ended up placing Second bumping Simca to Third.
Then Emily and Yayoi started getting more time in the manga so naturally they started getting bumped up, I think they both take Third spot for me now. The lack of air time for Simca in the manga, since the anime far ended, is a bit frustrating. They also held off Ringo and Kururu as well which is really unnerving. I guess the substitution for Emily and Yayoi is a bit acceptable. They do need development.
Oh, yea….the Air Treks. Good stuff…good stuff.
@Pax, It’s not a bad problem to have a lot of characters in a series that interest you. For me, that’s half of it, liking the characters or absolutely hating the characters. Sometimes a character that really irritates me can get me to watch.
@Gordon, I remember seeing a few hot air gear cosplays a while ago.
I find it to be a very funny and fun anime to watch but the manga is too long and it is starting to get boring
I things air gear is so fuck but it not a action animated.and i love u fara